California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection Butte Unit
In Cooperation with Fire Safe Councils of Butte County
Butte County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Serving the Community of Butte (Unincorporated Communities) and the Town of Paradise
2008 Education Engineering Enforcement
“Your Land…. Prefire Planning Your Community… Fire Safe Council Your Decision….” Vegetation Management Volunteers in Prevention
Butte Unit 2008 1 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Introduction...... 3 Stakeholders ...... 6 FIRE SAFE PLANNING and FUEL REDUCTION at a GLANCE ...... 12 History ...... 12 Definition ...... 12 Treatments ...... 12 Maintenance...... 13 Affect ...... 13 Topography ...... 14 Fuel Types ...... 15 Weather...... 16 Wildland Urban Interface...... 17 Building Code...... 17 WUI and Fire Service ...... 18 Shelter in Place ...... 19 Fire Risk and Mitigation in Butte Unit ...... 21 Structural Ignitability and Home Defense...... 22 MITIGATION MEASURES BY FOCUS AREAS: ...... 24 Information, Education and Planning ...... 24 Reducing Structural Ignitability...... 25 Enhancing Suppression Capabilities and Public Safety...... 27 Hazardous Fuel Reduction...... 28 Project Classification ...... 31 Butte Unit Fire Plan...... 35 Severe Fire Weather...... 35 Assets at Risk...... 35 Fuel Load ...... 38 Ignition Workload Analysis (IWA) ...... 39 Paradise Ridge Fire Planning Area ...... 44 Fuels:...... 44 Topography:...... 45 Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 45 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 46 Cohasset Forest Ranch Ridge Fire Planning Area ...... 47 Fuels:...... 47 Topography:...... 48 Weather:...... 48 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 48 Yankee Hill – Concow , Butte Valley ...... 50 Fuels:...... 50 Topography:...... 50
Page 1 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 2 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 51 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 51 Chico Foothills – Valley (north) ...... 52 Fuels:...... 52 Topography:...... 52 Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 52 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 52 Berry Creek Ridge/ Lumpkin – Forbestown Ridge...... 54 Fuels:...... 54 Topography:...... 54 Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 54 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 54 Table Mountain – East Oroville...... 56 Fuels:...... 56 Topography:...... 56 Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 56 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 56 Valley (South)...... 58 Fuels:...... 58 Topography:...... 58 Weather: (refer to pg 16)...... 58 Wildland Urban Interface Situation:...... 58 EMERGENCY COMMAND CENTER ...... 60 TRAINING AND SAFETY BUREAU ...... 61 SUPPORT BUREAUS...... 63 Magalia Reforestation Center ...... 63 CHICO AIR ATTACK BASE ...... 65 FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU (EDUCATION & ENFORCEMENT) ...... 67 Fire Prevention Positions: ...... 68 VEGATATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (VMP)...... 70 APPENDIX: ...... 72
Page 2 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 3 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Introduction
In 2003, the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) created new incentives for communities to engage in comprehensive pre fire planning as it relates to the wildland affecting their communities. The HFRA legislation provides meaningful statutory incentives to the U. S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to give consideration to the priorities of local communities as they develop and implement forest management and hazardous fuel reduction projects. By maintaining a current Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), communities can help influence issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, structure protection – or all of the above. This CWPP was adopted by the Butte County Board of Supervisors on 01/10/2006.
Butte Unit’s CWPP will contain the minimum requirements described in the HFRA;
1. Collaboration: A CWPP must be collaboratively developed by local and state government representatives, in consultation with federal agencies and other interested parties. 2. Prioritized Fuel Reduction: A CWPP must identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommend the types and methods of treatment that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructure. 3. Treatment of Structural Ignitability: A CWPP must recommend measures that homeowners and communities can take to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the area addressed by the plan.
The Butte Unit CWPP has incorporated the needed elements of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Fire Plan responsibilities for each unit within its essential make up. The Butte Unit CWPP will thus act as the Units Fire Plan and will expand its minimum focus requirements to include components essential to the creation of a Fire Plan. The Fire Plan uses Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data to allow for comprehensive analysis of the fire problem. These factors include fire frequency (ignition workload), assets at risk, hazardous fuels (fuel rank) and historic fire weather (severe fire weather). These factors are evaluated and then combined to create a score for success. The goal of the Fire Plan is to reduce the destruction and associated costs from wildfire by protecting assets at risk through focused pre-fire management prescriptions. The Fire Plan proponent continues, creating a framework as identified in the California Fire Plan. The framework components are the compilation of the following:
Page 3 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 4 Community Wildfire Protection Plan • Wildfire Protection Zones – To create wildfire protection zones that reduce the risks to citizens and firefighters. • Initial Attack Success – Assess the initial attack fire suppression successes of wildland fires on lands of similar vegetation type. This is measured in terms of a percentage of fires that are successfully controlled before unacceptable costs and losses occur. The analyses can be used to determine the department and unit’s level of service. • Assets Protected – The plan utilizes a methodology for defining assets protected and their degree of risk from wildfire. The assets at risk addressed in the plan are life safety (citizen and firefighter), watersheds an water quality, timber, wildlife and wildlife habitat (including rare and endangered species), rural communities, unique areas (scenic, cultural and historic), recreation, range, property in the form of structures, and air quality. Stakeholders for each of the assets at risk are identified; their input helps to guide the pre fire decision making process of CAL FIRE and other fire service managers as well as that of the local fire safe councils. • Fire Management Prescriptions – Fire management prescriptions focus on alternative means of protecting assets at risk. Projects include a combination of fuel modification, ignitions management, fire-wise planning and education, and pre-development planning. Specific activities include but are not limited to land use planning and associated regulation, educational programs and public information, department infrastructure including fire stations and water systems, fuels management and forest health. Pre fire management prescriptions will also identify those who will benefit from such work and consequently those how should share in the project cost. • Fiscal Framework – The State Board of Forestry and CAL FIRE are developing a fiscal framework for assessing and monitoring annual and long term changes in California’s wildland fire protection systems. This plan will incorporate pre fire workload analyses (PWA), in an attempt to provide relevant data to guide in the development of the fiscal framework and public policy.
The goal of the Fire Plan mirrors the CWPP with its intention to reduce the destruction and associated costs from wildfire by protecting assets at risk through focused pre fire management prescriptions.
Applications of the Butte County Community Wildfire Protection Plan • Allow stakeholders, agency personnel, the private sector and public, to come together in a common form through the Fire Safe Councils with the focus of reducing the threat and impact of wildfire. • Identify communities at risk and wildfire hazard areas for local, state, and federal officials and the public. • To inform local officials about the risk to structures and communities posed by wildfire, identify improved building and development standards,
Page 4 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 5 Community Wildfire Protection Plan and work with local land use planners and policy makers to implement these standards through the County general plan. • Identify, prioritize and implement community fuel reduction projects. • Educate property owners about the risk of wildfire and how they can help protect their home and property.
The 2000 Fire Management Plan looked at 10 years of data (1990 – 1999). Subsequent versions of the plan incorporate fire plan assessments built on previous year’s data. This CWPP/ Fire Management Plan has also been used to coordinate pre fire activities with adjacent CAL FIRE units, National Forests, private landowners and Fire Safe Councils. This plan provides the basis from which requests for funding can be presented to federal, state and local agencies, public and private organizations, and the general public. The Butte County CWPP is also the focal point for which pre fire planning activities are identified, prioritized and implemented through the cooperative efforts responsible fire agencies and fire safe councils. Many of the local fire safe councils, in cooperation with federal, state and local agencies have begun the process of fire safe education (defensible space & building construction), evacuation planning and community level fuel reduction. Moreover, through the cooperative efforts of responsible fire agencies, fire safe councils, and County land use planners, work has begun to identify and improve fire safe regulations including pre-development standards, fire safe and evacuation planning, fuel hazard reduction and defensible space standards. To this end the CWPP is also included in Butte County’s Multi-Jurisdictional all Hazard Pre-Disaster Mitigation Plan. The goal of this document is to provide a foundation from which communities can assume a cooperative part in the effort to improve fire and life safety. The content of this report is cooperative effort between the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Butte County Fire Safe Council.
Henri Brachais
Unit Chief
Page 5 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 6 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Stakeholders
Stakeholders are defined as any person, agency or organization with a particular interest – a stake – in fire safety and the protection of assets from wildfires. The Butte Unit has made a considerable attempt to involve stakeholders and their interests in the planning of the Butte Fire Management Plan. It is the goal of the Butte Unit to develop the participation of as many stakeholders as possible, and to continually update the plan based on stakeholder input. The Butte County Fire Safe Councils have been instrumental in brining a conglomeration of stakeholders to “the table”. There are also a number of community fire safe councils within Butte County. The community fire safe councils have their own stakeholders who represent the specific fire safe needs of their community. These councils communicate specific fire safe concerns to the Butte County Fire Safe Council and CAL FIRE and accordingly revisions are made to the Fire Plan (this document). The Unit is able to respond and adapt activities to address many concerns from the different stakeholders involved with the fire safe councils. Through the council’s diversity, agencies have been able to develop pre-fire management projects that otherwise may never have developed. Please visit the web site www.firesafecouncil.org to learn more about Fire Safe Councils or email individual representatives.
Butte County Fire Safe Council (BCFSC) Chairman: Darrel Wilson Executive Director: Calli-Jane Burch 767 Birch St Paradise, CA 95969 (530) 877-0984 www.ButteFireSafe.org
The Butte County Fire Safe Council, is a non-profit, public benefit corporation formed in March of 1998. The BCFSC strives to reduce damage and devastation through our mission “to provide education, exchange information, foster fire prevention and fire safety within the County of Butte”. The BCFSC operates wit a staff of two and Board of Directors consisting of 16 residents representing community members from throughout the County as well as stakeholders from local, state and federal agencies with a vested interest in wildfire preparedness and prevention.
