[californiadisasters] Fire Danger Decreases, But Need For Care Remains

Fire danger decreases, but need for care remains, fire officials say

• By Adam Foxman
• Ventura County Star
  
• Ventura County Star
• Posted November 30, 2010 at 6:54 p.m.

The 2010 fire season is being called an aberration — and that's a good thing.

From 2006 to 2009, wild fires burned 100,000 to 286,000 acres each year in the Los Padres National Forest. In 2010, fires burned less than 3,000 acres in the forest.

"It was just an aberration," said Andrew Madsen, a spokesman for the Los Padres National Forest, of the 2010 fire season. "It was very unusual."

Madsen said it's hard to pin down any one cause for the quieter season. A little luck in the places where this year's fires occurred, above average rainfall, more success by firefighters and safer behavior by people could all have contributed, he said, adding that some of the region's recent wildfires were human-caused.

Temperatures have turned colder and 2 to 4 inches of rain accumulated in much of Ventura County since the beginning of October, more than the average, according to the county Watershed Protection District. Most parts of the county had slightly more rain than normal during the last water year, from October 2009 to this September.

As of last week, fuel moisture around the county was near the historical average and above critically dry levels, according to the Ventura County Fire Department.

As winter approaches and the risk of fast-moving brush fires continues to decrease, local fire departments have begun trimming back their seasonal focus on wildland blazes.

The Ventura County Fire Department this week lowered the amount of resources it sends to initial brush fire reports, just days after the U.S. Forest Service announced the reduction of fire restrictions in Los Padres National Forest, officials said. Both departments also dismissed seasonal firefighters who work during the peak of the fire season.

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View entire article here; http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/nov/30/fire-danger-decreases-but-need-for-care-remains/

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