Rural Metro offers advice to keep homes safe from fire during dry season

Multiple agencies responded to a palm tree fire behind 2100 West 8th Street in a residential area in Yuma Sunday.

The initial fire was caused by the palm tree making contact with electrical wires causing damage to the wires and sparking the debris down below.

With the wind’s force, Yuma Rural Metro fire crews arrived at the scene to stop the fire from spreading to multiple homes.

After arriving on the scene , the severity of the call was upgraded and additional agencies from Yuma Fire Department, Yuma Proving Grounds, and Marine Corps Air Station Fire Department were called for backup.

Charly McMurdie with Rural Metro attributes the amount of time it took to put out the fire with the strong winds.

Yuma Country Sheriff’s Office was also on scene to keep the area safe for nearby residents.

There were no injuries reported but the American Red Cross was called to assist the homeowner with damages and a place to stay temporarily.

One home was a total loss and a garage of a different house was damaged.

McMurdie said that with the amount of wind, the type of fire it was, the proximity of the homes to each other, and the dry brush in the area, mutual aid was needed.

“Together, we were able to get that fire out before it caught anything else on fire,” she said

McMurdie says that when firefighters arrived on the scene , their first priority is to put out the fire that is closest to them.

“They have the opportunity to fight the fire in different directions,” she said.

With the recent wind conditions, McMurdie urges residents to look at the conditions outdoors before lighting a fire pit.

If the weather calls for high winds, she encourages people to hold off until safer weather.

On safe weather days, the fire pit needs to be at least 5 feet away from any type of structure.

Trees, dry brush, and awnings can easily be caught on fire.

Make sure that the ground is clear of paper or dry grass and leaves.

Make sure to have a water source nearby in case of emergencies.

McMurdie says that wind has a strong effect on fire behavior, it dries out fuels and helps flames burn quicker and hotter.

Wind can also kick up flames and embers and in turn cause more damage.

In the CA “Woolsey Fire”, the strong winds and dry brush are also a factor in how quickly the fire has spread to burn more than 6,000 homes and 111,000 acres as of Monday.

According to NBC, authorities said that this fire has caused a total of 29 deaths, matching the deadliest fire in state history.