The devastating fires in the greater Los Angeles area earlier this month and the recent ones cropping up around several regions of San Diego this week have many area residents and officials on fire watch.

Those living and working in La Mesa are no different as they pay attention to weather forecasts, and fire reports, and wonder if authorities are ready to go at a moment’s notice should an area begin to burn.

Some La Mesa residents stated they’re tired of what can seem like inaction or misguided actions on the part of politicians.

“The recent fires in LA highlight the disastrous consequences of misguided priorities by career politicians,” Amy Reichert said. “As they continue to slash fire department budgets, they turn a blind eye to the growing threat of fires from homeless encampments. Over 23,000 acres burned in Pacific Palisades—nearly four times the size of La Mesa’s 5,760 acres. It’s hard to fathom areas like La Mesa Village or Mount Helix being reduced to the charred devastation now seen in parts of Los Angeles. This is a wake-up call we can’t ignore.”

Reichert noted that fire safety at her La Mesa home is a top priority.

“We’ve kept our property clear of dry vegetation, trimmed back trees, and created a defensible space,” Reichert pointed out. “We even have three goats to help reduce brush naturally. Our city has areas of concern, especially the canyon-adjacent neighborhoods near Mount Helix and the outskirts of Fletcher Hills. Homeless encampments in these areas present a significant fire risk that can no longer be ignored.”

Fellow La Mesan Kristine Alessio noted, “The fires were a sad reminder to me of the dangers posed by dry weather and Santa Ana winds. My uncle and cousin lost their homes in the 2003 Cedar Fire and recent Los Angeles fires brought back those memories. My home has extensive landscaping, but I do worry about my palm trees in my neighborhood being fire hazards.”

According to Alessio, keeping her yard clean, keeping trees and hedges trimmed, not allowing leaves to pile up on against her fences or on the roof;, and not having any dry or rotting wood structures near her home are all critical. “Unfortunately, when I am walking in La Mesa on my daily walks, I see yards with older wooden structures, brush, and/or leaves and I worry for those homeowners.”

La Mesan Teri Hoffman also stays vigilant when it comes to the danger fires can present around the area.

“Just yesterday I was walking my dog over to Lake Murray and the brush on the east side of Baltimore Drive is always so full,” Hoffman remarked. “There are houses on all sides of the gorge. They canceled my homeowner’s insurance because of this brush near the lake. The brush around the lake is very dry.”

Hoffman also noted that she meets regularly with her neighbors for an hour and they discuss everyone using their hoses, and one neighbor has a pool if the hoses don’t work. Hoffman said there is a fire hydrant nearby that was tested a month ago, so that may be an option too.

When it comes to neighborhood fire safety around La Mesa resident William Exeter stated, “We have always been aware of our home’s surroundings and have always strived to clear dry brush and vegetation. My wife also serves on the board of directors for the HOA, and they do their part in clearing dry brush and vegetation around the community. We bought a house that has composition shingles instead of wood-based material. We have always maintained full insurance coverage, including damage from fire, water, and earthquake. Those areas within La Mesa that have hills or valleys often have the most risk of fire and can be the most challenging to fight.”

Fighting a proposed battery storage facility in the neighborhood

Fighting fires occurring naturally or sadly through arson is not the only thing some La Mesans have on their minds.

A proposed battery storage facility very close to several area homes has drawn a fair amount of attention for more than a year. Some locals see it as a potential ticking time bomb when it comes to starting a fire.

“A serious concern facing our community is the recently approved battery storage facility in North La Mesa, just feet from residential homes,” Reichert commented. “This decision was made behind closed doors during COVID lockdowns, with no notice or input from the community. Battery storage facilities are notorious for dangerous fires that are extremely difficult to extinguish. If this reckless decision leads to rising fire insurance premiums for my neighbors and me, we’ll hold every planning commissioner and city council member accountable. And if a fire occurs, putting our families, pets, or homes at risk from toxic gases from these battery storage fires, we won’t hesitate to pursue legal action.”

As Reichert sees it, La Mesa deserves leaders who put public safety first and take meaningful steps to protect local neighborhoods.

Hoffman started a petition on Change.org https://chng.it/b6THC2n5ZN to stop the proposed battery storage from going in at 8135 El Paso Street.

“The plan to put in this battery storage so close to houses in my neighborhood has caused people to try and sell their houses at a loss,” Hoffman said. “The La Mesa City Council still plans to approve this battery storage even though the San Diego City Council agreed a requirement for safety needs to be 100-foot defensible space 10 feet between battery storage containers. The lot size is a small 0.52 AC. No way would there be 100 feet of defensible space.”

Hoffman goes on to note, “This battery storage site is another threat to nearby schools, businesses, and housing. It will cause homeowners insurance to rise or be canceled.”

Along with concerns over the proposed battery storage facility, some residents have worries about other areas of La Mesa being potential places where fires can ignite and spread in no time at all.

Be ready at a moment’s notice to take action

Alessio said among her concerns is, “Any place near a hillside or canyon where there is brush or homeless encampments. Years ago, a fire started on the 125 S down the hill from my house. Heartland Fire and Rescue got there quickly, but neighbors also were out there with their hoses. We were fortunate to have a quick response from Heartland and the absence of winds.”

Quick responses also mean having a plan in place should you have to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

“Having seen in the Cedar Fire and the quickness at which fire can spread, I am prepared to evacuate,” Alessio commented. “I have carriers for my cats ready, have an inventory of irreplaceable items that I would take, and also know which routes I would take to get out, depending on the location of the fire. If you are told to evacuate you should, I worry about people not listening or thinking things will be okay when an evacuation order is given and staying too long.”

With some rain in the forecast this weekend and locals at the ready should conditions become threatening, hopefully, La Mesa will steer clear of any fire issues as 2025 continues to unfold.

CAPTION: The tragic fires around the greater Los Angeles area earlier this month serve as a stark reminder of how deadly such fires can be in no time at all. (Photo credit: Mark Viniello)