Fire officials close wild areas

Lauren Vane

With the start of the 2005 fire season Monday, the Orange County Fire

Authority will close several open-space areas in and around Laguna

Beach to public access.

The area west of Laguna Canyon Road and south of the 405 freeway

will be closed, as will the area east of Laguna Canyon Road to Aliso

and Wood canyons. Laguna Beach Fire Chief Mike Macey said he has

asked the county for a more detailed map of local closures.

Closing the open spaces to public access reduces the risk of fires

started by humans, Macey said.

The open-space areas will be closed until rain comes and

alleviates the fire danger, said Orange County Fire Authority Captain

Stephen Miller.

The rains that soaked Orange County earlier in the year have

amounted to an increase in vegetation that now poses a significant

fire risk. In addition to the abundance of vegetation, rains were

also responsible for washing out many of the fire roads, an issue

that is very problematic. The fire roadsare being rebuilt, Macey

said.

The city takes several steps to prepare for fire season. It

conducts a weed-abatement program to reduce excess vegetation and,

starting in June, the fire department will begin wild-land fire

training, Macey said. Fire crews will practice driving the fire roads

with a special off-road fire truck and will train specifically for

fighting wildfires.

“The best thing that people can do is start at home to make sure

their own property is compliant with vegetation management,” Macey

said.

Guidelines for weed abatement at home are posted on the city

website, under the fire department link, www.lagunabeachcity.net