Recently Chief Building Inspector
Mike Crawford, made a presentation to the Board of Supervisors about S.B. 1369. This new
State fire protection law goes into effect the first of next year. It affects land that is
forested, brush or grass covered and within a designated very high fire hazard severity
zone. (Mike indicated that about 75% of the buildable lots in Siskiyou County are within
this zone.)
One of the things the new law does is to extend the “defensible
space” zone around occupied dwellings from the existing 30 feet requirement to 100
feet or the property line, whichever is less. This means that the land for 100 feet around
a dwelling must be cleared of brush, flammable vegetation or combustible growth. The
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF) is currently working on
guidelines for vegetation clearance. They will continue to be responsible for enforcing
clearance.
The Board was assured that requirements would use common sense as to
which foliage would need to be removed. This would most likely include diseased, dying and
dead trees. The lowest limb of a mature tree should be at least 6-10 feet from the ground
to reduce the hazard of ladder fuels. It would also include any portion of a tree that
extends within 10 feet of the outlet of a chimney or stovepipe. Grass and other vegetation
within 30 feet that is less than 18 inches in height may be maintained to stabilize the
soil. CDF does not intend that people create “moonscapes” around their homes.
Ornamental shrubbery and “single specimen” trees will continue to be allowed.
Some insurance companies are requiring that defensible space be
increased to 200 – 1000 feet under their policies. Local fire safe councils exist in
many areas of the County and are growing in number as homeowners look to help from
educational workshops and fire safe crews to provide technical help and equipment, such as
wood chippers.
Homeowners are encouraged to take the initiative and become active in
local Fire Safe Councils, as well as their local volunteer fire departments and
fundraising auxiliaries. In addition to the Siskiyou County Fire Safe Council, there are
at least 12 others: Copco Lake/Bogus; French Creek; Greater Weed; Happy Camp; Klamath River; Lake Shastina;
Lower Scott River; McCloud; Mt. Shasta Area; Salmon River; Seiad Valley;
and South Yreka Fire Safe Councils. If you would like more information on how
to start a local Fire Safe Council, please call Dale or Giselle Nova in Mt. Shasta at
(530) 926-5071.
Another new part of the law is a requirement to obtain a certificate
of vegetation clearance from the County Building Department before building or
reconstructing a new dwelling in the fire zone. The certificate is to be given to the
homeowner’s insurance company. The final building inspection will also validate that
clearance has been maintained. The inspector is required to notify the owner if
corrections must be made and if the owner fails to make those corrections, may “cause
corrections to be made” and file a lien on the property for the expenses.
In addition, rulemaking on A.B. 1216 is currently underway. (See CA Building Standards Commission website http://www.bsc.ca.gov/index.html
) This will require structural standards in new buildings to limit susceptibility to fire
such as, roofing, siding, windows, vent openings, porches and decks. Mike has indicated
that the currently proposed A.B. 1216 standards for external siding and windows could add
about $20,000 to the cost of a new house. He also indicated that it appears that mobile
homes would not qualify under the new requirements being considered.
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