Scottsdale Fire highlights defensible space ahead of wildfire season

Yahoo

02-05-2025

The Brief
We're getting a first-hand look at the importance of keeping defensible space around your home all year, but especially during peak wildfire season.
FOX 10's Nicole Krasean did a ride-along with Scottsdale Fire Capt. Dave Folio and ended up at the site of the Diamond Fire that burned right up to property lines of new-build homes in summer 2023.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Increased fire restrictions are starting in parts of Arizona.
Tonto National Forest is now at stage two restrictions as peak wildfire season inches closer.
This year has been dry so far, and firefighters say that could lead to a busy summer.
FOX 10's Nicole Krasean tagged along with Scottsdale Fire Capt. Dave Folio to inspect areas at the highest risk.
What they're saying
The roads they took for this inspection are the same roads where you see "extreme fire risk" signs.
Scottsdale Fire says this year, it hasn't been able to change the sign to a lower risk.
"I will drive these neighborhoods and I will look for overgrown brush. I'll look for ladder fuels going up into the home or the attic. We can just put a door hanger, simply hang a door hanger, take pictures with our iPad, and it logs it into here, and it sends it to our fire inspection people," Capt. Folio explains.
These inspections are crucial after a dry winter, especially in areas with a history of wind-driven fires.
READ MORE: Scottsdale Mayor calls on residents to help prevent wildfires
Local perspective
"We're at ground zero of the Diamond Fire right now, literally where it started," Capt. Folio said. "This thing went 2,000 acres to our east and northeast."
The Diamond Fire sparked near under-construction homes in June 2023, threatening up to 400 homes at its peak.
The cause was ruled undetermined, but Scottsdale Fire reported six construction-related fires in 2023, and seven last year.
New builds continue to pop up, including right next to where the Diamond Fire sparked.
"These guys aren't doing any hot work. They're in the framing stages right now, no cutting. But if they do, they've already cleared it away, so we've probably done an inspection there and let them know and given them a piece of paper and said, 'Here's our guidelines,'" Capt. Folio said.
Then, home additions come into play.
"What happens is, the home's built, the inspection's done, and then you have some general contractor who comes and puts in a new gate or welds a gate or puts in a pool fence. Well, that's who starts it. They haven't been educated," Capt. Folio explained.
Brush trucks head out into neighborhoods to spread the message of fire safety.
"So we've identified this house, so right off the bat, you see heavy fuels on here. They have cleaned it up, it looks like where they've brought it up, but easily could jump into this, and right up against the house," Capt. Folio said.
A gentle reminder is left on the front doorknob of the home and a re-inspection is noted for later.
"We're not looking to cite them or anything. We're just looking to educate and team up with our community to be good partners," Capt. Folio said.
What you can do
Scottsdale Fire suggests starting with five feet of defensible space, and then expanding from there.
The goal is to have 20–30 feet of defensible space, which still allows residents to have landscaping and privacy.