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Julian residents preparing for fire season before it’s too late

Neighbors organized huge clean-up efforts to help each other to reduce fire danger.

JULIAN, Calif. — For people living in Wynona Estates, it's not a matter of if there will be a fire in the East County, but when. So neighbors are coming together now to reduce the fuel in their community. A move they hope will save lives and property.

“What we're having people do is trim all their trees up six to eight feet and keep the grass down underneath because most fires travel through the grass; that's the easiest, most ignitable source,” said Harry Seifert. He is a former fire chief and the current head of the Wynola Estates Fire Safe Council, which organized a huge clean-up event. “Fire will burn three to four times the fuel height. So if a one-foot piece of grass is burning hot, the flame front can be up as high as four feet.”

For days, neighbors have heard a chipper shred old branches. They’re hoping that’s the sound of safety. Branches are sure to dry up over the summer, creating fuel for a fire.

Seifert says this area has been lucky, with no major fires in a very long time. But with all the rain this year, grasses are growing fast, and he's worried their luck will run out. He says reducing fuels is extremely important. The fire becomes much more intense once the flames jump into a tree.

Unfortunately, hiring crews to cut and haul away branches can get expensive, so neighbors are working together to do it themselves. Their efforts will undoubtedly buy fire crews precious minutes. The Wynola Estates Fire Safe Council received grants to pay for the equipment, which is free for residents. That’s great news because many people living in this area are retired and on fixed incomes - making this type of clearance a substantial financial burden.

Residents can choose to keep their chippings or have them hauled off - where they will be donated to other areas for weed control and hopefully lessen fire dangers there too. For Siefert and his fellow neighbors, it’s a win-win situation.

 “You know, we can't guarantee that we're not going to have houses burn down in a fire, but this sure lessons the chances of involvement,” Seifert said.

WATCH RELATED: San Diego fire crews prepare for upcoming fire season

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