Bull Wildfire Fuel Treatment Effectiveness Assessment

Fuel Treatment Effectiveness Assessment

October 1, 2010 Bull Wildfire Fuel Treatment Effectiveness Assessment

Summary

The Bull Fire was an unwanted human caused fire first detected at about 1330 hours on July 26, 2010. The fire started in a remote area at the bottom of Bull Run Creek Canyon about 1 mile west of the North Fork Kern River. The communities of Riverkern and Kernville were soon threatened by high intensity fire spreading down the Bull Run Creek drainage and then across the Kern River Canyon.

The Bull Fire was another wildfire in a long series of damaging fires that have impacted Kern River Valley area residents over several decades and could have caused more damage. Fortunately, a proactive approach to wildfire threats is being achieved. Between 2004 and 2010, the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council (KRVFSC) has received and used over $1.0 M in grants to complete hazardous fuels reduction on private property in ten projects. One of these projects was under way but near completion at the time of the Bull Fire was the Burma Road Extension Interagency Fuel Break.

The Council oversees a collaboration group made up of participants from the Council, Kern County Fire Department, USDA Forest Service, and USDI Bureau of Land Management. Participants cooperate in the planning, implementation and maintenance of 33 projects under the various agencies or the Council. All of these projects are defensible space shaded fuel breaks near homes or are fuel breaks along escape routes. Shrubs and tall herbaceous plants are cut and removed, and trees are limbed up to about 6 feet. Cuttings are disposed by chipping or pile burning during winter months.

The Bull Fire burned into or through shaded fuel breaks adjacent to homes on the north end of Kernville and burned entirely around the Riverkern community. The fuel breaks significantly modified fire intensity which allowed for effective control by firefighters. The fuel break on the east side of Riverkern was not staffed by firefighters and protected homes "on its own".

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Location Information California Kern County Sequoia National Forest Wildfire Information Fire Number: CA-SQF-2701 Fire Name: Bull Date of Fire Start: July 26, 2010 Final Fire Size: 16,442 acres Date When Fire Entered Treatments: July 26, 2010 Treated Area Burned: 40 acres Date Fire Contained: August 9, 2010

Fuel Treatment Information and Background

Between 2004 and 2010, the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council (KRVFSC) has received and used over $1.0 M in grants to complete hazardous fuels reduction on private property in ten projects. These projects included over 420 acres spread throughout the council's zone of influence that includes the Kern River Valley, Walker Basin, Kelso Valley and Kennedy Meadows. Additionally, in 2010 the Council received some $400,000 in grants for three additional hazardous fuels reduction projects on some 280 acres. One of these 2010 projects under way but near completion at the time of the Bull Fire was the Burma Road Extension Interagency Fuel Break. All of these projects are defensible space shaded fuel breaks near homes or are fuel breaks along escape routes. Shrubs and tall herbaceous plants are cut and removed, and trees are limbed up to about 6 feet. Cuttings are disposed by chipping or pile burning during winter months.

The Council oversees a collaboration group made up of participants from the Council, Kern County Fire Department (KRN), USDA Forest Service – Sequoia National Forest (FS), and USDI Bureau of Land Management, Bakersfield Field Office. Participants cooperate in the planning, implementation and maintenance of 33 projects under the various agencies or the Council. There are 7 projects in the Riverkern / Kernville area, Map 2. The federal land management agencies then use allocated hazardous fuels management funds for project planning and implementation. See Appendix A and the council's website for more information - http://www.krvfiresafecouncil.org/

Riverkern Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

The Riverkern project comprises 25 acres of shaded fuel break about 100 to 400 feet wide on National Forest System Lands (NFSL) adjacent to private homes along the north and east sides of Riverkern, Map 2, Figures 1, 4, 5. The project's environmental compliance (NEPA) was completed in 1998 and most project implementation was completed in 1999. Forest Service fire crews removed brush and limbed up trees about 6 feet above ground, piled the cuttings and burned the piles during winter months. The shaded fuel break was maintained every year or every other year and was last maintained during winter 2009, Figures 2 and 3.

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Kernville Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project

The Kernville project is comprised of brush reduction and shaded fuel breaks in two separate segments, Map 2, Figures 11 to 15 (the existing Riverkern project was added to the Kernville project for maintenance purposes). During 2005 the Forest Service completed environmental compliance (NEPA) for the project. The Project was described in proposals for treating hazardous fuels on National Forest System Land (NSFL) by constructing shaded fuel breaks, up to 400 feet wide on three segments, near Burma and Rio Del Loma Roads, and near Bowman / Luxton Avenues just north of the Kern Valley Airport. Forest Service staff understood the potential for strong down drainage winds in the north fork of the Kern River due to a thermal low that sets up over the desert to the east. This thermal low draws cooler, denser air from the mountainous area surrounding the Kern Canyon towards the desert mostly during afternoons. These down drainage winds could threaten homes in the Kernville area from a fire starting in the Bull Run creek drainage or north of Kernville in the Kern Canyon. Project planners modeled potential fire behavior and included the following information to the public during project scoping:

"During 90th percentile fuel moisture and fire weather conditions in the Kernville area the following average fire behavior could occur in the proposed treatment areas: Rio Del Loma / Bowman / Luxton Segments • Average Fire Rate of Spread – 1.2 miles per hour • Average Flame Length – 25 feet Burma Segment • Average Fire Rate of Spread – 1.3 to 1.4 miles per hour • Average Flame Length – 25 to 27 feet"

The proposed project consisted of three separate segments:

• Burma Segment (about 33 acres) is located at the west end of Burma Road and is adjacent to about 8 private homes. The treatment area extends from private property boundaries onto Forest lands about 200 to 400 feet in width.

• Bowman / Luxton Segment (about 24 acres) is located on the west side of Bowman Road and is adjacent to about 25 private homes. The treatment area extends from private property boundaries onto Forest lands about 100 feet, Figures 10 to 14.

