Fire officials are reminding Santa Clarita residents how to stay safe as brush fires are erupting and rapidly spreading throughout Santa Clarita. 

With the arrival of hot dry temperatures, and the last four brush fires throughout Santa Clarita spreading rapidly exceeding 100 acres within less than an hour of ignition causing homes to be evacuated, experts have provided tips to help assist firefighters in protecting homes.    

Some guidelines to follow to help protect your home during a fire includes:  

Removing flammable vegetation and other combustible growth within 30 feet of any structures. Increase to 50 feet in high hazard areas, which includes a majority of the Santa Clarita Valley.   

Use landscaping with plants that are drought tolerant and fire resistant.    

Space trees and shrubs a minimum of 15 feet apart or three times their diameter from other shrubs. 

Trees should be spaced to allow a minimum of 30 feet between canopies at maturity. 

For trees taller than 18 feet, prune lower branches within six feet of the ground. For trees and shrubs of less than 18 feet, prune lower branches to one third of their height. 

Maintain all plants by regularly removing dead branches and leaves. 

Avoid having stacks of combustible materials. 

Stack wood at least 30 feet from structures, removing flammable vegetation within 10 feet of the woodpile. 

Locate any butane or propane tanks at least 10 feet from any structure. 

See Related: L.A. County Fire Department Advises Safeguarding Homes Upon Approaching Fire Season

In the event of a brush fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department officials are encouraging all Santa Clarita residents to identify at least two exit routes from their neighborhood. 

Post road signs to show traffic restrictions such as dead end roads and height and weight limits.

Clear back flammable vegetation at least 10 feet from roads and driveways. 

Fire officials are strongly encouraging residents to follow the tips from above so that Santa Clarita residents can have a better chance of not sustaining damage to their home in a fire. 

“The biggest thing the residents can do to help us with this is to honor those brush fire clearances,” said Tom Stukey, a battalion chief for the fire department in a previous KHTS article. “The more defensible space you provide us around your home, it will make it that much easier for us to protect it.” 

The most recent fires, the Texas Fire which broke out Thursday in Saugus, the Elsmere Fire in Newhall on Monday, the Post Fire In Gorman Sunday evening and the Castaic Fire that erupted near Castaic Lake Saturday all grew to 100 acres within an hour of ignition” 

Despite only two of these fires prompting evacuations, they are good reminders as to how fast fires can spread at short to no notice. 

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