Brush along Hwy 76 a fire hazard

Has everyone received their “Wildfire Awareness Guide” from the County Emergency Services office?

The guide devotes seven of its 12 pages to the 100 feet of defensible space, landscaping and fire-resistant plants. They want to increase our awareness of danger zones and, in my case, it’s worked.

I happened to notice one as I sat in traffic on Hwy 76 between Bonsall and North River Road. When I glanced out my windows, I noticed the height and thickness of dead brush on both sides of the highway that appears to be not even 10 feet from the road. If something should ignite it, how would jammed vehicles clear the area and how would the fire department get in?

That question, along with the fact that Hwy 76 is one of our few emergency escape routes, prompted me to ask Bill Horn’s office who is responsible for clearing that area. They suggested I contact the Code Enforcement Office and the local fire department. Strike one!

The fire department said there were “environmental issues” along the area that prevented clearing some areas and believed that other areas were sufficiently cleared, but they would take a look. Strike two!

I didn’t go for strike three with Code Enforcement and I have yet, three weeks later, to see any changes, other than higher, dryer brush. We can only hope that no one flicks a cigarette out a window and there are no sparks from accidents or vehicles. Hooray for wildfire awareness programs.

Bonnie Wright