DOCSLIB.ORG

2021 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
2021 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) CITY OF SANTA BARBARA February 2021 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Table of Contents SECTIONS Acronyms and Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................................................................v Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Development Team ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Community Involvement ................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Public Outreach and Engagement Plan ........................................................................................................ 4 1.3.3 Public Outreach Meetings .............................................................................................................................. 5 1.4 Funding/Grant Management ......................................................................................................................................... 5 1.5 Signatories ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5 2 Plan Area Description ............................................................................................................................................................. 7 2.1 Location ............................................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2 Fire Hazard Areas ............................................................................................................................................................ 7 2.2.1 State Fire Hazard Severity Zones .................................................................................................................. 7 2.2.2 City High Fire Hazard Area .............................................................................................................................. 8 2.3 Climate ........................................................................................................................................................................... 14 2.3.1 Climate Change ............................................................................................................................................ 16 2.4 Topography .................................................................................................................................................................... 17 2.5 Vegetation and Fuels .................................................................................................................................................... 21 2.5.1 Vegetative Fire Hazard ................................................................................................................................. 21 2.5.2 Vegetation Types .......................................................................................................................................... 22 2.5.3 Wildfire Types and Potential Fire Behavior ................................................................................................ 27 2.6 Fire History and Ignitions.............................................................................................................................................. 28 2.7 Development Patterns ................................................................................................................................................. 30 2.8 Existing Hazard Abatement/Fuels Treatment ............................................................................................................ 37 2.8.1 Defensible Space and Vegetation Management ...................................................................................... 37 2.8.2 City Vegetation Management Units ............................................................................................................ 37 2.8.3 Community Fuels Treatment Network ....................................................................................................... 41 2.8.4 Neighboring Jurisdictions Vegetation Management Areas ...................................................................... 41 2.8.5 City Wildland Fire Suppression Assessment District ................................................................................ 41 2.9 Evacuation ..................................................................................................................................................................... 42 2.10 Water Supply .......................................................................................................................................................... 45 2.11 Communications ................................................................................................................................................... 46 Page i 3 Planning and Regulatory Environment ................................................................................................................................... 51 3.1 Fire Protection ............................................................................................................................................................... 51 3.1.1 Fire Protection Philosophy ........................................................................................................................... 51 3.1.2 Fire Protection Partnerships ....................................................................................................................... 52 3.2 City of Santa Barbara Codes and Standards ............................................................................................................. 52 3.2.1 City Fire Code ................................................................................................................................................ 52 3.2.2 City Building Code ........................................................................................................................................ 53 3.2.3 City of Santa Barbara General Plan ............................................................................................................ 53 3.2.4 City of Santa Barbara Local Coastal Program ........................................................................................... 53 3.2.5 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan ...................................................................................................................... 54 4 Wildfire Hazard Assessment ............................................................................................................................................... 55 4.1 Assessment Methods ................................................................................................................................................... 55 4.1.1 Field Evaluations .......................................................................................................................................... 55 4.1.2 GIS Analysis .................................................................................................................................................. 55 4.1.3 Fire Behavior Modeling ................................................................................................................................ 61 4.2 Hazard Assessment Results ........................................................................................................................................ 62 4.2.1 Modifications to High Fire Hazard Area ..................................................................................................... 62 4.2.2 Modifications to Vegetation Management Units ...................................................................................... 66 5 Values at Risk ....................................................................................................................................................................... 75 5.1 At-Risk Community ........................................................................................................................................................ 75 5.2 Values at Risk ................................................................................................................................................................ 75 5.2.1 Life Safety ..................................................................................................................................................... 76 5.2.2 Homes, Structures, and Neighborhoods ..................................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fire Bow Drill
    Making Fire With The Bow Drill When you are first learning bow-drill fire-making, you must make conditions and your bow drill set such that the chance of getting a coal is the greatest. If you do not know the feeling of a coal beginning to be born then you will never be able to master the more difficult scenarios. For this it is best to choose the “easiest woods” and practice using the set in a sheltered location such as a garage or basement, etc. Even if you have never gotten a coal before, it is best to get the wood from the forest yourself. Getting it from a lumber yard is easy but you learn very little. Also, getting wood from natural sources ensures you do not accidentally get pressure-treated wood which, when caused to smoulder, is highly toxic. Here are some good woods for learning with (and good for actual survival use too): ► Eastern White Cedar ► Staghorn Sumac ► Most Willows ► Balsam Fir ► Aspens and Poplars ► Basswood ► Spruces There are many more. These are centered more on the northeastern forest communities of North America. A good tree identification book will help you determine potential fire-making woods. Also, make it a common practice to feel and carve different woods when you are in the bush. A good way to get good wood for learning on is to find a recently fallen branch or trunk that is relatively straight and of about wrist thickness or bigger. Cut it with a saw. It is best if the wood has recently fallen off the tree.
