Overgrown PG&E Land Has Auburn Neighbors Worried About Fire Hazards
AUBURN (CBS13) - Weeds and overgrown trees at a property in Auburn have overwhelmed neighbors terrified of the fire danger too close to home, but they can't do anything about it because it's on land owned by PG&E.
We know about the high fire danger. And in the midst of this heat wave, some neighbors outside Auburn are really feeling the heat, worried their homes are at risk and there's nothing they can do about it.
"It's scary," said Auburn citizen Carol Wolf.
Wolf admits she's pretty nervous these days, especially after the Robbers Fire.
"The way it is now, it's a big danger," she said.
She's talking about an 800-acre PG&E property near Wolf's home and dozens of others.
Wolf worries this land is overgrown and ready to burn at a moment's notice.
"Huge amounts of Manzanita and Scotch Broom, which are all oil-based so they go up just like an explosion," said Wolf.
Wolf and her husband have cleared space around their home, which has a steel roof and concrete siding. Even so, she says if the PG&E land sparks, her home is as good as gone.
"Oh, ours would go; it would just engulf," said Wolf.
Wolf wanted answers about the danger so close to home so she recruited 15 neighbors with similar concerns and set up a meeting with PG&E.
The trouble is, the utility giant explains, it can't clear the brush away right now. The equipment they'd use poses a fire risk.
PG&E says it's in year three of a plan to clear the land, but don't have enough people to do it all at once.
"We have properties like this that have this type of work going on year-round. We're deciding to do it in a phased approach," said PG&E spokesperson Brandi Ehlers.
It's an answer Wolf understands but says she still can't help but worry and wonder about the rest of what's already been a busy fire season.
"They're in process. They've got a lot more to do," said Wolf.
She's right. PG&E says it's cleared 180 acres so far, leaving more than 600 acres left to do.
PG&E expects to resume clearing the land by October or November.
