Fire Season Safety
The Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority (Habitat Authority) is a local government agency which manages the Puente Hills Preserve, 3,870 acres of hillsides in Whittier, Hacienda Heights and La Habra Heights. Annually, the Habitat Authority has provided vegetation clearance between adjacent homes and the Preserve wildlands. In 2016, we received a two-year grant from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection through the Fire Prevention Fund in the amount of $18,773 to contribute to the overall costs of vegetation clearance efforts for fire safety in State Responsibility Areas.
Fire season is upon us, so being as prepared as possible is important. All vegetation clearance by the Habitat Authority has been already completed this year in accordance with local requirements including that of Los Angeles County, and our rangers continue to patrol the hills with water tanks on their trucks for any quick response needed. We encourage home owners to prepare and to contact local fire stations, or the Los Angeles County Department of Agricultural Commissioner/Weights and Measures http://acwm.lacounty.gov for more information about what residents can do to protect their homes. County fire safety clearance requirements can be found online at http://file.lacounty.gov/SDSInter/acwm/216383_Clearance.pdf
The Habitat Authority is a joint powers authority with a Board of Directors consisting of the City of Whittier, County of Los Angeles, Sanitation Districts of Los Angeles County, and Hacienda Heights Improvement Association. The Habitat Authority came into existence in 1994 as a condition of approval for the Puente Hills Landfill. It is dedicated to the acquisition, restoration, and management of open space in the Puente Hills for preservation of the land in perpetuity, with the primary purpose to protect the biological diversity. Additionally, the agency will endeavor to provide opportunities for outdoor education and low-impact recreation. The Habitat Authority contracts with another government agency, the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) for ranger services. The rangers patrol the hills and keep them safe and clean for visitors. They are trained in wildland firefighting among many skills and duties.