    [Show full text]
  • California Fire Siege 2007 an Overview Cover Photos from Top Clockwise: the Santiago Fire Threatens a Development on October 23, 2007
    CALIFORNIA FIRE SIEGE 2007 AN OVERVIEW Cover photos from top clockwise: The Santiago Fire threatens a development on October 23, 2007. (Photo credit: Scott Vickers, istockphoto) Image of Harris Fire taken from Ikhana unmanned aircraft on October 24, 2007. (Photo credit: NASA/U.S. Forest Service) A firefighter tries in vain to cool the flames of a wind-whipped blaze. (Photo credit: Dan Elliot) The American Red Cross acted quickly to establish evacuation centers during the siege. (Photo credit: American Red Cross) Opposite Page: Painting of Harris Fire by Kate Dore, based on photo by Wes Schultz. 2 Introductory Statement In October of 2007, a series of large wildfires ignited and burned hundreds of thousands of acres in Southern California. The fires displaced nearly one million residents, destroyed thousands of homes, and sadly took the lives of 10 people. Shortly after the fire siege began, a team was commissioned by CAL FIRE, the U.S. Forest Service and OES to gather data and measure the response from the numerous fire agencies involved. This report is the result of the team’s efforts and is based upon the best available information and all known facts that have been accumulated. In addition to outlining the fire conditions leading up to the 2007 siege, this report presents statistics —including availability of firefighting resources, acreage engaged, and weather conditions—alongside the strategies that were employed by fire commanders to create a complete day-by-day account of the firefighting effort. The ability to protect the lives, property, and natural resources of the residents of California is contingent upon the strength of cooperation and coordination among federal, state and local firefighting agencies.
    [Show full text]
  • Brief Communication: Meteorological and Climatological Conditions
    Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 3037–3043, 2018 https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-18-3037-2018 © Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Brief communication: Meteorological and climatological conditions associated with the 9 January 2018 post-fire debris flows in Montecito and Carpinteria, California, USA Nina S. Oakley1,2, Forest Cannon2, Robert Munroe3, Jeremy T. Lancaster4, David Gomberg3, and F. Martin Ralph2 1Western Regional Climate Center, Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, USA 2Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, 9500 Gilman Dr., La Jolla, CA 92093, USA 3National Weather Service, Oxnard/Los Angeles, 520 N. Elevar St., Oxnard, CA 93030, USA 4California Geological Survey, 801 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814, USA Correspondence: Nina S. Oakley ([email protected]) Received: 20 June 2018 – Discussion started: 26 June 2018 Revised: 8 October 2018 – Accepted: 25 October 2018 – Published: 19 November 2018 Abstract. The Thomas Fire burned 114 078 ha in Santa rainfall intensity of 24 mm h−1 (USGS, 2018a; Fig. S1 in the Barbara and Ventura counties, southern California, during Supplement). December 2017–January 2018. On 9 January 2018, high- In the first significant rainfall event of the wet season on 9 intensity rainfall occurred over the Thomas Fire burn area January 2018, high-intensity rainfall occurred over the west- in the mountains above the communities of Montecito and ernmost portion of the Thomas Fire burn area between 11:30 Carpinteria, initiating multiple devastating debris flows. The and 12:00 UTC (03:30–04:00 LST).
