San Diego Firefighters say they’re prepared for the fall wildfire season and they’re telling the public to be ready as well. The wildfires burning in Los Angeles are a reminder of how destructive a large blaze can be.
San Diego’s Assistant Fire Chief Javier Mainar said there’s no fire department in the world that can protect every house and neighborhood from massive firestorms. But he said people can help themselves by maintaining 100 feet of defensible space around their homes and clearing away vegetation or debris that might burn. He said people should also evacuate immediately when the fire department tells them to.
“Far too many people have died when they waited to evacuate and the fire reached them when they decided at the last minute that the fire was more intense than anticipated,” he said.
Mainar said all San Diego firefighters have gone through specialized emergency training since 2007 and wildfire response plans have been reviewed and updated. The city also has two firefighting helicopters that will be staffed constantly through the fall.
