Weed Whacker Rules
Last month, we barely escaped a weed-whacker-inspired fire and watched Santa Barbara be consumed by another. These tips about how to be safe while brush clearing or lawn mowing were adapted by T-CEP leader Stacy Sledge from a Daily News report. They have been circulating the Canyon by e-mail, but in case you're not on someone's list, it's time to post these safety rules on your fridge:
1. NEVER on a windy, hot day.
2. NEVER on Red Flag Alert days (Red Flag Warnings are called by the National Weather Service and can be found on any online weather service).
3. ALWAYS fill weed whacker/mower gas tank with funnel and on the pavement; NEVER in a grassy field.
4. ALWAYS keep a fire extinguisher and water hose nearby.
5. ALWAYS keep a shovel on hand to toss dirt on embers.
6. ALWAYS have two people on site, one to clear, the other to watch for sparks.
7. TAKE THE TIME. TAKE THE EFFORT. ENSURE YOUR SAFETY AND TOPANGA'S MOUNTAINS.
8. REPORT VIOLATIONS TO: Sheriff's Dept. (818) 878-1808 and Fire Dept. (310) 455-1766
Following these tips don't just make you the good guy, but also the smart guy. If your carelessness starts a fire, you could be legally, even criminally, liable. Ask Matt Rupp of Vallejo. He spent two years in prison for accidentally igniting a fire that consumed 86 homes in 2004. And he wasn't clearing a hillside, just mowing his lawn.
You Too Can Be an Arson Watcher
Arson Watch leader Abigail Bok would like to remind folks that if we see someone tossing a cigarette out of their car window or engaging in any other dangerous activity while driving (mooning is probably a no-no), you can report the infraction by taking down the date, time, location, license plate and description of car and driver and then calling 1-800-TELL-CHP.
Save Water, Save Money
The Canyon owes thanks to Topangan Cynthia Scott, aide to Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, who organized that very helpful County Services Fair in May. I received a lot of hints. Here's one: LA County Waterworks District is offering a rebate on rotating nozzles to replace the water-guzzling conventional fan nozzles in your auto watering system. On average, they save 2,800 gallons a year by applying water more slowly and uniformly–especially when adjusted for a specific location. For each $7 nozzle the Waterworks District offers a $4 rebate. For more rebate instructions and information, visit lacwaterworks.org.
Wildfire Protection Plan Grants
By the time you read this, it will be too late to attend one of the June meetings set up to help Topanga neighborhoods develop a fire protection plan and apply for grants to help implement them. But you can still call the Fire Education Office of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area for information at (805) 370-2364. The National Park Service and LA County Fire Department are standing by to help anytime. (See related cover article, Wildfire Protection Plans).
To apply, a neighborhood needs a group with a tax ID number to sponsor them. Clark Stevens, the new director of the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM), reminds us that the organization will consider proposals to sponsor any neighborhood on a case-by-case basis. E-mail the RCDSMM at info@rcdsmm.org or call their Agoura Hills office at (818) 597-8627 for more information.
It's as hard to believe as Topanga rain in June (but that happened, didn't it?) that wildfire season is just around the corner. Use the June gloom to finish making your property ready for the season and keep safe, Topanga! n
