DOCSLIB.ORG

Living with Wildfire in Mendocino County

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Living with Wildfire in Mendocino County LIVING WITH WILDFIRE IN MENDOCINO COUNTY Protecting OURSelveS, OUR property, AND OUR NATURAL RESourceS FOREST FACTS ... WHEN TO MOW ... RESCUING YOUR HORSES ... SAFE growing PRACTICES BURN PILES ... FIRE WATER SUPPLY ... AND MORE! The reality of wildfire A Mendocino scenario Suddenly the water stops flowing. The one wildfire can move. And they don’t know power line along the road has burned, so that most people killed by wildfires die IT’S A HOT DAY in early October. It’s 2:30 the pump has quit. Phones go dead too. while trying to evacuate—too late. and the afternoon wind has just kicked up. There’s been no rain since May, and Now really in panic, Joe and Barbara make Fire engines from other counties begin everything is tinder dry. Our CDF air one last attempt to capture their animals. to arrive. They check in with the chief in tankers, command plane, and helicopter With heavy hearts, they leave without them. charge. He tells them to stop at the local are fighting a fire near Santa Cruz. Nearly fire station for maps. In the confusion, The drive downhill takes a long time. In half our county’s fire engines are near L.A., the maps can’t be found. Radio waves are places the road is only one lane, so they where160 homes burned earlier this week. jammed and instructions aren’t clear. must back up to turnouts to let fire engines A wildfire breaks out in Mendocino County. pass. Other cars are collecting behind A fire chief from Napa is assigned to them, making matters worse. A huge dozer protect the canyon’s homes. He has five The fire is in a steep canyon, four miles on a lowboy barely fits on the road at all. engines under his command. He’s nervous from a paved road and 30 minutes from about fighting a wildfire without a map. the nearest fire station. By the time the Now the sun is completely blocked. Joe first local firefighters reach it, the fire is 200 turns on the headlights. Ashes are falling He arrives at the beginning of the road. It’s acres, spreading fast, and beyond their on the windshield. For most of the drive narrow and bordered by pines, tanoaks, control. They radio for more help and start they can’t tell where the fire is. and French broom, all highly flammable. looking for homes in harm’s way. He wonders how much worse the road is Luckily, they pass the fire where the can- farther up the canyon. He tries to reach The Emergency Command Center at yon is wider. The fire races up the hill. Trees local fire engines on his radio, but can’t. Howard Forest leaps into action. Air tank- explode like torches. The wind is fierce. ers are ordered, but they’re an hour’s flight A sign tells the chief the road’s name. But away. The nearest helicopter is 45 minutes there’s no indication of how long it is, if it out. Firefighters who’ve never been to our dead ends, or if it connects to other roads. county are called to help. Sheriff’s deputies He doesn’t know if it has tight curves his are dispatched to evacuate residents. fire engines can’t navigate, or if there are bridges that can’t support their weight. As the fire grows, Joe and Barbara notice smoke below their property. They call He wonders how many homes there are, their neighbors and fire station to find out and if the owners have prepared them to what’s happening. Lines are busy or no survive. Have they cleared their brush? one’s there. There’s no news on the radio. Trimmed trees away from roofs? Are the roofs fire-resistant, or flammable shakes? Joe gets in his pickup to scout out the situ- Joe and Barbara make it to the valley floor. ation. He finds that the fire is close to their Is there room for fire equipment to turn only road, and heading up the canyon. A But they are frightened for those who may around? Backing down a quarter-mile hundred homes are uphill from the fire. If not have escaped. They wonder if their driveway is dangerous, and he won’t send the fire spreads, they’ll all be trapped. elderly neighbors got out, and feel guilty. his crews into that situation. They are worried sick about their animals. Joe speeds home. He’s not sure if they He wonders about water. Is there water should stay or leave—and wishes they had From the valley, they can see that the fire he can tap? Tanks must have National Fire prepared for either eventuality. The smell has spread to three neighboring canyons. connections for him to access it. He thinks of smoke drifts up the canyon. Flames are leaping from treetops. Houses about all the times he’s come upon large are burning. The scene is terrifying. tanks but found no way to tap them. Joe turns on a hose to wet down his home, while Barbara hastily loads children and Some residents have stayed behind. The chief doesn’t see anyone evacuating. He wonders if everyone is gone, if some documents into their car. They try to corral Some have prepared themselves and their people are staying, and if any elderly or their pets, but two of their dogs run away. property in advance. Their homes are fire disabled persons need to be rescued. Starting to panic, Joe and Barbara try to resistant and the brush has been cleared. get their horses into the trailer, but they’re Their gravity-fed water supply has a fire All these dilemnas -- Joe and Barbara’s, and spooked and won’t cooperate. department connector and hose. They the Chief’s -- could be solved by one thing: know the risks and are ready to meet them. Local preparation — by you and me. The fire is getting closer. The smell of smoke is thick in the air, and an occasional But some who stay behind aren’t prepared. This scenario was contributed by Julie Rogers, ash falls on the ground. The sun