Battling fire on Fitch Mountain before the big burn comes
Laura Tietz of Fire Free Fitch is a moving force in a push to eradicate scotch broom from the slopes of Fitch Mountain. Scotch broom is a flammable plant that dots the hillsides of Sonoma County rural neighborhoods.
KENT PORTER/THE PRESS DEMOCRATPublished: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 4:21 p.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, April 7, 2010 at 4:21 p.m.
Fitch Mountain in Healdsburg hasn't experienced a major fire since 1945, when a blaze destroyed almost a dozen homes.
But the densely vegetated mountain, dotted with houses and old summer cabins along narrow, winding roads, is seen as highly vulnerable to wildland fire and experiences close calls periodically.
With fire season a few months away, a community group is focusing on a formidable nemesis — the invasive weed Scotch Broom and several other related species that proliferate there.
Residents are being urged to remove the non-native species and fire hazard while the ground is still wet and the plant is more easily uprooted.
To remove a shrub effectively without spreading thousands of seeds, “it has to be done at a particular time of year and in a certain way,” said Laura Tietz, the energetic octogenarian who has contacted about 300 households on Fitch Mountain to spread the gospel of fire prevention.
Her non-profit group, Fire Free Fitch, is making available to residents a “weed wrench” that clamps onto the base of the plants and can extricate them in one fell swoop, roots and all.
“They're really easy to pull out,” said Marc Mager, a 25-year-resident of Fitch Mountain, as he demonstrated the tool while clearing his one-acre parcel.
Mager, a retired school principal, has also targeted juniper for removal, or what the fire marshal calls the “gasoline plant,” for its tendency to ignite.
As the ground dries, probably by the end of May, it will be a lot tougher to remove the broom brush invader, which replaces native plants and also climbs trees.
Tietz acknowledges that the Scotch Broom is pretty, with its golden petals that sometimes turn dark red.
But appearances can be deceptive.
Broom species are of particular concern because they combust readily, burn intensely and are widespread, according to Healdsburg Fire Chief Randy Collins.
He said the species also is a problem because it's common along roads, threatening the routes used by firefighters to access fires and for the public to evacuate.
But the good news is that the recent rains have helped.
“The moist soil caused by these late rains creates the ideal conditions to remove broom and other invasive species by the roots and minimizes the likelihood of it returning later,” he stated in an e-mail.
Tietz said Scotch Broom is hardy, with seeds that can stay alive up to 80 years in the soil.
Her group also is encouraging residents to order reflective signs with their house numbers to make it easier for emergency responders to locate their property in case of fire.
She also has pushed residents to create defensible space around their homes by removing low-hanging tree branches, to keep fire from traveling into the tree canopy.
Other tips include clearing roofs of debris, cutting branches that hang over buildings, and mowing dry grass and weeds at least 100 feet from residences.
“You're only as safe as your neighbors. And your neighbors are only safe if you've made your property fire defensible,” Tietz said.
For her efforts, Tietz was honored last year by the City of Healdsburg for her contributions to reducing the danger of wildland fire on Fitch Mountain and increasing the public's awareness of fire danger.
Her group makes wood chippers available for free for up to three hours as an incentive for people to clear their land of problem vegetation.
“We're not telling people to scalp their land, but use more fire-resistant native plants,” she said.
Standing outside her home with a commanding view of Healdsburg stretched out below, Tietz noted that when she bought her three-acre property several years ago, she couldn't see other houses.
Now that her neighbors have cleared fire-prone bushes and trees, she said, “I can see my neighbors. In a way it feels good. People are changing their attitude towards what makes a good view.”
Since forming Fire Free Fitch in 2008, Tietz has helped mobilize 21 neighborhoods to address fire hazardous vegetation.
But she said there are still about 500 more homes that need to be reached, especially on South Fitch Mountain. There are challenges because many are rental properties with owners who live outside Sonoma County. A lot of the structures are close together and located on steep, narrow one-lane roads where fighting a fire is tough.
“We will slowly work our way around the mountain - however long it takes,” she said.
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