    [Show full text]
  • Notice of a Collection 01 Perforated Stone Objects, from the Garioch, Aberdeenshire
    6 16 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , FEBRUARY 9, 1903. III. NOTICE OF A COLLECTION 01 PERFORATED STONE OBJECTS, FROM THE GARIOCH, ABERDEENSHIRE. BY J. GRAHAM CALLANDER, F.S.A. SOOT. Many perforated article f stono s f greateo e r leso r s antiquity have been found, the use of which we have no difficulty in defining. Among such article e stonar s e axes, stone hammers, whorls, beads d sinkan , - stones for nets or lines; but this collection of perforated stones from Central Aberdeenshire seems to be quite different from any of the recog- nised types. Localities.—The collection, which consist f sixty-fivo s e specimenss ha , been gathered during the last five years in the Garioch district of Aber- deenshire from eight different localitie n fivi s e parishes :—Elevee ar n from Newbigging, parish of Culsalmond ; one is from the Kirkyard of Culsalmond; five are from the adjoining farms of Jericho and Colpy, Culsalmond e froar m o Johnstonetw ; , paris f Leslio hs froi e me ;on Cushieston, parish of Rayne; one is from Lochend, Barra, parish of Bourtie; thre froe ear m Harlaw, paris f Chapeho f Garioco l fortyd an h; - one are from Logie-Elphinstone estate, also in Chapel of Garioch. e specimenth l Al s have bee e ploughnth turney b , p nonu d e having been found associated with burials or dwelling sites; at the same time many flint implements have been foun e localitiemosn th di f o t s named, especiall firste th , n yi third last-mentioned an , d ones, these I believe, , having been more thoroughly searched.
    [Show full text]
  • Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems
    Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems OSHA 3256-09R 2015 Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 “To assure safe and healthful working conditions for working men and women; by authorizing enforcement of the standards developed under the Act; by assisting and encouraging the States in their efforts to assure safe and healthful working conditions; by providing for research, information, education, and training in the field of occupational safety and health.” This publication provides a general overview of a particular standards- related topic. This publication does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities which are set forth in OSHA standards and the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Moreover, because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements the reader should consult current administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the courts. Material contained in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested but not required. This information will be made available to sensory-impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: 1-877-889-5627. This guidance document is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. It contains recommendations as well as descriptions of mandatory safety and health standards. The recommendations are advisory in nature, informational in content, and are intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to comply with safety and health standards and regulations promulgated by OSHA or by a state with an OSHA-approved state plan.