• Rio Del Loma Segment (about 26 acres) The project proposal included treatment on NFSL up to 400 feet wide along the west side of Rio Del Loma Road in line with potential fires driven down the Bull Run Creek drainage by down drainage winds.

The following are quotes from the project decision memo:

"The Rio Del Loma Segment (about 26 acres) was originally proposed to be included in this project. I have decided to remove the segment from this decision due to homeowner opposition to the project. The proposed segment is located at the north end of Burlando Road on the north side of Kernville and is adjacent to about 7 private homes."

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The decision memo also stated:

"The purpose of the proposed treatment is to increase defensible space on Forest land in order to reasonably protect houses located on private property close to the Forest land. Doing so will significantly reduce the risk of wildfires burning from Forest land on to private property and damaging or destroying houses and associated structures, improve public and firefighter safety, and improve protection of adjacent wildlife habitat."

"There is a need to reduce the continuity and density of the fuels on Forest land adjacent to privately owned homes in Kernville. The need for a network of shaded fuel-breaks as well as the continued practice of defensible space was identified in the Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan that was issued by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council in 2002, and by Forest Service analysis of fire hazard conditions in the area. The Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council also has endorsed the proposed project. Long-term maintenance of the fuel breaks would consist of the same activities that are used to create the fuel breaks. Therefore, expected effects over time are less than those analyzed for this project." (The effects over time diminish between treatments).

Forest Service fire crews removed brush and limbed up trees about 6 feet above ground, chipped or piled the cuttings and burned the piles during winter months. The Burma segment was completed during winter 2009. A success story was prepared about the project and used for public information purposes, Appendix C.

Burma Road Extension Interagency Fuel Break

The Burma Extension is a 35 acre shaded fuel break project on private property divided into 3 units (north, central, south) and was first proposed for a community protection grant in 2009, a grant was received by the KRVFSC for work in 2010. The project ties into the FS Burma project, above, on 2 sides in order to extend protection to private homes further north and south, Map 2, Figures 11 to 15. The extension provides protection to some, but not all homes that would have been protected by the Forest Service Rio Del Loma project if it had been implemented. The KRVFSC contracts with Kern County Fire Department for use of their fire crews in implementing grant funded projects. Defensible space work had been done in the project area on private property for many years with fire crews employed by the Kern County Fire Department. The crews have been improving defensible space in dozens of locations throughout the Kern Valley area for many years. Work on Burma Extension was near completion when the Bull fire occurred.

The Kern County Fire Department takes a proactive approach to the protection of homes in mountainous communities. The Department is active with supporting 3 local community based fire safe councils and an umbrella fire safe council at the Kern County level.

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Fuel Treatment Type and Acres

Project Unit Treatment Type Year Completed Project Size

1999 Shaded Fuel Break for Home Riverkern (FS) Last Maintained in 25 acres Defensible Space Purposes 2009 Kernville: Interagency Shaded Fuel Burma 2009 Burma (FS) and 33 acres USFS Break for Home Defensible Burma Extension Burma Extension 35 acres KRN Space Purposes 2010 (KRN)

Narrative of Fire Interaction with Fuel Treatment

The Bull fire was first reported at about 1330 hours on July 26, 2010. It was human caused and started about 1 mile up Bull Run Creek from the north fork Kern River at about 3,000 feet elevation. The Bull Run Creek drainage is a steep sided canyon that rises up 4,000 to 5,000 feet in elevation to the west along the Greenhorn Mountains crest. The area surrounding the creek is made up of flashy fuels including sierran foothill shrubs, live oaks and gray pine. The creek has riparian vegetation with cottonwoods and willows dominating. The steep slopes above the creek are covered with mixed chaparral. The fire was initial attacked by local ground and air resources but was too intense to be stopped from spreading down the creek drainage. Strong down drainage winds drove the fire east down the drainage and, combined with Kern Canyon winds from the south, spread northeast towards the Kern River and Riverkern.

The main fire traveled about 3/4 of a mile and a flanking fire, less intense compared to the head fire burning towards Riverkern, first approached the northern portion of the Burma Extension fuel break at around 1600 hours. Firefighters constructed a dozer line on top of a ridge on the west side of Burma Extension, Figure 21, and constructed hand lines and dozer lines near homes preparing for line burnout and holding. A combination of helicopter water drops and firefighters working on the fire's edge stopped fire spread inside the Burma Extension before it reached homes, Figures 16, 17, 18, 22. There were about 50 brush piles inside the fuel break area that were scheduled for prescribed burning during the next winter. When the piles burned in the Bull fire they increased fire intensity. However, this greater intensity did not contribute to significant fire control problems or cause damage to structures.

The Burma Segment and Burma Extension projects, together, reduced fire intensity adjacent to homes in the Burma Road and Burlando Road areas that allowed firefighters to take effective suppression action at a safe distance away from the homes.

At the same time the main fire reached the Rio Del Loma Road area. Firefighters with fire engine and helicopter water drop support worked along the road and stopped the fire from spreading onto properties on the east side of the road, Figure 20. The fire burned more intensily along Rio Del Loma Road and firefighters were able to work along the road because of the defensible space clearances on the large lot properties, Figure 24. Also the homes are generally set-back from the road about 100 to 400 feet closer to the Kern River.

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If the Kernville Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project had included the Rio Del Loma segment fewer firefighting resources would have been needed to control the fire and more firefighters could have worked at controlling the fire at Riverkern. Also, the amount of large tree mortality on NFSL would have been reduced.

