GILROY
– Believe it or not, what a home owner does now can save a house
from flames during South County’s infamous wildfire season still
months away.
GILROY – Believe it or not, what a home owner does now can save a house from flames during South County’s infamous wildfire season still months away.
That’s why local firefighters are already working to spread the word about effective ways to prevent another Croy Fire.
“The good thing about the (Croy Fire) last summer was that it showed people it can happen here,” said Paul Trenholm, a fire captain with the South Santa Clara County Fire District station at Bonfante Gardens. “Now people in the area have a better awareness of how potentially disastrous a fire can be.”
The Croy Fire sparked in the 7900 block of Croy Road in the foothills west of Morgan Hill the afternoon of Sept. 23 and eventually became the largest fire to encompass the area in almost 20 years.
Trenholm knows the Croy Fire is still fresh in the minds of many rural South County residents, but due to a winter that has been relatively dry the upcoming fire season could potentially be as dangerous as last, he said.
The following are tips by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for spring fire protection:
• February: Prune all trees and shrubs, removing dead limbs and branches. Be sure to keep pruning waste piled away from buildings.
• March: Keep leaves and pine needles off your roof and out of rain gutters. Remember, March winds can blow strong, increasing fire danger even when vegetation is still green. Don’t burn on windy days.
For additional fire safety and prevention tips, go to the CDF Web site at www.fire.ca.gov/Education.