Yankee Hill--Concow Fire Safe Council Contact: Brenda Wrightmyer (800) 257-7066 [email protected]
Paradise Fire Safe Council Contact: Jim Broshears
Page 6 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 7 Community Wildfire Protection Plan 767 Birch St Paradise, Ca 95969 (530) 872-6266 [email protected]
Cohasset Community Association Contact: Bert Coffman 10202 Cohasset Rd Cohasset, CA 95973 (530) 894-5712 [email protected]
Berry Creek Fire Safe Council Chairman: Dennis Nay Vice-Chairman: Loren Gill www.berrycreekca.org
Butte County Resource Conservation District (BC-RCD) District Manager: Pia Sevelius Resource Technician: Alexis Vertolli 150 Chuck Yeager Way, Ste. A Oroville, Ca 95965 (530) 534-0112 ext 122 www.buttecountyrcd.org
The Butte County Resource Conservation District is working to conserve land, water, forests, wildlife and other resources for the benefit of the local community. The RCD serves as the local liaison between the federal and state government agencies and private landowners. The RCD was established by ballot measure to lead local conservation and direct federal funding for the natural resource concerns and projects with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) which provides landowners with economically sound natural resource management planning, and encourages community involvement through education and outreach. The NRCS assists landowners by providing US Farm Bill conservation incentive programs for private landowners. When allowable, these programs can be used in conjunction with state funding programs to create partnerships and matching programs. The RCD also receives technical support from the NRCS for local watershed wide projects. The RCD Board of Directors involves the entire community in planning and implementation through conducting public outreach, assessment of local conservation needs, and identifying complimentary resources available to private landowners. Conservation planning with the RCD can add value to projects by building broader community based benefits. The RCD may be able to provide technical and financial assistance for projects included in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan based upon local ranking successes. Projects involving local and
Page 7 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 8 Community Wildfire Protection Plan or regional partnerships may be more competitive by serving multiple and larger resource needs. Holistic watershed benefits can be immeasurable and include forest fuels reduction, improved water and air quality, reforestation, invasive week management, community education and vitality.
Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance Board Chair: Michael Stauffer Watershed Coordinator: Susan Mason PO Box 461 Chico, CA 95927 (530) 892-2196 www.bigchicocreek.org
The mission of the Big Chico Creek Watershed Alliance is to protect and enhance the ecological integrity and economic vitality of the Big Chico Creek watershed through cooperative efforts, in partnership with landowners, interested citizens, government agencies and private enterprise, we work to foster education, understanding, sustainable land management, and ecosystem and water quality restoration and conservation.
Sacramento Watershed Conservancy Executive Director: Mary Lee Knecht PO Box 188585 Sacramento, CA, 95818 (919) 549-4017 www.sacriver.org
The SRWP was certified in 2002 as a California not-for-profit corporation 501(c)(3) statuses from the IRS in 2003. The SRWP is overseen by a 21- member Board of Trustees and functions through several committees and workgroups—all are open to any who wish to participate. The mission of the SRWP, as developed by the stakeholders, is: • To ensure that current and potential uses of the watershed’s resources are sustained, restored, and where possible, enhanced, while promoting the long-term social and economic vitality of the region.
Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) Contact: Jack Bean Secondary Contact: Kieran O’Leary PO Box 496028 Redding, CA 96049 (530) 873-0530 [email protected]
Sierra Pacific Industries has grown to be one of the largest private timberland holders in North America. In Butte Count alone, SPI manages over
Page 8 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 9 Community Wildfire Protection Plan 120,000 acres of timberland. As opportunities become available, partnerships are established to explore mutually beneficial projects; including shaded fuel breaks, and the sharing of GIS data.
Pacific, Gas, and Electric (PG&E) Contact: Adam Bakker 780 Elliott Rd Paradise, CA 95969 (530)-896-4248
PG&E participates in the Butte Fire Safe Council to foster ongoing communication and resource sharing. Butte Unit and PG&E are sharing valuable resources and information to prevent fires and to put fires out when they occur. For example, PG& E geographic system maps and data, showing locations of power lines, towers, poles and other facilities, helps Butte Unit to determine assets that should be included in its Butte Unit Fire Management Plan. In turn, CAL FIRE shares information about high-risk areas with PG&E enabling the utility company to better prioritize maintenance and vegetation management. PG&E has been an active participant in the Butte Fire Safe Council and very supportive on a number of issues. PG&E provides financial support by funding community fire escape plans and educational tabloids distributed throughout Butte County.
Town of Paradise Fire Department Fire Chief: Mark Haunschild 767 Birch St Paradise, CA 95969 (530) 872-6266 [email protected]
Butte County Board of Supervisors Representative: Supervisor Kim Yamaguchi 747 Elliot Rd Paradise, CA 95969 [email protected] Representative: Bill Connelly 5280 Lower Wyandotte Rd Oroville, CA 95966 (530) 538-6834 [email protected]
CAL FIRE/ Butte County Fire Department Chief: Henri Brachais Representative: Scott Jones 176 Nelson Ave Oroville, CA. 95965
Page 9 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 10 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (530) 538-7111 [email protected]
Department of Interior – Bureau of Land Management Representative: Tim Bradley 355 Hemsted Dr Redding, CA 96002 (530) 224-2124
The primary goal of the BLM Redding Field Office fire management program is to use prescribed fire, mechanical, and biological treatments to improve and maintain flora and fauna species diversity and reduce hazardous fuels for fire adapted ecosystems.
A large percentage of BLM Redding Field Office lands in Butte County have high fire hazard vegetation on scattered, small size parcels intermixed with private, state and other federal lands which usually limit some wildland fire options for land management. To reduce hazardous fuel loadings and wildfire potential in wildland urban interface (WUI) communities neighboring BLM lands managed by the Redding Field Office, and to support the completion of fuels reduction projects in a coordinated effort with other groups or local agencies that protect communities, the Redding Field Office has identified several projects to complete within Butte County over the next one to three years based on funding.
These projects may extend the effectiveness of existing fuels treatments either by extending the range of treatments or linking separate fuels treatments to enhance the effectiveness of existing fuel treatments, using mechanical treatments, prescribed fire or supporting the community through the assistance grant process.
Department of Agriculture – USFS Plumas Forest Supervisor: Alice Carlton Representative: Allan Setzer PO Box 11500 159 Lawrence St Quincy, CA 95971 (530) 283-2050 [email protected]
The Feather River Ranger District of the Plumas National Forest is beginning the environmental process for the proposed Flea Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Flea Project would reduce fire hazards around at-risk communities, harvest trees to promote forest health and offset costs of fuel reduction, enhance unique plant communities, and improve wildlife and aquatic habitat.
Page 10 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 11 Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Areas inside the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) and within 1 ½ miles of the boundary of the at-risk community, the USDA Forest Service and DOI BLM are not required to analyze any alternatives to the proposed action.
If the at-risk community has adopted a CWPP and the proposed action does not implement the recommendations in the plan regarding general location and basic method of treatments, agencies are required to analyze the recommendations in the plan as an alternative to the proposed action.
The Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) is a document very essential in supporting the Flea project. The CWPP incorporates approx. 90% total areas of the Flea DFPZ fuels reduction projects.
CWPP provides opportunities to the public and private industries for funding through grants and stewardships.
Page 11 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 12 Community Wildfire Protection Plan FIRE SAFE PLANNING and FUEL REDUCTION at a GLANCE
History California is one of the most ecologically diverse regions in the world. This ecological life cycle has been maintained in large part with ‘wildland fires.’ As this concept pertains to a forest if must be understood that “a forest is a living biological community that requires disturbances such as fire, for renewal.” (Reesor, 03) California ecology has experienced human manipulation in some capacity since our arrival. Native Americans used fire for several 1000 years, next the introductions of large numbers of livestock eliminated most of the surface fuels which resulted in a wide spread modification of fire patterns. The early 1900’s to near present sought to exclude fires from the ecosystem which only maximized fuel loads by allowing for an uninterrupted accumulation of fuel. The Community Wildfire Protection Plan is not being created to eliminate fires but to reduce the devastation and destruction caused by wildland fires to life and property. The CWPP is trying to institute measures that are combating events that took centuries to create, so overnight solutions will not be offered nor should they be expected.
Definition Modifying the National Park Service (2004) definition, this CWPP will define fuel management as “the planned manipulation of the amount, composition, and structure of the biomass within wildland ecosystems for the purpose of reducing potential for extreme fire behavior and the destructive effects those fires cause.” The CWPP seeks to set out an outline, as defined in the National Fire Plan, which coordinates fuel management programs with common priorities to better serve the region. Note that with any fuel management program the objectives will only be effective in reducing property losses if they are used in combination with a combustion resistant home construction that is surrounded by a defensible space.
Treatments Currently there are two types of fuel treatment options utilized within Butte County; fire treatments and mechanical treatments. Fire treatments are coordinated through Butte Unit’s Vegetation Management Program Coordinator (VMP). A detailed summary of the VMP is available in this document, page 70. Mechanical treatments involve a ‘hands on’ approach to achieve effective fuel management. Treatment options include brush thinning using hand tools, masticators, chipping operations, livestock, and herbicides.
Page 12 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 13 Community Wildfire Protection Plan A majority of our efforts are in locations where ‘human caused fires’ normally occur. To reduce this high ignition potential most of our projects center on roadway shaded fuel breaks and home defensive clearance programs. These efforts have already been proven successful in fuel management (www.buttefiresafe.org). These current programs are the restoration phase in a two step process. Once the restoration phase has been achieved the maintenance phase needs to be implemented.
Maintenance Establishing a maintenance program is not a new dilemma. The Ponderosa Way 650 mile fuel break was completed in the 1930’s to prevent a fire from the foothills extending into the forest. This project is now only exampled by some of the roads still in existence that were used to support the project. Currently there is a desire to re-establish the ecosystem to its previous existence (pre 1800’s). For this to occur we must accept that the western United States has a number of vegetation types that are fire dependent (Reesor). The VMP’s ability to administer prescribed burns is dependent upon, air quality restrictions, wildlife, weather, and crew availability. Fear of fire escape and air quality concerns are probably the most influential factors inhibiting large scale VMP burns. These restrictions give our VMP program a severely limited window of burning opportunity. Note that the smoke production from the VMP areas would be minimal when compared to the smoke production of a wildfire in the same area. There is a lack of research on maintenance methods state wide and future site specific research is warranted. Butte County Fire Safe Council’s Maintenance Committee has begun to address maintenance in shaded fuel break projects by providing landowners education resources and workshops so that they can proactively maintain vegetation on their property.
