After a fire that started at the famous South San Francisco’s Sign Hill last October, city officials continue to remove hazardous trees and focus on creating fire breaks.
On Oct. 16, a fire ignited at the Sign Hill letters, where the wind had quickly spread to the west, across the southern face of the hill through the grass and into the nearby tree groves. The fire burned about 16 acres and went for about three hours before being declared under control. There was minor property damage to three homes on Mountain Road, and no one was injured.
“Fortunately, we had spent a lot of time on Sign Hill before the fire, creating defensible space and fire breaks, which we believe helped save homes during the fire,” Greg Mediati, deputy director at the Parks and Recreation Department, said.
After the fire, trees that were killed were deemed immediately hazardous around the trails and taken down. And tree crews continue to remove these dead trees, said Mediati. At least 1,500 trees were killed or remain in a hazardous state. Removal of additional trees are also planned to improve the defensible space surrounding homes.
They are also focusing on fire breaks, to make sure homes won’t be threatened if there’s a fire again. This essentially means having a clear area without tall vegetation or fuel to mitigate any fire danger near homes and give space for fire crews to defend, he said.
Erosion control work was completed in February, preventing debris flow from going into the roads, homes or drainage. During the winter, this work included hydroseeding native plants, putting in check dams and other barriers, as well as mulching the site.
Current work is focused on the areas around the Iris Trail and Letters Trail. Portions of these trails will remain closed until those hazardous trees can be cleared and trails can be repaired. However, the majority of the park is now open. Lately, work has been slow to avoid impacts on nesting birds, as it is nesting season, and workers are being conscious of any environmental impacts, Mediati said.
Tree removal is expected to completed by the end of the year, and the two trails that are closed may be open in the next month or so.
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