Twenty students from MCHS’ Grizzlies Fire program joined the Mariposa County Fire Safe Council in assisting CAL FIRE and the Forest Service with defensible space inspections in the Lushmeadows subdivision on Wednesday, June 1st, 2016. Captain Frank Bigelow, CAL FIRE Pre-Fire Engineer, for Madera-Mariposa-Merced unit taught the students how to inspect residual properties for compliance with California Public Resource Code 4291. This code requires California residents to maintain a minimum of 100 feet of defensible space around their home.

“The LE100s training is a great opportunity to expose our Grizzly Fire Students to one of the many career avenues available to them in the fire field.” Says Michael Beaudoin, of the Mariposa Fire Safe Council. “This training is not only a good teaching tool for the students but also has an educational component for Mariposa Residents.”  

CAL FIRE, USFS, and the Mariposa County Fire Safe Council tasked the students with completing inspections on 25 residences. The Grizzly Fire students far exceeded the expected number of homes and completed inspections on 55 residences within a two and a half hour window. The training also provided the students with a chance to ask CAL FIRE and USFS personnel about career options with their respective agencies.

Maintaining defensible space around your home can dramatically increase your home’s chance of surviving a wild fire and improves the safety for firefighters defending your home. Remember to remove dead plants, grass, and weeds within 30 feet of your home. Remove dead material, like pine needles, off of your roof. Cut or mow annual grass to a maximum height of 4” within 100 feet of your home. Always remember to mow before 10 a.m., and never on a hot or windy day. For more information regarding defensible space please check out CAL FIRE’s website at: ReadyForWildfire.org or call the Mariposa County Fire Safe Council at 209-966-7700.