starts to They think they can evacuate at the last Executive Director of the Mendocino County glow orange. The scene is surreal. minute. But they don’t realize how fast a Fire Safe Council, [email protected]. It will happen here By Robert Bruce The Oakland fire was not stopped by the It took us three years to rebuild, with firefighters from 36 jurisdictions, or by CDF, predatory contractors and insurance October 20, 1991 was a hot, dry windy or by local volunteers. It stopped because adjusters crawling over the hills, and a morning I will never forget. In many the wind reversed and the fog rolled in city permit process that was clogged ways it was the defining event of my that night. with the needs of 3,000 families. life. The East Bay hills have experienced I still get shivers every time I return and It was an Indian summer Sunday in destructive fire every generation since drive up Highway 24 and look at the the Oakland/Berkeley hills. People people began building their homes in hills, now mostly rebuilt. We moved went to the beach or Lake Tahoe or the the Wildland Urban Interface. Most of the away in 2001 for fear of earthquakes 49er game. Those who stayed home Mendocino County homes outside the city and came to Mendocino County. And experienced the fire the way my family limits of Ukiah and Willits are built in this where did we buy a home? did — as an unexpected battle for our zone. You guessed it. In the hills west above lives, a battle we survived but 25 others After I arrived at the lake, Bonnie jumped the Ukiah valley. In an area that burned did not. back into her car and raced home. With to the ground in 1959. My wife and I and our little dog had my background as a journalist I felt more The lesson here is clear. Anyone living taken a walk that morning. The wind excitement than personal danger, and I away from the cool coastal fog is in was blowing from the east, a Diablo raced around taking photos, as the wind danger of eventually being burned out wind that only occurs during the fall. whipped up whitecaps on the lake’s by fire. We are in a drought year this The temperature was near 90º, the surface. A CDF helicopter dipped water summer, and don’t think droughts last humidity was 6%, we were in the sixth from the lake. only for a year. Next year could be just year of a drought. It was just one week after CDF’s contract as dry, and the next year, and the next We ate breakfast on our deck, sipping with their pilots and planes had ended for year. coffee and reading the Sunday paper. the season, but one pilot who happened Certainly, homes in the hills are most We had been remodeling our kitchen, to be around flew down from Santa Rosa at risk, but inland towns aren’t safe, and were taking a break from the to drop retardant on the fire. But then he either. A massive fire in the hills will clutter. had to make the round trip back to reload, sweep down and take homes like mine, so the effect was minimal. and will rain hot embers on homes and Bonnie saw a black smoke cloud schools and businesses in the flat areas coming up behind us on the ridge My wife had more sense than I, an of towns.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Fire Codes Used in the Kern River Valley
    i The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan Created by HangFire Environmental for the Kern River Fire Safe Council and the citizens they strive to protect. October 2002 The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan was funded by a grant to the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council by the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, National Fire Plan-Economic Action Program. In accordance with Federal law and United States Department of Agriculture policy, Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council in cooperation with the Kern River Valley Revitalization Incorporated is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write the United States Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue,. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202)720-5964 (voice or TDD). The United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii Table of Contents Kern River Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan................................................................i The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan........................................................................ii Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................iii Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1
    [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]
  • 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 ..........................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit 2020 Strategic Fire Plan
    Figure: 1 Capell Incident Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit 2020 Strategic Fire Plan Unit Strategic Fire Plan Amendments Description of Updated Date Section Updated Page Numbers Updated Update By 5/26/2020 ALL ALL Annual Update S.Cardwell 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS SIGNATURE PAGE ........................................................................................................ 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................................ 5 SECTION I: UNIT OVERVIEW ....................................................................................... 6 SECTION II: UNIT PREPAREDNESS AND FIREFIGHTING CAPABILITIES ............... 9 SECTION III: VALUES .................................................................................................. 12 History of Large Fires ................................................................................................. 12 Values at Risk ............................................................................................................ 12 Section IV: PRE-FIRE MANAGEMENT STRATAGIES & TACTICS ........................... 13 Communication and Collaboration ............................................................................. 13 Pre-Fire Planning ....................................................................................................... 14 Section V: MONITORING PROGRAMS EFFECTIVNESS .......................................... 16 Emergency Command Center ...................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ojai Community Builds Wildfire Resilience
