Community Wildfire Protection Plan Siskiyou County
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Community Wildfire Protection Plan Siskiyou County Klamathon Fire | July 2018 Happy Complex | August 2014 Boles Fire | September 2014 COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN SISKIYOU COUNTY MUTUAL AGREEMENT PAGE This countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for Siskiyou County: Was collaboratively developed. Participants included interested residents and citizens, local fire departments, city and county leadership positions, state and federal suppression agencies and other land management entities of Siskiyou County. Is designed to help communities identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment that will protect the communities of Siskiyou County. Identifies current measures to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the area addressed by the plan. The following entities mutually agree with the contents of this Community Wildfire Protection Plan: Recommended by: ________________________________________________________ Jaime Tarne, President Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou Council Recommended by: ________________________________________________________ Bernie Paul, President Siskiyou County Fire Chiefs Association Recommended by: ________________________________________________________ Brandon A. Criss, Chair Siskiyou County Board of Supervisors Approved by: ____________________________________________________________ Phillip R. Anzo, Unit Chief CAL FIRE Siskiyou ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This CWPP is a community-based resource guide to achieve resilience in plans, preparation and survival in Siskiyou County‘s wildfire environment. Strength in the collaboration process is a noteworthy step. People and organizations that contributed in development or helped in certification of the CWPP include: Siskiyou County Residents Klamath National Forest All community members who attended All Forest personnel who participated in workshops workshops and contributed their local and assisted in plan development stages; including knowledge to this process. personnel from: Forest Leadership staff Local Community Fire Safe Councils Forest Fire Management personnel Fire Safe Council members from all communities Forest Ecologist who joined in the collaborative workshops District Fire Management providing their questions, insights and feedback Shasta-Trinity National Forest Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County All Forest personnel who participated in workshops FSCSC board members who initiated the plan and assisted in plan development stages; including update effort by pursuing funding and dedicated personnel from: their time to contribute to this plan. Forest Leadership staff Forest Fire Management personnel County of Siskiyou Leadership District Fire Management, Prevention and Fuels County Board of Supervisors Officers County Office of Emergency Services County Department of Natural Resources Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest County Code Enforcement Forest Fire Management Representation Siskiyou County Fire Chief‘s Association Community Meetings and Workshop Hosts All Fire Chiefs and local fire personnel/volunteers CAL FIRE Siskiyou Unit Headquarters, Yreka CA who attended and supported community College of the Siskiyous – Fire Training Ctr workshops and provided content for this plan. Weed, CA. Seiad Valley Fire Department – Fire Hall, CAL FIRE Klamath River, CA All Siskiyou Unit CAL FIRE personnel who were Klamath National Forest - Headquarters, Yreka, active and helpful participants at all stages of CA plan development. Representation included: Klamath National Forest, Goosenest Ranger Unit Chief and Assistant Chiefs District Office, Macdoel, CA Unit Battalion Chiefs Resource and Events Center, Fort Jones, CA Unit Prevention Officers Unit Vegetation Management Forester Pacific Power Technical and data support from State level; Fire Area Project Manager/Forester and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) Research Program Specialist Northern California Resource Center Leadership and Project Mgmt Representatives California Office of Emergency Services Asst. Chief, Region III, Fire & Rescue Consultant/Support Division Fire Ecology & Climate Scientist Geo Elements LLC Tribal Representation Shasta Nation Tribe Representative PLAN OVERVIEW This CWPP is a product of collaboration among citizens across Siskiyou County and serves as a guide with tools to help protect local communities to plan and prepare for wildfire impacts. Current policy and information are imperative as California faces unprecedented loss of life, property and natural resources to wildfire. Fire Safe Council of Siskiyou County (FSCSC) has been central to project initiation and leadership, with funding support from CAL FIRE and United States Forest Service grants. Extensive cooperative work includes communication amongst local fire departments, fire safe councils, state and federal agencies, county leadership positions, resource groups and general public. Requirements for a CWPP described by the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2001 are: 1. Develop collaboratively 2. Identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments 3. Recommend treatments to reduce structure ignitability ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PART I: General Elements o Contains core Sections (1-9) of the CWPP that address general elements on a countywide scale providing a template or guidance for use in local level CWPPs. An overview of the element organization within sections is as follows: 1. Sections 1-5: CWPP Elements general in scope including: (address ‗what, where, when, who‘) Introduction, Purpose, Objectives, Collaborative process, Policy Siskiyou County background Communities At Risk Wildfire situation; ecology, climate, fire history, wildfire environment Wildfire science/assessment 2. Sections 6-8: Mitigation actions, implementation tools and funding sources including: (address ‗how‘) Action planning - Preparedness, Strategy, Mitigations Potential funding resources Monitoring programs 3. Section 9: The development team‘s primary recommendations PART II: Planning Regions (1-6) o Conveys wildfire assessment information (from Section 5) into six succinct geographical divisions of the county as delineated in the original (2008) CWPP. The divisions provide tools at a scale to better support local CWPP development. 1. Butte Valley 3. Salmon 5. Shasta Valley 2. Mid-Klamath 4. Scott Valley 6. Upper Sacramento PART III: Appendices TABLE OF CONTENTS PART I. GENERAL ELEMENTS…………………………………………………………………………………….. 1 SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………………………………… 2 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE PLAN……………………………………………………………………………………… 2 1.2 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES…………………………………………………………………………………… 3 1.3 PLANNING PROCESS…………………………………………………………………………………………. 4 1.3.1 Siskiyou County‟s Collaborative Approach ................................................................. 5 1.3.2 Public Outreach Process ................................................................................................... 6 1.3.3 Public Review and Comment Period, Final Public Meeting .................................. 6 1.3.4 Fire Safe Council Role ........................................................................................................ 6 1.4 POLICY AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORK………………………………………………………… 8 1.4.1 California Fire Management Agreement ..................................................................... 8 1.4.2 Federal Level Policy .......................................................................................................... 10 1.4.3 State Level Policy .............................................................................................................. 12 1.4.4 Local Policy .......................................................................................................................... 17 SECTION 2. COUNTY OVERVIEW…………………………………………………………………………… 19 2.1 GEOGRAPHIC SCOPE | PLANNING REGIONS…………………………………………………. 20 2.2 VALUES AT RISK………………………………………………………………………………………………. 21 2.2.1 Life Safety ........................................................................................................................... 21 2.2.2 Homes/Structures/Neighborhoods ........................................................................... 22 2.2.3 Critical Infrastructure and Municipal Facilities ..................................................... 25 2.2.4 Natural and Historic Resources ................................................................................... 27 2.2.5 Recreation Amenities/Facilities .................................................................................. 28 2.3 FIRE PROTECTION…………………………………………………………………………………………… 29 i 2.3.1 Wildfire Direct Protection Areas (DPA) .................................................................... 29 2.3.2 Protection Area Suppression Resources .................................................................. 31 SECTION 3. DEFINING THE WILDFIRE SITUATION……………………………………………… 35 3.1 FIRE ECOLOGY…………………………………………………………………………………………………. 35 3.1.1 Vegetation ........................................................................................................................... 36 3.2 CLIMATE…………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 44 3.2.1 Weather Systems and Fire ............................................................................................. 44 3.2.2 Climate Change ................................................................................................................