By Nathan McIntire
The Pasadena Star-News
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. — Fire officials urged hillside residents Tuesday to prepare for another round of wildfires this summer, but reassured the public that state budget cuts will not affect their firefighting capabilities.
While the Station Fire burned 250 square miles of vegetation and brush in the Angeles National Forest last summer, 75 percent of the area of the forest remains unburned, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief P. Michael Freeman said.
“Just because there has been serious fires in the past does not mean we are exempt from serious fires in the future,” said Freeman, who gathered with county, state, and federal fire officials at the Fire Camp 2.
Of the 20 largest fires in California history, more than half have occurred in the past four years, said John Hawkins, Riverside County’s fire chief.
Hawkins said the state is entering “a very dangerous part of the year.”
“Hot, dry, windy weather leads to the reason we’re here to alert you,” Hawkins said. “Weather is the serious factor that affects wildfire spread.”
The county also rolled out its “Ready, Set, Go!” wildfire action plan Tuesday, meant to keep residents alert and prepared to evacuate in the event of a threatening wild fire.
“We want to emphasize the importance to the public to be ready, to be set, and when asked to evacuate, please cooperate,” Freeman said.
The plan stresses the importance of clearing defensible space around properties and retrofitting homes with fire-resistant materials.
Freeman also addressed the state’s budget crisis during Tuesday’s news conference, insisting that county, state, and federal firefighting agencies are fully funded and staffed.
“Running out of money is not going to be the problem,” he said.
Jody Noiron, the U.S. Forest Service’s supervisor for the Angeles National Forest, also sought to reassure the public that her department could handle wildfires this season.
“We are fully staffed, we are fully trained, and we are ready for this fire season,” Noiron said.
The U.S. Forest Service has been criticized by county Supervisor Michael Antonovich and retired forest service employees for its handling of the Station Fire, with many questioning the department’s unwillingness to use air support in the early days of the historic fire.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, will convene a panel within the next few months to investigate the U.S Forest Service’s response to the Station Fire.
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