By Khalida Sarwari
The ongoing drought and the recent Lake and Butte county fires have prompted the release of a new app that allows county residents to extinguish potential fire hazards directly from their smartphones.
Launched by the Santa Clara County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency’s weed abatement program, the new “weed hazard” was designed to help determine if abatement services are necessary and at the same time help reduce the likelihood of future residential fires and rural wildfires.
“If you observe an area that does not meet the minimum fire safety standards, we want to know about it so that we can inspect the area and ensure compliance to prevent devastating fires,” said agency director Amy Brown.
The app allows regional residents to report overgrown vegetation on residential properties, vacant lots and in rural areas that doesn’t adhere to minimum fire safety standards. All they need to do is upload a photo of the overgrowth so that weed abatement staff can assess the situation.
The photo-reporting feature aside, the app allows people to report the location of the hazard, note the type of hazard they are observing, leave a comment for the agency staff, leave contact information if they so please and see a history of their previously reported hazards. There’s also a link to weed abatement program resources and space to leave feedback about the app.
The weed hazard app is an improvement upon previous modes of reporting, such as by phone or by submitting a service request online. Residents can download the app from the Apple app store or Android Google Play store.
The CEPA’s weed abatement program helps prevent fire hazards posed by vegetative growth and the accumulation of combustible materials by having inspectors perform inspections at the beginning of the fire season, typically in March or April. If properties are found to be noncompliant, owners generally receive a notice asking them to reduce weeds to minimize fire danger.
Currently weed abatement services are provided to Saratoga, Campbell, Cupertino, Gilroy, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill, Palo Alto and Santa Clara, as well as underdeveloped or vacant parcels within San Jose and all unincorporated areas of the county.
Saratoga is offering yet another way to fight the drought. The city is offering free drought gear at Saratoga City Hall, including low-flow shower heads, faucet aerators, moisture meters for gardens, water-efficient hose nozzles and buckets. The items are available at 13777 Fruitvale Ave.
For questions regarding the weed abatement program, call 408.282.3145, visit the program website at sccgov.org/sites/wap or the Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency website at CEPASCC.org.
Link: App fights fires before they start to flame