    Best Practices Federal Emergency Management Agency / Region IX February 2019 Disaster Mitigation Working in California Ojai Community Builds Wildfire Resilience Ventura County, CA Since its founding in 1874 the beautiful town of Ojai, ringed by rugged mountains and steep chaparral-covered can- yons, has been threatened with de- struction at least nine times. The Wheeler and Day Fires in 1985 and 2006 burned over 280,000 acres and destroyed homes and other struc- tures near the town. The Ojai com- munity placed a bronze plaque to express gratitude for the heroism of firefighters who successfully battled the Wheeler Fire during extremely dangerous conditions. years; developed high-quality years of Ojai Valley preparation Those experiences brought an online resources; and built strong and planning. Extremely hot, dry awareness of vulnerability, along effective partnerships with the and windy conditions caused that with a determination to become a USDA Forest Service, Ventura fire to grow and move with incredi- wildfire resilient community. Ojai County Fire Protection District, ble speed. Readiness and detailed Valley residents realized that aware- City of Ojai, County of Ventura, evacuations plans were critically ness and vigilance alone would not Ventura County Sheriff Depart- important, since the two-lane coun- suffice. To develop a plan of action ment, Ventura County Resource ty egress roads can be overwhelmed a group of fire professionals, educa- Conservation District and others. by traffic. Fortunately, the wind tors, insurance experts, homeowner direction during the Thomas Fire associations and others formed the The board of directors and adviso- spared the City of Ojai the fate of Ojai Valley Fire Safe Council ry council have been able to effec- Paradise, California, but this lesson (OVFSC), a nonprofit organization tively engage and coordinate with has not been lost on the Ojai Valley dedicated to promoting wildfire other agencies, organizations, vol- community.
    [Show full text]
  • 2007 Fire Activity Report
    U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE Regional Map Akaska REGION 7 Pacific REGION 1 Mountain - Prairie Northeast REGION 6 REGION 5 Great Lakes-Big Rivers California and Nevada REGION 3 REGION 8 Southeast Southwest REGION 4 REGION 2 i TABLE OF CONTENTS 2007 Fire Statistics Regional Map .............................................................................................................. i Regional Activity Summaries Pacific .............................................................................................................. 1 Southwest ........................................................................................................ 5 Great Lakes-Big River .................................................................................... 8 Southeast ......................................................................................................... 12 Northeast ......................................................................................................... 18 Mountain-Prairie ............................................................................................. 24 Alaska .............................................................................................................. 28 California and Nevada...................................................................................... 41 Wildfires Fire Activity Map ............................................................................................. 50 Number / Acres ..............................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
    Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan FIRE SAFE SONOMA Disclaimer Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of any governmental agency, organization, corporation or individual with which the authors may be affiliated. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. The Sonoma County Community Wildfire Prevention Plan (the Plan) is a work in progress. Various changes are anticipated throughout the Plan over the next several years. Readers are urged to consult with their own agencies having jurisdiction regarding the use or implementation of this Plan, as well as their own legal counsel on matters of concern. While the publisher and authors have used their best efforts in preparing this Plan, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by receiving this publication. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your specific situation. The publisher, sponsors and authors shall not be liable for any loss of profit or any other damages, including but not limited to, special incidental and/or consequential damages. This Plan is not to be construed as indicative of project “activity” as defined under the “Community Guide to the California Environmental Quality Act, Chapter Three; Projects Subject to CEQA.” Because the Sonoma County CWPP does not legally commit any public agency to a specific course of action or conduct and thus, is not a project subject to CEQA or NEPA.
