State data show wide geographic discrepancies in the number of citations issued by fire officials to California property owners for failing to clear brush and trees around homes in areas prone to wildfires. The state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) keeps records based on its own administrative units, which can include several counties.
The figures cover three fiscal years starting in July 2011 and include preliminary information for the most recent fiscal year. The overall totals released by CalFire that are referenced in the AP’s story are greater than the totals in the region-by-region chart because CalFire has not yet fully updated its regional breakdown. That process is underway.
Source: California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
