City of Delta COUNCIL REPORT Regular Meeting F.D8 To: Mayor and Council From: Delta's Emergency Management Office Date: October 15, 2018 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update The following report has been reviewed and endorsed by the Acting City Manager. • RECOMMENDATIONS: A. THAT staff review the recommendations made in Delta's 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update and develop a prioritized implementation plan. B. THAT the implementation plan be referred to the 2020 Business Plan Workshop for funding consideration. C. THAT a Community Resiliency Investment grant application be submitted to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. • PURPOSE: The purpose of this report is to bring forward the 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update and obtain Council endorsement to develop a prioritized implementation plan, refer the implementation plan to the 2020 Business Plan Workshop, and apply for a Community Resiliency Investment grant funding through the Union of British Columbia Municipalities. • BACKGROUND: The Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative was established in BC in response to the devastating wildfire that impacted Kelowna in 2003. Under this initiative, municipalities have been encouraged to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans to improve safety and reduce the risk of property damage from wildfires. In 2010, the City of Delta retained a consultant to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan to address the risks associated with wildland-urban interface areas across the municipality. The plan identified important elements of community wildfire protection including communication and education, structure protection, training, emergency response, and vegetation management. Several risk areas were identified and a number of mitigation measures were outlined with proposed costs to address them. Since then, Delta Fire and Emergency Services, in conjunction with Parks, Recreation and Culture, and Engineering have implemented a number of these mitigation measures, including fuel treatment and pruning of conifers as part of a trailside maintenance program in high traffic recreational areas (Watershed Park and Page 2 of6 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update October 15, 2018 Delta Nature Reserve), the distribution of a wildfire risk letter from the Fire Chief accompanied by a FireSmart brochure to homeowners living along wildland-urban interface areas, emergency management and business continuity engagement in the Tilbury Industrial Corridor (north of Burns Bog), and increased monitoring and possible closures of parks during high and extreme fire danger periods. In 2017, staff recommended to Council that the City of Delta update its Community Wildfire Protection Plan to reflect the wildfire activity in Burns Bog in 2016 and the construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Road in 2012. In 2018, Delta received an $18,375 provincial Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative Program grant to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan and retained the same consultant to undertake the project. The 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update is included as Attachment A. II DISCUSSION: Delta's Fire Threat Assessment One of the main objectives of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan review was to provide an updated and accurate fire threat assessment for Delta. The threat assessment was completed according to mandated methodology developed by the BC Wildfire Service and the Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative. Figure 1 presents the fire behaviour potential threat ratings for Delta. The risk ranges from red (extreme) to orange (high), green (low), light grey (very low) and dark grey (private). The breakdown of fire behaviour potential threat rating for Delta is: .. 4% high threat rating .. 5% moderate CD 29% low CD 6% very low CD 56% is classified as private or water and as such has been allocated no fire threat data. This does not imply that ignitions (from spotting) or structural fires are not possible or likely. The Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative does not fund assessment of fire threat on private land and as such emphasis in these areas is heavily reliant on undertaking FireSmart initiatives (e.g., communication, public education and policy tools). The areas that represent the highest wildfire risk are located on the perimeter of the Burns Bog and within the Delta Nature Reserve. Potential Fuel Treatment Areas To develop the threat ratings, the consultant assessed 19 wildland-urban interface threat assessment plots over four field days, including plots in Point Roberts, Washington. From these field visits eight polygons were identified for potential treatment. Figure 2 presents a map of proposed fuel treatment areas within Delta. Only land that is crown or municipally owned is identified for treatment because under the former Strategic Wildfire Prevention Initiative program, only Crown and municipally Page 3 of6 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update October 15,2018 Figure 1 - Local Fire Behaviour Threat Rating and Wildland-Urban Threat Rating Legend Highway r:::J Municipal Boundary Fire Behaviour Paved Road D Area of Interest _ Extreme -- -. Ferry Route t 7'~?"J Indian Reserve _ High ---- Border C Treaty Land Moderate -- Streams WUI Threat Low _ Waterbody ~ Extreme Very LolY .'~ . ~_ Wetland ~ High _ Private Land Page 4 of6 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update October 15,2018 Figure 2 - Potential Fuel Treatment Areas within Delta RICHMOND --.. -.. ~ - ... .~ . -- .; I I II I ~ Legend --- -, Highway L •• ! Municipal Boundary Ownership Paved Road D Area of Interesl Crown Provincial --_. Ferry Route t)..: -JIndian Reserve Crown Federal -- - Border GJ Treaty Land Crown Municipal -- Streams 0 Proposed Fuel Trealment Private _ Waterbody _ Previous Treatment Un known - Wetland Page 5 of6 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update October 15, 2018 owned lands were eligible for provincial funding. The areas were identified, and prioritized, based upon proximity to residences, critical infrastructure, businesses, hazardous fuels, position of proposed treatment area in relation to values and dominant fire season wind direction, operational feasibility, and other variables. In total, 67.1 hectares of gross potential treatment areas were identified (50.2 ha of which are of high priority). Each of these areas will require a detailed site assessment to identify values and constraints, outline exact treatment area boundaries (net down of gross area, based on fuel and stand type and operational constraints), and treatment specifications. This is all part of the fuel management prescription program development process - a major recommendation coming out of the report. Community Wildfire Protection Plan Recommendations Wildfire management requires a multi-faceted approach to have the greatest effective and risk reduction outcomes. As such, the plan makes 36 strategic recommendations to reduce wildfire risk in Delta. Because the study area largely overlaps private land, the City's role may be limited to the role of an 'influencer' in some instances, while other recommendations can be directly implemented by the City. The consultant has recommended that one of the largest priorities will be developing a fuel management prescription program for Delta. Other recommendations include reviewing community planning and park planning policy, improving emergency response access, undertaking FireSmart initiatives, and improving community engagement. The recommendations within the Plan should be considered a 'toolbox' of options to help reduce the wildfire threat to the community. There is not one combination or course of action which is the answer. Staff proposes to review the recommendations provided by the consultant and to determine their applicability and attainability in Delta. Those that can be implemented will be prioritized based on resources, strengths, constraints, and availability of funding. Community Wildfire Protection Plan Implementation Staff is proposing that a prioritized and phased plan be developed in consultation with the various city departments, to facilitate the implementation of those recommendations that are attainable and applicable to Delta. Currently, the Parks Operating Budget allocates $68,000 annually to undertake fuel treatment initiatives; however, this will not be sufficient to manage the fuel treatment recommendations made by the consultant. Staff recommends that the implementation plan will brought forward to the 2020 Business Plan Workshop for funding consideration. Community Resiliency Investment Program There is strategic grant funding available for wildfire risk reduction initiatives through the provincial Community Resiliency Investment Program. Funding is focused on fuel management prescriptions, demonstration projects, FireSmart activities, and operational fuel treatments. The grant funding can be applied to both public and private property and the program takes a more holistic regional approach over a range of land jurisdictions. The first intake of grant applications closes on December 7,2018 and staff proposes that the City of Delta apply for $100,000 (the maximum) grant to develop a fuel management prescription program for Delta. Page 6 of 6 2017 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update October 15, 2018 Implications: Financial Implications - the Parks Operating Budget allocates $68,000 annually to undertake fuel treatment initiatives; however, this will not be sufficient to manage the fuel treatment recommendations made by