Wildfire safety versus saving wildlife habitat

Talk about competing interests. People who are worried about wildfires destroying homes are coming into direct conflict with those who want to preserve wilderness habitat.

In two separate incidents, property owners have gotten in trouble for clearing their land. In both cases, the owners thought they were doing the right thing.

In one case, in the Hobo and Aliso canyons area, city officials actually oversaw the vegetation removal by developer Athens Group, and a biologist was on hand to ensure that no endangered plants were destroyed.

In another case, an owner of lots near the hospital thought he was abiding by a fire department directive on “weed abatement” but ended up cutting down important habitat.

Fortunately for the wilderness, vigilant neighbors sprang into action and alerted the appropriate authorities -- but too late to keep the damage from being done this time.

In both cases, a special permit was required from the design review board, which oversees to the letter how such work may proceed.

The owner of the hospital-adjacent property was cited for failing to get the required permit.

City Manager Ken Frank is taking the blame for the Athens situation, and an Athens representative publicly apologized to the City Council for the error.

Apparently the Hobo-Aliso vegetation removal was requested by neighbors of the open land who worried that overgrowth would lead to an unstoppable wildfire.

City firefighters have been conducting meetings all over town warning people to cut down the vegetation around their homes and create a “defensible space” in the event of wildfire.

Apparently, people have been listening, despite the reported dearth of attendees at many of the meetings.

It is excellent that property owners want to do the right thing and take steps to make the wildfire areas safe. But it is too bad that, in trying to foster fire safety, growth that harbors wild animals can be destroyed.

We want to believe that, as Athens spokesman Martyn Hoffman said, “It won’t happen again.” No doubt Athens, and the other owner, won’t repeat the error.

But until the city fire authorities and the permitting agency get on the same page, it likely will happen again as other property owners seek to comply with fire codes and address nervous neighbors’ concerns.