Rockymountainfpdcwpp 2010.Pdf
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Rocky Mountain Fire Community Wildfire Protection Plan Executive Summary The Rocky Mountain Fire Community Wildfire Protection Plan (RMF- CWPP) is a multi- year guiding document that will facilitate the implementation of future mitigation efforts. In 2002, in response to ever-increasing levels of wildland fire threat, the Bush administration announced the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA), an initiative that enhanced measures to restore forest and rangeland health, and reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. In 2003, that act was signed into law. The general concepts of HFRA blended well with the established need for community wildfire protection in the study area. The spirit of the National Fire Plan and HFRA are reflected in the RMF CWPP. This CWPP meets the requirements of HFRA by: 1. Identifying and prioritizing fuels reduction opportunities across the landscape See Fuels Modification section on pages 39-44 of the document. 2. Addressing structural ignitability See Home Mitigation Guidelines on pages 27-29 of the document. 3. Collaborating with stakeholders See Appendix E of the document The RMF CWPP is the result of a district-wide fire protection planning effort that includes extensive field data, compilation of existing fire suppression documents, scientific analysis of the fire behavior potential of the study area (based on fuels, topography, and historical weather conditions), and collaboration with homeowners and officials from the Rocky Mountain Fire District and the Colorado State Forest Service. This CWPP provides a comprehensive assessment of the wildfire hazards and risks in the study area. Its goal is to reduce hazards through increased education about wildfires, hazardous fuels reduction, and improved levels of fire suppression response. Detailed recommendations for specific actions are included herein. It is important to note that the RMF CWPP is a working document, and, as such, will need to be updated every three years, and/or after a major “event” such as wildfire, flood, insect infestation, or significant new home development. Major conclusions: Hazard Level, o Of the eight communities analyzed, five were found to represent an extreme, very high, or high hazard. Home Mitigation, o Individual home assessments and mitigation recommendations will benefit all the communities. Public Education, o There is a need for a fire district-wide campaign to improve addressing markers. Evacuation Routes and Fuels Reduction Projects o Eight projects are recommended and will enhance public and firefighter safety. The CWPP provides an overview of the Values at Risk on which a significant wildfire would have an impact. These include: Life Safety and Homes, Commerce and Infrastructure, Recreation and Lifestyle, Habitat Effectiveness, and Environmental Resources. The report’s main recommendations are organized into sections that address five broad categories of fire mitigation: Mitigation Guidelines for Homes with detailed instructions for creating defensible space; Public Education recommendations, including recommendations for creating a standard for effective addressing; Local Preparedness and Firefighting Capability recommendations cover training, equipment, and communications; Fuels Modification recommendations with a list of Current and Proposed Cross-Boundary Fuels Reduction Projects; and Water Supply. This report also contains eight detailed Community Descriptions and Recommendations for the following communities: Kneale Road, the Town of Eldorado Springs, Pine Needle, Lakeshore Park, Flagstaff Road, Superior/Rock Creek, Eldorado Springs Valley, and the Town of Marshall. In each case, a hazard rating is supplied, and recommendations intended for both homeowners and Rocky Mountain Fire are included. In addition the report also contains an “Areas of Special Interest” section, which analyzes and makes mitigation recommendations for Walker Ranch, Kossler Lake, Gross Reservoir, Eldorado Canyon State Park, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge. Because much of the information contained in the report is extensive and/or technical in nature, detailed discussions of certain elements are contained in appendices: Appendix A: Communities Appendix A examines the communities in the study area in detail. Appendix B: Fire Behavior Potential Analysis Methodology Appendix B describes the methodology used to evaluate the threat represented by physical hazards such as fuels, weather, and topography to Values at Risk in the study area, by modeling their effects on fire behavior potential. A detailed description of each standardized, nationally recognized fuel model found in the study area is included. Appendix C: Structural Triage and Preparation Appendix D: Access and Water Supply Recommended Guidelines Appendix E: Collaborative Effort ROCKY MOUNTAIN FIRE WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN Prepared for: Rocky Mountain Fire Boulder, Colorado Submitted By: Anchor Point Boulder, Colorado December, 2007 Updated May 2010 TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMARY OF THIS DOCUMENT ........................................................................................................................ 1 THE NATIONAL FIRE PLAN .................................................................................................................................. 1 PURPOSE .................................................................................................................................................................... 2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................... 3 OTHER DESIRED OUTCOMES .............................................................................................................................. 3 COLLABORATION: COMMUNITY/AGENCY/STAKEHOLDERS .................................................................. 4 STUDY AREA OVERVIEW ...................................................................................................................................... 5 VALUES AT RISK ...................................................................................................................................................... 5 LIFE SAFETY AND HOMES .................................................................................................................................. 5 COMMERCE AND INFRASTRUCTURE .............................................................................................................. 6 RECREATION AND LIFESTYLE .......................................................................................................................... 7 HABITAT EFFECTIVENESS & ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES................................................................... 7 CURRENT RISK SITUATION ................................................................................................................................ 8 FIRE REGIME CONDITION CLASS .................................................................................................................... 11 COMMUNITY RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................................................................... 14 1. KNEALE ROAD (Extreme Hazard Rating) .................................................................................................... 15 Recommendations - Homeowner ........................................................................................................................ 15 Kneale Road Recommendations – Rocky Mountain Fire ................................................................................... 15 2. TOWN OF ELDORADO SPRINGS (Extreme Hazard Rating) ...................................................................... 17 Recommendations - Homeowner ........................................................................................................................ 17 Town of Eldorado Springs Recommendations – Rocky Mountain Fire ............................................................. 17 3. PINE NEEDLE (Very High Hazard Rating) .................................................................................................. 19 Recommendations - Homeowner ........................................................................................................................ 19 Pine Needle Recommendations – Rocky Mountain Fire .................................................................................... 19 4. LAKESHORE PARK (Very High Hazard Rating) .......................................................................................... 21 Lakeshore Park Recommendations - Homeowner ............................................................................................. 21 Lakeshore Park Recommendations – Rocky Mountain Fire .............................................................................. 21 5. FLAGSTAFF ROAD (High Hazard Rating) .................................................................................................. 23 Recommendations - Homeowner ........................................................................................................................ 23 Flagstaff Road Recommendations – Rocky Mountain Fire ................................................................................ 23 6. SUPERIOR / ROCK CREEK (Moderate Hazard Rating) .............................................................................. 25 Recommendations - Homeowner