It’s time to fire Smokey the Bear.

His “only you” can prevent forest fires message clearly is not working. In fact, science and new evidence says the campaign has long been outdated.

Homeowners living in fire zones are the last to blame for wildfires, although they certainly bear some responsibility for fire prevention.

The Santa Ana winds aren’t to blame, either — the wind doesn’t spark itself.

According to state agencies, most wildfires are started by sparks or ignition from utility power lines and equipment, gasoline-powered tree trimming or weed-whacking devices, vehicles, illegal campfires, cigarettes and arsonists.

So not only you, but you, plus utility companies and the U.S. Forest Service, the police and other state regulators can prevent wildfires. Or should.

The California Public Utilities Commission fined Southern California Edison $78.56 million in the past 10 years for their role in fires and in other incidents involving power lines causing fatalities and/or damage (including $16.5 million for a poor response to the 2011 windstorm in the San Gabriel Valley). SCE was fined $37 million for its role in the 2007 Malibu Fire. Pacific Gas & Electric and San Diego Gas & Electric also received fines for causing fires, according to the CPUC.

CAL-Fire and the CPUC are investigating SCE’s facilities as playing in role in the origin of some of the six major fires in Southern California during the past two weeks, the utility reported.

All that leads me to my 10 suggestions for preventing future wildfires:

1. Double the fines assessed to utilities and communications companies.

2. Use the fine money to underground power lines in fire zones. (Laguna Beach tried to require this but guess what? Edison sued saying they didn’t want to pay for it).

3. Call an emergency session of the state Legislature in January to listen to ideas on wildfire prevention (including scientists) and write bills promoting wildfire prevention.

4. Utilities should spend more money on fire prevention, such as strengthening power poles, replacing sagging lines clearing brush. If we can require buildings to withstand major earthquakes, why not require power lines to withstand winds gusts of 70 miles per hour?

5. On and right before red flag days, close all roads leading into our forests; place extra patrols at entrances and at boundaries with homes to keep everyone out. Anyone caught inside the forest during wind alerts should be arrested.

6. Homeless encampments in brush areas must be taken down. (Authorities determined illegal cooking at a homeless encampment caused the Skirball fire on Dec. 6, which burned 422 acres and destroyed six homes. (Other fires started by homeless camps/illegal campfires: 1993 Kinneloa fires in Pasadena and Altadena; 2014 Colby Fire in Glendora.)

7. Require all county, forestry, city and National Park Service workers to use battery-operated brush clearing equipment. No sparks, no fires.

8. Authorities should have an arsonist watch list. The 2009 Station Fire that killed two firefighters and burned 160,000 acres in Angeles National Forest was caused by arson.

9. Harden forest entry roads. This is done by removing grasses and adding K-rails to prevent vehicles from veering off road and catching brush on fire.

10. Homeowners in canyons and foothills should clear out gutters and rooftops of dead leaves and pine needles. Fires spread by flying embers high in the air. In other words, the defensible space on top of your home is more important than the space cleared at the bottom. But creating space is important, as long as you don’t clear away native plants, such as chaparral. Leaving nothing but dirt invites invasive grasses that are flammable.

What are your ideas for preventing wildfires?

Steve Scauzillo covers transportation and the environment for the Southern California News Group. He’s a recipient of the Aldo Leopold Award for Distinguished Editorial Writing from The Wilderness Society. Follow him on Twitter or Instagram @stevscaz or email him at sscauzillo@scng.com.