The main fire traveled about 1 mile from the point of origin and at about 1545 hours approached the Kern River near Riverkern, then spotted across the river in several places. The fire burned through portions of dense riparian vegetation on private property along the west side of Riverkern and up against Mountain Road 99, the main county road through Riverkern, Figures 4 and 6, destroying one building and causing damage to several properties between the river and the road. Spotting across the road caused damage to several properties including the loss of 8 homes and 5 adjacent structures. The FS fuel break on the north side of Riverkern adjacent to homes was the most open area, comprised of shrubs and trees in the fuel break on NFSL except for the riparian vegetation in Cannell Creek. Cannell Creek drainage to the north of the homes may have acted as a "chimney" accelerating fire intensity and fire brand production towards the homes, Figures 6, 7, 8. The structures were also close together and burning from one structure to another may have been a significant factor contributing to structure ignition.

On the east side of Riverkern, the fuel break was not staffed by firefighters adjacent to backyards of homes along Cowbelle Boulevard, Figures 9 and 10. The fuel break significantly reduced fire intensity adjacent to homes. The main fire burned through this area while firefighters were working on more urgent fire control problems nearby, so, the fuel break mitigated the fire's potential impacts to the homes "on its own".

Conditions When Fire Entered Treatment Date and Source of Observations: July 26, 2010, 1300 Hours PDT – Riverkern RAWS Energy Release Component: 96 – 58th percentile Windspeed and Direction (20 ft.): Burning Index: 223 – 64th percentile West to South 12 mph, gusts to 21 mph Temperature: 95oF RH: 18% Fuel Moistures 1 hr: 3% 10 hr: 3% 100 hr: 5% 1000 hr: 6% Live Fuel Moisture: 60% Measured or Estimated? Estimated by NFDRS

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Maps

Approximate Fire Start Location

Map 1. Showing Bull fire progression July 26 through July 28, 2010.

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Map 2. Riverkern / Kernville fuel treatment projects coordinated by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council. This is a general map displaying approximate project boundaries. Bull Fire – Kern and Tulare Counties – California 8

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Photographs of the Riverkern Project Approximate Fuel Break Area

Figure 1. Aerial view of the Riverkern community prior to the Bull fire showing general location of the fuelbreak adjacent to private homes along the north and east sides on National Forest System Lands.

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Figures 2 and 3. Riverkern fuel break maintenance during February 2009. Note that brush had been reduced and trees limbed up. Photographs provided by Cindy Thill, U.S. Forest Service.

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Approximate Fuel Break Area Mountain Road 99

General Direction of Fire Spread

Figure 4. View looking east showing Riverkern after the Bull fire burned through the community. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

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Figure 5. View looking west showing Riverkern after the Bull fire. Note green retention in the fuel break area. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

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Mountain Road 99 General Direction of Fire Spread

Figure 6. View looking southwest showing several destroyed homes on the north side of Riverkern. The fuel break on the north side of Riverkern adjacent to homes was the most open area comprised of shrubs and trees in the Riverkern area (on NFSL). The Cannell Creek drainage in the lower portion of this picture may have acted as a "chimney" accelerating fire intensity and fire brand production towards the homes. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

Cannell Creek

Figure 7. View looking northwest showing Figure 8. View looking southeast showing open destroyed homes south of Cannell Creek. The area north of destroyed homes (right) along area the photograph was taken in did not burn. Cannell Creek.

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Figures 9 and 10. The eastern portion of the Riverkern fuel break after the Bull fire burned the area. There was no significant damage to property along the east side of Riverkern. Note a high amount of green retention and there was little torching in the treatment area. Photographs taken on August 5, 2010.

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Photographs of the Kernville Projects

Approximate Burma Extension Area (KRN) Riverkern RAWS

Figure 11. Aerial view showing general locations of the Burma (FS) and Burma Extension (KRN) projects before the Bull fire – polygons are approximate.

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Figure 12. Burma Road area, Bull Run Creek drainage, and Rio Del Loma Road, showing area before fuel breaks were constructed. View looking west. Photograph taken in April, 2005.

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Burma Unit (FS) Pretreatment Vegetation on National Forest System Lands

Figure 13. Photograph taken in April, 2005, showing pretreatment vegetation in the Burma Road area.

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Burma Unit (FS) - Pretreatment Vegetation on Burma Extension Unit (KRN) - Pretreatment National Forest System Lands Vegetation on Private Land Approximate Forest Boundary

Figure 14. Photograph taken in April, 2005, showing pretreatment vegetation to the north of the Burma Road area.

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Rio Del Loma Segment – Not Implemented

Figure 15. Burma Segment (FS) and Burma Extension Units (KRN). Reduced brush can be seen on the hillside above, and two sides surrounding, the Burma Road development. Photograph taken during September, 2008. Polygons are approximate.

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General Direction of Fire Spread

Figure 16. View looking west with Bull Run Creek drainage upper right, showing where the Bull fire was held by firefighters before it impacted the Burma Road community area. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

Figures 17 and 18. Bull fire approaching Burma Road, left. A few hours later, right. Photographs provided by Martine McGuire.

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Figure 19. Looking north showing the Burma (FS) / Burma Extension (KRN) units and Riverkern. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

Figure 20. Looking northwest from the end of Burlando Road at start of Rio Del Loma Road showing the main fire burning towards Rio Del Loma Road. Photograph provided by Derrick Davis, Kern County Fire Department.

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Figure 21. View looking south showing the network of interagency fuel breaks along the western edge of Kernville. A few of the open areas are recent fire areas. Burma Extension (KRN) is shown in the foreground. Note dozer fire lines, generally, did not stop fire spread. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

Figure 22. View looking west taken from the end of Burlando Road showing the main fire burning into the Burma Extension north portion. Photograph provided by Derrick Davis, Kern County Fire Department.

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Figure 23. View from inside the Burma Segment (FS) looking north towards Burma Extension (KRN) after the Bull fire was stopped on the ridge, upper left. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

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Photographs of Rio Del Loma Road Area General Direction of Fire Spread

Figure 24. View looking southwest showing the Bull fire was held along Rio Del Loma Road by firefighters. Good defensible space on the properties east of the road contributed to no significant damage in this area. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010.