Affect The question now becomes not “can we afford to implement fire management programs” But “can we afford not to implement fire management programs” Fire sieges in California not only affect the impacted area but the State and the Nation. The most notable fires in recent history, Oakland Hills 91’, Southern California 03’ & 07’ and Lake Tahoe 07’ have shown that damages can exceed the billion dollar mark in a matter of days. A side bar to the costs; if we were to spend $100,000 dollars a day on fuel management, it would take over 27 years to reach the One Billion dollar damage totals sustained in the sieges listed. Forest areas of the Klamath Mountains, Coastal Ranges, Cascades and the Sierra Nevada’s are not without significant fire losses. The main difference in these areas is that the amount of acreage is consistent with historical burn patterns, but the percentage of areas being burned with crown fire and exhibiting tree mortality has increased significantly (McKelvey and Busse 96, Stephens 05). The emergency response system in California is perhaps the most efficient in the Nation if not the world. During any type of large scale disaster
Page 13 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 14 Community Wildfire Protection Plan resources from all over the State are dispatched to aid the affected region. This response can leave the regions that are providing the needed aid in a precarious situation. During the Southern California Siege of 07’, Butte Unit had enough resources to sustain an initial attack on one significant wildland fire. Had there been multiple emergencies or a fire that would have exceeded initial attack capabilities additional resources would have had to arrive from adjoining agencies and units (Hayes). While Butte has not had a fire as severe as the one’s listed above, the Unit has had events that caused considerable loss to property and life; the 1999 Bucks was 34,000 acres, the 2001 Poe was 8000 acres and 2004 Oregon was 2000 acres. The CWPP focuses on the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI). The creation of the WUI boundary is a general layout of what is perceived to be areas of concern (see page 21). The WUI within Butte County consists of over 98,000 people and 29,000 homes. Fish and wildlife areas that were immediately adjacent to the WUI were included in the map extension as fires in this area have extended into the lower urban areas of Oroville. Certain regions are not shown on the map but should still be considered for fuel treatment applications. The Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge, Federal lands of HWY 32 and wildlife area below the after bay have benefits to the local, regional and State economy. The map provided for the WUI (page 21) is presented as a guide from which we can begin to identify areas of treatment. We will now discuss the three determining factors for a wildland fire; topography, fuel and weather, and their existence within the WUI of Butte County.
Topography Topography is the lay of the land and includes drainages (canyons, draws, chimneys, etc.), slope, aspect, and fire barriers such as lakes, rock outcroppings and roads. Topography, particularly drainages and steeper slopes add to the difficulty in suppressing fires. Reasons include access problems, adverse working conditions and intense fire behavior as fire reaches preheated fuel beds within the drainages. Butte County encompasses just over one million acres of land and is divided in half by two topographical features. First are the foothills and mountainous region of the northern Sierra Nevada and the southern Cascade Mountains in the northeast. This area is scattered with homes and communities intermixed amongst woodland fuels creating a serious wildland urban interface problem. Second the Sacramento Valley section in the southwest which is predominately farmland. Butte County’s foothills and mountains are carved up by several river drainages, the largest being the Feather River watershed which culminates in Lake Oroville. The Feather River watersheds include the West Branch of the North Fork east of Paradise, the North Fork separating Yankee Hill from Berry Creek, the Middle Fork separating Berry Creek and Feather Falls, and the south fork separating Feather Falls from Forbestown and the La Porte Rd communities.
Page 14 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 15 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The northern part of Butte County is bisected by Butte Creek west of Paradise and the Big Chico Creek watersheds which separate the Forest Ranch and Cohasset ridges. The topography in these drainages differs significantly from the deep and very steep, heavily timbered drainages of the Feather River Watershed to the moderately steep but wide and generally brush filled Butte Creek and Chico Creek drainages. The drainages are generally oriented toward south and west aspects which lead to prolonged sun exposure and diminished fuel moisture in the wildland fuels. Fires in the Feather River watersheds, such as the Storrie and Bucks Lake often burn intensely under extreme topography and generally become major fires. These fires are controlled only after they have come out of the canyon on to ridge top areas where firefighters can safely and affectively work.
Fuel Types Butte County is comprised of three general fuel types; grass, brush and timber. There are a number of factors such as fuel type and size, loading (tons/acre), arrangement (vertical & horizontal), chemical composition, and dead and live fuel moisture that contribute to the flammability characteristics of vegetation. The CAL FIRE Resource Assessment Program has developed a hazard ranking for wildland fuels as part of the California Fire Plan that utilizes the fuel characteristics listed above coupled with slope conditions to determine a fuel hazard rank. The valley and lower foothills up to roughly 1000’ elevation comprise the grass fuel type. This fuel type is comprised of fine dead grasses and leaf liter which is the main carrier of fire. Fires in this fuel type react dramatically to changes in weather; particularly low relative humidity and high wind. Grassland fires can be very difficult to control when under strong wind conditions, and often spread over a large area quickly threatening life and property. The Honey fire in 2007 is the most recent fire of this nature. Others include the Burton, Villa, Grand and the Maidu. These fires burned over a three day north wind event in September of 1992. The mid foothill and lower mountain areas generally between 1000’ and 2500’ elevation are dominated by brush. Fire in this fuel type can burn readily especially later in the summer as live fuel moistures drop to critical levels. Brush fuels unlike grasses do not react readily to changes in relative humidity. Brush fires can be difficult to control under normal summer burning conditions when their fuel moistures reach critical levels, and become very difficult to control on steep topography and/or when subject to strong winds. Butte’s recent history of large brush fires, include the 2000 Concow and 2001 Poe fires, combined to burn over 10,000 acres in the Yankee Hill and Concow Communities. The mountainous areas above the 2000’ to 2500’ elevation make up the timber fuel type. Timber fires burn readily especially if they occur in overstocked stands, stands with a lot of down dead material, and/or later in the summer as live fuel moistures drop. Timber fires can be difficult to control under normal summer burning conditions, but become very difficult to control on steep
Page 15 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 16 Community Wildfire Protection Plan topography and or when subject to strong winds. Butte has a relatively limited history of large timber fires, with the 2001 HWY 70 fire and the 1987 Mooreville Ridge fire. However Butte has been threatened by large timber fires encroaching from adjoining counties, such as the Campbell fire in Tehama County and the 1999 Bucks Lake Complex of fires in Plumas County.
Weather Butte County has a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and hot, dry summers. Precipitation is normally in the form of rain, ranging from approximately 20 to 80 inches per year, with snow in the higher elevations. The average annual high temperature for January is 55 degrees and for July is 96 degrees. The predominate summer weather pattern includes high to very high temperatures, low humidity and light to moderate south winds associated with a high pressure weather gradients. Occasionally during the summer, dry weather fronts will approach northern California bringing increased wind speeds from the south on approach, then changing direction to north winds after passing the area. Each year, especially in the Autumn Months, north wind events bring high temperatures, very low humidity and strong winds. These north wind events usually produce Red Flag Warning conditions and provide the highest potential for extreme fire behavior. With the fuels already at their driest moisture content when these winds can create a severe fire weather situation, making these weather events a cause for concern.
Note: A large amount of information for this section was referenced from; Husari, S., H.T. Nichols., N.G Sugihara., S.L Stephens. 2006. Fire Management Issues in California. P. 444-465 Chapter 19. Fire and Fuel Management. Husari via email allowed S. Jones to import ideas and opinions without specific reference.
Mckelvey K.S., K.K. Busse. 196. Twentieth-century fire patterns on Forest Service lands. P. 1119-1138 in Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project, final report to Congress, Vol. II: assessments and scientific basis for management options. University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources, Davis.
National Park Service, 2004. Fire management plan for Yosemite National Park, Yosemite National Park.
Stephens, S. l. and J.J. Moghaddas. 2005c. Fuel treatment effects on snags and coarse woody debris in a Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forest. Forest Ecology and Management 214:53-64.
Hayes, Richard. 2007 Butte Unit Admin Chief. Personal conversation.
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Wildland Urban Interface
The Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) defines the community development into the foothills and mountainous areas of California. The WUI describes those communities that are mixed in with grass, brush and timbered covered lands (wildland). These are areas where wildland fire once burned only vegetation but now burns homes as well. The WUI for Butte County consists of the communities at risk as well as the area around the communities that pose a fire threat. There are two types of WUI environments. The first is the true urban interface where development abruptly meets wildland. For Butte County the town of Paradise, and the community of Paradise Pines are examples of high density housing meeting wildland. The second WUI environment is referred to as the wildland urban intermix. Wildland urban intermix communities are rural, low density communities where homes are intermixed in wildland areas. For Butte County the communities of; Cohasset, Forest Ranch, Concow, Yankee Hill, Berry Creek and Forbestown are some of these examples. Wildland urban intermix communities are difficult to defend because they are sprawling communities over a large geographical area with wild fuels throughout. This profile makes access, structure protection, and fire control difficult as fire can freely run through the community. Human impact on wildland areas has made it much more difficult to protect life and property during a wildland fire. This home construction has created a new fuel load within the wildland and shifted fire fighting tactics to life safety and structure protection.
