Officials prepare for brush fires

Deepa Bharath

Local firefighters are preparing for the brush fire season that

officially began on Sunday.

Newport Beach will close a few areas in the city to the public

because they pose a risk of wildland fires, spokeswoman Donna Boston

said.

The areas that will remain closed are south of Bonita Canyon

Drive, Sand Canyon Avenue and the San Diego Freeway to Coast Highway

and the area west of Laguna Canyon Road to Buck Gully.

The closures do not restrict property owners from using their

land, but are intended to protect landowners from trespassers who

frequently cause wildland fires, Boston said. The closures will be in

effect until there is enough rain to reduce the fire hazard.

Although there has been more rainfall than usual this year, Boston

said that does not guarantee a fire-free summer or fall.

“What rain does is it causes things to grow,” she said. “These

plants and shrubs are what fuel a fire. In September and October,

these plants will dry out, and when you combine that with Santa Ana

winds, you have a recipe for a wild-land fire.”

Among the “danger zones” in Newport Beach are the canyon areas of

Newport Coast, the Back Bay and the wild-land areas near Buck Gully

in Corona del Mar, Boston said.

“Some of the areas like the Back Bay are wildlife preserves, too,”

she said. “So we’re very aware of that as well.”

Costa Mesa does not have as many wild-land areas as Newport Beach,

but firefighters are still preparing for the season, Battalion Chief

Christopher Riley said.

“The only risky area in our city is the area near the bluffs and

Talbert Park,” he said.

Riley said Costa Mesa firefighters will undergo wild-land

firefighting training later this month.

Boston said firefighters often conduct tests to make sure that

weather conditions are not hazardous.

“We have specialized equipment to measure field moisture content,

which essentially tells us if we’re experiencing dry or very dry

conditions by measuring the amount of moisture in the air,” she said.

They also have equipment such as heavy-duty rigs, shovels and hoes

to cut fire lines in case of brush fires, Boston said.

“We rely on air support as well,” she said. “Our police helicopter

will help us out by dumping water. That usually makes a huge

difference and helps us very much in fighting a brush fire.”