FIRE SAFE                                 San Mateo County

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Are You Fire Safe?

    This is a question that Hillsborough Fire Department asks its residents every spring. Hillsborough Fire Department has adopted the Uniform Fire Code (UFC) regulations for annual property inspections. The UFC requires that homeowners maintain a vegetation clearance around their house as well as general maintenance around the exterior of the home. This is required in order to maintain a fire safe area in the event of a wildfire.

Let’s review the basics:

·        Vegetation Clearance- 30 to 100 feet depending on the amount of slope. This is achieved by removing flammable  
 vegetation and planting fire safe plants.

·        Clear Roof- keep gutters and roof clear of leaves, pine needles and other dead vegetation.

·        Spark Arrestors- Chimneys should have a heavy wire mesh screen not to exceed ½ inch.

·        Wood Piles Or Debris Next To The Home- Keep all trees next to the house trimmed back at least 10 feet. Do not store
 wood next to the structure.

·        Address- Maintain a visible address from the street with the numbers at least 4 inches.

All of these items will increase the ability of your local Fire Department to protect your home in the event of a wildfire. Always check with your Fire Department for local regulations.

Hillsborough Fire Dept. has the responsibility to maintain our Open Space areas as well. We utilize hand crews, bulldozers and weed spraying to reduce the fire load (flammable vegetation). The hand crews work throughout the summer months to establish and maintain our fire trails. The bulldozers start work in the spring on clearing vacant lots and fire road maintenance.

It’s important to remember that being “Fire Safe” is a year round job and once you establish the area around your home you must maintain and re-evaluate to ensure the safety throughout the years.