Building Code
In January of 2008, new building codes were instituted for State Responsibility Area that reflected the technologies, new terms and new direction for construction. These codes are being instituted to maintain high levels of fire and life safety. The California Building Commission has adopted these codes that include provisions for ignition resistant construction standards in the WUI. Updated 2008 fire hazard severity zones will be used by building officials to determine appropriate construction material for new or remodeled buildings in the WUI. The California Building Code that references the building standards can be found in section 703A.1 to 705A
Page 17 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 18 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Fire Hazard Severity Zones in SRA Butte County
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WUI and Fire Service
A growing number of budgetary woes are being attributed to the cost of structure protection within the WUI. A 2007 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows that costs for federal agencies to prepare and respond to wildland fires rose from $1.3 billion (96-00) to $3.1 billion (01-05). Identified reasons for the increase was; 1, increased fuel buildup due to past fire suppression, 2, severe weather and drought, and 3, a growing number of homes in or near wildlands. A large portion of these totals are related to suppression and protection efforts based on structure protection within the WUI. Nationally 14% of the overall WUI is developed, it is estimated that if 100% of the WUI were developed preparation costs would be over $8.5 billion for Federal Fire Departments (BLM included). In an Audit Report to the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) the Forest Service specifically addressed the large fire suppression costs. The report recommended and the OIG accepted the forest service management decision to move forward on the following three agenda items. One, suppression costs need to be fairly shared by State and Local Governments, two, use of wildland fire
Page 18 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 19 Community Wildfire Protection Plan should be expanded to control costs of future fires and three, forest service cost- containment controls need to be strengthened. (USDA/OIG-A08601-44-SF) CAL FIRE, for the 2007 fire season, requested $1.3 billion of which 94% was for fire protection. In addition to the department’s base fire protection budget, the budget proposal included $87 million for the Emergency Fund (E-Fund) which is used to pay for costs of fire protection beyond budgeted expenditures. These figures represent an increase of 83% over the last decade. Explanations are consistent with reasons cited in the CWPP, increased fuel loads, higher labor costs and significant development into the WUI. The Legislative Analyst’s Office (LOA) reported that the presence of more people increases the incidence of wildfires, as fires from human caused activities spread to the wildland areas. Second, protecting people and homes often requires greater fire suppression efforts that would typically be used on forests or rangelands. Finally the presence of people and structures can limit techniques used in fuel treatment and fire suppression (LOA 2007 Budget Analysis: Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (3540)). As with Federal opportunities to cut and defer cost the LAO is also suggesting redefining SRA and LRA boundaries as well as a fire protection fee for property within the SRA. The number of homes as well as the rate that they will be affected varies from one WUI region to the next. The Angora Fire 07’ saw fire spread being carried from one structure to the next independent of the surrounding fuel load. The fire storms in Southern California 03’ and 07’ the vegetation and homes were consumed at an equal rate in the Santa Ana winds. Homes with fire resistant construction and proper clearance have been a constant in success versus non- success in surviving any wild fire. As more homes are being built into the WUI so also does it put additional stresses on the fire protection ability. The WUI development for Butte and Plumas Counties as compared to California is listed in table 1. These numbers illustrate why it is unrealistic to think there will be a fire engine at every house during a wild fire. Table 1 WUI Development Developed Undeveloped Percent Homes % of Second SQ Miles SQ Miles Developed Homes California 871.8 4,257 17% 341,175 19% Plumas 37.8 237.1 14% 5,788 25% Butte 28.4 141.3 17% 6,479 8% References for this section from (www.headwaterseconomics.org)
Shelter in Place
There are ideas being published that are proponents of a defensible space = a shelter in place option. It is the expressed opinion of the Butte County Fire Chief and the local jurisdiction Fire Chief’s that a shelter in place option would only be used as a last line of defense. It has and will continue to be stressed in this document that fire resistant construction with a 4291 compliant clearance (100’) is the best opportunity to protect one’s property in a wildland fire.
Page 19 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 20 Community Wildfire Protection Plan In the five San Diego communities that administered shelter in place standards there were no homes that were destroyed during the recent 2007 fires. However these communities began this process with new developments, they did not retrofit existing communities. The development had to include a fire protection plan that addressed emergency services, road access, water supply, vegetation management and fire resistant construction. Given the extreme conditions present in Southern California in 2007 even ‘shelter in place’ communities were at risk. This would be true for any community in the direct path of a fire. Higher fuel loads in Northern California make 100% survivability unlikely in extreme conditions. (G. Morris, Rice Fire Incident Commander, personal conversation). County officials who are being approached to institute these communities also state the shelter in place would only considered for new projects that adhere to the plan above and that sheltering in place would remain an option for firefighers not a default (nctimes.com/articles/2007/02/16). Beyond the threat of flame impingement there are other considerations for both firefighters and residents. When a wildfire becomes a firestorm the circumstances go from at best inconsistent to completely unpredictable. The wind in a firestorm takes cooler airs and sucks it upward from the ground at great speeds, generating swirling, scorching, tornado winds up to 180mph. The temperature can reach over 2000’ Celsius, four times hotter then a normal fire. Scientists estimate the energy release in a 24 hour fire storm to be equal to the amount of energy released by 25 atomic bombs (ssc.disovery.com). While a structure might survive this event a human would not.
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Fire Risk and Mitigation in Butte Unit
In order for fire protection agencies and homeowners to have a better chance of successfully Map 1 controlling a wildland fire before catastrophic losses are encumbered, we must identify areas of concern and offer measures to reduce the likelihood of losses. This begins with the identification of the Communities at Risk (CAR) within Butte County. The Butte County Fire Safe Council, CWPP Committee developed maps designating CAR (map 1), and the surrounding Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) (map 2). The CAR wee mapped with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology using parcel, site address, population density (2000 census), aerial photography, and road data along with local knowledge. The communities were designated because they contained residential structures, varying from a cluster of homes to thousands of structures with infrastructure. Each of the polygons (shapes) in the CAR represent one or more, a cluster of the communities within Butte County. Map 2 Map 2 designates the CAR with surrounding WUI areas. The WUI was divided into two parts. The adjacent WUI which is immediately surround the CAR by ½ mile and the extended WUI which surrounds the CAR by a 1½ mile layer as it pertains to the urban interface. The extended WUI can be increased or decreased when circumstances dictate realignment. Note these maps are for general reference only, a treatment application is dependent on its value to the reduction for fire hazard to a community or essential infrastructure. A proposed treatment inside the identified map does not guarantee approval nor does a treatment outside the map exclude approval. There are a number of areas within the wildlife area and along levees that while not identified on this map, do fall within the definition of critical infrastructure and do receive funding.
Page 21 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 22 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Structural Ignitability and Home Defense
One of the key components in the CWPP is the protection of structures during the event of a wildfire. As explained earlier, this critical asset is one of the most difficult and costly to defend during a wildfire. Compliance with 4291 regulations gives the best opportunity for structural survivability during a large wildfire. However it is not enough to have defensible space without giving careful thought and effort toward improving the homes resistance to structural ignitability. Structural ignitability is a term that describes a structures susceptibility to catch fire during a wildland fire. Aiding a fire in this capacity would be any item allowing a fire ember to readily start a new fire. Many structures can be lost well in advance of the main fire. During firestorms fires are often fanned by strong winds creating a blizzard of embers which blow through the air. These embers can land in a receptive fuel bed. This fuel bed can include naturally occurring materials, such as needles and leaves that accumulate on, under and near a home, material stored on or near the home such as yard furniture or woodpiles, and some types of building materials. Building materials that lend themselves readily to “structural ignitability” include the obvious shake roof and the not so obvious deck material and interior support members in the attic or sub-floor space. When reducing a structure’s ignitability the mitigation measures are best accomplished by the individual homeowner. Mitigation measures will be separated into four categories; A. Information, Education and Planning, B. Reducing Structure Ignitability, C. Enhancing Suppression Capabilities and Public Safety, and 4.Hazardous Fuel Reduction Planning and Implementation. These categories also form the base for “project grading” utilized to help determine the level of priority when grading large scale and or grant application projects requiring CWPP inclusion. The CWPP seeks to include all prescriptions to better plan for future projects. A brief on the grading criteria will be included later in this section under Project Classification. Staying with the concept of Structural Ignitability, page 23 shows an illustration displaying the importance of maintaining 4291 clearance as it relates to location in relevance to the CAR and a homes place in the WUI.
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Detailed Illustration of the Home Ignition Zone
HOME IGNITION ZONE
9 Fire resistive building construction
9 Defensible space around the home 100 feet.
In this illustration the identified home falls within the Extended WUI, the location at the top of a ridge would only increase the danger to succumbing to a wildland fire. A structure such as this would benefit greatly by adhering to 4291 compliance. This section will continue with a detailed look at the risk condition within the four identified focus areas. Offered will be mitigation measures that the homeowner can institute as well as measures being affected by local fire safe councils, private industry and local fire protection agencies. Mitigation measures prioritize to assist the homeowner in the following order. This order is the succession order most expected to be followed by an individual resident.
1. Home Ignition Zone – the home and landscaping out 100’ 2. Community at Risk Zone 3. Adjacent Wildland Urban Interface 4. Extended Wildland Urban Interface
The goal of this section is to: Identify situations and factors which place citizens, their property and communities at risk from wildfire, and suggest appropriate mitigation measure(s) to reduce that risk.
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The objectives of this section are to: • Identify mitigation measures that focus on public safety, firefighter safety, reducing structure ignitability, and reducing damage to assets and natural resources. • Identify areas where collaborative efforts of local, state, and federal agencies, and private landowners can mitigate risks of structure ignitability, reduce hazardous fuels, and wildfire threats to communities and watersheds. • Support efforts of Butte County, the County Fire Chief, County Fire Chiefs Association, Butte County and community Fire Safe Councils, Butte County Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), United States Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and other agencies and organizations to collaboratively implement mitigation measures and obtain funding assistance.
MITIGATION MEASURES BY FOCUS AREAS:
Focus areas are broken down into elements, which contribute to the risk of homes and communities being lost to wildfire. A statement of the situation or issue has been presented, followed with a mitigation recommendation(s).
Focus Area
Information, Education and Planning Risk:
Any information that is presented and is otherwise false or inaccurate poses a great threat to successful (not sure the word) emergency circumvention. There are a number of Fire Safe Councils that are made up of volunteers or staff that receive funding sources through grants and other endowments. Should those resources not be available the fuels reduction projects and educational program displays that are currently being produced could be severely impacted.
Mitigation:
Continue to expand and circulate the information currently being offered to the Community. Ensure that the local Fire Chiefs and contributing agencies are in agreement with the message being presented. Expand the safety messages to include developers, realtors, contractors, home builders, and building inspectors on methods, building construction and others, to improve the chance for structural survivability. Programs should address: home site
Page 24 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 25 Community Wildfire Protection Plan location, safe access, signage, importance of available water, adequate fire protection, the critical role vegetation plays in wildland fire including landscape implementation.