    [Show full text]
  • Field-Expedient Weapons, Tools, and Equipment
    FIELD-EXPEDIENT WEAPONS, TOOLS, AND EQUIPMENT As a soldier you know the importance of proper care and use of your weapons, tools, and equipment. This is espe- cially true of your knife. You must always keep it sharp and ready to use. A knife is your most valuable tool in a sur- vival situation. Imagine being in a survival situation with- out any weapons, tools, or equipment except your knife. It could happen! You might even be without a knife. You would probably feel helpless, but with the proper knowledge and skills, you can easily improvise needed items. In survival situations, you may have to fashion any num- ber and type of field-expedient tools and equipment to sur- vive. Examples of tools and equipment that could make your life much easier are ropes, rucksacks, clothes, nets, and so on. 12-1 Weapons serve a dual purpose. You use them to obtain and prepare food and to provide self-defense. A weapon can also give you a feeling of security and provide you with the ability to hunt on the move. CLUBS You hold clubs, you do not throw them. As a field-expedient weapon, the club does not protect you from enemy soldiers. It can, however, extend your area of defense beyond your fingertips. It also serves to increase the force of a blow without injuring yourself. There are three basic types of clubs. They are the simple, weighted, and sling club. Simple Club A simple club is a staff or branch. It must be short enough for you to swing easily, but long enough and strong enough for you to damage whatever you hit.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix C - Response to Science
    Ringo EIS Appendix C - Response to Science Appendix C – RESPONSE TO SCIENCE The following table summarizes the Forest Service consideration of publications that were provided during the comment period and which were directly referenced in the comments, or determined to either have some relevance to the analysis or indicate there is a difference of opinion within the body of the science. NEPA states that comments on the EIS shall be as specific as possible (40 CFR 1503.3 Specificity of Comments). Some of the following documents are considered non-substantive comments that do not warrant further response. In either case, the following table explains the consideration given by the Forest Service. Referenced Document Forest Service Consideration/Response Cited Science by Dick Artley Mr. Artleys Attachment #1- Scientists Reveal the Natural Resources in the Forest are Harmed (and some destroyed) by Timber Harvest Activities Al-jabber, Jabber M. “Habitat Fragmentation:: Effects and The picture in the Cascadia Wildlands Project publication shows clearcuts and talks Implications” about fragmentation and edge effects which results in crowding of the ark (Meffe et Clearcuts and forest fragmentation, Willamette NF, Oregon. al. 1997) where after logging, species all try to exist in the remaining patches of From: Cascadia Wildland Project, Spring 2003 unlogged forest. Clear cuts are not proposed for the Ringo project. There are http://faculty.ksu.edu.sa/a/Documents/Habitat%20Fragmentation%20Eff openings that will be created that are consistent with gaps and openings of at least 0.5 ects%20and%20Implication.pdf acres described in the Old Growth Definitions (USDA FS 1993, Region 6 interim Old Growth Definitions).
    [Show full text]
  • Original Draft CWPP
    DRAFT CITY OF SANTA BARBARA May 2020 Printed on 30% post-consumer recycled material. Table of Contents SECTIONS Acronyms and Abbreviations ..........................................................................................................................................................v Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... vii 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Development Team ......................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.3 Community Involvement ................................................................................................................................................. 3 1.3.1 Stakeholders ................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.3.2 Public Outreach and Engagement Plan ........................................................................................................ 4 1.3.3 Public Outreach Meetings .............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The 2007 Southern California Wildfires: Lessons in Complexity
    fire The 2007 Southern California Wildfires: Lessons in Complexity s is evidenced year after year, the na- ture of the “fire problem” in south- Jon E. Keeley, Hugh Safford, C.J. Fotheringham, A ern California differs from most of Janet Franklin, and Max Moritz the rest of the United States, both by nature and degree. Nationally, the highest losses in ϳ The 2007 wildfire season in southern California burned over 1,000,000 ac ( 400,000 ha) and property and life caused by wildfire occur in included several megafires. We use the 2007 fires as a case study to draw three major lessons about southern California, but, at the same time, wildfires and wildfire complexity in southern California. First, the great majority of large fires in expansion of housing into these fire-prone southern California occur in the autumn under the influence of Santa Ana windstorms. These fires also wildlands continues at an enormous pace cost the most to contain and cause the most damage to life and property, and the October 2007 fires (Safford 2007). Although modest areas of were no exception because thousands of homes were lost and seven people were killed. Being pushed conifer forest in the southern California by wind gusts over 100 kph, young fuels presented little barrier to their spread as the 2007 fires mountains experience the same negative ef- reburned considerable portions of the area burned in the historic 2003 fire season. Adding to the size fects of long-term fire suppression that are of these fires was the historic 2006–2007 drought that contributed to high dead fuel loads and long evident in other western forests (e.g., high distance spotting.
