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Date
Posted: 06/22/10
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Sierra Ridge
Save A Tree Travesty |
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Posted
by: Steve Boyer |
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Post #
10-0034 |
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Interesting….the HOA
tells us that due to tighter fire hazard restrictions APS has
contacted us to re-locate Saguaro Cactus, Palo Verde and Mesquite
trees from under the APS power lines. Having been in the fire
service for the past 23 years I found this to be a rather remarkable
decision. The Fire Department recommendations are to remove dead
“flash fuels” which are the weeds and grasses brought on by the
spring rains and to leave LIVE indigenous flora and fauna in place.
It is also recommended to create a 30’ defensible space from
property lines and structures. This defensible space is an area of
cleared dead brush and overgrowth that the Fire Department could use
to position firefighters attempting to protect our homes from a
brush fire.
My thoughts are that rather than cut down the beautiful LIVE trees
that would not typically burn and pose a threat to the overhead
power lines in the first place, but instead to clean up the dead
undergrowth that is the real cause of most brush fires. These are
the materials that allow brush fires to intensify and travel. If
anything needed to be done to the trees, it would have simply been
to remove the lower branches to a height of 4’ to 6’ which would
eliminate any possibility of burning flash fuels to travel under the
trees and potentially ignite these lower branches.
The Town of Fountain Hills has had a “Wash Maintenance Program” for
several years that does exactly that; remove the dead undergrowth,
the non-indigenous plants, and raise the canopy of the trees. I can
tell you first-hand having worked as a Fire Department Captain there
for the last 10 years this is a hugely successful way of reducing
and/or eliminating some of the brush fire hazard. We had a fire in
the Balboa Wash in FH just about 3-4 weeks ago, and this practice
made a significant impact on controlling and containing the fire
quickly.
The information I received in the mail from Jomar suggested we could
save these beautiful trees by having them relocated to other
“common” areas. They detailed a “Sierra Ridge Save A Tree Program”
that explained all the wonderful benefits of increased oxygen, A/C
savings, increased property values and even health benefits of
lowered heart rates and stress reduction. Simply return the enclosed
card prior to June 21, 2010.
Much to my dismay, I found myself gasping for oxygen; my stress
level soared and my heart rate sky-rocketed as I walked North from
Altadena and saw that EVERY tree beneath the power lines had been
cut off at ground level! We now have nothing but a hideous looking
“common area” of dead or dying scrub and undergrowth. Oh, and this
work was very efficiently completed early in the week of June 14th;
a full week prior to the June 21st deadline to attempt other
options.
Thanks, Sierra Ridge HOA and Jomar….when it comes to “weeds”, look
in your own front yard (under the power lines) before pointing
fingers at everyone else! There was a much, much better solution to
address the tighter fire hazard restrictions.
Steve Boyer |
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