These programs need to have evacuation planning prior to emergency incidents to improve orderly evacuation of civilians and the ingress and emergency crews. Community evacuation plans will be developed and maintained through a coordinated effort involving law enforcement, fire, EMS, County OES and the American Red Cross with the assistance of area fire safe councils. Many of the County’s communities have evacuation plans with identified evacuation routes and public assembly areas. Communities without plans should be identified by County OES as part of the County’s Disaster Mitigation planning. Evacuation plans need to be tested with simulated emergency drills to improve effectiveness
CWPP Updates – Completion of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan is the first step in planning and implementing mitigation activities that will protect homes and communities from wildland fire. The CWPP serves fro the unincorporated communities within the County of Butte, and the incorporated communities of Biggs, Chico, Gridley, Oroville and Paradise. The plan will be updated annually with specific consideration give to the areas designated as CAR and the elements of the fire risk mitigation strategies by area of focus.
Focus Area
Reducing Structural Ignitability Risk:
Homes that do not 1; maintain a defensible space reducing flammable material around their homes to keep direct flames and heat away from the side of their buildings, and 2; construct buildings that do not adhere to State Fire Marshal approved products and construction methods, stand a greater chance of losing their home in a wildfire.
Mitigation:
The State Fire Marshal has adopted new building codes for California’s Wildland Urban Interface. http://osfm.fie.ca.gov
On September 20, 2005, the California Building Standards Commission approved the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s emergency regulations amending the California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 24, Part 2, known as the 2007 California Building Code (CBC).
Page 25 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 26 Community Wildfire Protection Plan “701A.3.2 New Buildings Located in Any Fire Hazard Severity Zone. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, any Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, or any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter. New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone shall comply with one of the following:
1. State Responsibility Areas.
New buildings located in any Fire Hazard Severity Zone within State Responsibility Areas, for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
2. Local Agency Very-High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
New buildings located in any Local Agency Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after July 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
3. Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency.
New buildings located in any Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area designated by the enforcing agency for which an application for a building permit is submitted on or after January 1, 2008, shall comply with all sections of this chapter.
OBJECTIVE the broad objective of the Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Area Building Standards is to establish minimum standards for materials and material assemblies and provide a reasonable level of exterior wildfire exposure protection for buildings in Wildland-Urban Interface Fire Areas. The use of ignition resistant materials and design to resist the intrusion of flame or burning embers projected by a vegetation fire (wildfire exposure) will prove to be the most prudent effort California has made to try and mitigate the losses resulting from our repeating cycle of interface fire disasters. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) and the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) revised the mandatory effective date for those areas where local government has responsibility for wildland fire protection (LRA) to July 1, 2008, to enable local government agencies more time to review and accept the fire hazard severity zone maps that will be presented to them formally after the new year.
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Risk:
While new construction and remodels over 50% are generally covered by these provisions, previous construction not to these new standards could increase risk of intrusion from flames and embers. These risks include but are not limited to roofing, attic ventilation, exterior walls, decking and ancillary buildings and structures.
Mitigation:
2001 California Building Code, Chapter 7, Section 704A – Materials, Systems and Methods of Construction. Provides category explanations for the risks and detailed subheadings for each risk. Within this section, fire resistant ratings, wood thickness, vent opening allowances and other construction and building code requirements are covered to resist flame ember and flame intrusion where a wildfire burning in vegetative fuels may readily transmit fire to buildings and threaten to destroy life, overwhelm fire suppression capabilities, or result in large property losses.
Focus Area
Enhancing Suppression Capabilities and Public Safety Risks:
Butte County provides a unique challenge for fire protection in that it has a blend of urban and rural fire and rescue needs. These needs are not only spread geographic boundaries but political and jurisdictional boundaries. Changes in modern society, such as terrorism, hazardous materials, and urban search and rescue to name a few, along with expanding rural populations present increasing challenges for emergency providers.
Mitigation:
Support the implementation of Butte County Fire rescue Master Plan, developed by the County Fire Chiefs Association. This plan includes maintaining existing fire and rescue capabilities, re-establishing fire protection elements that have been recently cut, such as staffing of local hand crews and fire lookouts. Continue to work with adjoining fire departments to share critical and scarce resources across jurisdictional boundaries.
Risks:
Emergency response that is hindered by; un-identifiable roads and addresses, poorly maintained drives and private roads, inaccessible residences due to bridge construction, locked gates and slopes restricting vehicle access and the inability to access copious amounts water for fire suppression.
Page 27 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 28 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Mitigation:
New construction standards have provisions in place to require all new construction developments to be PRC 4291 compliant. City and county inspectors must have the resources to perform inspections and be able to carry out code enforcement. For existing structures measures should be explored that will offer incentives to bring existing residences and communities up to State and Local standards for emergency access. Identify, map and sign existing water sources using GIS. Enhance and improve water storage, access, and development for firefighting on public and private lands.
Risks:
Emergency evacuations for communities within the wildland urban interface currently have one way in and out of their community.
Mitigation:
Agencies working with County OES will identify communities with inadequate escape routes. This process shall be included in the County General Plan Process. Communities, industrial landowners, along with local, state, and federal agencies should work collaboratively to identify and pursue funding to improve emergency evacuation routes for communities with one way in and out. Develop MOU between private landowners and public pertaining to road maintenance and liability during evacuation. Support efforts to improve local and state road systems for emergency access.
Focus Area
Hazardous Fuel Reduction Risks:
Homes and properties that do not comply with (PRC 4291) fuels reduction standards stand a greater risk to propagate the spread of a wildland fire and reduce fire suppression capabilities. This risk is increased when homeowners use non-native plants or arrange the landscaping in a fashion that increases wildland fire spread. Vacant lots with excessive fuel loads near structures create hazards when there is no legal basis to enforce clearance.
Mitigation:
Educational efforts are being made to educate residents on the risks due to inadequate defensible space and the need to comply with state and local laws requiring the removal of vegetation for defensible space around their residence. Continue with Fire Prevention programs that send inspectors to
Page 28 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 29 Community Wildfire Protection Plan target communities to enforce PRC 4291 compliance. “Defensible Space Landscaping in the Wildland Urban Interface” completed by the University of California Forest products lab is an excellent source for fire performance ratings for various plants. (http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/fileslibrary/616/4017.pdf) Look to modify county and city codes to require vacant lots to conform to a fire safe standard requiring property owners of vacant properties to clear a minimum of 30’ along property lines, and in areas where neighboring properties have a structure the clearance should be in 4291 compliance.
Risk Post Forest Practice activity (slash) fuel treatment – Forest practice activities including pre-commercial thinning and harvesting creates “activity fuels,” slash which under the forest practice act must be treated to carrying standards based upon the circumstances. Reference he California Forest Practice Rules Article 7, Hazard Reduction, Section 937.2 treatment of Slash to Reduce Fire Hazard Non-Compliance with post-treatment fuel conditions can create additional risks to catastrophic fire losses. Vegetation Treatments: Essentially states that tree removal targets under story trees, with a maximum tree sized to be removed of less then 30” inside bark stump diameter, post harvest canopy closure of 40-60% varying by forest type, with stocking meeting the commercial thinning requirement, under story and surface fuels to be removed to achieve a distance of 8’ height to the base of the live crown, and surface fuels to be treated within 120 days from start of operations to achieve a maximum 4 foot flame length.
Mitigation
Educate non-industrial and industrial forest landowners about the added fire hazard created by remaining activity fuels. Work with non-industrial and industrial forest landowners to treat activities fuels within the designated Wildland Urban Interface area beyond the requirements of the forest practice act. Explore incentives, such as tax credits, for landowner, who treat activity fuels within the WUI to a 2-4’ flame length. Work with the Board of Forestry to establish forest practice standards for the treatment of activity fuels, particularly those generated during pre-commercial thinning, within the WUI similar to the “vegetation treatment” standards within the CAL FIRE “Notice of Emergency Timber Operation Fuel Hazard Reduction.”
Risk
Many proposed subdivisions in Butte County have hazardous fuel conditions that place the development and surrounding homes and communities at risk. Moreover, with the addition of structures and people to will send areas comes the increased risk of fire starts.
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Mitigation
Modify county codes to require hazardous fuel treatment on proposed developments prior to recordation of final map. To expedite fuel reduction countywide, manage fuels in an economy of scale, and insure completion it may be prudent to require hazardous fuel reduction prior to recordation of the final subdivision map. Require a maintenance plan to maintain the investment, desired fuel condition, and provide for community safety, in upcoming developments. Require a hazardous fuel reduction maintenance plan that can assign either the Homeowners Association or Communities Service District the responsibility to provide for future fiscal and enforcement responsibilities to maintain fuels in a fire resistant condition. Hazardous fuel reduction and subsequent maintenance should create a fire resilient condition, a condition which would not contribute to initiating or sustaining a crown fire, and potential surface fuel flame lengths would be 3’ or less.
Risk
Fuel treatment within communities at risk has begun to develop hazardous fuel reduction projects on the much untreated land between structures and in common areas throughout the county. This is an area that includes the private and public lands that fall within the WUI, to include the Communities at Risk, Adjacent Area and the Extended Area of Risk. A key needs to include a maintenance component as a critical to maintaining a legitimate fuel break.
Mitigation
Encourage property owners, homeowner associations, community services districts, communities, and agencies to work collaboratively to reduce the risk of fire. Implement fuel treatment measures within and around communities as stated in this document. County efforts should continue to be made in the pursuit of funding for community hazardous fuel reduction activities. Explore incentives fro existing large landowners to meet hazardous fuel reduction standards on their properties. Through collaborative efforts, all public lands within communities at risk should be assessed for treatment. Public lands should be treated to a standard which will create a fire-resilient stand, which would not contribute to initiating or sustaining a crown fire, and potential surface fuel flame lengths would be 4’ or less. Completer Butte Counties Strategy for Fuel Reduction including private, local, state and federal hazardous fuel reduction projects. Explore incentives for existing landowners to meet HFR standards on their properties. Continue to pursue projects that establish fuels reduction
Page 30 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 31 Community Wildfire Protection Plan measures within the WUI focusing on CAR as the projects extend into the WUI. Educate homeowners and other agencies involved in fuel reduction about the dynamic plant communities and the need to complete periodic fuel reduction maintenance in order to prevent re-growth. Require that fuel reduction project within developments, communities at risk, and the adjacent and extended WUI area identify and plan for the needs for future maintenance, including frequency, type and anticipated cost. Work with governing boards, agencies and lawmakers to develop, approve and regulate alternative methods for fuel reduction maintenance. Explore incentives for existing landowners to maintain hazardous fuel reduction standards on their properties.
