At All Times, Service Above Self

LAFD Insight The Brush Clearance Process in Los Angeles http://lafd.blogspot.com/2006/05/lafd-insight-brush-clearance-process.html by Brian Humphrey LAFD Spokesman Dear Friend of the LAFD: The citizens of Los Angeles, and those who protect them are no strangers to wildfire. Wildland blazes within our 470 square-mile jurisdiction are certainly well known, or dare we say unforgettable.

Along with such monumental blazes as Bel-Air that took homes, or the week-long Fire of '38 that scorched vast expanses of land, conflagrations in our City have also taken lives, such as the La Tuna Canyon wildfire that killed our Brother James Catlow, and the horrific Griffith Park Brush Fire during the depression, which is believed to have killed more Firefighters than any wildfire in our nation's history.

And so it is with a penchant for our City's past and our unswerving devotion to our fallen colleagues, that the men and women of the Los Angeles Fire Department set out in earnest this time of year to inform and educate the public about the danger of wildfire. It is also a time for us to enforce the City's long-standing Brush Clearance Regulations.

So what is the brush clearance basic inspection process?

Owners Self Inspection:

We ask property owners in the City of Los Angeles to compare their native brush and landscape vegetation with the information at our Brush Clearance Website:

www.lafd.org/brush

Property owners who are unable to do this themselves are encouraged to hire a professional who can both understand the information and apply it to their property.

Property must be cleaned as required prior to May 1st so that it can pass the 1st Fire Department Inspection, thus avoiding a time consuming 2nd Inspection and a potentially costly 3rd Inspection.

We wish to emphasize that there is no need to call for an Inspection, as an LAFD computer system keeps track of all properties. The appropriate Inspector is automatically notified when your property is need of an Inspection.

1st Inspection:

The first Inspection is done by the LAFD Brush Task Force, beginning the first week in May and continuing for approximately 4 weeks until all 129,647 parcels in the brush zone have been inspected. Parcels found to be non-compliant are issued a Notice of Violation. The homeowner or person responsible has 15 days to comply with the Notice of Violation.

2nd Inspection:

Those issued a Notice of Violation on the 1st inspection will be inspected a 2nd time after the 15 day period to comply has passed.

If the property is then found to be in compliance, the owner will receive notification from the LAFD Brush Unit. If the property is not fully in compliance the owner will be notified via mail that they have an additional 15 days to comply and a 3rd inspection will be made.

We wish to again emphasize there is no need to call the Brush Unit when your are ready for this inspection. It will happen automatically, and you will be mailed the findings.

3rd Inspection:

When a third inspection is required there is an automatic fee assessed to the property owner for the amount of $254. The fee is applied even if the property is found to be compliant as a result of this inspection. The fee is for an Inspector making a trip to the property for a third time.

The property should have been in compliance by the 1st inspection and no later than the 2nd inspection!

If your property fails a 3rd Inspection...

Property not in compliance with LAFD Brush Clearance Requirements following the 3rd inspection will be cleared by Fire Department order. The property owner will then be charged for the cost of clearance, PLUS the $254 3rd Inspection Fee, PLUS a $314 Administrative Fee.

Failure to clear your property in accordance with regulations in a timely fashion is not only expensive, but endangers the lives and homes of your neighbors and the Firefighters who protect them.

To learn more, please visit:

www.lafd.org/brush

Respectfully Yours in Safety and Service,

Brian Humphrey

Spokesman
Los Angeles Fire Department
E-Mail: beh9593@lafd.lacity.org

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