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Fire Vulnerability Assessment for Mendocino County ______ FIRE VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT FOR MENDOCINO COUNTY ____________________________________________ _________________________________________ August 2020 Mendocino County Fire Vulnerability Assessment ________________________________________________________________________________________ TABLE OF CONTENTS Page SECTION I- OVERVIEW ........................................................................................................... 6 A. Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 6 B. Project Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 6 C. Mendocino County Description and Demographics ................................................................ 7 D. Planning Area Basis .................................................................................................................. 8 SECTION II- COUNTY WILDFIRE ASSESSMENT ............................................................ 9 A. Wildfire Threat ......................................................................................................................... 9 B. Weather/Climate ........................................................................................................................ 9 C. Topography ............................................................................................................................. 10 D. Fuel Hazards ........................................................................................................................... 10 E. Climate Change ...................................................................................................................... 10 F. Historical Data ........................................................................................................................ 12 G. Recent Major Emergencies within the County ...................................................................... 14 H. Cascading Effects .................................................................................................................... 17 I. Plan, Programs and Arrangements in Place ............................................................................ 18 J. Laws, Ordinances and Codes .................................................................................................. 20 K. Future Development Trends ................................................................................................... 22 L. Communications Systems ....................................................................................................... 23 M. County Road Issues ................................................................................................................ 25 ➢ Population Density Map .......................................................................................................... 26 ➢ Wildland Fire History Map...................................................................................................... 27 ➢ CAL FIRE Fuel Ranking Map ................................................................................................ 28 Category Five Professional Consultants, Inc.-Fire Vulnerability Assessment for Mendocino County-August 2020 2 Mendocino County Fire Vulnerability Assessment ________________________________________________________________________________________ ➢ Fire Vegetation Map ................................................................................................................ 29 ➢ Fire Threat Map ....................................................................................................................... 30 ➢ Wildland Urban Interface Zone Map ...................................................................................... 31 ➢ Fire Hazard Zones Map ........................................................................................................... 32 ➢ Fire Protection District Map .................................................................................................... 33 ➢ Fire Responsibility Areas Map ................................................................................................ 34 ➢ Wildfire Reduction Treatment Priority Map ........................................................................... 35 SECTION III- JURISDICTIONAL ASSETS AT RISK ....................................................... 36 SECTION IV- COMMUNITY THREAT ASSESSMENTS ................................................. 54 ➢ Planning Area Map .................................................................................................................. 56 PLANNING AREA 1: NORTH AND NORTHEAST .......................................................... 57 A. Population ................................................................................................................................ 57 B. Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 57 C. Topography .............................................................................................................................. 58 D. Fuel Hazards ............................................................................................................................ 58 E. Fire History .............................................................................................................................. 60 F. Fire Protection ......................................................................................................................... 60 G. Transportation Corridors ......................................................................................................... 61 H. Special Concerns ..................................................................................................................... 62 I. Critical Assets at Risk for Wildfire ........................................................................................ 65 PLANNING AREA 2: SOUTHEAST AND CENTRAL ...................................................... 68 A. Population ................................................................................................................................ 68 B. Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 68 C. Topography .............................................................................................................................. 69 Category Five Professional Consultants, Inc.-Fire Vulnerability Assessment for Mendocino County-August 2020 3 Mendocino County Fire Vulnerability Assessment ________________________________________________________________________________________ D. Fuel Hazards ............................................................................................................................ 69 E. Fire History .............................................................................................................................. 70 F. Fire Protection .......................................................................................................................... 70 G. Transportation Corridors ......................................................................................................... 71 H. Special Concerns ..................................................................................................................... 72 I. Critical Assets at Risk for Wildfire ......................................................................................... 73 PLANNING AREA 3: SOUTHWEST .................................................................................... 75 A. Population ................................................................................................................................ 75 B. Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 75 C. Topography .............................................................................................................................. 76 D. Fuel Hazards ............................................................................................................................ 76 E. Fire History .............................................................................................................................. 76 F. Fire Protection .......................................................................................................................... 77 G. Transportation Corridors ......................................................................................................... 77 H. Special Concerns ..................................................................................................................... 78 I. Critical Assets at Risk for Wildfire ......................................................................................... 79 PLANNING AREA 4: WESTCENTRAL AND COASTAL................................................ 81 A. Population ................................................................................................................................ 81 B. Climate ..................................................................................................................................... 81 C. Topography .............................................................................................................................
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