Re “Audit raps brush inspections of San Diego’s fire-prone sites” (May 7): Those of us who have lived through “red rain” wind-whipped flying embers know that 5 feet of defensible space is good, but we need more. Canyons are tinder boxes. Every canyon in San Diego, whether city or county, needs fuel reduction maintenance.
Silviculture is the best way to do that, but nobody knows what it is. It’s trimming the sides of brush growing in our canyons, chopping up the trimmings and leaving them in place to restore nutrients to the soil. Mulch. Removing “invasives” and hauling them out is a short-term, expensive, temporary solution. Silviculture is a cost-effective and long-term solution.
— Chris Pearson, Spring Valley