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Cal Fire taking extra steps to prevent wildfires

With 28 years in the Cachagua area of Carmel Valley, Patty Reimer has seen her fair share of fires.

“It’s scary this time of year. We all get panicky,” Reimer said.

Burned trees where the Tassajara Fire left its mark in 2015 are still visible. The Soberanes Fire also forced evacuations in area last year.

“It (Soberanes Fire) came out here too fast,” Reimer said. Reimer has been preparing for months. “I’ve been weed-whacking for at least two months now,” Reimer said. She isn’t the only one. Cal Fire is, too.

“This year, we have a lot of additional people that are out are doing defensible space inspections making sure we’ve got those boots out there and talking to homeowners about how important it is,” said Jennifer Valdez, with Cal Fire.

With dry fire fuel all over the place, Cal Fire says they’ve already had more fires earlier in the year than they normally do.

“It really helps us help you,” Valdez said. “If people have done the clearances around their houses, it gives us room to get in and maneuver safely, plus it also removes a lot of the flammable vegetation that can burn and bring the fire right up to someone’s house.”

Cal Fire says you need to clear 100 feet out from your house or to the property line, whichever comes first. The first 30 feet needs to be cut down to no more than four inches high.

Reimer is ready. Now, she is just keeping an eye out for any future fires.

“Keep looking (be)cause we live way high on a mountain,” Reimer said. “I am always looking for smoke.”

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