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4.17 Wildfire 4.17 – Wildfire 4.17 Wildfire This section describes the existing setting of the proposed Sand Canyon Resort Project (project) site, identifies associated regulatory requirements, evaluates potential impacts, and identifies mitigation measures related to implementation of the proposed project. Potential wildfire impacts resulting from construction and operation of the proposed project were evaluated based on a review of existing resources and applicable laws, regulations, guidelines, and standards. Publicly available sources were reviewed in the development of this section, including, but not limited to, the City of Santa Clarita General Plan, the City of Santa Clarita Municipal and Fire Codes, County of Los Angeles Fuel Modification Standards, and the City of Santa Clarita Hazard Mitigation Plan. This section focuses on the effect of the proposed project on wildfire risk. Fire protection services for the proposed project are addressed in Section 4.13, Public Services. 4.17.1 Environmental Setting The City of Santa Clarita (City) and the project site are susceptible to wildland fires due to steep and varied terrain, vegetative fuel composition, and the region’s weather patterns. The shrub-dominated plant communities comprising a portion of the project site and occurring throughout the region are highly flammable. Adaptations to the local dry, Mediterranean climate include specialized roots, stems, and leaves. The latter two become available fuels of importance and contribute to wildfire intensity and spread. For example, chaparral leaves are coated with ether extractives, such as oils, fats, terpenes, and waxes. The extractive content is highest during fall (the height of fire season in the project area) and lowest during the spring. Additionally, the amount of moisture in shrub- dominated communities is lowest in the fall. These qualities make Southern California chaparral some of the most volatile wildland fuels in the United States (USFS 2012). Grassland fuels ignite and burn more readily than the forest and shrub-dominated communities. Grassland fires are characterized as having lower fire intensity and a faster rate of spread than fires burning in shrub-dominated and forest fuel types. During the late summer and fall months, Santa Ana winds occur in the area, increasing the potential for high-intensity, fast-moving wildfires. Based on Fire Hazard Severity Zone (FHSZ) mapping data (CAL FIRE 2012), the proposed project site is located entirely within a Very High FHSZ (VHFHSZ). This designation is also consistent with the Fire Zone mapping data provided by the City (City of Santa Clarita 2019a). The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) uses FHSZs to classify anticipated fire-related hazards for the entire state and includes classifications for State Responsibility Areas (SRAs), Local Responsibility Areas, and Federal Responsibility Areas. Fire hazard severity classifications take into account the following elements: vegetation, topography, weather, crown fire production, and ember production and movement. The VHFHSZ designation can be attributed to a variety of factors, including highly flammable, dense, drought-adapted chaparral vegetation; seasonal, strong winds; and a Mediterranean climate1 that results in vegetation drying during the fall months. Figure 4.17-1, Fire Hazard Severity Zones, identifies the CAL FIRE FHSZ designations for the project site and surrounding region. Vegetation/Fuels On-site vegetation is largely influenced by the former golf course that occupied the site. Mixed native and non-native grassland occupies the former golf course fairways, with scattered individual coast live oak trees along the fairway edges, primarily in the western portion of the site. Chamise chaparral, California buckwheat scrub, and Acton brittlebush scrub 1 Weather patterns are typical of Southern California with a Mediterranean climate consisting of mild wet winters and warm to hot, dry summers. Sand Canyon Resort Project Draft EIR 11285 November 2020 4.17-1 4.17 – Wildfire communities occur on steeper slopes located between the former golf course fairways. Fremont cottonwood trees occur in a few locations, primarily in the eastern portion of the site (Compliance Biology Inc. 2017). Selective fuel modification and other disturbance has also influenced the current composition and distribution of vegetation across the project site (Compliance Biology Inc. 2017). Regionally, the Santa Clarita Valley includes highly flammable grass, chaparral, and scrub plant communities, similar to those present on the project site (City of Santa Clarita 2010). Chaparral is considered a moderately fine fuel that is loosely compacted and has a moderate fuel load. Chaparral has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, requiring less heat to remove fuel moisture and raise fuel to ignition temperature. Chaparral is subject to early seasonal drying in the late spring and early summer, but does not fully cure in the way that grasses do. The live fuel moisture content reaches its low point in the late summer and early fall months. Dead fuels consist mainly