The City Council unanimously passed a resolution approving the city of La Cañada Flintridge’s participation in the CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention grant at a recent meeting, which would request approximately $140,000 for goat grazing and a citywide education campaign.
Public Safety Coordinator Jennifer Burghdorf shared some updates about the grant with the City Council on Jan. 16 and also progress regarding its red flag days and parking.
The city applied for the CAL FIRE Wildfire Prevention Grant on Jan. 10.
The primary aim of the project is to implement targeted grazing on two city-owned parcels, encompassing 58.7 acres within Gould Canyon.
“I just want to thank Chief [Pat] Sprengel and his team for helping me out with that,” said Burghdorf.
The controlled grazing, using goats, focuses on vegetation management to reduce the fuel load and mitigate the potential for rapid fire spread.
“Notably, this area is situated at the base of our scenic foothills and falls within the Wildland Urban Interface, serving as a critical defensible space protecting our community,” Burghdorf told the Outlook Valley Sun.
Covering 8.5 square miles with a population of more than 20,000, this interface is vital for community safety, said Burghdorf.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Division 3 and Vegetation Management Captain provided extensive support and expertise in drafting the grant.
“The city is optimistic about receiving notification in late fall and looks forward to welcoming goats for grazing in our foothills,” said Burghdorf.
RED FLAG PROGRAM
In collaboration with the Public Works Department, the city’s public safety team has been working on the red flag and no parking program.
Recently, the city staff have undertaken a thorough review of the Red Flag Warning No Parking Program objectives and have redefined the overall scope, Burghdorf said.
“The primary aim is to strike a balance in identifying streets with higher risk factors for potential permanent parking restrictions, taking into consideration the likelihood of a particular emergency route being obstructed,” said Burghdorf.
The recommendations for parking restrictions will be based on street width, as determined through collaboration with the Los Angeles County Fire Department Division 3.
“Their expertise will be invaluable in reviewing the mapped data and recommendations,” said Burghdorf. “The ultimate goal is to present a cohesive plan with project phases to the city’s residents at future Public Works and Public Safety Commission meetings. This phased approach aims to address the critical issue of emergency accessibility and parking restrictions in our community.”
A community preparedness event is also in the works, said Burghdorf.
“I am really excited that you guys are moving forward on [the wildfire and red flag programs] because for a big fire, it’s a matter of when, not if,” said Mayor Rick Gunter.
First published in the February 15 print issue of the Outlook Valley Sun.
