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State Boosting Firefighting Staff in San Diego County

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered CAL FIRE to increase staffing for what's predicted to be a nasty wildfire season. KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has ordered CAL FIRE to increase staffing for what's predicted to be a nasty wildfire season.
KPBS Reporter Ed Joyce has more.

CAL FIRE's Daniel Berlant says the Governor's executive order means more resources for San Diego County including planes and air tankers.

Berlant : We normally are staffed in San Diego County, all of our fire engines with three firefighters. This will increase it to four firefighters. Increased staffing will allow us to be able to quickly suppress wildfires before they become big, large firestorms.

He also says CAL FIRE staff will be knocking on doors throughout the County to enforce the defensible space law.

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Berlant: We saw so many homes after the fires in San Diego that had defensible space and were saved. So it's a proven fact that defensible space saves homes.

Berlant says this year's dry conditions makes brush clearance around homes critical.

He says hot weather, high winds and dry vegetation threaten to make this fire season worse than last year.

Ed Joyce, KPBS News.