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Fire marshal highlights hires and defensible‑space guidance as Nuevo prepares for summer fire season
Summary
Riverside County Fire reported staffing improvements and urged residents in high‑fire areas to create defensible space and keep extinguishers on hand; county staff said animal‑evacuation resources are available through REARS and emergency managers will post resources before fire season.
Riverside County Fire told the Nuevo Municipal Advisory Council that staffing improvements and public education are central to preparations for the summer fire season.
"We have been able to hire four out of our five vacant positions," said Matt Dingman, Supervising Fire Marshal for Riverside County’s hazard reduction team, noting annual weed‑abatement inspections and a goal of responding to complaints within 48 business hours when possible.
Dingman urged residents to reduce spark risks from equipment, use spark arresters on mowers and other powered tools, keep mobile water tenders or pressurized extinguishers on site when doing heavy vegetation work, and maintain a 5‑foot ember‑resistant zone (rock, asphalt, or bare soil closest to the structure) and up to a 100‑foot fuel break where parcel size allows.
Council members asked about insurance and incentives for compliance. Dingman said insurance underwriters often require standards that exceed county defensible‑space recommendations and that legislative solutions are being discussed at the state level. He encouraged residents to report overgrown vacant lots using the county hazard‑reduction portal; the office will inspect and, when necessary, force abatement.
Animal evacuation and emergency management: Crystal Raza of the District 5 office said animal‑evacuation resources are provided through the Riverside Emergency Animal Rescue System (REARS) and Riverside County Emergency Management can deploy trailers and information during incidents. The district office also plans to publish pre‑season guidance and designated animal‑evacuation locations.
Fire season enforcement and fireworks: Deputies described proactive tactics for high‑call nights (Fourth of July) including drone and unmarked‑vehicle patrols to document illegal fireworks and other threats. "We do have drone assets...and if we can attempt to contact them, if they scurry back inside...we will send a summons," said Deputy Porter.
What happens next: Fire and emergency management staff said they will increase outreach ahead of the fire season, post known animal‑evacuation sites, and continue to fill critical positions to reduce inspection backlogs.
