Ventura County Fire Dept. to host fire safety expo

By Michelle Knight

knight@theacorn.com

On Sat. May 22, the Ventura County Fire Department will host its third annual Wildland Fire and Safety Expo at the Camarillo Airport.

Residents throughout the county are invited to attend the event and learn about the steps they can take to prepare for fire disasters—from weed abatement and fire-safe home construction to landscaping that prevents fire from spreading.

Russ Cole, fire prevention supervisor and educational officer for the Ventura County Fire Department, said it’s inevitable that Californians will experience fires.

"It’s a routine thing that happens," Cole said. "Wildfires happen every year."

According to county fire officials, California has one of the most severe wildfire environments in the world because of its unique combination of population, vegetation, topography, climate and hillside development. It’s a matter of not if, but when the fires will occur.

An estimated 95,000 acres caught on fire during last fall’s Ventura County firestorms.

More homes are being constructed on county hillsides than ever before, giving fires an easy path over which to spread, Cole said.

Fire also is a threat for homes located away from hillsides. Combustible shake roofs, though banned years ago, still exist in many neighborhoods and pose a risk should a fire break out. Wind can catch an ember and transport it to a house many blocks away, Cole said.

The expo is an opportunity for residents to receive their fire safety information in one place.

Expo visitors will see demonstrations from forestry experts and exhibits from the National Park Service. County fire engines, helicopters and other fire-fighting equipment will be on display. Children will receive an educational tour of the fire department’s fire safety house.

The all-day expo will be held at the fire department’s regional training center at 102 E. Durley Ave. in Camarillo. For more information, call (805) 389-9748 or visit the Web at www.fire.countyofventura.org.