North County Fire District readies for fire season

As temperatures get hotter, fire departments across the Central Coast are preparing for increased fire danger levels.

Fire season is just beginning and already the North County Fire District is ramping up its resources, especially in Prunedale.

Fire Captain John Hasslinger says the dense vegetation there is perfect for fires, putting the area at greater risk for fire danger. He also urges neighbors who live on roads with one way in and out to stay alert.

“Be prepared if there is an evacuation warning, to follow that warning and to leave immediately,” said John Hasslinger, the North County Fire District Captain, “Your home and your possessions can be replaced but human life cannot be replaced.”

After Hasslinger’s district’s fire crews witnessed the devastation of the Camp Fire in Butte County, the deadliest wildfire in California’s history, he hopes people here on the Central Coast will heed future warnings before it’s too late.

“We saw what was going on up there, and we saw the terrain up there and it’s very similar to Prunedale,” Hasslinger said, “All it’s gonna take is the right weather, everything in alignment and there’s a definite possibility for that to happen here.”

Hasslinger says the best way to prepare is to clear dead brush within 100 feet of your home. Also, pay attention to red flag warnings…or alerts of dry conditions, high winds and hot temperatures that can lead to rapid wildfires.