Firefighters in Contra Costa County were attempting to reduce the risk of a fire in the East Bay on Thursday by implementing a controlled burn, while wildfires raged in Southern California.
The state’s fire-abatement policy has traditionally included intentionally starting fires to clear brush under the correct circumstances. The prescribed burn at the Moraga-Lafayette boundary was carried out by the Moraga-Orinda Fire Protection District.
The open area behind residences in Lafayette was burned close to North Lucille Lane and Peacock Boulevard.
“So this crew has been working for a couple weeks now, burning pile material that we worked on all last summer in this East Bay Hills fuel break,” said Dennis Rein, the Moraga-Orinda Fire District’s Prescribed Fire Program Manager.
Hand teams burnt through material that had been removed during the previous months, taking advantage of the perfect weather for the task. To the satisfaction of worried neighbors on Lafayette’s outskirts, it was done.
Karen was thinking about her family in Southern California as she saw the work behind her house. “It is very reassuring, because my nephew just lost his home in Altadena,” she remarked. “My nephew just discovered that his house had been burned down when he watched it on TV. My other family members have left.
Although there hasn’t been a fire here, residents have already been impacted by the possibility of wildfire.
“All of us no longer have insurance. According to Greg Smith, who had to locate an insurance company on the east coast, “one of the reasons was supposedly a history of fire on this hill, but that’s not true.”
“It was really a shock to us, because it just came out of the blue,” Smith stated. “We all lost our insurance, even though we had various insurance providers. I must be rushing to obtain insurance. Thankfully, most of us have found success with it.
However, previous events had no bearing on the activity that was taking place on the hillside Thursday.
“We started the work here with the project called the North Orinda shaded fuel break way back in 2019,” Rein stated of the project.
That work was covered by KPIX when it began in 2019. When Gavin Newsom was elected governor, it was one of his first goals. He issued a statewide risk-management plan that is still in place today on these very hillsides, declared an emergency, and began buying new air resources.
Rein, however, sees something that might surpass anyone’s capacity for preparation as he observes what is occurring in the Los Angeles region.
“Yeah, when the conditions are right for a wildfire,” Rein replied. “I have sympathy for the firefighters in Southern California. It’s a difficult scenario down there with such strong gusts, low humidity, and no rain since the beginning of last year.”
Thus, efforts to lower the danger are still ongoing. And that’s a task that’s never truly done.
“If you consider it. “Vegetation will begin to grow back as soon as you cut it,” Rein stated. “So once we put in a fuel break, shaded fuel break, it’s an issue with maintaining that.”
A hand cruise is not all that it is. To do as much work on open land like this as possible before summer arrives, the fire district is utilizing mechanical equipment, goats, and cows. As long as the weather permits, this implies that neighbors will witness more of these prescribed burning.
Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.