LACFD: Prescribed burn - Descanso Gardens/Glendale Freeway

Prescribed burn relieves risk
By Mary O’Keefe

La Cañada residents may have seen some smoke rising over the hill behind Verdugo Hills Hospital on Tuesday but there was no reason for alarm. The Los Angeles County Fire Department was starting fires to protect the area from future, potentially devastating fires.

The prescribed burn began on the northwest area of Descanso Gardens, just south of the hospital and east of the Glendale (2) Freeway.

The department had spaced prepared areas of crushed brush and piles of dead vegetation on the hillside. The purpose was to clear some of the “ladder fuel,” the vegetation that provides a path for fire to travel.

The prescribed burn had been almost two years in the making.

“We will not do the burn if the conditions are not perfect,” said Stephanie English, fire department spokeswoman. The right conditions taken into consideration were wind, weather and even cloud cover. Tuesday, with its cool temperature, low winds and minimum cloud cover was deemed perfect.

“This is very important for the residents,” said Chief Steve Martin of station 82.

Martin added that recent rains may have made the surrounding vegetation look green but cautions locals that the dry conditions of the past have not been washed away.

“[Residents] shouldn’t be fooled; dead brush is still dead,” Martin said. “The [new] grass will act as kindling.”

Martin added that because society no longer allows nature to clear the fire areas this type of burn is necessary.

Before the army of firefighters and camp crews took their first steps onto the hillside Tuesday there was a briefing covering everything from weather conditions to emergency preparation.

English said notification had gone out throughout the neighboring businesses like Verdugo Hills Hospital.

A fire crew was stationed at the hospital to monitor the smoke created by the fire and to answer any questions from concerned residents.

The fires were set by 9:30 a.m. with drip torches, a mixture of four parts diesel fuel and one part gasoline and were out shortly after noon.

The camp crews then began their job spreading the burnt brush to allow it to continue to smolder, and then finally burn out.

“Someone will stay here until dark,” said Battalion Chief Jim Crawford.

Crawford added that this burn was successful but they still had more to do in the area.

The entire project covers nearly 34 acres.

Tags: Camp Crews, drip torches, prescribed burn, Los Angeles County Fire Department, VMP
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