Figure 25. View looking northwest from Rio Del Loma Road. The untreated area on the west side of road burned with higher intensity compared to the treated area on the east side of Riverkern. Photograph taken on August 5, 2010. Bull Fire – Kern and Tulare Counties – California 24

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Fire Danger Conditions

During the fire season Kernville experiences some of the highest fire danger in the United States for shrub fuels due to high winds, desert influenced dryness and significant canyon elevation range or steepness. The fire danger on July 26, the day the Bull fire started and burned through the Kernville and Riverkern community areas, was at 58th percentile for Energy Release Component and 64th percentile for Burning Index (Appendix B, Figures 2 and 4). This is in contrast to other recent large fires in the Kern River drainage that all started under higher fire danger conditions. The 1990 Stormy (25,000 acres), 2000 Manter (76,000 acres), 2002 McNally (151,000 acres), and 2008 Piute (37,000 acres), all started when fire danger conditions were very high, 90th percentile, or extreme, 97th percentile.

This means that if the Bull fire had started under very high or extreme fire danger conditions the intensity of the fire and severity of its impacts to the communities and natural resources could have been more extensive.

Wind

The Kern River Valley is a very windy area. Low mountain passes to the east and south provide routes for funneling winds that blow from the San Joaquin Valley into the Mohave Desert. The north fork Kern Canyon is not as windy as Kern Valley proper but still experiences significant winds mostly during afternoons and early evening hours. Early day time winds are typically diurnal flows with up slope, up canyon winds developing after day break. As described above, strong down drainage winds can develop during most afternoons until after sunset due to the desert thermal low.

The Bull fire was pushed east down the Bull Run Creek drainage by down drainage winds during the afternoon of the 26th. South to southeast winds in the Kern Canyon pushed the fire north. A combination of the down drainage winds in Bull Run Creek and the up canyon winds in the Kern Canyon caused the fire to spot across the Kern River and into Riverkern. Winds recorded at the Riverkern RAWS were less strong than average July 26 days with an average afternoon wind speed of 12 mph from the south to southeast and gusts to 24 mph (Appendix B, Table 1).

Burn Severity

A Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team assigned to the Bull fire produced a Burned Area Remote Classification (BARC) analysis (Appendix B, Map 1 and Table 3). The analysis is based on fire impacts to soils and is not intended for interpreting burned vegetation severity. The information is useful for gauging how hot a fire burned. The BARC shows that the fire burned into the Burma Road Extension fuel break with low severity. The fire burned the north side of the Riverkern fuel break with mostly moderate severity and the east side with low severity. Severity along Rio Del Loma Road was mostly moderate.

Fire Behavior Modeling

A comparative analysis was performed using the BEHAVE system to illustrate fire behavior that could have occurred in the treatment units if the treatments had not been implemented. Bull Fire – Kern and Tulare Counties – California 25

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The above July 26th conditions when fire entered fuel treatments and fuel moistures were used for generating the fire behavior outputs in Appendix B, Table 3. If the units had not been treated, the model predicts flame lengths from 9 to 22 feet compared to 6.5 feet with treatment. A shorter flame length is important for firefighting purposes and is described in Appendix B, Table 4.

Conclusion

1. Fire danger conditions on July 26 were around the 60th percentile level. If the fire had burned during very high or extreme conditions the impacts to communities and natural resources could have been more extensive.

2. The Riverkern fuel break contributed to the protection of homes along the community's northeastern and eastern edge. A combination of untreated riparian vegetation in Cannell Creek, structure ignitability and closeness of structures to one another contributed to the loss of homes along the north side of Riverkern.

3. Interagency leadership and coordination provided by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council created a network of shaded fuel break projects along the western edge of Kernville that contributed to the protection of homes during the Bull Fire.

4. The shaded fuels breaks adjacent to homes gave firefighters safer defensible space to work in. Firefighting efforts are much more efficient performed in defensible space shaded fuels breaks compared to struggling in back yards.

5. Under the auspices of the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council, significant improvement to the protection of homes has occurred over 10 years throughout the Kern River drainage. Much more work needs to be done in order to provide a reasonable measure of security for residents in the area including:

• Expanding outreach to and education of home owners about their fire protection responsibilities and how to protect their properties. • Expanding assisting home owners with the disposal of hazardous fuels by sponsoring "Chipper Days". • Maintaining the network of 33 hazardous fuels reduction projects throughout the KRVFSC zone of influence. • Expanding the network of projects to include new areas that were ranked lower priority during earlier planning.

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Report Prepared By Scott Williams, Fire Management Specialist USDA Forest Service – Adaptive Management Services Enterprise Team [email protected] 760-382-6877

Ed Royce, Grants Committee Chairman Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council [email protected] 559-850-8500

Derrick Davis, Fuels Management Specialist Kern County Fire Department [email protected] 661-391-7170 office 661-330-0358 cell

Deborah Santiago, Fire Prevention and Education Specialist USDI Bureau of Land Management – Bakersfield Field Office [email protected] 661-391-6097

Acknowledgements

Wendy Rannals provided the GIS maps and she works for the Forest Service in Kernville.

Photographs were provided by Martine McGuire, Derrick Davis, Cindy Thill and Scott Williams. Except for those provided by Martine McGuire, all photographs are available for publication in other media.

Minor corrections made on November 15, 2010.

