2010 March | Ewing & Associates

By: Tim McLauhglin

The Valley Fair will return this year to the San Fernando Valley. For 6 years, the Valley Fair was annual tradition until 2003 when NIMBYism and political infighting drove the fair to the valley of Santa Clarita. Because the celebration was being held outside of the Valley, organizers brought the event back to Hansen Dam Recreation Area in Lake View Terrace the following year. Just two years later, however, it was forced back into exile after a fight over where it should be located in its original Valley. After moving the fair back and forth many more times, it seems we’ve finally come to a stable location. Let’s keep it here in Birmingham Community Charter School in Lake Balboa.

Go here to check out the event.

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By: Lori Einhorn

With recent heavy rains due to El Nino, our once brown hills have turned into tall, verdant grasslands. However beautiful our surroundings look today, in just a couple months these hills will be the fuel for the next forest fires. This year is predicted to be a hard year of fires due to the exceedingly high amount of brush in our local mountains.

As daunting as this warning may seem, homeowners can take precautions to prevent the risk of fires effecting their property. First, make sure to create a 30 to 100 foot safety zone around your home. The more space you have, the safer you are. Here are a couple tips:

Anything that’s dead like leaves, twigs, limbs should be cleared immediately.
Remove dead branches that extend over the roof.
Prune tree branches and shrubs within 15 feet of a stovepipe or chimney outlet.
Ask the power company to clear branches from powerlines.
Remove vines from the walls of the home.
Mow grass regularly.
Clear a 10-foot area around propane tanks and the barbecue. Place a screen over the grill – use nonflammable material with mesh no coarser than one-quarter inch.
Stack firewood at least 100 feet away and uphill from your home. Clear combustible material within 20 feet. Use only wood-burning devices evaluated by a nationally recognized laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

For more information visit: Wildfire Prevention