Susan Plumb | Trees Posing a Danger?

Letters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor
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My issue is the 100-foot trees surrounding our backyard, which is controlled by the city of Santa Clarita. The trees are massive and hover over our two-story home. As I travel around the city I notice the same situation for many citizens and their homes. As I watch homes going up in flames all over the state I see large trees and shrubs igniting, and the sparks set off the homes and they go up in flames. Our trees are pine trees and the needles cover our roof, gutters and yards. The needles are highly combustible, which is frightening with the high fire danger this area is dealing with. The city doesn’t care about the mess these trees are causing in our yards. I called and they will take care of the mess outside our homes but that is where they draw the line. They are not interested in removing any of the trees that pose a fire hazard. They only are interested in the health of the trees. 

What concerns me the most is how close they are to our homes. If sparks ignited one of those trees, our homes would go up like matchsticks. In many areas across the state there are laws that require 100-foot clearance around homes for fire protection. Apparently those laws don’t pertain to city homes. My question is, WHY NOT? As a citizen of this city I would think the officials who govern the area would care more about the safety of its citizens and their property than the health of a tree. I think any trees or shrubs that pose a potential threat to our homes should be removed without question or opposition.

Susan Plumb, Santa Clarita

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