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Appendix A - Interagency Fuels Treatment Projects in the Kernville / Riverkern Area Sponsored by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council (below)

Appendix B – Tables and Charts

Appendix C - Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Community Fuel Reduction Projects, September 2008

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Appendix A – Interagency Fuels Treatment Projects in the Kernville / Riverkern Area Sponsored by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council Collaboration Group Projects Description – Updated December 9, 2009

Kernville Sub-Region

Map Responsible Dates of Planning and Project Name Project Location and Size Type of Project Key Agency Implementation

Burma Extension KV-1 Shaded community fuelbreak Shaded fuelbreak. KRN KRN – scheduled adjacent to private property along implementation 2010. Burma Road and within community KRVFSC Grant area (KRN). This ties directly to Proposed for Review for maintenance USFS Project KV-5. 2010 2012.

KRN – 35 acres Plater Road KV-2 Create defensible space through a Thin existing vegetation among KRN, BBD Outyear project. and Yankee chipping project in a community of residences and brush the Canyon should be 16 homes. The community is access roads to provide a safer combined into one located between Kernville and route for property owners and grant proposal – Wofford Heights. emergency equipment. LI-6 KRN – 8 acres BBD - 5 acres

Frontier Homes KV-3 Road brushing with fuel break WUI Fuelbreak. KRN Initial completion 2001. along both sides of Frontier Trail Scheduled for Maintenance (North & South). KRVFSC Grant 2010. Project in 2004 1.4 miles of road brushing with 21.7 acres total cut.

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Grandview KV-4 Fuel reduction behind developed WUI Fuel Break. KRN Initial completion 1994. lots in Kernville from Burlando Road, behind Greenleaf, to Maintenance 2006 and Grandview, to Spruce. 2008. Review for maintenance in 2012. 30 acres, cut/pile/burn Kernville/River Kern KV-5 There are three units in this The projects form reduced fuels USFS Work on the Riverkern unit Hazardous Fuels project: buffer near homes adjacent to has been in maintenance Reduction USFS. status since the late 1990’s. The Burma unit is near Burma Road and is 30 acres in size. Cut/pile/burn or chip brush, Burma and Bowman/Luxton Burma ties directly into KV-1. The limb-up trees. units completed in 2007 and Bowman/Luxton unit surrounds the maintained annually. private property just north of the Kernville Airport and is 24 acres in size.

Riverkern 25 acres USFS

The Riverkern project is on the east side of Riverkern. Rodgers Road KV-6 Fuel reduction in drainage WUI Fuels reduction. KRN Rogers Road was completed Rodgers Road 2 adjacent to Rodgers Road. in 2004. Kernville. Cut and chip brush, limb-up KRVFSC Grant trees. The project primarily Project in 2006. Proposed maintenance 4.8 Acres. used chipping to dispose of the funding through KRVFSC brush cuttings. Remainder was grant in 2010. cut/pile/burn.

Tollefson KV-7 Fuels reduction to connect the Reduction of Brush Fuels by KRN Completed 2001. Frontier Homes and Grandview 80%, limbing of mature trees to fuel breaks. break the fuel ladder. Maintenance completed in 2008. 4.2 acres. Disposal by chipping. There was some minimal cut/pile/burn, also.

Bull Fire – Kern and Tulare Counties – California 30 Appendix B – Tables and Charts

Figure 1. Riverkern RAWS average Burning Index for standard fire season months, 2004 through August 7, 2010.

July 26, 2010, 1300 Hours PDT

Figure 2. Riverkern RAWS Burning Index from May 1 through August 7, 2010. The Burning Index for July 26 was 223 – 64th percentile.

Figure 3. Riverkern RAWS average Energy Release Component for standard fire season months, 2004 through August 7, 2010.

July 26, 2010, 1 300 Hours PDT

Figure 4. Riverkern RAWS Energy Release Component from May 1 through August 7, 2010. Energy Release Component for July 26 was 96 – 58th percentile.

1) Gaps in graph lines are probably missing days data.

2) The National Fire Danger Rating System evaluates the "worst" conditions on a rating area by 1) taking fuel and weather measurements when fire danger is normally the highest (mid- to late-afternoon), 2) measuring fire danger in the open, and 3) measuring fire danger on south to west exposures. This means that extrapolation of fire danger to other areas not in the immediate vicinity of the fire danger stations would involve scaling the fire-danger values down, not up.

Burning Index (BI) = A number relating to the potential amount of effort needed to contain a single fire in a particular fuel type within a rating area. NFDRS uses a modified version of Bryam's equation for flame length - based on the Spread Component (SC) and the available energy (ERC) - to calcuate flame length from which the Burning Index is computed. Dividing the Burning Index by 10 produces a reasonable estimate of the flame length at the head of a fire.

Energy Release Component (ERC) = The Energy Release Component is defined as the potential available energy per square foot of flaming fire at the head of the fire and is expressed in units of BTUs per square foot. Like the Spread Component, the Energy Release Component is calculated using tables unique to each fuel model. The rate of combustion is almost totally dependent on the same fuel properties as are considered in the SC calculation. However, the principal difference in the calculation of the two components is that SC is determined primarily by the finer fuels, whereas ERC calculations require moisture inputs for the entire fuel complex, i.e., 1-hr., 10-hr., 100-hr., 1000-hr., and the live fuel moisture.

Remote Average 7 -26 Average 7 -26 7-26 -10 7-26 -10 Automated Predominant Afternoon Average Afternoon Weather 24 Hour Wind Wind Wind Station Wind Direction Direction Direction (RAWS) Direction and Speed and Speed and Speed and Speed 1200 to 1800 0000 to 2400 1200 to 1800 Riverkern W/NW W/WNW NW and SW S to SE 3,040' ASL and SW and SW 7 mph 12 mph 10 mph 15 mph Calm 13% Calm 0% Calm 10% Calm 0%

Table 1. Summary of wind patterns at the Riverkern RAWS based on data from 2004 to 2010.

Riverkern Fuel Break

Rio Del Loma Road

Burma Extension Fuel Break

Map 1. Bull fire burned area severity displayed from a product called Burned Area Remote Classification.

