I don't know what anyone in California has been doing the last month, but I have been doing ~nothing~ but reducing fire fuel on my property. I spent 400 bucks to have a big tree reduced, and I've been trimming everything myself by about 50%. Raking under ~everything~ to make sure there isn't a reservoir of leaves. I just cleared the gutters, and I don't normally do that until fall. This is a very dangerous fire season.
A week or two a fire popped up live on the old people news. Which is like watching football to me. It was on a hilltop with spot fires starting everywhere. I'm like - that house isn't going to make it. There is too much brush and fuel. And we just watched it about 10 minutes. The house did manage to make it, but it was super borderline. A firefighter managed to catch it. The house that did burn was fully overgrown.
Tree death is pretty stunning right now. People are going to get some VERY expensive tree removal bills. I'm fully focused on the tree tops. I just don't understand people honestly. They don't even have to do that much to give their house a fighting chance. Just trim things that make ground to tree contact. Look at every bush on your property and know that fire can be twice as tall as the bush. Make a distinct separation. Fire loves to climb. Don't let it.
We're even dry here, which is unusual. I'm not worried about fires by me. But I'm practically next door to a lake, my yard is NEVER dry. And my yard is dry.
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