IFPD appeals to locals to abate, board approves purchase of up to five used vehicles
The Board of Commissioners of the Idyllwild Fire Protection District approved the purchase of up to five used vehicles at their September meeting, three of them from Fern Valley Water District. Chief LaMont made an urgent appeal to locals to complete the abatement on their properties, noting that compliance is down this year, with 248 lots failing their final inspections.
Chief LaMont’s catalog of recent Mutual Aid calls underlined their dual importance: they are the only fast-growing source of income for the district, with this year’ invoices already at $3 million, six times 2020; and an important participation in our network of fire agencies as they shoulder the increasing burden of wildfire response in our state and nation. As Commissioner Dan Messina put it, “we can’t ask if we don’t give.” The list of incidents included Basin, White, Ridge, SQF Lightening, Borel, Gold, Park and Boise fires.
IFPD’s Team 11 was set to take over from another agency on the Line fire this week. Although then 70% contained, LaMont characterized the last 30% as ‘straight up and down” in a canyon called Siberia Creek, seven-and-a-half miles of “brutal” ground. Chris Fogel, son of Commissioner Dennis Fogle, will be the Incident Commander. Team members will shadow the people they are replacing for a day.
LaMont’s experience watching wildfires encroach on towns like our own gave urgency to his appeal to local homeowners: “Please help us ensure that the community is fire safe by doing your abatement…we need homeowners’ help every year.” He noted that while tree removal can be daunting and expensive, most homes that failed their inspections only need raking, pruning and other clean-up to comply. Common problems include debris on roofs, pine needle duff, firewood stacked against homes, and propane tanks without clearance. Trees are often “not as concerning as ground fuels.” Ignited, these build up heat on the ground that can then ignite trees, but this “torching” takes a lot of energy, and simply raking “makes fire more manageable on the ground.”
Many homes fail inspections just for having street numbers that are too small or are not easily read from the street, slowing down first responders. The numbers must be at least 4” tall. Idyllwild Fire Volunteers can help with this, and locals with neighbors who lack clear numbers should encourage them to call IFPD’s non-emergency number to get help, (951) 659-2153.
The Chief encouraged anyone with questions to come to IFPD for inspection, advice and referrals. For those who do need tree work Mountain Community Fire Safe Council has grants and IFPD will talk to them on your behalf.
Although fuels reduction projects are paused until winter, LaMont noted that next year the District will get a significant boost from the nearly $1 million state Wildfire Prevention grant they were recently awarded. This is about seven times larger than any grant the District has received before, with the largest single planned purchase being a masticator, a machine that reduces a 60 foot tree to mulch in seconds. In addition to work on our local fuel breaks, we should expect to see lots of work on the easement to Highway 243 and other local thoroughfares starting in early 2025.
The board voted to approve several vehicle purchases for a total of about $224 thousand, with a 10% cushion. LaMont explained the logic of the acquisitions: the District must sometimes rent vehicles to get crew to Mutual Aid incidents. They are reimbursed for cost plus 10% for this, but vehicles owned by the district can be billed higher; around $5,000 for a ¾ ton truck on a 16-day incident, which adds up, over ten years, to about $250 thousand. Renting also creates delays. The board was presented with a proposal from Fern Valley Water District General Manager Victor Jimenez listing three trucks they are replacing; a 2021 Tahoe and two 2016 Ford Super Duty F250s. The price agreed to by Jimenez and LaMont was a “middle bluebook” figure of $113,221 total. LaMont is also negotiating with a broker for one or two Type 6 Engines, specially outfitted Ford F450s, that he hopes to buy for $55 thousand each. LaMont presents these purchases as a response to inflation, motivated partly by “fear of what (they) could cost in 10 years.”
The next meeting will be Tuesday, November 12, at 3p.m.