Gov. Brown has declared this is Wildfire Awareness Week, and there are new rules about defensible space. Kern County Fire Captain Jason Knaggs says the changes involve when you must have rural property cleared of hazards and what happens if you don’t. The deadline to clear hazards has been moved up half a month to June 1st. The fines for not reducing fire hazards has doubled, the first offense is now $500 and the second is $1,000. Knaggs says the wet winter has produced a bumper crop of grasses that will result in fires this summer that hasn’t seen fire danger during the drought.

Sean Michael Lisle