California firefighters are preparing for a very difficult fire season. After a year with record low rainfall in many areas, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared this week “wildfire awareness week,” and the department of Forestry and Fire Protection is warning people to be prepared.
Spokesman Daniel Berlant says one thing people can do is be careful about when they mow the lawn.
Berlant : One third of all of our fires are caused by people mowing dead grass in the heat of the day and just a simple little spark can cause a huge wild land fire, so make sure if you're going to mow dead grass, do it early in the morning or late at night - not during the heat of the day.
Berlant reminds homeowners in at-risk areas that they are required by law to keep 100 feet of so-called "defensible space" around their homes. That's a buffer zone free of brush or other vegetation that could fuel a fire.
Fire season has already been declared in parts of southern California.
