CHULA VISTA, Calif. — All that greenery from the winter rain is starting to dry up, which can pose a wildfire danger.
On Thursday, Cal Fire San Diego sprayed roadside retardant along Otay Lakes Road in Chula Vista.
They've saturated other fire-prone areas and will continue to spray miles of road throughout the county.
“This wildfire threat is ever present in San Diego, and we're going to stay vigilant,” said Tony Mecham, San Diego Cal Fire Chief.
He says the retardant is similar to what's used in air drops without the red dye, and the salt base solution is environmentally safe.
“This gives us tools in environmentally sensitive areas that may be nesting or breeding, and we can spray and not use chainsaws,” said Mecham.
The tanker truck can carry 1,800 gallons of retardant. This is the fourth year Cal Fire has used roadside retardant along 50 miles of its 200 miles of roads for vegetation management.
Firefighters say it cuts down on clearing brush and time.
“If we had to mechanically clear Wildcat Canyon Road, we would have to do lane control and shut down the roadway for weeks to traffic. In two hours, we can spray Wildcat Canyon Road with minimal impact on the community,” said Mecham.
Cal Fire has sprayed Otay Lakes Road, Wildcat Canyon Road between Lakeside and Ramona, and Paradise Mountain Road in Valley Center.
They plan to saturate Honey Springs Road in Jamul and two more areas.
Mecham says the retardant will last and can coat the brush until significant rain.
“As a fire approaches a roadside, we reduce the intensity of the fire, and fires that might ignite from carbon or cigarettes will not burn the brush,” said Mecham.
Through a partnership with the Count and SDG&E, the utility company funded $200,000 of the $300,000 roadside retardant program.
“It's one tool in the toolbox and an important tool,” said Jeff Collins, San Diego County Fire Director.
A tool that will be needed later this year when all the overgrowth from the winter rain dries up.
“We are concerned about later this year. We may not have big fires, but we will have a lot of ignitions,” said Mecham.
Cal Fire encourages homeowners to create 100 feet of defensible space around their homes.
They recommend clearing your roofs and gutters and mowing around your home.
You can also request a firefighter to do a free defensible space inspection.
WATCH RELATED: Cal Fire video shows dangers of retardant drops