Los Gatos homeowner's buffer zone has stopped wildfires, firefighters say

(KRON) — A Los Gatos homeowner is being praised for his actions to prevent a wildland fire from spreading. The Santa Clara County Fire Department said the resident's defensible space on their property was critical to allowing firefighters to extinguish a wildfire that was threatening homes and property.

On May 29, fire crews responded to the 200 block of Mountain Laurel Lane to battle a vegetation fire that was near several homes. Lionel Tyrone Willingham, who lives in the neighborhood, had already established a safety buffer zone on his property to mitigate potential wildfires, Santa Clara County firefighters said.

Officials said Willingham's efforts to create a safety perimeter before the wildfire broke out led to “the firefighters' success and ability to extinguish the fire before it spread.”

Defensible spaces, according to Cal Fire, are divided into three zones with an increasing level of vegetation management near homes. A detailed guide on how to establish a defensible space is available on the Cal Fire website.

Creating defensible space “is critical to slowing or stopping the spread of wildfires and protecting your home from embers, flames or heat,” Cal Fire said. The buffer zone created also provides fire crews with a safer area to defend homes and properties.