By Harry Keller
Former ETCJ Science Editor
& President of SmartScience
I live in a mountain town in Southern California. My home lies within an FS1 zone. That’s Fire Safety One, which means it has the most danger of being consumed by a wildfire.
My new home has fantastic views in all directions. The oaks, pines, and live oaks that are native to this area fill the view with green under an almost violet sky you have to see to believe. The pines and live oaks remain green year-round. Because we are situated on a steep slope at the edge of town, our views are unobstructed by neighboring houses. It’s like heaven at times.
The air is fresh at 6200 feet and so dry that summer heat and winter cold don’t feel as harsh as the thermometer suggests. We sit just above the edge of the Mojave Desert, and this wonderful dryness lends itself to fires.
Birds frolic in the trees, providing constant entertainment for those who enjoy nature. A bear visits us, as do some deer. My wife and I bought two adjacent lots and combined them for a total space of nearly half an acre. There are no homes behind us to the South. We built a trail up the hill on that side to more readily reach the local Acorn Trail leading up to the Pacific Coast Trail.
Every year, we worry about wildfires. In 2016, the Blue Cut Fire threatened our tiny town of about 5,000, but firefighters prevented it from reaching the homes. The townspeople are thankful for our firefighters who risk their lives to save our village.
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