Areas closed for fire season

Marisa O’Neil

Fire season begins Monday, and fire officials have announced the

closure of fire-prone areas, including some in Newport Beach.

The area south of Bonita Canyon Drive, Sand Canyon Avenue and the

San Diego Freeway down to Coast Highway between Laguna Canyon Road

and Buck Gully will be closed starting at 8 a.m. Monday. The closure,

encompassing one of many wildland areas countywide, is designed to

cut fire risk by restricting access to dry, brushy areas.

Signs in wildland areas will notify people of the closures.

The closures will not apply to state and regional parks. Each park

will determine its own closures.

Heavy winter rains that soaked the area also prompted fuel growth,

such as grasses, that could increase fire risks when it dries out,

said Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Stephen Miller.

“Right now we have grasses over human height,” he said.

With the right conditions -- like warm, dry winds -- the fire

risks could be high and last through next year, Miller said.

Newport Beach fire officials reminded residents not to smoke in

wildland areas, even inside cars. They also asked people to keep

matches and lighters away from children and not discharge fireworks

or operate motorized vehicles in closed areas.

“People don’t understand how dangerous it could be,” Miller said.

“A fire could burn quickly and surround them. You can’t outrun the

fire.”

He advised people to watch for suspicious activities in closed

areas and notify authorities of any.

Newport Beach has reduced its fire risks in the past decade but

still has large open spaces that could burn.

During the 1993 Laguna Beach wildfires, areas of what is now

Newport Coast burned extensively, said Newport Beach fire spokeswoman

Jennifer Schulz.

Since then, fire-resistant vegetation has been planted around the

area, Schulz said. Homes in the area must be built from

fire-resistant materials and have ample space between them and any

plants, she said.

“Even patio structures are not allowed to be constructed of

exposed wood,” she said.

Costa Mesa’s most fire-prone area, Talbert Regional Park, is a

protected reserve and will not be closed.

Areas to be closed are:

* Area 1 -- North of the Brea city limits to the county line;

between the Brea city limits and the Yorba Linda urban areas and east

of there to the county line, excluding Chino Hills State Park.

* Area 2 -- South from the Riverside Freeway to O’Neill Regional

Park; west from the Cleveland National Forest boundary to the Anaheim

Hills, Tustin, Orange, Irvine and Lake Forest city limits; east of

Rose Canyon to the Cleveland National Forest boundary; east of Dove

Canyon to the Cleveland National Forest boundary; east of Coto de

Caza to the Cleveland National Forest boundary; areas between Rancho

Santa Margarita, Coto de Caza and Dove Canyon; from the southern tip

of Coto de Caza south to the county line; and areas of Silverado

Canyon, Williams Canyon, Modjeska Canyon and Trabuco Canyon.

* Area 3 -- South of Bonita Canyon Drive, Sand Canyon Avenue, and

the San Diego Freeway to Pacific Coast Highway; west of Laguna Canyon

Road to Corona del Mar.

* Area 4 -- East of Laguna Canyon Road to the Aliso and Wood

Canyons Regional Park; south of Aliso and Wood Canyons Regional Park

to the Laguna Beach city limits.

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil@ latimes.com.