It’s Hot and Dry—What Does the Local Fire Battalion Chief Say About Red Flag Days in Sherman Oaks?

The conditions are ripe for a potentially devastating fire in the hills, and that has some Sherman Oaks residents nervous.

Fire Battalion Chief Peter Hayden, of Station 10 that covers Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys and parts of Encino, suggested strongly that residents in the hills register for email and phone alerts for if a Red Flag Day is called.

“It’s hot again, and it’s dry out there, and the winds could pick up quickly,” Hayden said at a recent Sherman Oaks Neighborhood Council meeting.  “It’s important to listen to the news and know if there’s a Red Flag Day called.”

A Red Flag Day is called when weather conditions are such that a potential fast-moving brush fire is extremely high. Wind speeds have to be 25 mph and humidity has to be 15 percent or less. When called, cars must be removed from narrow roads, particularly in the hills, so that emergency crews and trucks can make it to the fires.

The last Red Flag Day was called on January 7, and as another dry winter is approaching, conditions could be ripe for more.

Neighborhood Council vice president Jeff Ebenstein said, “Our hillside folks are very concerned that you cannot get trucks up there.”

Hayden, who has worked in the area for about a year and has surveyed the Sherman Oaks hills, said the fire department is using mapping technology, such as Ipads and GPS information to locate the best roads and figure out the best approaches to put out fires.

Neighborhood Council member Sidonia Lax said she hears concerns from Sherman Oaks residents about neighbors who refuse to clear up the brush in the hills. “It makes it even more dangerous when they don’t clean it up, and then everyone’s house can catch fire,” she said.

“We are feeling the impact of the housing market crunch right now, there are a lot of homes for sale and it is sometimes hard to find out who even owns the house, much less getting someone out there to clear up the brush,” said Los Angeles Police senior lead officer for Sherman Oaks, Trent Berry. “The city can impose a clean-up if the parcel is not in compliance.”

At recent fires in on Roscomere and Linda Flora, the fire department officials said they were able to get trucks into the hills to the single family homes and use helicopters.

“We are embracing the trouble spots in the hills,” Hayden said. “We have ID’d the areas and are working closely with the Department of Transportation.”

Meanwhile, the fire officials strongly suggest calling 311 to report noncompliance, or 800 994-4444.

Hayden also said that on www.lafd.org there is a section where residents can sign up for voice mail alerts by phone or email alerts whenever a Red Flag warning is posted.