Home inspections to happen ahead of fire season

The Monterey Fire Department will be inspecting homes throughout the peninsula, this summer.

Firefighter, Mary Hutson , said this is a necessary step to prepare for a busy fire season. ” The concept is to lower each household risk of a fire occurring, ” said Hutson .

Hutson said there are many lots on the peninsula that could be at risk if a fire were to spread. She said the main things she looks out for are overgrown brush, downed trees, and roof liter. She said addressing these issues around your home is a simple way to keep you and your family safe . ” Right now we’re focusing on homes, but as we drive through the community, if we notice something on the city property that poses an immediate hazard, we’ll certainly work with the city to point it out, ” said Hutson .

The Monterey Fire Department said the City of Monterey has been working with them to address potential hazards.

Hutson said many of the problems stem from months of heavy rain. She said this past spring lead to more growth in vegetation, leaving crews with more to cut down.

Just as the city is looking after their property, residents too, need to assess their yards, according to the Fire Department. Some residents said they’ve already gotten a head start. ” I clean my yard on a weekly basis, ” said resident, Hamad Caracalla.

” We don’t have any grass in the back because we got a new dog. He’s kind of taking care of that for us, ” said resident, said resident, Mary Gavia-Barajas .

The Fire Department said residents still have time to tidy up their yard. Fire season is predicted to start later than usual after a drawn out spring. ” Things stayed greener, fresher, and less ignitable a little later. This may push out on the back end of summer. We may see a later season overall, ” said Hutson .