By Brooklynn Wong
Though Southern California may technically be out of its long-lasting drought, cities are still working hard to be vigilant about fires. The devastating Canyon 2 Fire burned 9,217 acres in Anaheim Hills two years ago, and the Councilmember in charge of that district, and the Anaheim Fire Department aren’t taking any chances as the two-year anniversary of that blaze approaches this October.
Trevor O’Neil is the Anaheim City Councilman in charge of the area, and at a recent City Council Meeting he shared a video that he had made, in which he and Anaheim Fire Chief Pat Russell discuss the various preventative actions being taken.
They collaborated with other agencies and cities, and have put up four cameras that will monitor the vegetation in the canyon, so should another fire break out there, the hope is that those monitoring the cameras will see it and be able to take quick action.
The Council admitted that the Canyon 2 fire showed the need for a much better evacuation plan, and Chief Russell said they have worked on that front as well, and feel the city is in a “much better situation than we were.”
And the goats are back. As it has done before, the Anaheim Fire Department has deployed a team of goats to munch on the vegetation in fire-threatened areas, to eliminate the dry brush that makes fire spread quickly.
There are 250 goats currently in Deer Canyon Park, and they’ll only be there for a couple more weeks before they are systematically moved to other areas where they are needed.
More information about the city’s fire mitigation plan can be read on the city’s website.
