California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

CONTACT: Teri Mizuhara, Fire Prevention Specialist II, 530.708.2724
RELEASE DATE: May 22, 2012

Preparing for Fire Season

Camino - The Amador-El Dorado Unit of CAL FIRE is announcing that the opening of "fire season" for 2012 will be at 8 am on Monday May 28th. According to the state's final snow survey on May 1, the statewide snowpack water content is only 40 percent of normal. From January to April, statewide CAL FIRE crews have responded to over 800 wildfires, nearly two and half times the number in 2011 when there were approximately 300. This year's number of wildfires is also above the five-year average as well, where the average is over 600 wildfires.

Unit Chief Kelly Keenan is reminding everyone that "we are moving into a period of increased risk for wildfires as temperatures are quickly increasing and humidity's are dropping causing lighter vegetation, such as grass, to burn more easily. CAL FIRE is prepared all year long for emergencies but is now preparing for the increased threat and workload driven by wildfires during the summer months. CAL FIRE is actively training additional firefighters and preparing to staff additional fire equipment to meet the increasing fire threat."

Chief Keenan strongly encourages everyone to continue to work on their "defensible space" which should be a minimum of 100' around each structure on their property or to the property line, whichever is closer. Don't forget to remove all the pine needles and leaves from the roof and rain gutters as this is an often overlooked area.

For more information on what you can do to prepare for fire season, please visit CAL FIRE's web site at www.fire.ca.gov or www.ReadyForWildfire.org or call 530-644-2345, for free brochures. "Together we can make the communities we live in fire safe" adds Chief Keenan.

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