Amador County – The Amador-El Dorado Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection issued an alert to people clearing defensible space, saying that they should make sure they are not “doing the right thing the wrong way.”

The Camino-based Unit Chief Kelly Keenan said “recently there have been a number of wildfires caused by people using gas powered equipment to create defensible space at the wrong time of day.” He said “using equipment such as tractors, lawn mowers or weed eaters at the wrong time of day can end disastrously.”

Keenan said it is “best to operate gas powered equipment before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. when the humidity is higher and temperatures are cooler.” This will “lessen the chance of sparking a fire.”

The Unit chief understood that many “people are taking advantage of this cooler than average weather and are outdoors creating additional defensible space around their homes. We want to encourage this, but at the same time we don’t want folks to endanger themselves or their community.”

He offered some tips to “do the right thing the right way,” which will allow people to work safely in their yard.

He said it is best to operate gas powered equipment before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. Also, maintain equipment in good working order to prevent carbon buildup which can cause a fire. Make sure equipment has a spark arrester that is in good shape. Allow all equipment to cool for a minimum of 15 minutes before refueling. Remove rocks from the area to be mowed, because a metal mower blade striking a rock can cause a spark and a fire.

Another safety precaution is to never mow dry grass with a mower designed to cut green grass. Keenan said this is a common cause of fires which may not only result in a wildland fire, but often destroys your mower. The dry grass can get caught inside the mower and catch fire, leaving in its wake a trail of wildland fires and a fire in the engine compartment.

Other tips: Use a weed eater to mow dry grass and weeds; have a shovel, fire extinguisher or a water source available and a phone nearby in case you start a fire; and never hesitate to call 9-1-1. He said “fires can get out of control quickly and threaten life and property in a matter of minutes.”

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.