    [Show full text]
  • 2016 ODF Protection Fire Season Report
    PROTECTION FROM FIRE FIRE SEASON REPORT 2016 Protecting Oregon’s forestlands from fire through a complete and coordinated system. TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Protection Division at a glance _________________________________________________ 3 Fire Season Overview_________________________________________________________ 4 Fire Season at a glance _______________________________________________________ 5 Wildfire causes and prevention ________________________________________________ 10 Fire Operations ____________________________________________________________ 13 Equipment Pool ____________________________________________________________ 17 Smoke Management ________________________________________________________ 19 Fire investigation ___________________________________________________________ 22 Agency Contact Information __________________________________________________ 23 FIRE SEASON 2016 REPORT MISSION AND STRATEGY The mission of the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Fire Protection Division is to protect more than 16 million acres of private and public forestland in Oregon from wildfire. This is accomplished through a complete and coordinated system that brings together the personnel and other resources of the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) with: other state agencies city fire departments • rural fire protection districts • rangeland protection associations • federal wildfire agencies • contractors • forest landowners • •As the largest fire department in Oregon, the Division’s over-arching goal is to minimize cost and loss through
    [Show full text]
  • Yolo Emergency Management Annual Report 2015-2016
    Yolo Emergency Management Annual Report 2015-2016 Message from the Emergency Services Director The Yolo County Office of Emergency Services is the lead agency responsible for countywide emergency management services in Yolo County. The office assists with all hazards disaster preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts throughout the Yolo Operational Area under a Shared Services Agreement with the cities of Davis, West Sacramento, Winters and Woodland, the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation, and Yolo County Housing. I am pleased to present to you our 2015-2016 Annual Report. As you will see upon review, we have continued to strengthen our program and progress with our partners in developing a well-structured and synchronized emergency management program throughout Yolo County. We look forward to another year of ensuring that all of our communities are prepared for all hazards. Jill Cook Deputy County Administrator Mission/Vision Yolo County and its partner organizations work collectively through an organized planning, preparedness, training, mitigation and evaluation effort to ensure that all of our community is reasonably protected and prepared for all hazards. Mitigation Mitigation measures may be implemented prior to, during, or after an incident to help reduce or eliminate long-term risk to persons or property, or lessen the actual or potential effects or consequences of an incident. In 2016, Yolo County began consultations with CalOES regarding the 2018 Yolo Operational Area Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan update. A tentative schedule has been established to begin the update process with a kickoff meeting in the spring of 2017: Preparedness Since it is not possible to prevent or mitigate every hazard that poses a risk, we use preparedness measures to reduce the impact of hazards by taking certain actions before an emergency occurs.
    [Show full text]
  • Dixie Fire Incident Update
    DIXIE FIRE INCIDENT UPDATE Date: 08/07/2021 Time: 7:00 a.m. @CALFIRE_ButteCo @CALFIREButteCo West Zone Information Line: (530) 538-7826 @USFSPlumas @USFSPlumas @LassenNF @LassenNF East Zone Information Line: (530) 289-6735 @LassenNPS @LassenNPS Media Line: (530) 588-0845 Incident Website: www.fire.ca.gov INCIDENT FACTS Incident Start Date: 7/13/2021 Incident Start Time: 5:15 p.m. Incident Type: Vegetation Cause: Under Investigation Incident Location: Feather River Canyon near Cresta Powerhouse CAL FIRE Unit: Butte Unified Command Agencies: CAL FIRE, United States Forest Service Size: 446,723 acres Containment: 21% Expected Full Containment: 8/20/2021 Civilian Injuries/Fatalities: 0 Firefighter Injuries/Fatalities: 0 Structures Destroyed: 184 Structures Damaged: 11 Structures Threatened: 13,871 Other Minor Structures: 84 Other Minor Structures: 9 CURRENT SITUATION Incident Update Dixie Fire West Zone –Fire activity overnight was minimal due to smoke inversion and better overnight relative humidity recovery; however, fuel moisture remains historically low and has caused difficulty in suppressing the fire spread. Fire crews continue to provide structure defense throughout communities, constructing and reinforcing control lines, establishing new lines and improving old control lines. Damage assessment is ongoing. Dixie Fire East Zone –The weather inversion continued overnight bringing cooler temperatures, better relative humidity recovery and calmer winds that significantly reduced fire behavior. Firefighters took advantage of the opportunity to safely engage directly along the fire perimeter. The fire slowed its advance northeast, as it is now burning in more sparse fuels within the 2007 Moonlight Fire scar. Crews finished priority strategic firing operations overnight to keep the fire west of Crescent Mills.