Project Classification
The CWPP is responsible for identifying, recording and evaluating projects that affect the WUI and other areas of critical infrastructure. This section will identify and summarize the four benefits (with summary) that are used in evaluating each project and then assigning the project a priority score. These benefits were created by identifying the factors that place citizens, their property and communities at risk from wildfire. Scoring criteria is based on how a proposed project would aid in mitigation of these factors. The grades are assigned from a sliding scale based on how a project would benefit as a Community, Fire Shed Area, Isolated Community or Individual. Many of the standards from which these benefits are being graded are PRC 4291 compliance objectives. http://osfm.fire.ca.gov/pdf/fireengineering/structural/MainText.pdf
Information, Education and Planning (I.E.P.)
Seek to fund projects that educate the community about dangers of wildfire and how their participation in prevention measures can reduce this risk. Seek projects that will help to positively influence needed adherence to PRC 4291 compliance, building code standards, evacuation plan updates and the creation and updates of publications such as the CWPP.
Reducing Structure Ignitability (R.S.I)
Seek to fund projects that help reduce the risk of structure loss due to wildland fires. Mitigation through 100’ vegetation clearance around the ignitable zone surrounding structures, proper PRC 4291 compliance and adherence to 2008 Building Standards with new construction or significant remodel of previous construction.
Enhanced Suppression Capabilities and Public Safety (E.S.C)
Page 31 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 32 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Seek to fund projects that will increase emergency response and public safety. Mitigation can be created through the creation and maintenance of auto-aid agreements and cooperative countywide emergency service planning. Seek to fund projects that will ensure proper PRC 4291 compliance and adherence of 2008 Building Standards in areas such as road and address signage, road maintenance, driveway length, gates and vegetative clearance and other ingress and egress issues the inhibit emergency response vehicles.
Hazardous Fuel Reduction (H.F.R)
Seek to fund projects that will increase public awareness to the benefits of creating a defensible space around homes and other structures. Look to fund projects that will reduce fuel loading within the extended WUI in locations that will reduce the opportunity for wildland fires to cause catastrophic damages. Projects should allow for fire suppression before fires reach levels that create high costs in suppression efforts. Hazardous fuel reduction projects that reduce fuels in areas that can be deemed ‘critical infrastructure’ that do not fall within the “pre-defined” WUI will still receive consideration and be graded as a benefit priority.
Using a decision matrix a committee representing a cooperation of interested parties will grade proposed projects. Scoring with a 10 pt high and 0 pt low each benefit will be graded as it pertains to 13 categories. It is the intent that those projects that encompass multiple benefits and score high be classified as priority projects. Conversely a project that scores especially high in a single benefit should be considered as priority project as well. To grade projects the committee should follow the following justification point scale. This scale would only act as a guide and the numbers recommended are not absolutes. Points could justifiably be increased or decreased depending on the special needs of a project.
Projects that provide a benefit to the entire community should be graded to the 10-8 point scale. Since most projects will not have this far reaching ability, as the influence of a project is lessened so should the score. There should be few categories that would be able to acquire a 10 score. Projects that provide a benefit to the Fire Shed Community would grade at the 7-4 point scale. The projected sphere of influence to the area would determine a reduction or possible increase in value. Most projects will fall into this category as individual fire safe councils are likely to make recommendations that would most positively influence their communities within a prescribed fire shed.
Page 32 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 33 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Projects that only seek to influence an isolated community would grade at the 4-2 point scale. The size of the community should influence an increase or decrease in this value. Projects that only provide a benefit to the individuals would score lower then those that can positively affect a greater population and would grade at the 1-0 point scale.
The categories for which projects are graded with explanation are as follows. • Implementation Likely hood that the project can be implemented to the degree it is being proposed? • Treatable Acres Is the location in an area that can be accessed and will the acres be positively affected? • Benefit to the Community What is the overall benefit to the community? • Cost Does the cost of the project make it a worthwhile endeavor? • Sustainability Have maintenance needs been addressed? • Visibility Will there be an increased issue of awareness for the needs of fuels reduction? • Reduced Ignition Probability Would a potential fire ignition be reduced as a result of this project? • Reduced Spread Probability Would a potential fire spread be reduced as a result of this project? • Increased Suppression Capability Would a potential fire have greater chance of early control as a result of this project? • Community Involvement Is there community support and participation for this project? • PRC 4291 Compliance Will this project promote PRC 4291 compliance and positive community support? • Other Agency Benefits Do other agencies benefit from this project? • Intangibles Are there categories not listed that stand to benefit from this project?
Projects seeking inclusion in the CWPP should submit a project description using the Project Inclusion Template. This template is available in outline form in the appendix ,or online at buttecountyfiresafecouncil.com web site. Projects need to be submitted to 176 Nelson Ave, Oroville Cal. 95965 c/o
Page 33 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 34 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Pre Fire Engineer by November 15th for inclusion in the subsequent years CWPP.
Once the project submittals have been collected, a committee representing, CAL FIRE, Forest Service, BLM, Fire Safe Council (public) and BCFD Pre Fire Engineer will review and grade the projects. It is the intent of this process to help categorize the submitted projects to determine and order of merit for submission should grant funding be requested. Note the final decision to accept or deny any project proposal is made by the grant provider, this process is only part of the conduit to make submittals.
Applicants are encouraged to attend the Butte County Fire Safe Council, November meeting to get more information on project submittals. Applicants should also work with the local Battalion Chief when creating a project for submittal.
Meetings begin at 9 am and are led the first Wednesday of each month at the Paradise City Hall, 5555 Skyway, Paradise California. Meetings that correspond with holidays or other significant events have been rescheduled. It is best to confirm meeting events prior to attendance.
A current list of projects is available in the Appendix of this document.
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Fire plan components require fire behavior analysis of the affected area. As identified in the introduction these components incorporate four values which make up the WAFL score. The WAFL score represents weather, assets, fuel type and level of service. These components will be defined and explained in this section. Utilizing GIS technology we can create a map of the affected area to help determine project locations and perimeters.
Severe Fire Weather Sever fire weather is defined using the Fire Weather Index (FWI) developed by the USDA Forest Service Riverside Lab. The FWI combines air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed into a combined score. This score is then indexed to indicate potential changes in fire behavior due to the FWI. Severe fire weather occurs when the FWI exceeds a predetermined threshold. The FWI threshold is derived from an FWI of 95 degrees F, 20% RH and a 7 mph eyelevel wind speed. Frequency of Severe Fire Weather is defined as the percent of time during a budgeted fire season a weather station records a severe fire weather reading. Butte and Plumas fall within the low ranking as determined by FWI scale. The area does experience a number of North Wind events that activate a red flag warning. During these expected red flag events the Unit takes extra precautions with increased staffing including the staging of engine, hand crew and dozer strike teams.
Assets at Risk The primary purpose of the Butte Unit Fire Plan is to protect the wide range of assets found on California wildland within Butte. Summarizing the definitions provided by the California Fire Plan the following assets are evaluated, with ranking priority 1-5 in the following manner. The analysis addresses two basic questions: What are the aggregate values of the assets at risk to wildfire? What are the losses, both economic and non-economic, in a fire?
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Strength of Resource Asset Value Basis Level of Desegregation Levels of Value Methodology
Life and Safety non-economic values are not quantified By population density National, state and local High
Non-economic values of pollutants: Air quality basins (13), basic fuel types average dollar impact from particulate National, state and local Low Air Quality (2), and by air pollutant emissions matter (PM) emitted per acre burned
Dollar cost of replacement feed per Values by regions (8), cover types (9) state and local High Range acre of rangeland burned and ownership classes (5) Recreation on Average dollar per acre burned; non- Statewide average by public ownership Low public wildlands commodity assets also exist categories (5) National, state and local Average dollar loss per home burned; Statewide average by public ownership State and Local High Structures non-commodity assets also exist categories (5) National, state and local Values by regions (6) and ownership Average dollar loss per acre burned National, state and local High Timber categories (4)
Range of economic impacts per acre for value of increased water yields; Water and cost of sediment removal; loss of reservoir capacity; effects on Statewide ranges of economic impacts National, state and local Low to medium watersheds hydroelectric generation; cost of watershed rehabilitation; non- commodity assets also exist
Wildlife, habitat, Qualitative discussion on the tradeoffs Statewide state and local Low plants and in fire impacts ecosystem health Other resource assets, cultural These non-commodity assets cannot be statewide (generically) or place- quantified adequately; descriptive National, state and local Low to medium and historic specific resources, unique enumeration only scenic areas
These assets with rank (1-5) include; Infrastructure 3, Timber 3, Water Storage 3, Water Supply 3, Range 1, Fire-Flood 2, Historic 2, Soil 1, Air 4, Scenic 2, Hydroelectric 3, Recreation 2, Housing 5, non-game Wildlife 1, game Wildlife 1, and Ecosystem 3. The communities at risk play a major role in determining the assets at risk. Fear of loss of life and property are a stimulus to encourage fuels reduction projects that will help protect these areas as well as the assets listed above.
Page 36 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 37 Community Wildfire Protection Plan While grants are available they are often tied to the greater good. Example, Proposition 40 grants must encourage and protect the California water shed. Since the canyons within Butte feed into Lake Oroville and other water distribution outlets we have a broader opportunity to create shaded fuel breaks. By using the tools in GIS, we can overlay the project onto the maps being discussed in this section. Focus can now be turned to creating effective fuels reductions to the specific needs of the Unit while still holding true to the restrictions of the grant provider. Also a number of communities and homeowners associations have taken the lead and are self funding fuels reduction projects. If we are able to increase work that has or is being done, we are more able to protect the assets of higher value. It is important to take the values and rank them against the other to ensure a dispersed and more accurate analysis of the sum of the parts. When we compare the Timber at Risk with the Range at Risk we can better see why we need to compare values. Responsibility must be taken to ensure prescription resources are being utilized to their greatest extent.
