Monterey County CA Fire Prevention Tanks
Fire Tanks For Sale in Monterey County
Corrugated Bolted Steel
Bolted Steel
Welded Steel Tanks
Plastic Water Tanks
Monterey County, CA understands all too well the need for fire protection tanks. Since 1911 Monterey County has long history of wildfires. With the topography, vegetation, and climate conditions Monterey County is in a unique situation that encourages large-scale and damaging wildfires.
On average since 1911 Monterey County has had four wildfires per year burning an average of 17,000 acres each year. The third largest fire recorded in California since 1932 was in 1977 burning roughly 178,000 acres of land in the Marble Cone fire. Luckily there were no deaths and no structures destroyed in that fire. That fire was started by lightning.
In 1999 Monterey County experienced 15 large wildfires that did not include the 25,000 acres burned each year from wildfires in Los Padres National Forest.
The 18th largest fire in California was in Monterey County in 2016. The Soberanes Fire was caused by an illegal campfire in Garrapata State Park. The winds and unmanaged dry vegetation after years of drought quickly spread the fire beyond the park to threaten lives, structures, belongings, and nature across more than 132,000 acres of Monterey County.
Monterey County’s economy is driven by tourism and agriculture. Some crops include:
- Lettuce
- Celery
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Strawberries
- Wine grapes
- Brussels Sprouts
- Livestock
- Poultry
Tourism brings in a large number of people each year. Some very famous areas in Monterey County that most people have heard of include:
- Big Sur
- Laguna Seca Ranch
- Pebble Beach Golf Links
- Monterey Bay Aquarium
- Mission Soledad
Salinas is the county seat of Monterey County. Other cities and communities in the county include:
- Soledad
- Greenfield
- Slates Hot Springs
- Pacific Grove
- Carmel-by-the-Sea
- Mission Soledad
- San Lucas
National parks and protected areas include:
- Los Padres National Forest
- Salinas River National Wildlife Refuge
- Ventana Wilderness
- Soquel Canyon State Marine Conservation Area
- Elkhorn Slough State Marine Reserve
- Elkhorn Slough State Marine Conservation Area
- Moro Cojo Slough State Marine Reserve
- Portuguese Ledge State Marine Conservation Area
What Is a Fire Protection Tank?
A fire protection tank is a water storage tank dedicated to fire protection prevention that meets all the local, state, and national regulations. Fire protection tanks can also be hooked into sprinklers systems both interior and exterior sprinklers.
The tank can be made with specific valves and connections for hoses to allow garden hoses and fire hoses to be hooked to the tank.
Fire tanks must provide a certain amount of water flow according to your local and state regulations.
Fire Tanks for both Commercial and Residential
Both commercial and residential properties can reduce their risk of fire and property loss by using a fire prevention tank. The tank must be clearly marked as fire prevention.
The main difference between commercial and residential tanks is the size and material used to make the tank. Both commercial and residential tanks must meet all local, state, and national standards and regulations.
Commercial property will need a larger tank than residential property due to the number of structures they need to protect. They may also store chemicals or flammable products.
Water storage tanks are made from either steel or poly. They have different capacities for each. The poly tanks are most often used by residential customers. Commercial entities will use the steel bolted tanks because they have a higher capacity.
Water Storage Tanks in Santa Clara County
Water storage tanks in Monterey County can be used for several things including fire tanks. Other reasons for a water storage tank include:
- Irrigation for agriculture
- Wastewater treatment
- Rainwater harvesting
- Drinking water
- Storm water collection
The liner or coating in the tank will be slightly different for drinking water as opposed to fire protection or irrigation water. Wastewater and stormwater collection will have a little different liner or coating due to the chemicals that are used or may be found in the water.
City, County and State of California Fire Code Requirements for Water Tanks
Fire protection tanks must meet all local, county, and state regulations and codes. Chief among them in California is that fire tanks must be NFPA-22 compliant.
Monterey County fire codes also include construction and design provisions. If you are planning a renovation or building a new structure you may want to familiarize yourself with those provisions and the application process.
Also, the Monterey County Regional Fire District provides plenty of resource materials concerning backyard prescribed burning and more.
NFPA-22 Compliant Water Tanks
NFPA-22 is a national standard that includes the design, making, installation, accessories, and upkeep for private fire tanks. This ensures that the tanks are all similarly equipped. It allows you to specify the size of connections for your local fire company or your fire hoses or garden hoses.
Steel Bolted or Poly Tanks Available for Fire protection in Santa Clara County
Both steel bolted and poly tanks are available Monterey County. Both tanks meet the NFPA-22 standard. They both can also be set up for connections to local fire department or sprinkler systems.
Steel bolted are most frequently chosen by commercial properties because they have such a large capacity. The capacity begins at 4,000 gallons and goes up to over two million gallons. That much capacity can run sprinkler systems both interior and exterior. It can allow fire hoses to be connected to the tank also. It will reduce the chances of a total loss.
Poly tanks are generally the choice of residential properties. The capacity of poly tanks starts as 400 gallons and goes up to 15,500 gallons providing plenty of protection for home and garage and even an outbuilding.
Both must comply with standards and regulations when installing.
What type of tank and the capacity you need depend on a few factors that include:
- Commercial or residential property
- The number of structures
- Sprinkler system(s) interior, exterior, or both
- The amount of land you need to protect
- The kind of processes used in commercial business
Having fire protection tanks can help reduce insurance premiums and even keep your insurance policy from being cancelled. Take your fire prevention plan with pictures to your insurance company.