Officials in San Mateo's San Francisco Bay area have identified 10 local areas that seem to have the greatest potential for a firestorm. Collectively, there are many community problems that cause firefighters great concern: a preponderance of wood homes; shake roofs; winding, steep or narrow roads; dense vegetation; mix of dense homes and dry forest; weak bridges; few fire stations; longer fire alarm response times; limited or uncertain water supply; gridlock from fleeing residents; failure of residents to comply with fire codes. Firefighters complain overall that moving into wooded seclusion and natural beauty exacts a cost in fire protection.
Officials in California's San Francisco Bay area have identified 10 local areas that seem to have the greatest potential for a firestorm. Collectively, there are many community problems that cause firefighters great concern: a preponderance of wood homes; shake roofs; winding, steep or narrow roads; dense vegetation; mix of dense homes and dry forest; weak bridges; few fire stations; longer fire alarm response times; limited or uncertain water supply; gridlock from fleeing residents; failure of residents to comply with fire codes. Firefighters complain overall that moving into wooded seclusion and natural beauty exacts a cost in fire protection.