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Fuel Load The fuel assessment layer exemplifies the local fire hazard situation. The fuels assessment is a very useful tool in assisting pre-fire planners and fire safe councils target critical areas for prescriptions. This assessment evaluates current flammability of a particular fuel type, given location on the slope, affects from weather conditions, surface and ladder fuels, and crown density. Fuel in context of wildfire, refers to all combustible material available to burn within a give area of land. Grass, brush and timber are the most common fuels found in the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. These fuels have specific burning characteristics based on several inherent factors. These factors include moisture content, volume, live to dead vegetation ratio, size, arrangement and plant’s genetic make up. All of these contribute to a fires spread, its intensity, and ultimately its threat to assets. The planning belt for Butte into Plumas flows in a consistent elevation ladder from a barren (farmlands) to grass into brush and finally into timber. This identification is important because it relates directly to the fire hazard these fuels identify with in their burning characteristics. Local conditions (micro-climates) also affect fuel type and density. North facing slopes tend to get slightly more rainfall and less sun favoring the development of hardwood and succulent species. Southern exposures are dominated by brush and conifer species which have adapted to drier, poor soil conditions. Grass burns rapidly with a short period of intensity with maximum heat output. Brush, on the other hand, has a long sustained high heat output making fire suppression more difficult. Timber, while more difficult to initiate large fires, once established create a defensive fire fighting posture due to the intensity of the burning characteristics. Fuel load as explained previously falls into three general categories as it affects wildland fire proliferation within the Butte Unit. Overall there are 256 fuel models however for planning purposes most fuel modeling is based on one of the 13 types defined by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Fuel Model. The Planning Belt map shows seven categories as they extend from the valley floor into Plumas County. These models are compared to the past fire history for the area to create a final vegetation layer.
Page 38 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 39 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The final phase of determining fuel hazard rating involves combining crown fuel characteristics and surface fuel characteristics. Where applicable, the ladder and crown fuel indices convey the relative abundance of these types of fuels. The indicies take values ranging from 0 to 2, with 0 indicating “absent”, 1 representing “present but spatially limited”, and 2 indicating “widespread”. These indices indicate the probability that torching and crown fire will occur if the stand were subjected to a wildfire under adverse environmental conditions. The total hazard rating includes not only hazard posed by surface fire, but also hazard by involvement of canopy fuels. The hazard ranking includes this component by adjusting the surface hazard rank according to the value of the ladder and crown fuel indices. Specifically, the surface hazard rank increases a maximum of one class in all situations where the sum of the ladder and crown fuel indices is greater that or equal to two. The potential fire behavior drives the hazard ranking. A rank is attributed to each Q81st (450 acre parcel) within Butte Unit’s state responsibility area (SRA). The ranking method portrays hazard ratings as moderate, high or very high. This map provides another tool for determining pre-fire prescriptions. Various prescription types will better correlate to specific types of fuel models. Additionally, structures are not equated into the fuel ranking model. Structural ignition defense is best achieved with 4291 compliance. Suppression agencies are not expected these measures to stop a large scale wildfire. However an un-compliant 4291 structure that is ignited during a wildfire will significantly increase the wildfire spread. Combining this knowledge is paramount in developing a community defense plan against wildfire. Fires in grass burn rapidly, but can be stopped by a roadway or plowed fire breaks. Fires in brush often burn with an intensity that prevents fire crews from safely applying water to the flame front. Timber fires can ignite new fires (spot fires) miles ahead of the main blaze. Only wide scale pre-fie management programs can reduce the potential of wildfire catastrophe.
Ignition Workload Analysis (IWA) The legislature has charged the Board of Forestry and CAL FIRE with delivering a fire protection system that provides an equal level of protection for
Page 39 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 40 Community Wildfire Protection Plan lands of similar type (PRC 4230). To accomplish this, CAL FIRE utilizes an assessment process which evaluates the level of service currently afforded a particular wildland area with the level identified for the same area. The rating is expressed as the percentage of fires that are successfully extinguished during initial attack. Success is defined as those fires that are controlled during the initial attack phase by limited resources before unacceptable damage and cost are incurred. CAL FIRE’s ignition workload analysis (IWA) rating is a relative system which attempts to measure the impact of fire on various assets at risk. IWA is an approximation method which has been proposed to allow the unit to proceed with a damage-plus-cost analysis assessment of fire protection performance. The IWA rating also provides a way to integrate the contribution of various program components (fire protection, fire prevention, planning, fuels management and fire suppression) toward the goal of keeping damage and cost within acceptable limits. In this system, a ‘fire’ may be considered a failure based upon the level of resource commitment and the fire’s size. Unfortunately, this type of analysis oversimplifies the myriad of factors that truly determine initial attack (IA) success. Example, IA failures that are a result of excessive resource draw-down and/or adverse fire weather, that create fire behavior beyond what IA resources are normally able to handle. The IWA rating is a ratio of successful initial attack fire suppression efforts to the total number of fire starts. This rating utilizes GIS to graphically display the success and failures of the fire protection system by overlaying 10 year wildfire history onto a map and deriving the average annual number of fires by size, severity of burning conditions and assets lost. The LOS rating can be readily used to describe the degree of success of fire protection services to “civilian stakeholders.”
Page 40 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 41 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The result is an initial attack success rate measured as a percentage of fires by vegetative type and area. Success is defined as those fires that are controlled before unacceptable damage and cost are incurred and where initial attack resources are sufficient to control wildfires. Fires are grouped into “success” and “failure” categories based on various factors. The assessment groups fires by general vegetation planning belts. Within the planning belt fires are further classified base on final fire size and weather conditions at the time of ignition. As we implement various prescriptions we can break these data sets out as a whole or compartmentalize them and begin to correlate the data to better determine the effectiveness of the prescriptions. When the IWA is over laid onto a fire history map we can see where projects have been successful. What the LOS does not record are successes in overall reduction of a ‘fires’ potential or structure saves within larger fires. Listed in the Fire History and Fuels Reduction Success map below are just a few of the successes that can be attributed to 4291 compliance and HFR prescriptions. This assessment program only records fires that meet certain parameters. Those parameters are grass fires over 300 acres, brush fires over 50 acres, timber fires over 10 acres or wildland fires which destroy 3 or more structures or cause damages over $300,000 dollars. In this instance the Oregon Fire in 2004 which burned 2,030 acres and destroyed 1 home and cost over 1 million dollars would be considered an IA failure. However, due to aggressive PRC 4291 compliance with the assistance of a Unit Wide Defensible Space Chipper Program, a number of structures were able to be protected by fire suppression
Page 41 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 42 Community Wildfire Protection Plan units. FIRE PLANNING AREAS - FIRESHEDS Firesheds much like the watershed concept is used to define a geographical area where the fire behavior characteristics are relatively homogenous. Firesheds are comprised of large geographical areas of land where one or more of the fire behavior factors (topography, weather and fuel) are similar and their interaction is relatively constant; consequently fire behavior is generally similar. For instance, topography, weather and fuels throughout the Feather River Canyon and the communities of Yankee Hill and Concow are relatively similar; therefore this geographical area has been designated as the Yankee Hill/ Concow Fireshed. CAL FIRE with input from the Butte County Fire Safe council has divided up Butte County in to nine Fireshed or Fire Planning Areas; (Cohasset-Forest Ranch Ridge, Paradise Ridge, Yankee Hill- Concow, Berry Creek Ridge, Lumpkin- Forbestown Ridge, Chico Foothills, Butte Valley, Table Mountain East Oroville and Valley) see attached map. The Fire Planning Area concept allows federal, state and local agencies, community groups and citizens via the Butte County Fire Safe Council forum to cooperatively look at projects on a larger geographical level, and further enables these groups to design projects in size and scope to meet the fire behavior conditions common to the particular fireshed. A detailed description of the nine Butte County Firesheds can be found in subsequent sections of the Butte County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Following this section will be an access data report listing prescriptions for each of the fire shed communities.
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The table below summarizes the ownership, federal, state and other, by acres contained within Butte County’s Communities at Risk and surrounding Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) areas
Ownership Within the Within the CAR & Community @ surrounding WUI Risk (CAR) Bureau of Land Management 226 1,118 United States Forest Service 611 6,197 Federal Total 837 7,315 Department of Fish & Game 83 831 Department of Parks & Recreation 1 70 State Total 84 901 Nature Conservancy 0 19 Unclassified 21,174 51,925 Other Total 21,174 51,944 Butte County Totals 22,095 53,676
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Paradise Ridge Fire Planning Area Including the Town of Paradise, Magalia & the Upper Ridge Communities CAL FIRE/Butte County Fire Department Interim Battalion Chief Chris Haile Town of Paradise Fire Chief Mark Haunschild Town of Paradise Fire Safe Council – Coordinator Jim Broshears The Upper Ridge Coordinating Council – Darrel Wilson
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Paradise Ridge Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: There is a wide range of vegetation types found within the Paradise Ridge Planning area. The vegetation types range from grass, chaparral brush mix, oak – woodland, and timber.
Vegetation found within towns of Magalia, Stirling City and Upper Paradise is predominantly Timber and associated brush. The timber type within most of Paradise is Ponderosa Pine/California Black Oak mix, with an under story chaparral brush component consisting primarily of Manzanita, Deer brush, Ceanothus sp., Scotch Broom, and Poison Oak. Some areas of undeveloped lots or greenbelt areas have very dense brush which can affect fire behavior.
Upper elevations of Paradise, Magalia and Stirling City have a mixed conifer timber type. Species of conifer trees in the over story include Douglas-fir, Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, White Fir and Incense Cedar. Hardwood trees in the under story include California Black Oak, Tanoak, Canyon Live Oak, Big leaf Maple and California Laurel. There is also an under story chaparral brush component consisting primarily of Manzanita, Deerbrush, Ceanothus sp., Scotch Broom, and Poison Oak.
Vegetation found in Lower Paradise and canyons adjacent to communities’ ranges from grass and brush to oak woodland. Some of the trees in this area include Gray Pine, Blue Oak, California Black Oak and California Laurel. Brush species include Toyon, Western Redbud, Poison Oak and Ceanothus Sp..
