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E-mail StoryCaution urged amid fire season
| Wednesday, May 17 2006 10:45 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, May 17 2006 10:49 PM
If this is your first summer in Kern County, there are a couple of things you need to know.
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First, it's hot and it's only going to get hotter.
Second, it's fire season in the wilder areas of the county.
Wildland fire season traditionally starts in May as winter vegetation growth dries out and becomes perfect fire fuel, according to Kern County Fire Department spokesman Capt. Doug Johnston.
"Fires start to sustain themselves very readily. If we have a small grass fire, it can become a big grass fire very quickly," Johnston said.
If you own a home where the wildland and the city meet, you're going to have to take a few precautions.
Clear away the vegetation near your homes, outbuildings and property line. The state requires you to clear at least 100 feet around any structure by June 9, according to Johnston.
If you're a city dweller who plans to escape to the great outdoors this summer, remember that you must have a permit before you start a fire in the Sequoia National Forest or on any Bureau of Land Management land.
You'll need the permit to have a wood fire, a charcoal barbecue and a portable gas stove.
"As the summer goes along, those restrictions become more strict," Johnston said.
The permit is free and can be picked up from any forest service, land management, department of forestry or fire protection office.
For more information, contact the Bureau of Land Management at (951) 697-5220 or on the Web at www.ca.blm.gov.