After the Suncrest Avenue Fire near Alum Rock Park, September 24, 2006. Defensible Space helped save the homes near the top of this hill. (Photo by Richard Brown)By Allan Thompson
The Santa Clara County FireSafe Council (SCFSC), a local non-profit group dedicated to preventing wildfires in Santa Clara County, has launched Defensible Space Chipping Programs to reduce hazardous fuels in selected areas of the county. These programs are funded by $90,442 in federal grants from the USDI Bureau of Land Management.
With the start of the 2007 Wildfire Season upon us, SCFSC is launching its pilot Chipping Programs in several areas including east and south San Jose and the East Foothills near Alum Rock Park, where last year’s “Suncrest Avenue Fire” burned a swath of grassland near some hillside homes.
These federal grants, and local matching funding from area individuals, companies and organizations like Pacific Gas and Electric Company and San Jose Water Company, enable SCFSC to provide these services free-of-charge. SCFSC is also offering more extensive assistance to qualified seniors and disabled residents through its Special Needs Assistance Program or SNAP.
To learn more about these free Chipping Programs, visit the SCFSC Website at http://www.sccfiresafe.org/ and click on “Defensible Space Chipping Programs.” If you have questions, e-mail DSChip@SCCFireSafe.org or call (408) 975-9591.
SCFSC also has a 20-page, guide for homeowners and residents available on-line or by mail. The guide, Living With Fire in Santa Clara County, is at www.SCCFireSafe.org/FireSafe/LivingWithFire.htm and is appropriate for the Wildland Urban Interface areas. It illustrates how to create Defensible Space and use fire resistant plants and roofing materials.
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