California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Amador-El Dorado Unit

CONTACT: Teri Mizuhara, Fire Prevention Specialist II, 530.708.2724
RELEASE DATE: June 10, 2011

Preparing NOW is Your Best Defense

Camino – Unit Chief Kelly Keenan of the Amador-El Dorado Unit (AEU) of CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection) is reminding everyone that we are moving into a period of increased risk for wildfires as we progress into fire season which will officially begin at 8 AM on Monday June 13th in AEU. Chief Keenan says "we have had an unusually wet and extended spring, however temperatures are quickly increasing and humidity's are dropping causing lighter vegetation, such as grass, to burn more easily. It will be summer before we know it. With the extended rainy season there has been an extended growing season for our local plants which equals more fuel for wildfires."

Although CAL FIRE is prepared year round for emergencies, the department is preparing for the increased threat and workload driven by wildfires during the summer months. CAL FIRE is actively hiring and training additional firefighters in order to staff additional fire equipment to meet the increasing fire threat. Likewise, additional firefighting aircraft will be phased in as the firefighting workload increases statewide.

Chief Keenan strongly encourages everyone to continue to work on their "defensible space" which should be a minimum of 100' around each structure on their property or to the property line, which ever is closer. Don't forget to remove all the pine needles and leaves from the roof and rain gutters as this is an often overlooked area. For more information on what you can do to prepare for fire season, please visit CAL FIRE's web site at www.fire.ca.gov or www.readyforwildfire.org or call 530-644-2345, for a free brochure.

Teri Mizuhara
Fire Prevention Specialist II
CAL FIRE
Amador-El Dorado-Sacramento-Alpine Unit
530.708.2724

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