Fire Prevention

Our fire staff assists in education and tours, performing required facility inspections, and site inspections. In addition, our community is very fortunate to have the Butte County Fire Safe Council locally, to assist with fire prevention and planning. Resources are also available from the California Wildland Coordinating Group.  These sites provide excellent information for fire prevention, safety, and preparedness .   Community education and cooperation is essential.

We encourage everyone to maintain an active effort to be educated on ways to better protect themselves and their neighbors from the devastating effects of fire before one occurs.  This education and diligence means the difference in your life safety. We encourage citizens to inspect their property and be sure they comply with the following:

• From all structures, cut and remove all grasses to a height of four (4) inches, and for a distance of not less than one hundred (100) feet, as the terrain dictates, or to the property line.
• From all structures, the majority of the native brush shall be cut and removed, for a distance of one hundred (100) feet or to the property line, as the terrain dictates. Some native brush may remain, provided the nearest branches of individual or small groupings (groups of two to three) of plants are at least ten (10) feet apart. (See note below).
• Within the required one hundred (100) foot clearing area, remove any tree limbs that are within eight (8) feet of the ground, to prevent the fuel laddering effects in a fire situation.
• Remove  any portion of a tree that extends within ten (10) feet of any stovepipe or chimney.
• Remove any portion of a tree which is dead and extends over a structure.
• Maintain the roof of any structure free of any concentrated accumulation of leaves, pine needles or other dead vegetative growth.
• Provide a clearance of ten (10) feet from any Liquid Propane (LP-Gas) Tank(s).
• Where vegetation on developed parcels is a fire hazard to structures on adjoining property, and such fire hazard is within one hundred (100) feet of the structures on adjoining property, the owner of the parcel will be required to provide sufficient clearance to reduce the fire hazard.
• Special Note: Hazard abatement within 100 feet of a drainage basin will require the necessary clearance from appropriate government agencies.