Folsom Fire Department request declaration of local emergency to close high fire risk city owned areas

Tuesday's Folsom City Council agenda has several hot topics that will be reviewed and voted on. Among the items, includes a proposal in which the Folsom Fire Department has asked the city to declare a local emergency, allowing the department to close city owned public lands where there is an high level danger of fire that could threaten structures or habitat. In its filing for the request, the Folsom Fire Department explains that the severe drought and dry weather conditions have made this year's fire season one of the most dangerous in Folsom to date. The extreme conditions, combined with the onslaught of "human caused" fires this season is the basis for the request. In the last year, the fire department has reportedly responded to 47 fires in open spaces owned by the city.If City Council votes in favor of declaring a local emergency Tuesday night, it will allow the city to designate its public lands as "Hazardous Fire Areas," which will award the fire department emergency jurisdiction to close lands that pose a high threat from access, which could include unauthorized camping and other activities. "Weather conditions are reaching a critical point," Folsom Fire Chief Ken Cusano said. "We've had a lot of recent fires in our open space, and people are the common denominator. Limiting access will help hopefully decrease the risk of more fires."Cusano, and the filing explained that the department would plan to reopen the lands once conditions improved. They also note that "Bike paths and other trails will remain open for use if the declaration is passed." City Council will vote on the topic Tuesday night. It will be the second straight meeting in which leaders will be discussing the fire danger issues that are growing rapidly within the city's various open spaces. City taking various steps to prevent crisisThis isn't the first time fires in the city owned open areas is being discussed at City Hall, in fact it's the second time in just two weeks the topic has been top of mind for leaders. One of the most recent fires, that was ignited near a known homeless encampment on city lands, sparked, in an unrelated meeting, City Council to unanimously approved available funds in the city's budget earmarked for homeless support to be allocated for a program titled the Folsom Alliance for the Unhoused, a measure that could put a damper on at least some of the fires being ignited near such encampments. While the funds aren't nearly the amount it will take to correct the city's homeless problem, city leaders hope it's a start in getting area homeless residents away from some of the vulberable areas that are highly vulnerable to fire. "It doesn't appear the state has any real solution, we have had at least a dozen fires started in homeless encampments in the past year so we know we can't just keep doing the status quo and I think in the near future we are going to have be doing this on a much larger scale," said Vice Mayor Sarah Aquino during that recent meeting. The alliance, which is unrelated to the proposed fire declaration, earmarked $5,000 towards a mobile day center to address and assist local members of the homeless community. $5,000 was also earmarked for Folsom Police Distribution of components such as transit tickets, travel vouchers and hotel stays to help get some of the street. The remaining $15,000 is being earmarked for HART of Folsom to assist with housing programs in the city. This week, the area is cooling off from its recent streak of triple digit temperatures. However, the reprieve is short lived as the mercury is slated to rise to 102 or high before the weekend.