(KGTV) — October has historically been a bad month for wildfires in San Diego County.
In 2007 the Witch Creek fire burned nearly 250,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes and other buildings and back in 2003 another massive blaze, the Cedar Fire burned more 270 thousand acres and also destroyed thousands of homes and businesses.
Part of that fire tore through the Mission Trails Regional Park, where on Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta stood to announce new guidance from the state when it comes to building new communities.
"In recent years we've seen homes, we've seen neighborhoods and communities unfortunately, but literally, wiped off the map," said Bonta.
Bonta said local governments and developers should keep in mind a list of several important things, including project density and location.
"Local governments should limit development along steep slopes and amidst rugged terrain to reduce exposure to rapid fire spread and increase accessibility for firefighting."
The new state guidance also mentions paying special attention to water supply and infrastructure, evacuation and emergency access and fire hardening of any structure.
Bottom line, Bonta said these new recommendations should keep in mind that wildfires are simply a part of life in California, and we must adjust and change when it comes to building in fire prone areas.
