"The risk has not been reduced substantially," he said. "There's still plenty of risk out there. There's plenty of fuel."
The fuel for brush fires comes from low moisture in live plants, low ground moisture and an increased percentage of dead plants covering the foothills.
"All of these factors are elevated," he said, adding that high temperatures and low humidity increase the risk of a major fire starting in the area.
Singer was one of several officials who discussed the hazardous conditions that create high fire danger in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains at the news conference, which was followed by a demonstration of a controlled brush fire by the Pasadena Fire Department. Also present to give advice on how to increase preparedness while decreasing fire risk were representatives from the American Red Cross, Southern California Edison, State Farm Insurance and several fire departments.
"Conditions out there are extreme," said Donald Feser, a fire chief with the U.S. Department of Forestry. "The conditions are even worse than they were in [19] 93. The fires will move rapidly."
Singer advised owners of houses bordered by hillside brush to maintain a minimum of 100 feet of clearance, and he warned people not to park their vehicles in a way that would block passage for fire trucks and engines.
The California Highway Patrol warned drivers not to throw anything with a flame, including lit cigarettes, out a window because it is illegal and they can start a wildfire.
In the case of a power outage caused by a wildfire, Ron Ferree, operations director for Southern California Edison, suggested homeowners have an evacuation plan and use battery-powered light sources instead of candles while the power is being restored.
