FALLBROOK, Calif. -- It might be winter but local fire agencies want homeowners to start thinking about fires.

The grass is one to two feet high in some areas. The grass is green and lush in some places but when summer heat turns it brown and dry, it becomes a fire hazard.

"The taller the brush, the more explosive the fire conditions," said Matt McHolland, owner of McHolland Services.

"I'm glad that they are doing this. They are preventing a major disaster that could happen," said homeowner Sandra Pfeffer.

"You know this is all a fire hazard and it's a fire department requirement, so this is our job; this is what we do," said McHolland.

The North County Fire Protection Agency requires homeowners to clear a defensible space -- 100 feet around their home and 30 feet around access roads.

"We need property owners to take responsibility for brush on their property and keep it mowed, keep it cleared," said North County Fire Protection Fire Chief Bill Metcalf.

And it makes sense to get started clearing now.

"An advantage of clearing this time of year is that when it's nice and green, there's little chance of a spark starting a fire," said Metcalf.

McHolland said his crew always carry fire extinguishers and use equipment to minimize the risk.

"Most of our mowers are carbide tooth mowers, which don't spark up like the regular blades do," said McHolland.

With the memories of the 2007 Rice fire, Fallbrook residents are getting started now by doing their best to keep their homes safe.