DEFENSIBLE SPACE: Deadline June 1st

This blip is not a photo of a random guy driving a souped-up Bobcat mower.  He is part of an army of skilled landscapers doing dangerous work to create a defensible space around our neighborhood, in case a wildfire comes roaring through this area.  He is removing dry vegetation that can be volatile fuel for a fast moving fire.  Our county requires all brush be cleared 100 feet (30.48 meters) from any structure.  This is the 
cornerstone of our county's Fire Hazard Reduction Program.

This past Spring we had an unusual amount of rain, which is a mixed blessing.  My blips on April 8th & May 6th show how beautiful the 
green mountains slopes were.  Now, the heat has arrived, & the 
vegetation is getting dryer every day.  In the Fall, the Santa Ana winds will start, which can turn a spark into a wildfire.  Because of Climate Change
the intensity of the wildfires in our area have increased.  in 2017, a few months after we moved into this house, there were 4 wildfires near our city at the same time.  The Thomas Fire burned 281,000 acres
 (113,716 hectares) & destroyed  1,063 buildings.  In 2019, the Woolsey Fire started on the southern edge of our city.  It burned all the way to the Pacific Ocean, leaving 97,000 acres ( 39,254 hectares) & 1500 structures charred.
There was loss of life associated with both of these fires. 

So when I see these guys out there in the heat, on mowers or using 
weed wackers to cut down the brush, I know they may save lives &  homes.. Bless them.