General Plan Update - City of Inglewood

6.4 Fire Hazards
6.4 FIRE HAZARDS
This section provides a general description of the fire hazards that exist within
Inglewood. Fire and emergency services for urban fire prevention are discussed in
Section 6.7 (Fire Services) of this Technical Background Report. Information for this
section was obtained from the City’s 2004 Hazard Mitigation Plan.
• Existing Conditions
Background
Major fires are generally classified as two types: wildland fire and urban fire. Wildfire
hazard areas are commonly identified in regions of the wildland/urban interface.
However, the City of Inglewood is an entirely built-out urban community that is
characterized by a mix of residential, commercial, and industrial areas. Because no
wildland areas exist within the City boundaries, this section focuses on the potential for
urban fire hazards.
Urban Fire Hazard
Communities that don’t have an urban/wildland interface, such as the City of Inglewood,
are much less likely to experience a catastrophic fire. However, the potential still exists for
large urban fires to occur, particularly after a major disaster such as an earthquake.
Elements that would hamper fire-fighting capabilities in urban areas include the
following: density of wooden structures, limited personnel and equipment to address
multiple fires, debris blocking the access of fire-fighting equipment, and a limited water
supply. 100
The Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) has stated that there are no specific
areas in the City of Inglewood that are more vulnerable to fire than others. High-rise,
multi-story buildings could present more challenges for fighting fires because they have a
potential for logistical difficulties due to their increased demand for more personnel and
manpower; however, there are no reoccurring areas in Inglewood with fire problems. All
areas are equally accessible in the City. 101
Additionally, the LACFD is not aware of any specific buildings that are at risk for fire
hazards within the City. Fortunately, most large structures in the City were constructed in
recent decades and have standard fire prevention features such as: fire stairwells and exits;
adequate exterior clearances and accessibility for fire fighting equipment; and interior fire
sprinkler systems. In addition, residential structures throughout the City have set-backs
from property lines, which separate adjacent structures and minimize the potential for fire
100 http://www.eqe.com/publications/revf93/firefoll.htm
101
LACFD, 2006. Verbal communication with Mark Bennett, Active Division Fire Chief,
March 2006.
City of Inglewood General Plan Update Technical Background Report
6.4-1