Palm Springs fire chief reviews Feb. 1 Prescott Preserve brush fire; residents press for more prevention

Fire Chief Paul Alvarado told the City Council on Feb. 11 that Palm Springs Fire Department crews responded to a brush fire at the Prescott Preserve on Feb. 1 at about 2:17 p.m., requested a second alarm and contained the blaze with mutual aid support. He said the fire burned vegetation in an area described as approximately 120 acres and that no civilian or firefighter injuries, nor damage to nearby structures, were reported.

"Rapid spread should be expected in warm, dry conditions," Alvarado said during his after‑action overview, and he urged early requests for additional resources and continued mitigation work. He noted firefighters used specialized off‑road apparatus and a water tender to deliver thousands of gallons to remote locations.

Veronica Goodhart, the city's director for code compliance, outlined recent inspections and mitigation steps at the preserve after the department began working with the Ozawa Land Trust in 2024. Goodhart said staff targeted a 30‑foot defensible‑space buffer around the preserve's perimeter and, in some places, added an extra 20 feet of clearance. She described ongoing biweekly progress reporting by the preserve's maintenance team and continued communications between code compliance and preserve management.

Residents who live adjacent to the preserve urged further inspections and preventive work. Lynn Sampson, a Mesquite resident, asked the city to inspect a dilapidated clubhouse and remove dead trees near the bike route, saying the neighborhood felt "like sitting ducks." Another resident described seeing a 150‑foot flame column and said wind could have produced far more catastrophic spread.

Council members asked staff to confirm water‑source arrangements at the retention pond adjacent to the fire and to follow up with residents and preserve managers. Alvarado and Goodhart said they would meet with Mesquite Country Club representatives and other stakeholders to develop additional mitigation and public‑information steps.

The council agreed to schedule a more detailed Prescott Preserve update at a future meeting once the community meetings and follow‑up work are complete.