It’s been just a few weeks since the last winter storm passed, dumping rain and even snow in Fountain Hills and the surrounding desert.

The winter of 2012-13 brought more than five inches of rain to the area and with it lush green grass and vegetation.

In the few dry weeks since the last storm, that vegetation has bloomed and is quickly beginning to dry out. As temperatures warm through April the grasses and weeds will become tinder dry and potential flash fuels for desert brush fires.

Those grasses and weeds can become the way for brush fires to travel to larger vegetation and structures, according to Fountain Hills Fire Department Asst. Chief Randy Roberts.

In just the past couple of weeks firefighters have responded to small brush fires in washes in Foun-tain Hills. As it becomes dryer those small fires be-come more dangerous and potentially grow.

“Don’t let your home fall victim to a wildland fire,” Roberts said. “Be sure to maintain your property and landscaping in a firewise condition by removing the weeds and grasses that dry out and become fuel.”

Homeowners should al-so remove dead and piled up vegetation and dispose of it properly. Stored firewood should be stacked away from struc-tures, fences or anything else that may be combus-tible.

“Town Code requires that residents create at least a 30-foot safety zone or firebreak around your home,” Roberts said. “This can be accomplished by limiting the use of flam-mable plants in landscape design.”

Homeowners can choose fire resistant varieties of vegetation.

There are additional actions people can take to reduce the risk of their home and property becoming fuel for a wildfire:

*Clear leaves and other debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks. This prevents embers from igniting the home.

*Create a “fire-free” area within five feet of the home, using non-flammable landscaping materials such as rocks, pavers and/or high-moisture content annuals and perennials.

*Remove dead vegetation from under the deck and within 10 feet of the house.

*Remove flammable materials (firewood stacks, propane tanks, dry vegetation) within 30 feet of the house foundation and outbuildings, including garages and sheds. If it can catch fire, don’t let it touch the house, deck or porch.

*If there are trees on the property, prune so the lowest branches are six to 10 feet from the ground.

*Don’t let debris and lawn cuttings linger. Dispose of these items quick-ly to reduce fuel for fire.

*When planting, choose slow-growing, carefully placed shrubs and trees so the area can be more easily maintained.

*Landscape with native and less flammable plants. The state forestry agency or county extension office can provide plant information. Fire-wise landscaping and plants list are also available on the Firewise web-site.

Preparation

Last year the town purchased a new attack truck, and the new vehi-cle along with the old one that has been designated as a back-up, provides the town with two brush-type trucks for getting close to the wildland interface predominant in Fountain Hills.

Both of the smaller attack trucks as well as en-gines are being equipped for the season with brush firefighting equipment, according to Roberts.

The crews and equip-ment are ready to meet the challenge of the sea-son, he said.

Also, as the economy slowly recovers from the recession, the town is able to add more resources back into its wash maintenance program.

“We are getting back on track with our wash maintenance,” Roberts said. “The town is doing everything it can to make the washes safe, but it has been tough budgeting the money.”

Roberts said the homeowners associations that control some of the wash property in town have also been doing a good job taking care of mainte-nance.

HOAs are more readily able to take advantage of the benefits provided by the Firewise program.

Once qualified for the program, a community or neighborhood can take advantage of grant funds to maintain a fire safe area.

Firewise is a program of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Association of State Foresters.