Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Red Car Canyon: Brush Comparison 2017 - 2016 Before The Silver Lake Fire

Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, May 30, 2017.  Neighbors are glad this year's more than 24" of rain helped the trees recover from last year's Silver Lake Fire. However, they're understandably nervous since the Red Car Property owner has failed to do brush clearance yet again. (Click on photos to enlarge.)
Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 21, 2016.  A year ago, as usual, the Red Car Property owner failed to do brush clearance.  Last year, the weeds were comparatively sparse.  The trees were dense and had not been thinned since 2013.
Photo: Gary Vlahakis, June 19, 2016.  Firefighters stopped the Silver Lake Fire in the middle of the canyon with endless water drops from helicopters, followed up with wildland fire crews and water from the ground level.   Neighbors had been complaining in writing, with photos, to CD13 and LAFD Brush Clearance Unit for at least a month before the fire.  The dry grass and high winds (that come up every afternoon from the 2 Freeway), spread the fire quickly north on property.  It burned right up to homes on Lake View Ave, Silver Ridge Ave and Corralitas Drive while simultaneously burning northbound on the 2 Freeway toward the 5 Freeway.  (Several homes suffered some damage.) 
Photo: Red Car Property Neighbor, June 19, 2016. If the fire had spread another 100' into Red Car Canyon, the dying Eucalyptus  would have exploded in flames, affecting the entire neighborhood.

The Red Car Property owner must have thought there was no need for brush clearance after the fire and never did any last year.  For months after the fire, neighbors requested brush clearance.  Even after LAFD red tagged the property in December, the owner still failed to do brush clearance. LAFD brush clearance contractors did the brush clearance in December 2016