Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Building codes, clearance agreement limited fire damage

In 2013 Ralph Steinhoff retired after 29 and one-half years with the North County Fire Protection District and 10 and one-half years with the County of San Diego. Those 40 years included work on updates to building code standards which likely limited the destruction during the Lilac Fire.

“The building code made a lot of difference,” Steinhoff said.

Steinhoff has lived in Fallbrook since 1973 and joined the Fallbrook Fire Protection District July 3, 1973. In 1986 the Fallbrook Fire Protection District became the North County Fire Protection District after consolidating with the county service area which provided fire protection for Rainbow and annexing Gavilan Mountain. Steinhoff eventually became the fire marshal for the North County Fire Protection District before he was promoted to the position of deputy fire chief.

The Gavilan Fire in February 2002 and a wildfire in the Julian area later that year led to a reorganization of the county’s fire safety administration. Steinhoff joined the County of San Diego in January 2003 and was initially the county’s fire marshal before holding the title of fire services coordinator.

The upgrades to county fire codes, including building codes, became a model for other jurisdictions. “We were instrumental in enacting many of the codes which became the state code,” Steinhoff said.

The codes were updated when deemed warranted, including after the October 2003 fires. “Even between the 03 and 07 fires we found that the updates to the codes were very effective,” Steinhoff said.

The county approved the building of the 37-lot Olive Hill Estates development in 2015 (the subdivision was approved in 2006, but building permits cannot be issued until a final map is recorded). The Lilac Fire burned Olive Hill Estates yards and fences, but only one of the 37 houses burned.

“I don’t think many of the houses that were destroyed were built under the current codes,” Steinhoff said.

Mobile homes are subject to the county building code but are regulated by the state.

“The mobile homes are really under control of the State of California,” Steinhoff said.

The building and fire code updates weren’t the only changes during Steinhoff’s career he felt limited damage from the Lilac Fire. When he was with the North County Fire Protection District an agreement with state and Federal resource agencies was reached allowing for the clearance of brush for 100 feet in each direction from a residential structure without environmental habitat review.

“You can clear a hundred feet from your home and it’s not take,” Steinhoff said. “That and the changes to the building code were the two biggest things I accomplished.”

During Steinhoff’s years with the county the San Diego County Regional Fire Authority was created. The initial creation of the SDCRFA in 2008 brought territory not within the boundaries of a public agency but served by a volunteer fire department into the county agency. The territory served by the DeLuz Volunteer Fire Department is part of the initial SDCRFA boundaries. The volunteer fire departments retained their autonomy and began working together with the paid firefighters covering those areas. Five county service areas covering fire protection and emergency medical services were brought into the SDCRFA in 2011.

“At least for me it’s very rewarding that we brought forward a county fire department and they brought forward a lot of resources that made things better for this fire,” Steinhoff said.

Steinhoff also considers the NCFPD emphasis on brush clearance to be a factor in limiting the losses from the Lilac Fire. “Thank goodness that North County, they’re fairly proactive in their weed abatement,” he said.

Patty Koch is the current NCFPD fire marshal. “The current fire marshal’s doing a great job,” Steinhoff said.

Steinhoff credits fire suppression skills as well as preventative measures. “You’ve really got to give credence to the firefighters that worked the Lilac Fire,” he said. “They’re not repeating the same issues we had in the past, either.”

Since his retirement Steinhoff has served as the City of Murrieta’s interim fire marshal, and he is currently a consultant for the City of Murrieta on planning issues. “I haven’t been doing a real good job of being retired,” he said.

Author Bio

Joe Naiman, Writer

Joe Naiman has been writing for the Village News since 2001

 

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