“Now is the time to prepare” for this year’s upcoming fire season

May 6, 2020 Trevor Montgomery

INTERMOUNTAIN AREA, Calif. — With fire season right around the corner, Burney Basin Fire Safe Council and Fall River Resource Conservation District are reminding Intermountain Area residents that now more than ever is the time to be concerned about fire safety around the home, property and community.

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Recognizing that much work is needed annually to prepare for each fire season, the Burney Basin Fire Safe Council has identified necessary measures and public safety initiatives to reduce the area’s risk of wildfire.

“In order to create a culture of fire resiliency in our town, it takes working together to ensure that we are not the next victims of catastrophic wildfire,” Burney Basin Fire Safe Council member Kayla Trotter recently wrote in an open letter to Intermountain Area residents that was shared online.

“As an individual, encourage yourself and your family to have a fire plan in place,” explained Trotter; while providing a list of steps residents can follow to ensure they are as prepared for fire season as possible.

Among other ideas, Trotter suggests citizens:

Develop, discuss and practice an emergency action plan with everyone in your home. Include details for pets and livestock. Know two ways out of your neighborhood and have a pre-designated meeting place.
Conduct an annual insurance policy check-up to adjust for local building costs, codes and new renovations. Create/update a home inventory to help settle claims faster.
Assess the exterior of your home and landscaping of your property for optimal fire safety.
To reduce ember ignitions and fire spread, trim branches that overhang the home, porch and deck and prune branches of large trees up to (depending on their height) 6 to 10 feet from the ground.
Remove plants containing resins, oils and waxes and ensure mulches in the Immediate Zone (0 to 5 feet around the house) are non-combustible options like crushed stone and gravel.
Inspect shingles or roof tiles and replace or repair those that are loose or missing to prevent ember penetration.
Box-in eaves, but provide ventilation to prevent condensation and mildew.
Roof and attic vents should be screened to prevent ember entry.
Never store flammable materials underneath decks or porches.
Remove dead vegetation and debris from under decks/porches and between deck board joints.
Use fire-resistant siding such as brick, fiber-cement, plaster or stucco and dual-pane tempered glass windows.
Store firewood and propane tanks away from the home, and manage overgrown vegetation on your property.

In addition to encouraging residents to conduct their own preparation for the next fire season, Fall River Resource Conservation District and Burney Basin Fire Safe Council are also working toward enhancing fire safety throughout the Intermountain Area with several programs, according to Trotter.

“Currently we are helping facilitate a green waste drop off program free of charge,” explained Trotter; saying anyone interested can call (801) 599-9992 for more information and to schedule a drop-off time.

One of the best ways to make your home fire safe is to create good defensible space, according to Fall River Resource Conservation District and Burney Basin Fire Safe Council.

“We also hope to begin a program which delivers usable firewood from hazard trees to those who are unable or cannot afford to procure firewood by their own means,” Trotter continued. “Finally, the Fall River Resource Conservation District, with grant funding, is working to complete several forest health projects to manage an overload of dead and diseased trees to create healthier, resilient forests surrounding our community.”

“With your support, we can work towards creating shared values of fire safety and resiliency in our communities,” said Trotter.

For more information please visit www.fallriverrcd.org/burney-basin-fire-safe-council.

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Trevor Montgomery, 48, moved in 2017 to the Intermountain area of Shasta County from Riverside County and runs Riverside County News Source and Shasta County News Source. Additionally, he writes or has written for several other news organizations; including Riverside County based newspapers, Valley News, (the now defunct) Valley Chronicle, Anza Valley Outlook, and Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle; as well as Bonsall/Fallbrook Village News in San Diego County and Mountain Echo in Shasta County.

Trevor spent 10 years in the U.S. Army as an Orthopedic Specialist before joining the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in 1998. He was medically retired after losing his leg, breaking his back, and suffering both spinal cord and brain injuries in an off-duty accident. (Click here to see segment of Discovery Channel documentary of Trevor’s accident.)

During his time with the sheriff’s department, Trevor worked at several different stations; including Robert Presley Detention Center, Southwest Station in Temecula, Hemet/Valle Vista Station, Ben Clark Public Safety Training Center, and Lake Elsinore Station; along with other locations.

Trevor’s assignments included Corrections, Patrol, DUI Enforcement, Boat and Personal Water-Craft based Lake Patrol, Off-Road Vehicle Enforcement, Problem Oriented Policing Team, and Personnel/Background Investigations. He finished his career while working as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator and was a court-designated expert in child abuse and child sex-related crimes.

Trevor has been married for more than 29 years and was a foster parent to more than 60 children over 13 years. He is now an adoptive parent and his “fluid family” includes 13 children and 16 grandchildren.