TheBakersfieldCalifornian.com

Want to protect your home from fire like the ones raging near Tehachapi and Kernville? The Kern County Fire Department recently suggested you create a 100-foot safety zone around it by:

Raking leaves, dead limbs and twigs from around and under the structure and clearing all flammable vegetation.

Cutting dry grass to stubble and regularly mowing lawns before 10 a.m.

Thinning a 15-foot space between tree crowns and removing limbs within six to eight feet of the ground.

Removing dead trees, shrubs and any branches that extend over the roof.

Creating at least a 15-foot clearance around stovepipes and chimneys.

Removing vines from walls of the home.

Clearing a 10-foot area around propane tanks and barbecues.

Stacking firewood away and uphill from the home, 100 feet away if possible.

Cleaning roof and gutters, removing flammable materials from decks and patios.

Cleaning chimneys once a year and equipping them with a spark arrester.

In mid-June, fire officials said most residents in fire zones around Lake Isabella, Frazier Park, Walker Basin, Tehachapi and east Bakersfield had compiled with a June 9 deadline to create defensible space around homes.

"This is going to be quite a challenging fire season," fire department spokesman Sean Collins said in a June 20 Californian story. "All you have to do is take a look along Highway 58 where grass has grown four, five or six feet tall.

"That's more fuel for a fire," he said. "The longer the grass, the bigger the flame, and the bigger the flame the more likely a fire will spread very quickly. Despite the rain, which made the grass grow tall, the cores of bushes and trees still are dry. They will ignite readily."