San Diego County

How to Get Brush Cleared Around San Diego County Before it Poses a Fire Threat

Heavy winter growth leads to increased brush-clearing concerns

NBC Universal, Inc.

San Diego County is awash in shades of green. Trees are thicker. Bushes are bigger. Grass is greener. However, all of that could become worrisome when the summer months dry everything out.

“What can we really do?” asked Jamul resident Jesse Jones-Pittman. “There’s nothing really to do other than some preventive maintenance. If a fire wants to burn this area, it’s going to burn this area."

Jones-Pittman stood alongside Proctor Valley Road near his home in Jamul and pointed to the overgrowth of brush underneath some powerlines. He said he was struggling to find who was responsible for managing the brush.

“It’s the only thing we can control as humans,” Jones-Pittman said.

NBC 7 contacted everyone from Cal Fire and SDG&E to the city of San Diego and San Diego County.

Property owners are responsible for maintaining the brush on their own property. Each government agency uses different reporting methods if the brush is overgrown or poses a danger in the public right-of-way.

The city of San Diego wants residents to report overgrown brush with the Get It Done app.

Cal Fire and the County of San Diego suggested residents call 211 to report dangerous brush.

SDG&E offered two methods to report dangerous brush and trees growing around or near its powerlines. People can call the customer care line at 1-800-411-7343 or report it online in their tree safety section.

An SDG&E spokesman said the stretch of Proctor Valley Road near Jones-Pittman’s house was recently inspected and is slated for trimming in the near future.

District 2 Supervisor Joel Anderson’s office also said residents can report issues on the supervisor’s website.

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