    [Show full text]
  • Evergreen Fire Protection District Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado
    2020 Evergreen Fire Protection District Jefferson and Clear Creek Counties, Colorado F Community Wildfire Protection Plan EVERGREEN FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN 2020 UPDATE Prepared for Evergreen Fire/Rescue 1802 Bergen Pkwy, Evergreen, Colorado 80439 Prepared by Forest Stewards Guild 170 2nd Street SW Loveland, CO 80537 1 CONTENTS Evergreen Fire Protection District ............................................................................................................................1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................5 Evergreen’s Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) .......................................................................................................6 Fire History ..................................................................................................................................................................8 Catastrophic Wildfire – Common Factors .........................................................................................................9 Ignition Prevention ................................................................................................................................................. 10 Evergreen’s Preparedness for Wildfire ................................................................................................................. 11 Community Accomplishments since first CWPP .........................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Review of California Wildfire Evacuations from 2017 to 2019
    REVIEW OF CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE EVACUATIONS FROM 2017 TO 2019 STEPHEN WONG, JACQUELYN BROADER, AND SUSAN SHAHEEN, PH.D. MARCH 2020 DOI: 10.7922/G2WW7FVK DOI: 10.7922/G29G5K2R Wong, Broader, Shaheen 2 Technical Report Documentation Page 1. Report No. 2. Government Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. UC-ITS-2019-19-b N/A N/A 4. Title and Subtitle 5. Report Date Review of California Wildfire Evacuations from 2017 to 2019 March 2020 6. Performing Organization Code ITS-Berkeley 7. Author(s) 8. Performing Organization Report Stephen D. Wong (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3638-3651), No. Jacquelyn C. Broader (https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3269-955X), N/A Susan A. Shaheen, Ph.D. (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3350-856X) 9. Performing Organization Name and Address 10. Work Unit No. Institute of Transportation Studies, Berkeley N/A 109 McLaughlin Hall, MC1720 11. Contract or Grant No. Berkeley, CA 94720-1720 UC-ITS-2019-19 12. Sponsoring Agency Name and Address 13. Type of Report and Period The University of California Institute of Transportation Studies Covered www.ucits.org Final Report 14. Sponsoring Agency Code UC ITS 15. Supplementary Notes DOI: 10.7922/G29G5K2R 16. Abstract Between 2017 and 2019, California experienced a series of devastating wildfires that together led over one million people to be ordered to evacuate. Due to the speed of many of these wildfires, residents across California found themselves in challenging evacuation situations, often at night and with little time to escape. These evacuations placed considerable stress on public resources and infrastructure for both transportation and sheltering.
    [Show full text]
  • Geologic Hazards
    Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Assessment FINAL Specialist Report – GEOLOGIC HAZARDS Thomas Fire –Los Padres N.F. December, 2017 Jonathan Yonni Schwartz – Geomorphologist/geologist, Los Padres NF Introduction The Thomas Fire started on December 4, 2017, near the Thomas Aquinas College (east end of Sulphur Mountain), Ventura County, California. The fire is still burning and as of December 13, 2017, is estimated to have burned 237,500 acres and is 25% contained. Since the fire is still active, the BAER Team analysis is separated into two phases. This report/analysis covers a very small area of the fire above the community of Ojai, California and is considered phase 1 (of 2). Under phase 1 of this BAER assessment, 40,271 acres are being analyzed (within the fire parameter) out of which 22,971 acres are on National Forest Service Lands. The remaining 17,300 acres are divided between County, City and private lands. Out of a total of 40,271 acres that were analyzed, 99 acres were determined to have burned at a high soil burn severity, 19,243 acres at moderate soil burn severity, 12,044 acres at low soil burn severity and 8,885 acres were unburned. All of the above acres including the unburned acres are within the fire parameter. This report describes and assesses the increase in risk from geologic hazards within the Thomas Fire burned area. When evaluating Geologic Hazards, the focus of the “Geology” function on a BAER Team is on identifying the geologic conditions and geomorphic processes that have helped shape and alter the watersheds and landscapes, and assessing the impacts from the fire on those conditions and processes which will affect downstream values at risk.
    [Show full text]