Behind this home in Piru is the bottom of a hillside, covered with brush and trees. Underfoot it’s dry - and clearing the area in a boundary around this home using chain saws and strimmers are workers from the Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council.
Resident Juane Aguilar is grateful for the free help.
"It gives us that sense of security," she told KCLU. "You know, I know Mother Nature is going to do what Mother Nature is going to do, but this just gives us if it could buy us time with seconds, that's life changing. So this is a very good program. So we're blessed to have that in our community," she said.
Aguilar said wildfire is a worry.
"A major concern, especially in California, but just in general. And I live right now right below the hill and we have big trees. So it's a major concern," she said.
Clearing a defensible space around a home is hard work and many residents aren’t able to take it on themselves – whether for physical or financial reasons…or both. Free defensible space assistance is one of the ways this non-profit supports underserved communities in Ventura County explains Stephen Watson, Executive Director of Ventura Region Firesafe Council.
"Piru is a relatively low income Spanish speaking population. They would be the type of community that is disproportionately impacted if a wildfire were to come through here," said Watson.
"We see it as our responsibility to take care of these more vulnerable populations and communities. So we're out here trying to provide a myriad of no cost services to the community. Even just getting out there and doing defensible space every year is a challenge for some. And even if they're elderly, low income, can't do the work themselves or have to pay a landscaper to come out and do the work. We're essentially just trying to make it easier for everyone to be safer," said Watson.
The Felicia Fire at Lake Piru is a reminder of the vulnerability of this unincorporated town along the Santa Clara Valley and the risks that wildfires pose.
"I would say the urgency around wildfire has increased dramatically," said Watson. "I think we're seeing it all over the state. Many of us are reminded of the Thomas fire or the Woolsey fire that really changed how we approach and how we look at fire - at least in Ventura County. And we know that whatever you want to call it, climate change, anything like that, things are changing. The wildfire scene is changing. When the Santa Ana winds come in, the embers will go for miles."
Michael Lopez is a local resident and also part of Piru Neighborhood Council. He says the help with emergency preparedness is appreciated in the community.
"The neighborhood has been very receptive to this and they're basically a two thumbs up," said Lopez.
"We're in a rural area. Response times seem to be a little longer. So why this is important is because we're actually in a while an urban interface setting or environment and if there is to be a wildfire nearby, we're going to get that Santa Ana winds effect where we're going to get embers flying in. So our goal here is to mitigate in and around the homes so these embers don't have a fuel source to start a wildfire," said Lopez.
The community recently received Firewise USA recognition – a status which requires upkeep but also can help with the issues many residents across the region have faced with home insurance.
"Insurance is a really hot topic right now when it comes to wildfire. A lot of people are losing their home insurance. They're going up double, triple, quadruple the rates. And the mitigation measures that we are recommending and that we are assisting residents with doing actually do help to reduce insurance rates," saod Watson.
And while the defensible space won’t prevent wildfires breaking out – they can protect your home when it comes and buy vital time.
