MOFD Preparing for Fire Season

The June 1st Wildfire Abatement deadline is quickly approaching. Community Wildfire Safety Ambassadors are being re-certified and are ready to help residents understand the the fire code and how to be in compliance. For most residents of the Moraga Orinda Fire District, tending to Zones 0, 1, 2 and maintaining your roadside clearance are the most important areas of concern. The official Abatement Requirements can be found here.

ZONE O: (0-5 feet)

This is the most critical zone, as it is last line of defense from flying embers and flames making contact with your home. Maintaining a 2-foot (minimum) non-combustible zone is essential. This where you want to remove any dry plant material, rake away any wood mulch, and limb up vegetation at least a foot off of the ground. It also means moving anything, such as storage bins and patio furniture that may have been located under the eaves to protect them from rain.

ZONES 1 & 2 : (5-100 FEET)

These zones both require the removal of dead or dying brush and the cutting of grass no higher than 3 inches. It also means limbing up trees to a minimum of 6 feet between the ground or foliage growing underneath. From 30-100 feet, lumber piles, propane tanks, and firewood should be surrounded by 10 feet of bare mineral soil. These areas are also receptive to volunteer plants, like coyote brush and broom plants. These need to removed completely. Broom pullers are available to borrow from MOFD.

ROADSIDE CLEARANCE

Even if you live on a small street, keeping it clear of encroaching vegetation can have a huge impact of the response time of emergency services. Burning vegetation on both sides of a roadway can turn a two-lane street into a one-lane bottleneck! Hazardous vegetation needs to be cut back three feet from the edge of the road and trees and shrubs need to be limbed up 15 feet. Additionally, highly flammable juniper and bamboo need to be removed 10 feet from the edge of the road and your driveway.

ENFORCEMENT

MOFD Inspectors begin enforcement on June 1st!