Dry conditions sparking more fires

On the heels of battling the worst fire the Lakeville Fire Department has responded to in 15 years Friday, rural fire officials are warning the community to exercise caution during this year's particularly dangerous fire season.

"The fires we've seen this year have spread much more than in previous years," said Lakeville Firefighter and Engineer Brian Clarke. "We've already had two major ones in our coverage area this month alone, which is a lot for us."

The North Coast's fire season began early this year, with CalFire declaring its start in May - almost two months earlier than years past. Already, Petaluma has seen three large grass fires, including Friday's blaze on Lakeville Highway that scorched 160 acres behind the Pegasus Ranch. City firefighters also put out two smaller grass fires Tuesday evening. The first fire burned about 30 feet of grass along Highway 101 near the East Washington Place Shopping Center. A second, larger blaze near Caulfield Lane scorched a 400-foot stretch of grass. The Petaluma Fire Department extinguished both fires and were as yet unable to determine a cause.

Rancho Adobe Fire Protection District Chief Frank Treanor said that June reports from CalFire measured vegetation dryness at levels typical for August.

"In the past two months we've had as many vegetation fires as we did in almost all of 2012," said Treanor. "It really shows that people have to be very careful this year."

During 2012, the Rancho Adobe Fire District responded to 29 vegetation fires. From May 1 to June 31 of this year, the department had already responded to 23.

The Lakeville Fire Department said that while they have fielded a typical number of calls this season, the fires they've seen this year have been much worse.

"The wind and weather conditions have been just right, spreading the fires and making them really difficult to put out," said Clarke.

Such was the case Friday afternoon, when flames seared almost 70 percent of the land on Al Marcucci's Niemela Road property. While no structures or people were harmed, the afternoon winds made the blaze difficult to control. CalFire had not determined a cause of the blaze as of Wednesday morning.

In the city, the Petaluma Fire Department says it has had a fairly typical fire season, responding to the exact same number of calls it did during the same time last year - 179. But Fire Marshall Cary Fergus said that the extremely dry conditions have affected the severity of fires.

"In previous years we had rain and green conditions into May, but not this year," he said. "Grass and weeds are extremely dry and ready to burn."

Local fire departments are urging residents to keep their homes and yards free from flammable debris, mow their lawns early in the day to prevent sparks from spreading in high afternoon winds, and keep plants and grass cut back.

"Outside, keeping your yard clean can make a huge difference," said Treanor.

For more information on fire prevention, visit www.firesafesonoma.org.

(Contact Janelle Wetzstein at janelle.wetzstein@arguscourier.com)