Wildfires have destroyed almost 50.000 homes in California alone in the last five years, and scientists say global warming is only exacerbating that situation.
Several large fires have also threatened communities, including Lake Tahoe, an important tourist destination.
In California, homeowners have an obligation to keep the home in reasonable supply, but analysts said enforcement efforts are “complicated by the fragmented and overlapping nature of state and local responsibilities,” along with scarce data and research, the lack of resources and motivation of homeowners and lack of funding and staff from local authorities.
“It really allows firefighters to have a better chance of defending a home,”Jessica Morse
“It really allows firefighters to have a better chance of defending a home,” said Jessica Morse, the deputy secretary of the California Department of Natural Resources, which is responsible for managing forest resources.
California has the strictest possible space law in the West, said Daniel Berlant, California’s chief of forest burn preparedness.
California has prepared a homeowner checklist, and an online review, designed to help homeowners figure out what they can do.
California authorities are assisting its Northern neighbors in developing the regulations.
A California law study Thursday called it a key way to curtail the damaging effects of wildfires, but said there should be better state and local enforcement to ensure that homeowners in fire-prone areas adhere to it.
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