Wildfire season is officially over for Santa Rosa, the city fire department announced on Monday.
After receiving 11 inches of rain in October, the Santa Rosa Fire Department said the chances of severe wildfires in the city are slim. The wildfire season, which started unusually early on May 17, began as a result of severe drought conditions and dry brush.
During wildfire season, owners of homes in the Wildland Urban Interface, vacant lots or property with more than a half-acre of undeveloped land were required to keep weeds and grasses shorter than four inches. Effective Nov. 2, the fire department will end weed abatement inspections for property owners.
Fire officials will also allow pile burning in late November, depending on local conditions. Property owners are encouraged to burn debris in piles to cut back on wildfire fuel, so long as weather conditions are appropriate and they have filed a permit with the city fire department.
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Fire officials also urge Santa Rosa residents to keep up with wildfire preparedness measures during the off-season, especially for those in Santa Rosa's Wildland Urban Interface area.
Santa Rosa Fire Chief Scott Westrope said city fire officials responded to multiple vegetation fires this year that went up to 50 acres in size, driven by dry fuels and drought conditions.
"We planned and prepared for a busy season and thank our community for maintaining defensible space and keeping seasonal grasses cut and in compliance with our Weed Abatement Ordinance," Westrope said in a statement. "Those measures prevented significant property damage during several of our fires this past season."
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More information on wildfire preparedness can be found at srcity.org/WildfireReady.
