State calls halt to local fire season

Homeowners and firefighters can breathe now – the 2008 fire season, during which more than a million acres of California wildland went up in smoke, is officially over.
That’s the word from the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), which called an end to the season at 8 a.m. Monday. The unit includes the State Responsibility Areas (SRA) within six counties: Sonoma, Lake, Napa, Yolo, Solano and Colusa.
The end of fire season is marked with the release of seasonal firefighters and the demobilization of CAL FIRE air resources, although the Sonoma Air Attack Base north of Santa Rosa will stay ready through December and can re-open on short notice. The decrease in staffing and resources coincides with a major reduction in the wildland fire danger, but Unit Chief Ernie Loveless said that even with increased rainfall, dry winds can still result in increased fire danger as fuels become dry.
The Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit responded to over 1,500 fires within the six counties. The vast majority of these fires were less than 10 acres, due to the aggressive initial attack by CAL FIRE and local fire agencies – such as those in Sonoma Valley, which aided in five major out-of-area incidents: the Summit Fire in May near Santa Cruz, a Butte County fire in mid-June, the Telegraph Fire near Yosemite in late July, and a Napa wildfire in October. Crews also spent nearly a month fighting a series of lightning-struck northern California fires from late June to mid-July.
The cooperation of the residents in maintaining 100 feet of defensible space around their homes and structures also had a major impact in helping keep these wildland fires small and reducing property damage. Unit Chief Ernie Loveless stated, “When homeowners partner with CAL FIRE by reducing flammable fuels and clearing vegetation within 100 feet of structures, everyone wins”
In addition to the end of fire season, Nov. 10 also marked the end of this year’s burn-permit ban. Property owners interested in conducting control burns should first check with their local fire agency to ensure they meet all fire and air pollution permit requirements.