Code Color Description Mapping Criteria

A zone may be rated as a low-intensity burn if the site factors indicate a moderate or low-intensity on the entire area. Areas of low burn intensity often do not contribute to an emergency watershed condition but they may act as Yellow Low buffer areas to moderate flood hazards that originate on more intensively burned-areas. For this reason it is important to inventory the low-intensity areas. In addition, the information may be useful later in developing treatment strategies.

A zone may be rated as a moderate-intensity burn area if the site factors indicating high-intensity burn are found on less than 40 percent of the area. The rating of moderate fire intensity alerts the team to the possibility that the Orange Moderate designated zone may be a potential flood source area. The zone should be further surveyed for water-repellent soils or other indications that it may yield abnormally high overland runoff.

A zone should be rated as a high-intensity burn area if the site factors indic ating high-intensity burn are found on 40 percent or more of the area. This would Red High also designate the area as a potential flood source area for further investigation by the team.

Unburned to Green Very Low

Table 2. Burned Area Remote Classification definitions.

Site Indicators – Several site indicators can be used to identify fire intensity, as follows:

1. Depth and Color of Ashes. Ashes are white or reddish color, indicating that much of the carbon was oxidized by the fire, especially if they are over 2 inches deep. This consistently indicates zones of intensive burn with long residence time. Sparse ashes that are dark in color usually indicate moderate to low intensity and short residence. 2. Size and Amount of Live Fuels Consumed. When fuels greater than 3/4 inch in diameter and more than 80 percent of the plant canopy have been consumed, these indicate a high fire intensity. Low-intensity fire can burn fuels up to 1/4 inch and usually less than 40 percent of the brush canopy. Moderate intensity is between these two extremes. 3. Litter Consumption. Low-intensity fires only singe the litter. After a moderately intense burn, surface litter is charred but not ashed. After a high-intensity fire, no residue or only a few ashes remain on the soil surface. 4. Plant Root Crowns. Root crowns of sprouting brush and grasses consumed or heavily damaged by the fire indicate a high-intensity burn. 5. Soil Crusting. Baking of the soil surface can be an indicator of high-intensity burn.

Source: Forest Service Handbook FSH 2509.13 - Burned-Area Emergency Rehabilitation Handbook, Amendment No. 2509.13-95-7, Section 23.32b - Mapping Intensity Zones, 2004.

Fireline Vegetation / Fuel Models Flame Length Fuel Break Intensity (Primary fuels that carry the flaming front) (Feet) (BTU/Ft/Sec)

No Fuels Treatment

Burma Tall Chaparral (4) and Annual Grass (1) 4,779 22

Riverkern Short Shrub (5) and Annual Grass (1) 683 9

With Fuels Treatment

Burma Annual Grass (1) 329 6.5

Riverkern Annual Grass (1) 329 6.5

Table 3. Comparison of modeled fire behavior based on treated and untreated units (head fire on 10% slope). The BEHAVE system models surface fires. Flame lengths from torching or crowning trees were not modeled and are less predictable compared to surface fuels. Source: BehavePlus fire modeling system, Version 4.0.

Fire behavior is the manner in which a fire reacts to the influences of fuel, weather, and topography. Fire behavior is typically modeled at the flaming front of the fire and described most simply in terms of fireline intensity (flame length) and in rate of forward spread. The implications of observed or expected fire behavior are important components of suppression strategies and tactics, particularly in terms of the difficulty of control and effectiveness of various suppression resources. The Hauling Chart is a tool for measuring the safety and potential effectiveness of various fireline resources given a visual assessment of active flame length. It was so named because it infers the relative intensity of the fire behavior to trigger points where hauling various resources to or away from a fire should be considered.

Flame Fireline Length Intensity Interpretation (Feet) (BTU/Ft/Sec)

0-4 0-100 Persons using handtools can generally attack fires at the head or flanks. Handline should hold the fire.

4-8 100-500 Fires are too intense for direct attack on the head by persons using handtools. Handline cannot be relied on to hold fire. Equipment such as dozers, engines, and retardant aircraft can be effective.

8-11 500-1,000 Fires may present serious control problems such as torching, crowning, and spotting. Control efforts at the head of the fire will probably be ineffective.

11+ 1,000+ Crowning, spotting, and major runs are common, control efforts at the head of the fire are ineffective.

Table 4. Hauling Chart Interpretation. Source: Fireline Handbook, National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

Fire Weather Conditions in the Kernville / Riverkern Area

Station Summary – River Kern California

Daily Summary for

July 26, 2010

Hour Total Air Fuel Fuel Relative

of Day Solar Wind Temperature Temperature Moisture Humidity Dew Wet Total

Ending at Rad. Ave. V. Dir. Max. Mean Mean Mean Mean Point Bulb Precip.

