Ryan Carter
BURBANK -- The annual job of clearing brush from the foothills of the
Verdugo Mountains is almost complete -- just in time for the end of fire
season, officials said.
In April, the department sent out letters to residents living north of
Glenoaks Boulevard, reminding them to clear native vegetation, which
burns readily, at least 100 feet away from structures, Burbank Fire
Marshal Dave Starr said.
Residents had until June to remove the brush, or else they could
receive a citation.
However, absentee owners are still a thorn in the side of officials at
the Burbank Fire Department, Starr said. Tracking down owners of vacant
parcels, which average about one-quarter of an acre, has proved a long
process.
"It can take quite a bit of time and effort," he said. "There's
hundreds of parcels. We've got somewhere around 15 occupancies where
we're still dealing with clearance. We're in the last throes of it, but
it takes a lot of legwork."
Some owners have done nothing to clear the brush away, while others
have reached some level of compliance, Starr said.
Just in time.
Fire season traditionally begins in late August and continues through
October. There hasn't been a major brush fire in the city for several
years, Starr said.
"In Burbank, we have good compliance," Starr said.
