CHULA VISTA, Calif. (KGTV) — Amid increasing concerns over fire hazards in the area, a group of residents in Chula Vista took proactive measures to safeguard their homes from potential wildfires. The effort comes as the region remains surrounded by dry brush, a condition that can escalate the risk of fire during certain weather conditions.
Regan Ohrmund, a resident who has lived in her home for the past 20 years, expressed her concerns about the overgrown brush surrounding her property.
"It was getting scary. The tumbleweeds were about this big; they were all over here," Ohrmund said.
With the situation deteriorating, her neighbor, Tyler Miller, decided to step in and address the issue directly.
Miller noticed the fire risk posed by the unchecked vegetation and initially sought assistance from city and county officials. However, he encountered challenges in identifying the right resources to help him.
"This property that we’re on here is borderline from all three ways; it’s hard to figure out who you’re going to associate with and who’s going to help you," Miller explained.
Faced with the difficulty of securing outside help, Miller rallied a group of volunteers to take matters into their own hands.
They rented heavy-duty equipment to clear the foliage and create a defensible space around Ohrmund's home.
According to Miller, they managed to clear a large area with that equipment.
"We did a 100-foot fire break around the entire property, 360 degrees, a few acres," he says.
Even though this plan was created before the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles, the wildfires have heightened awareness about fire safety in the region.
Ohrmund noted the peace of mind these initiatives have provided her.
"If, in fact, there is a fire, I’ve got a fire break from my property, and the fire engines can come up here if they need to," she said.
Looking ahead, Miller intends to expand his community initiative.
"We’re into doing another fire break in the Agua Vista; we’ll see if we can plan another one and get more residents this time," he says.
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