L.S.T. ° ly. mph Deg mph Deg. F. Deg. F. Percent Percent Deg. F. inches

1 am 0.0 6.0 319 10.0 76.0 75.0 7.0 35 46 58 0.00

2 am 0.0 5.0 319 10.0 75.0 75.0 7.1 36 46 57 0.00

3 am 0.0 5.0 323 11.0 73.0 73.0 7.2 39 47 57 0.00

4 am 0.0 2.0 314 9.0 74.0 71.0 7.3 40 48 58 0.00

5 am 0.0 8.0 337 10.0 71.0 70.0 7.4 41 46 56 0.00

6 am 1.8 0.0 134 11.0 72.0 70.0 7.5 43 48 57 0.00

7 am 10.5 0.0 12 10.0 77.0 81.0 7.6 39 50 60 0.00

8 am 24.9 5.0 139 0.0 79.0 86.0 7.7 37 51 61 0.00

9 am 53.7 8.0 140 8.0 81.0 94.0 7.6 34 50 61 0.00

10 am 61.2 11.0 129 11.0 85.0 98.0 7.6 31 51 63 0.00

11 am 86.8 11.0 147 14.0 89.0 104.0 7.3 26 50 63 0.00

12 pm 90.2 16.0 131 15.0 90.0 104.0 7.1 25 49 64 0.00

1 pm 91.2 15.0 146 22.0 95.0 110.0 6.9 18 45 63 0.00

2 pm 87.6 12.0 175 21.0 98.0 112.0 6.6 13 39 62 0.00

3 pm 79.0 8.0 184 20.0 98.0 109.0 6.4 13 39 62 0.00

4 pm 64.9 9.0 143 23.0 96.0 107.0 6.2 9 28 58 0.00

5 pm 30.5 9.0 165 24.0 93.0 96.0 5.9 8 23 56 0.00

6 pm 21.5 10.0 142 24.0 93.0 94.0 5.8 10 28 57 0.00

7 pm 4.7 18.0 269 17.0 87.0 85.0 6.1 25 47 62 0.00

8 pm 0.1 4.0 301 25.0 84.0 81.0 6.3 26 45 60 0.00

9 pm 0.0 4.0 107 23.0 78.0 76.0 6.5 36 49 60 0.00

10 pm 0.0 1.0 215 14.0 78.0 74.0 6.8 37 50 60 0.00

11 pm 0.0 4.0 340 6.0 76.0 75.0 6.8 28 41 55 0.00

12 am 0.0 6.0 326 7.0 76.0 73.0 6.8 30 42 56 0.00

DAILY STATISTICS

Total Air Fuel Fuel Relative

Solar Wind Temperature Temperature Moisture Humidity Dew Wet Total

Rad. Ave. V. Dir. Max. Mean Mean Mean Mean Point Bulb Precip.

° ly. mph Deg mph Deg. F. Deg. F. Percent Percent Deg. F. inches

Total 708.7 0.00

Ave. 7.4 165 83.1 87.2 6.9 28 44 59

Max. 25.0 98.0 112.0 7.7 43

Min. 71.0 70.0 5.8 8

Copyright: Western Regional Climate Center - Desert Research Institute - Reno, Nevada. NOTES: Daily averages might vary slightly from the average of the hourly values printed due to rounding of the hourly values. Data are subject to further review and editing. Please refer any questions to the Western Regional Climate Center. ° 1 ly = 1 cal/cm² = 4.1855 J/cm² = 3.6855 BTU/ft² = .01163 KW-hr/m²

Source of tabular data above and wind roses below Western Regional Climate Center accessed 8-4-10: http://www.raws.dri.edu/cgi- bin/rawMAIN.pl?caCKV1

River Kern California – 2004 to 2010 – Average Daily Wind for July 26

River Kern California - Wind Frequency Table (percentage) Sub Interval Windows Latitude : 35° 46' 39" N Start Date : Jan. 1, 2004 Start End Longitude : 118° 25' 58" W End Date : Dec. 31, 2010 Elevation : 3010 ft. # of Days : 7 of 2557 Date Jul. 26 Jul. 26 Element : Mean Wind Speed # obs : poss : 144 of 168 Hour 00 23

(Greater than or equal to initial interval value and Less than ending interval value.) Range N NNE NE ENE E ESE SE SSE S SSW SW WSW W WNW NW NNW Total (mph) 1.3 - 4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 3.5 4 - 8 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.7 2.8 2.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.4 6.3 10.4 25.0 8 - 13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 10.4 2.1 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 0.7 16.7 34.0 13 - 19 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 4.2 4.9 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.6 1.4 0.7 0.7 20.1 19 - 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.8 4.2 0.7 0.0 7.6 25 - 32 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32 - 39 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39 - 47 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 47 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total(%) 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.7 4.2 17.4 9.7 2.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.3 9.0 9.0 28.5 90.3 Calm (<1.3) 9.7

Ave 7.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 12.0 8.5 10.5 10.5 11.3 0.0 1.0 0.0 18.9 15.0 7.7 7.8 9.5 Speed

River Kern California – 2004 to 2010 – Average Wind – 1200 to 1800 Hours for July 26

(Greater than or equal to initial interval value and Less than ending interval value.) Range N NNE NE ENE E ESE SE SSE S SSW SW WSW W WNW NW NNW Total (mph) 1.3 - 4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4 - 8 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 8 - 13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 0.0 11.9 2.4 4.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 21.4 13 - 19 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.8 7.1 16.7 2.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.3 2.4 2.4 0.0 50.0 19 - 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.5 14.3 2.4 0.0 26.2 25 - 32 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32 - 39 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39 - 47 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 47 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total(%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.4 2.4 4.8 19.0 19.0 7.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 23.8 16.7 4.8 0.0 100.0 Calm (<1.3) 0.0

Ave 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 12.0 13.0 12.2 13.2 11.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 19.1 20.0 18.0 0.0 15.4 Speed

River Kern California – July 26, 2010 – Wind – 24 Hour

River Kern California - Wind Frequency Table (percentage) Sub Interval Windows Latitude : 35° 46' 39" N Start Date : July 26, 2010 Start End Longitude : 118° 25' 58" W End Date : July 26, 2010 Elevation : 3010 ft. # of Days : 1 of 1 Date Jul. 26 Jul. 26 Element : Mean Wind Speed # obs : poss : 24 of 24 Hour 00 23

(Greater than or equal to initial interval value and Less than ending interval value.) Range N NNE NE ENE E ESE SE SSE S SSW SW WSW W WNW NW NNW Total (mph) 1.3 - 4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 0.0 4.2 4 - 8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 12.5 8.3 33.3 8 - 13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 8.3 8.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 37.5 13 - 19 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.5 19 - 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25 - 32 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32 - 39 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39 - 47 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 47 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total(%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 29.2 8.3 8.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.2 4.2 16.7 12.5 87.5 Calm (<1.3) 12.5

