By Mary O’KEEFE

Last week the Crescenta Valley Town Council held an informative brush fire clearance meeting with members of the Los Angeles County Fire Dept. (LACoFD). During that meeting LACoFD Chief Pat Sprengel told the audience that brush clearance notices had been sent to residents in February and again in March. These notices were going to many more addresses than in the past because of the new fire zones that had been implemented.

“A majority of La Crescenta is in a high or very high fire hazard zone,” Sprengel said at the time. “State law mandates all single-family dwellings within high or very high fire zones must be inspected.”

This means that the number of residences in La Crescenta that the fire department will be inspecting has gone from about 250 in 2021 to 2,700 in 2023.

The state mandates that the California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection – CAL FIRE – must assign fire zones to all locations in the state. Though the brush clearance zones are statewide some municipalities have yet to receive information.

“We don’t have that updated map yet,” said Patty Mundo, lead vegetation management inspector with Glendale Fire Dept. (GFD).

Even without the new zone maps GFD conducts about 13,000 property inspections per year.

“That is two-thirds of the city,” she said.

She is assuming that with the new fire zone designation brush clearance inspections will increase.

“[Like in] Adams Hill, there is a lot of potential for [brush clearance] there,” she added. “I am sure that [area] will be included when the new maps come out.”

GFD had expected the maps to be out last year; however, they are still waiting.

The inspection notices went out to Glendale property owners two weeks ago and inspections will begin on May 1 for residents who live in either LACoFD or GFD.

There is a fee attached to the brush clearance inspection.

“[Glendale] charges a $15 fee for the inspection, and every property owner is invoiced. Those bills usually go out after October,” Mundo said.

LACoFD has a different fee system: in 2022 the fee was $50, which had been billed on the 2023 property tax bill; in 2023 the fee will be $100, which will be billed on the 2024 property tax bill; and in 2024, the fee will be $151, which will be billed on the 2025 property tax bill.