Crime & Safety

Glendora Fire A Reminder For RSM Residents

Backed up to the wilderness, it's especially important to be mindful of activities.


By Martin Henderson

The county's Red Flag Alert for dangerous fire conditions remained in effect Thursday, and while a fire rages in Glendora, it's a good time to take a step back and think about what's at stake living on the edge of the wilderness.

“We are blessed in Rancho Santa Margarita to enjoy the beauty and benefits of living adjacent to considerable open space," Mayor Carol Gamble said Thursday. "In consideration of the drought we are experiencing and the fact we live with the wilderness in our own backyards, we must be acutely aware that fires can easily start and rapidly get out of control. 

"Today’s tragic events in Glendora is a painful reminder how quickly carelessness forever impacts the lives of those in the community, can injure or kill our residents, imperils wildlife as well as our own pets, destroys property and places our brave firefighters in harm’s way.”

Gamble knows a thing or two about the subject; she is the City's representative on the Orange County Fire Authority.

The OCFA would like to have the Colby Fire near Glendora serve as a warning to local residents.

“As anyone can see, we’ve had critical fire weather with low humidity, erratic winds and low fuel moisture, and when a fire gets established in vegetation in these conditions, it can rapidly grow and grow out of hand quickly,” said Capt. Steve Concialdi of the OCFA.

“We want to remind parents to talk to their children about not playing with matches, lighters and fireworks.”

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Concialdi also recommended parents visit the readysetgooc.org website to bone up on some fire preparedness.

Concialdi also said homeowners can help safeguard their homes by providing “defensible space around their homes.”

Find out what's happening in Rancho Santa Margaritawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“It allows firefighters to defend your home before the fire gets too intense,” said Concialdi, who  defined “defensible space” as a buffer zone around the house in which brush, weeds and other vegetation is removed so that it’s not next to roofs, windows and under eaves.

TELL US IN THE COMMENTS: How worried are you about a wildfire near RSM? 


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