    [Show full text]
  • Health, Wildfires & Climate Change in California
    Health, Wildfires & Climate Change in California Recommendations for Action October 2019 Published at UC Berkeley by: The CITRIS Policy Lab, CITRIS and the Banatao Institute California Institute for Energy and Environment HEALTH, WILDFIRES, & CLIMATE CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA Recommendations for Action October 2019 Published at UC Berkeley by: The CITRIS Policy Lab, CITRIS and the Banatao Institute California Institute for Energy and Environment Author Contact Bruce Riordan Climate Readiness Institute, UC Berkeley 510.306.0130 Executive Summary Overview This white paper makes recommendations for action to reduce the serious health impacts of wild- fires in California’s increasingly hot climate. The recommendations include new or expanded pro- grams, funding streams, regulations, and research. The recommendations were developed by ac- ademics and practitioners at a UC Berkeley workshop in Spring 2019, a statewide webinar in July 2019, and through interviews with selected health/wildfire stakeholders. Wildfires in California The wildfire problem in California is growing in a hotter climate. Fifteen of the twenty largest fires in California history have occurred since 2000. The largest, most destructive and deadliest fires in California history have all occurred in the last 2 years. Fire season is getting longer and fire be- havior is changing. New research projects that California’s rainy season will become increasingly concentrated in the winter months between December and February while April, May, September, October, and November will become increasingly dry, meaning that the state’s wildfire season will start earlier and end later. Wildfires and Human Health Climate change is a global health emergency. The impacts of a rapidly changing climate are now seen as potentially catastrophic for human survival.
    [Show full text]
  • Del Norte Fire Safe Plan Was Stimulated by a National Effort to Enhance Fire Safety for All Communities Threatened by Wildfire
    DDDeeelll NNNooorrrttteee FFFiiirrreee SSSaaafffeee PPPlllaaannn Community Wildfire Protection Plan September, 2005 This plan is a project of the: Del Norte Fire Safe Council POB 1564, Crescent City, CA 95531 707-951-5437, [email protected] www.delnortefiresafe.org Produced by: Tracy Katelman, Registered Professional Forester, ForEverGreen Forestry POB 1276, Eureka, CA 95502, 707-443-2400, FAX: 707-443-5597, [email protected] ©2005, ForEverGreen Forestry and Del Norte Fire Safe Council DDDEEELLL NNNOOORRRTTTEEE FFFIIIRRREEE SSSAAAFFFEEE PPPLLLAAANNN EEEXXXEEECCCUUUTTTIIIVVVEEE SSSUUUMMMMMMAAARRRYYY The creation of the Del Norte Fire Safe Plan was stimulated by a national effort to enhance fire safety for all communities threatened by wildfire. The Del Norte Fire Safe Council volunteered for the task of coordinating the local effort to develop a fire safe plan. The Council received a grant from the US Forest Service Economic Action Program in 2003. The specific purpose of the grant was to fund the creation of a plan to identify and prioritize projects to reduce wildfire risk through the implementation of fuel hazard reduction, community education, and pre-fire suppression in Del Norte County. ForEverGreen Forestry was contracted to develop the plan through the collection of appropriate and necessary information regarding fire safety in Del Norte County (e.g. research, stakeholder input, etc.) using a collaborative process, and to document these efforts in a comprehensive fire safe plan. The Plan, in short, identifies risks and mitigations to reduce risks from wildfire in Del Norte County. It also provides residents with a step-by-step guide on how to fire-safe their homes, structures, and community, and how to best deal with an impending wildfire.
    [Show full text]