GLENDORA, Calif. — Fire agencies are constantly preparing for the next big wildfire whenever they’re not currently fighting a fire.
Spectrum News 1 headed to Glendora to speak with the U.S. Forest Service to talk to a longtime firefighter and a fire fuels planner about the changing nature of fires and how it has affected everything from the fire season to how firefighters train.
Five things you need to know:
- U.S. Forest Service has shortened its prescribed burn period by three months. In years past, the agency has performed prescribed burns between January and June but stopped them in March this year due to low moisture content in vegetation.
- The agency also uses a shredding of vegation method to help mitigate wildfires.
- Capt. Brandon Burrill, an 18-year veteran, said the fire season has extended months from when he first started his career, now lasting between June to even January.
- Burrill said the fires are also larger. Eighteen years ago, a 60,000-acre burn was considered a giant fire.
- Training firefighters now happens year-round, compared to what used to be the off-season — between December and May.