San José Firefighters extinguished the region's first significant wild-land blaze of the year on Saturday, May 5, 2007. Under the direction of Battalion Chief Michael Ayala, multiple Wild-land Engine Companies fought the fire from numerous sides to bring the fire under control.
The wind driven vegetation fire erupted at approximately 2:11 PM and swept in a southerly direction threatening nearby homes prompting a three-alarm response for additional Firefighters and equipment. Firefighters with hose-lines were strategically placed between the homes and the fire to protect lives and property.
While the fire did not damage homes in the area between Nieman Boulevard and Yerba Buena Road, this early blaze serves to remind residents of the critical need to create a defensible space of 100ft around their homes as fire season approaches.
Use the three “R’s” to assist you in creating a defensible space around your home:
Removal: This technique involves the elimination of entire plants, particularly trees and shrubs, from the site. Examples of removal are cutting down a dead tree or cutting out a flammable shrub.
Reduction: The removal of plant parts, such as branches or leaves constitute reduction. Examples of reduction are pruning dead wood from a shrub, removing low tree branches, and cutting down dried grass.
Replacement: Replacement is substituting hazardous vegetation with less flammable plants. Removal of a dense stand of flammable shrubs and planting an irrigated, well maintained flower bed is an example of replacement.
Posted by: Captain, Alberto Olmos, Public Information Officer
Photos submitted by: Craig Allyn Rose, Photographer San Jose Fire Department
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