#defensible-space

#defensible-space

January is a natural time to pause, reflect and plan ahead. As a community, it's also when the city begins its annual budget cycle, an important process that helps guide how we invest in Saratoga's services, infrastructure and long-term priorities, including public safety and emergency preparedness. As we look ahead and set priorities for the year, it's also a reminder that planning isn't limited to finances alone; it extends to how we prepare for the seasonal changes that shape daily life in Saratoga.

Lessons learned from catastrophic and deadly wildfires that ravaged California in recent years could help residents and communities in and near forested areas limit damage from future fires, a first-of-its-kind study suggests. And experts say the researchers' conclusion that clearing flammable materials for five feet around houses - the area targeted as Zone 0 under a looming and controversial state-wide regulation - should also help residents in fire-risk zones understand the need for such measures.