PROPERTY INSPECTIONS in MI WUK VILLAGE and SUGAR PINE TO BEGIN SOON

Property inspections will begin in early to mid May in Mi Wuk and Sugar Pine.  Volunteers, under the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection's (Cal Fire) direction, will be going door to door throughout our communities looking for compliance of Defensible Space on each property.

Defensible Space includes decks, stairs and out 30 feet or to the property line, whichever is closest.

• Needles, leaves and other vegetation must be removed from roofs, gutters, decks, porches and stairways.
• All parts of trees, branches or other vegetation must be removed within 10 feet of chimney/stovepipe openings.
• Chimney/stovepipe openings must be covered with 3/8" - 1/2" mesh screen.
• Dead or dying trees, branches or other plants adjacent or overhanging buildings must be removed.
• Dead vegetation (branches, leaves, needles, grass, weeds and trimmings) must be removed within 30 feet of all structures.
• Mountain misery/bear clover must be all be removed.

Reduced Fuel Zone (between 30-100 feet from all structures, decks, stairs, etc. or to the property line, whichever is closest) includes:

• Mountain misery/bear clover: maintain at less than 4" high.
• Dead/dying grass, weeds:  cut to 4" or less; 'duff' (last year's decomposing needles/leaves) maximum 4" deep.

The items above are just a start to what will be looked for on each property.  The inspections are long overdue and are for the safety of individuals as well as the entire community.

Brochures and other informational publications can be picked up at the Hwy 108 fire station.

For more information regarding defensible space clearance requirements, visit www.readyforwildfire.org or www.fire.ca.gov

This is important to all of us, individually and as a community.  Please see that your property is cleared or that you have made arrangements for clearing.

I will post again when these inspections have actually begun.  In the meantime---get raking!  :)