Residents urge Lake Forest to address fire risk at Serrano Creek Park after insurance cancellations

Several Lake Forest residents used the Sept. 2 public‑comment period to press the City Council for action on wildfire risk and insurance cancellations tied to vegetation at Serrano Creek Park.

Eileen McGurvey, a first‑time city‑council speaker, said her homeowners insurer canceled her policy after classifying her property as being in a “very serious fire zone” because of nearby Serrano Park, even though her roof is new and she lives in an established neighborhood. “We need to do something about this,” McGurvey said, describing calls to multiple carriers that refused to write new policies because of the fire‑zone designation.

Another long‑time resident (identified in the meeting as a resident speaking during public comment) said the lower portion of Serrano Creek Park—along the Serrano Road side as it descends from Heritage Hill toward Toledo Road—remains densely wooded and has not been thinned in decades. The resident said earlier park renovation work had focused on the upper park near Heritage Hill, while lower sections adjacent to The Oaks and Parkwood Estates remain dense and include many eucalyptus trees that residents fear would accelerate fire spread. The resident said park users sometimes bring personal barbecues under tree canopy and that Orange County Parks limits tree trimming in parts of the corridor.

Kathy Amason, another resident, asked whether thinning stopped for financial reasons and said her neighborhood had previously evacuated during a brush fire; she described eucalyptus trees’ tendency to shed flammable material and noted the fire‑behavior risk.

Council members responded during the meeting’s public‑comment follow-up. The mayor and other council members pointed to an upcoming Portola Park fire‑awareness event hosted by Cal Fire and the Orange County Fire Authority scheduled for the coming Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the mayor encouraged residents to attend. A council member also said staff and the city have been posting information on fire awareness and forming “firewise” groups and that residents who left contact information would be contacted with resources.

Council and staff acknowledged that some areas of the park fall under Orange County Parks jurisdiction and that tree‑trimming authority may be limited in those sections, but they said the city is coordinating with county and fire partners on mitigation and public outreach. Council members invited residents to drive by the park and inspect the dense corridors themselves, and staff asked that residents leave their contact information so staff can follow up.

No formal action or vote on Serrano Creek Park vegetation occurred at the meeting; the matter was raised as public comment. Council members said they would use contact information left by speakers to coordinate follow‑up with county partners and fire agencies.