Glendale (PDF) - Hazard Mitigation Web Portal - State of California

Natural Hazards Mitigation PlanCity of Glendale, CaliforniaSection 7 – Wildfiresspecific maintenance actions that can be undertaken by property owners in the fire hazard areasinclude:‣ Remove all dead vegetation and keep grasses and weeds maintained within 100 feet of anybuilding and within 10 feet of any roadway. These provisions are part of an amendment tothe Hazardous Vegetation Ordinance adopted in 1990. In extreme cases, clearance up to 200feet from a structure and 50 feet from a roadway may be required by the Fire Department.‣ Grasses and other vegetation located more than 30 feet from any building and less than 18inches in height may be maintained where necessary to prevent erosion. Large trees andshrubs in that area should be at least 18 feet apart.‣ Remove leafy foliage, dead wood, combustible ground cover, twigs, or branches within 3feet of the ground from mature trees located within 100 feet of any building or within 10feet of any roadway.‣ Remove dead limbs, branches, and other combustible matter from trees or other growingvegetation adjacent to or overhanging any structure.‣ Remove any portion of a tree that extends within 10 feet of a chimney or stovepipe.‣ Trim and maintain all vegetation away from the curb line up to a height of 13.5 feet toaccommodate emergency vehicles.‣ Maintain 5 feet vertical clearance between roof surfaces and any overhanging portions oftrees.‣ Property owners in the urban-wildland interface area can request that the Fire Departmentconduct a comprehensive fire safety survey of their homes and property. The FireDepartment inspects the residences for compliance with applicable regulations, and preparesa report for use by the homeowner to reduce its fire hazard. Implementation of therecommended mitigation measures may help the homeowner obtain a reduction in the costof fire insurance.It is the philosophy of the Glendale Fire Department to prevent catastrophic brush firesthrough comprehensive code enforcement efforts and, when necessary, a rapid response ofproperly trained and equipped firefighters. Successfully preventing fires requires a partnershipbetween the community and the Glendale Fire Department to maintain the hill areas free ofhazardous brush and combustible vegetation.Prescribed Fire: As discussed previously, before modern settlement began, the areaexperienced small but frequent wildfires that impacted primarily the grasses and low-lyingbushes, without severely damaging the tree stands. As man-made structures were built in thesefire-susceptible areas, there was a strong effort to suppress fires, since these would threaten thestructures and people living there. As a result, dense stands of vegetation have accumulatedlocally in the outlying areas, while increasingly larger numbers of people have moved into theurban-wildland interface. Over time, fire suppression and increasing populations have producedthese results:o Increased losses to life, property, and resources.o Difficulty of fire suppression, increased safety problems for firefighters, and reducedproductivity by fire crews on perimeter lines.o Longer periods between recurring fires for many vegetation types by a factor of 5 ormore.o Increased volume of fuel per acre.o Increased fire intensities.2006 PAGE 7 - 21