Ave 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.0 10.6 10.0 10.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 18.0 4.0 4.5 6.0 7.4 Speed

River Kern California – July 26, 2010 – Wind – 1200 to 1800 Hours

(Greater than or equal to initial interval value and Less than ending interval value.) Range N NNE NE ENE E ESE SE SSE S SSW SW WSW W WNW NW NNW Total (mph) 1.3 - 4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4 - 8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8 - 13 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.7 16.7 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 66.7 13 - 19 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 33.3 19 - 25 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25 - 32 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 32 - 39 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 39 - 47 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 47 - 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Total(%) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 50.0 16.7 33.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 Calm (<1.3) 0.0

Ave 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 13.3 9.0 10.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 11.5 Speed

Source MESOWEST accessed on 8-5-10: http://mesowest.utah.edu/cgi- in/droman/meso_base.cgi?stn=KRNC1&unit=0&time=LOCAL&product=&year1=&month1=&day1=00&hour1=00&hours=&graph=1&past=0

Appendix C - Sequoia National Forest, Kern River Ranger District, Community Fuel Reduction Projects, September 2008

Sequoia National Forest Kern River Ranger District Community Fuel Reduction Projects September 2008

Community fuels reduction efforts have focused on the creation of defensible space and shaded fuel breaks, reducing structural ignitability, as well as implementation of forest stewardship. Treatment usually includes one or more methods including the use of prescribed fire, mechanical treatments and/or thinning. Mechanical thinning, as the term implies utilizes machinery such as chippers for small trees, limbs and branches. Prescribed fire is the use of fire under specific environmental conditions to achieve forest management objectives.

Riverkern Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project The Riverkern hazardous fuels reduction project is one such project within the small rural community of Riverkern within Tulare and Kern Counties on the Sequoia National Forest. The project size covers a total of 75 acres. The community is home to approximately 300 residents, some with homes and property lines within 20 feet of National Forest land. The project was well accepted by the majority of residents. Initially, scoping was performed and public education was achieved through community meetings and flyers inserted into their local water bills. The primary objectives for the project are: 1) To create a defensible space around the community of Riverkern. 2) To reduce the amount of natural fuels. 3) To reduce the threat of wild land fire from entering or leaving the community of Riverkern. A shaded fuel break was constructed 300 feet wide on the north, east and south sides of the community. A shaded fuel break is a linear path through a forested area in which surface and canopy fuel has been altered but where significant overstory is retained to shade surface fuel.

The fuel break was constructed in two phases. Stage 1 consisted of the construction of the first 150 feet adjacent to the property boundary to provide some initial protection for the community. To minimize impacts to visual quality jackpot burning (the burning of pockets of heavy fuel concentrations) was not conducted on this project. Vegetation was cut and piled at least 75 feet from the forest boundary and burned in accordance with an approved burn plan. Today, the Riverkern project has been successful and is in “maintenance” mode. Approximately 25 acres of piles (brush and limb) are planned to be burned this winter. Re-growth work and fuel break maintenance are repeated annually.

Kernville Hazardous Fuels Reduction Project The Kernville Hazardous Fuels reduction project consists of two separate units of Forest lands – the Burma segment and the Bowman/Luxton unit. A need existed to reduce the continuity and density of fuels on Forest land adjacent to privately owned homes in Kernville. The need for a network of shaded fuel-breaks as well as the continued practice of defensible space was identified in, and has been endorsed by, the Kern River Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan that was issued by the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council in 2002, and by the Forest analysis of fire hazard conditions in the area. The reduction work was accomplished by reducing the continuity and density of the brushy fuels, limbing up larger trees, and disposing of dead vegetation. Chain saws and other hand tools were used to perform the thinning. The Burma unit is approximately 33 acres at the west end of Burma Road (northwest corner of the community of Kernville) adjacent to about 8 private homes. The fuel reduction work spans a 400 foot wide buffer on forest land adjacent to private homes. Local fire suppression crews and organized crews, from Porterville, accomplished this work by cutting thick, potentially hazardous fuels, using chainsaws, and “limbing up” trees. The cut brush was piled for chipping and/or burning in the winter when it is safer to burn. The Bowman/Luxton unit is approximately 24 acres located on the west side of Bowman Road (South end the community of Kernville) and adjacent to 25 private homes. The treatment area extends from private property boundaries onto Forest lands about 100 feet in width. The purpose of the treatments are to increase defensible space on Forest land in order to reasonably protect houses located on private property close to the Forest land and associated wildlife habitat resiliency. The piles were stacked six to eight feet in diameter and were left in place for wildlife habitat purposes. Habitat is a combination of food, water, shelter, and space arranged to meet the needs of wildlife; treating fuel in ways that optimize conditions for wildlife. Retention of a certain amount of fuel will provide cover for small game wildlife in general and they integrate ecosystems within the community. Cover is generally plant material that shelters animals from the weather, provides escape for small animals fleeing predators, or gives concealment to predators when hunting.

The projects have significantly reduced the threat of wildfires burning from Forest land on to private property and damaging or destroying houses and associated structures, improve fire fighter and public safety, and improve protection of adjacent wildlife habitat.

The Rincon Fire Crew cut and pile brush adjacent to a home during the fall of 2006. The brush piles near roads were shredded in a chipper. Piles too far away to be reached by a chipper will be prescribed burned this winter.

Aerial view of the Burma unit. Reduced brush can be seen on the hillside above, and three sides surrounding, the Burma Road development.

Aerial view of Bowman/Luxton unit showing reduced brush and wildlife piles on the right center portion of the photograph. Fire crews cut and removed dead plant material in willow and cottonwood adjacent to homes in the center and upper left portion of the photograph.

The Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council, the US Forest Service, Kern County Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management have a total of 27 such projects planned, completed, or in various stages of completion in the Kern River Valley.