of 1-hour and 10-hour fuel sizes, or twigs and small stems ranging from 0.25 inches to 1 inch in diameter. Chaparral has the potential for a high rate of spread, rapid ignition, and extreme fire behavior given its high content of volatile organic compounds. Sage scrub is considered a moderately fine fuel that is loosely compacted with a moderate fuel load. Coastal scrub has a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, requiring less heat to remove fuel moisture and raise fuel to ignition temperature. It is subject to early seasonal drying in the late spring and early summer, but does not fully cure in the way that grasses do. Compared to chaparral, coastal scrub tends to have a lower content of volatile organic compounds. The live fuel moisture content reaches its low point in the late summer and early fall months. Dead fuels consist mainly of 1-hour and 10-hour fuel sizes, or twigs and small stems ranging from 0.25 inches to 1 inch in diameter. Coastal scrub has potential for a high rate of spread, rapid ignition, and extreme fire behavior. Grasses are fine fuels that are loosely compacted with a low fuel load.2 Grasses have a high surface-area-to-volume ratio, requiring less heat to remove fuel moisture and raise fuel to ignition temperature. They are also subject to early seasonal drying in late spring and early summer. Live fuel moisture content in grasses typically reaches its low point in early summer, and grasses begin to cure soon after. Due to these characteristics, grasses have potential for a high rate of spread, rapid ignition, and facilitation of extreme fire behavior. Grasses are the vegetation type with the highest risk for wildfire ignition. Their low overall fuel loads typically result in faster moving fires with lower flame lengths and heat output. Untreated grasses can help spread fire into other adjacent surface fuel types (e.g., shrubs) or facilitate surface to crown fire transition where they exist beneath tree canopies. Weather As with most of Southern California, the regional climate in the vicinity of the project site is influenced by the Pacific Ocean and is frequently under the influence of a seasonal, migratory, subtropical high-pressure cell known as the Pacific High (WRCC 2019). Wet winters and dry summers with mild seasonal changes generally characterize the Southern California climate. This climate pattern is occasionally interrupted by extreme periods of hot weather, winter storms, or dry, easterly Santa Ana winds (WRCC 2019). Additionally, local vegetation and seasonal drying produce climatic conditions that result in fuel-driven wildfires and fire-associated climatic changes. This type of condition is referred to as a plume-dominated wildfire. Plume-dominated wildfires are fires where the energy produced by the fire in conjunction with atmospheric instability creates significant convective forces and increased winds. Such fires are extremely unpredictable, spread in various directions simultaneously, and exhibit extreme fire behavior. These fires are extremely dangerous and are often large in size. The regional prevailing wind pattern is from the west, but the presence of the Pacific Ocean causes a diurnal wind pattern known as the land/sea breeze system. During the day, winds are typically from the west-southwest (sea), and at night, 2 The amount of available and potentially combustible material, usually expressed as tons/acre (SKCNP 2017). Sand Canyon Resort Project Draft EIR 11285 November 2020 4.17-2 4.17 – Wildfire winds are from the northeast (land). During the summer season, the diurnal winds can be slightly stronger than the winds during the winter season due to greater pressure gradient forces. Surface winds can also be influenced locally by topography and slope variations. On the project site, the varied topography may affect wind velocity and patterns. The highest wind velocities are typically associated with downslope, canyon, and Santa Ana winds. The fire season in Southern California typically starts in June, as vegetation begins to dry out after winter and spring rains, and typically ends in October, although fire weather may be present year-round (Schroeder and Buck 1970). The highest fire danger for this area coincides with the Santa Ana winds. Santa Ana wind conditions are a reversal of the prevailing southwesterly winds that usually occur on a region-wide basis during late summer and early fall. They are dry, warm winds that flow from the higher desert elevations in the north through the mountain passes and canyons. As they converge through the canyons, their velocities increase. Consequently, peak velocities are highest at the mouths of canyons and dissipate as they spread across valley floors. Santa Ana winds can reach sustained speeds of 40 mph with gusts ranging from 70 to 115 mph possible (Schroeder et al. 1964). Santa Ana winds can lead to serious fire suppression problems. Topography Site topography is dominated by a northwest-trending ridge dividing Sand Canyon and Oak Springs Canyon, which terminates north of the project site at the Santa Clara River (Figure 4.9-1, Regional Topography and Hydrology).
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