After the spring rains and with the warmer weather starting to take hold, Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District officials remind residents to focus on weed abatement.

The mission of the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District (SCFPD) is to protect life, environment and property. SCFPD is committed to proactively mitigating issues before they become a hazard. With this in mind, this is a reminder to residents ensure their property is maintained, free of grass, weeds, and other dangerous vegetation that could pose a fire hazard.

During the year, all property owners should continuously abate dry or combustible vegetation from their property. For reference, here are the minimum specifications:

• Weeds and grasses may be removed by discing, rototilling or mowing. Cuttings should be disposed of properly and sprayed weeds still require removal.

• If discing or rototilling is done, sufficient passes must be made to cover the vegetation so that it will not allow the spread of fire.

• If the property is mowed, the stubble must be no more than two inches in height to prevent the spread of fire. The cuttings must be removed from the property.

• If the property fronts a street on which a park strip is located between the curb and the sidewalk, the weeds must be removed from the area in a similar manner.

• Removal of the vegetation shall also include the vegetation along and in the sidewalk, gutter/street areas and along fence lines.

It is the property owner’s responsibility to clean and maintain the property in a manner consistent with the minimum standards.

Property owners who receive a notice are required to remove all weeds, grasses, or other combustible vegetation upon lots, parcels or alleyways of land that pose a fire hazard. Depending on where the property is located, property owners will have seven to 10 days to demonstrate compliance.

This program is designed to keep communities fire-safe by ensuring that yards and larger land parcels are cleared of combustible weeds and debris. Weed abatement is year-round in California and it is the property owner’s responsibility to ensure that their property is maintained in a “fire safe” condition to protect themselves and their neighbors around them.

Residents are encouraged to maintain their property in a manner consistent with the minimum standards. Any person who has received a weed abatement notice and fails to remove the hazard and properly maintain the property may be charged fire suppression costs for any fire occurring on that property.

Residents can use the following contacts to report overgrown weeds and fire hazards:

City of Riverbank Code Enforcement – (209) 863-7190; mgarcia@riverbank.org.

City of Oakdale Code Enforcement – 845-3637; 840-6111.

City of Waterford Code Enforcement – 874-2328, ext. 102, Code Enforcement Hotline: 1-844-404-1030.

Stanislaus County Fire Prevention – 552-3700.