Firefighters credit planning, education as period ends; they now brace for winter hazards
By Scott Marshall
Contra Costa Times (Walnut Creek, California)
Copyright 2006 Contra Costa Times
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
Fire season ends today, and along with it a seasonal burn ban, but firefighters are bracing for the next round of hazards — namely from chimneys with buildups of soot and from the careless use of candles.
Contra Costa County fared well during this fire season because of planning and teaching residents how to be ready, said Dave George, a battalion chief for the Contra Costa Fire Protection District.
“There’s always a little bit of planning that helps from the standpoint of getting the word out, to people living in areas near grass, that educational process the department puts out,” George said. “We really got some traction off of it this year.”
Fire authorities also preached vigilance.
“We really tried to get people to call early when they smelled smoke, that seems to have struck a chord,” he said. “The way we know that worked is because there would be fires in Sacramento or Oakland, and smoke would drift into Contra Costa, and literally 911 lines would ring off the hook. I think there’s a vigilant attitude out there with people.”
Several local firefighters got extensive experience fighting wildfires in Southern and Northern California this year, George said.
September and October passed without lightning-related fires, which greatly helped firefighters, he said.
“Next up for us, first of all, we’ll start having chimney fires,” he said. “And it’s always the forgotten flame ... candles. It’s a dangerous problem, people forget about it, and forget it’s a hazard,” he said.
Anyone who uses a candle should use a holder for it, he said. Also check smoke detectors, as well as chimneys for buildups of soot.
Heavily used fireplaces are most susceptible to soot buildup. “It can never hurt to have it inspected,” George said.