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All these vegetation types provide fire control problems because of overstocked and overgrown conditions due to years of successful fire suppression. The potential for a large, fuel driven fire is very real when fuel moisture conditions are conducive to burning. Fire control will be very difficult due to high fire intensities leading to fire behavior problems such as long range spotting, high rates of spread and long flame lengths. Direct attack will be impossible under these burning conditions for safety reasons. An Indirect attack with a defensive approach is the most likely scenario for fire control.
Topography: The most prominent topographic features in the Paradise Ridge Planning area are the numerous steep canyons dispersed throughout the area. The two largest of these canyons, and most influential on fire behavior, are Butte Creek Canyon and West Branch Feather River Canyon. Butte Creek Canyon borders Paradise and Magalia to the west, while West Branch Feather River Canyon borders both towns and Stirling City to the east. Less prominent canyons, but still very influential on fire behavior, are located along the south border of Paradise. The smaller canyons run north-south into town limits, but decrease in size substantially by the time they enter Paradise. These canyons include Nance, Hamlin, Berry, Clear Creek and Dry Creek.
Gently sloping, broad ridges make up most of the Paradise, Magalia and Stirling City residential areas. There are some smaller canyons entering both Paradise, as mentioned above, and Magalia. The canyons entering Magalia are Little Butte Creek and Middle Butte Creek. These canyons are relatively small where they enter Magalia. However, a well established fire starting in either canyon would provide a substantial resistance to control. There are also numerous tributaries to all of the canyons entering Paradise and Magalia. These tributaries may also produce minor canyons which can influence fire behavior substantially.
Weather: (refer to pg 16) Lightning is cyclic in this area and is generally a minor occurrence. However, there have been lightning storms in the past that have started numerous, damaging fires. A recent example of this occurred in August of 1999 when 47 fires started by lightning burned over 33,000 acres in Butte County.
Historically, extreme weather conditions have not been the primary factor in large fires within the Paradise and Magalia area. However, there is a huge potential for weather to be a strong influence on fire behavior and should not be discounted.
Page 45 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 46 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Wildland Urban Interface Situation: The Paradise Ridge Fire Planning Area is comprised of two large communities, Paradise and Paradise Pines (Magalia). The Town of Paradise and community of Paradise Pines are more characteristic of an urban interface environment where wildland abruptly adjoins high density housing. Both communities are relatively large and densely populated, comprised substantially of an elderly population. Other areas within the Paradise Ridge Fire Planning Area can be characterized as intermix areas, where houses are scattered amongst the wildland, such those south of the Town of Paradise and north and east of the community of Paradise Pines.
Emergency access in to and out of both communities is a real concern, due to limited, narrow roads and the expectation of large numbers of citizens tying to evacuate simultaneous. This is especially true in Magalia where the population density is very high and there is only one arterial road, the Skyway leading in to and out of the community which is further complicated by a stretch of the roadway that crosses Magalia Reservoir.
Page 46 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 47 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Cohasset Forest Ranch Ridge Fire Planning Area Including the Chico foothills, Lower Butte Creek Canyon, and the Communities of Cohasset, Forest Ranch, Butte Meadows/Jonesville, and the Hwy 32 corridor from the Chico city limits to the Tehama County line. CAL FIRE / Butte County Fire Dept. Battalion Chief Dan Summerville Cohasset Community Association – Bert Coffman & Jim Brobeck Forest Ranch Preservation Alliance Butte Meadows/Jonesville Homeowners Association Sierra Pacific Industries
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Cohasset Forest Ranch Ridge Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: There is a wide range of vegetation types found within the Battalion 2 Planning area. The vegetation types range from grass, chaparral brush mix, oak –woodland, and timber.
Vegetation found within the communities of Cohasset and Forest Ranch is predominantly timber and associated brush. The timber type is primarily Ponderosa Pine/California Black Oak mix, with an under story chaparral brush component consisting primarily of Manzanita, Deerbrush, Ceanothus sp., Scotch Broom, and Poison Oak. Some areas of undeveloped lots or greenbelt areas have very dense brush which can affect fire behavior.
The community of Butte Meadows/Jonesville has a mixed conifer timber type. Species of conifer trees in the over story include Douglas-fir, Ponderosa Pine, Sugar Pine, White Fir and Incense Cedar. Hardwood trees in the under story include California Black Oak, Tanoak, Canyon Live Oak, Big leaf Maple and California Laurel. There is also an under story chaparral brush component consisting primarily of Manzanita, Deerbrush, Ceanothus sp., Scotch Broom, and Poison Oak.
Vegetation found in the Chico Foothills and Lower Butte Creek Canyon and canyons adjacent to communities such as Little Chico Creek and Big Chico
Page 47 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 48 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Creek Canyons range from grass and brush to Oak Woodland. Some of the trees in this area include Gray Pine, Blue Oak, California Black Oak and California Laurel. Brush species include Toyon, Western Redbud, Poison Oak and Ceanothus Sp..
All these vegetation types provide fire control problems because of overstocked and overgrown conditions due to years of successful fire suppression. The potential for a large, fuel driven fire is very real when fuel moisture conditions are conducive to burning. Fire control will be very difficult due to high fire intensities leading to fire behavior problems such as long range spotting, high rates of spread and long flame lengths. Direct attack will be impossible under these burning conditions for safety reasons. An Indirect attack with a defensive approach is the most likely scenario for fire control.
Topography: Steep canyons and drainages are the dominant topographic feature in the Cohasset Forest Ranch Ridge Fire Planning Area. Typically these canyons/drainages have limited or no access for fire apparatus and have few options for control line placement which can allow fires to become well established and very resistive to control efforts.
Weather: Lightning is cyclic throughout the county and is generally a minor occurrence, yet still cause for concern as lightning storms in the past have started numerous, damaging fires. A recent example of this occurred in August of 1999 when 47 fires started by lightning burned over 33,000 acres across Butte County, the majority of which burned in Battalion 2.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: With the exception of the core area of the Communities of Forest Ranch and Cohasset which are similar to a urban interface environment, the communities in the Cohasset Forest Ranch Ridge Fire Planning Area can be characterized as intermix areas, where residences are scattered amongst the wildlands, which makes the 100’ clearance around structures vital, as these residences are not as densely located compared to a more urban interface environment making protecting these structures more challenging to protect due to lack of resources Steep inaccessible terrain combined with the previously mentioned light, flashy fuels at lower elevations and heavy fuel loading at higher elevations dominate the Fire Planning Area. Fires that start in this area immediately threaten high
Page 48 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 49 Community Wildfire Protection Plan value/high risk exposures and are often complicated by the challenges of wildland urban interface firefighting.
Page 49 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 50 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Yankee Hill – Concow , Butte Valley Including the communities of Butte Valley, Butte Community College, Durham, Richvale, Nelson, Dayton, Concow and Yankee Hill. CAL FIRE Butte County Fire Department Battalion Chief Rob Cone Yankee Hill / Concow Fire Safe Council – Brenda Rightmyer
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: The local responsibility area (LRA) which is west of Highway 99 is primarily agricultural with orchards, rice and field crops. There is a diminishing amount of grass and valley oak, especially near the Sacramento River and the major creeks and sloughs. One exception to this is the Llano Seco Ranch where various government and private agencies are restoring parts of the ranch to native habitat. The State Responsibility Area (SRA) which is east of Highway 99 is primarily oak woodland and grass with some brush. As the terrain continues up Hwy 70 along the north fork of the Feather River Canyon the fuel type goes from grass oak woodland to brush then into mixed conifirs and black oak. At 800’ annual grasses and oak woodland with blue and valley oak cover the lower foothills. Brush appears at the 1000’ elevation and is especially thick in the drainages ranging from manzanita, chaparral, toyon and white thorn. Between 2000’ and 2500’ mixed conifer, second growth ponderosa pine and black oak appear.
Topography: The elevations range from 800’ to 4300’. The Feather River drainages and their tributaries lend towards steep slopes and chimneys. This also contributes to strong and erratic wind patterns. Forest conditions are highly variable in the area.
Page 50 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 51 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Weather: (refer to pg 16) The steep drainages that exist from the Butte Valley into the Plumas National Forest contribute to strong and erratic wind patterns. In 1999 there was a lightning event that caused 12 to 15 fires (many of which burned together), this was more then has occurred in the 8 years previous.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: This plan area consists of about 80,000 acres of which the U.S. Government, PG&E, Sierra Pacific Industries and other timber companies and local landowners control the larger tracts of land. There are extensive hydroelectric power facilities and transmission lines, Union Pacific rail line and a State scenic route up HWY 70. The Thermalito Irrigation District owns Concow lake and much of the land surrounding it. The greatest concentration of population is on developed parcels along Hwy 70, Concow Lake and the Big Bend area.
The Yankee Hill – Concow Fire Planning Area has a history of large wildfires; the Poe fire (09-06-01) burned 8,333 acres and destroyed 50 homes, the 70 fire (10-24-01) burned 1,711 acres, the Concow fire (09-19-00) burned 1,845 acres, with one fatality, several injuries to fire fighters and destroying 16 homes, and a lightning event in 1999 that burned tens of thousands of acres on the east side of HWY 70 north of Pulga.
Many areas have high concentrations of population with narrow access routes and inadequate defensible space. Another significant problem is the lack of water supply for fire protection with no pressurized community fire hydrants and very few large storage tanks.
Page 51 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 52 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Chico Foothills – Valley (north) CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Greg McFadden City of Chico – Keith Carter
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: The Valley (north) contains a large agricultural component. The Chico Foothills consists mainly of light to medium fuels such as annual grasses and chaparral brush mix. Mixed with the topography and recent development these fuels create a fire suppression concern due to their ability to increase in size quickly.
Topography: The Valley (north) is predominately flat. The Chico Foothills rise at approximately a 15% slope into communities within other Fire Planning Belts with high scores in fuel rank, ladder scores and heavier brush.
Weather: (refer to pg 16) The Valley (north) and Chico Foothills do not exhibit any substantial differences to the Unit wide weather pattern.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: The Chico Foothills and Valley (north) encompass the northwestern corner of Butte County and includes the greater un-incorporated area surrounding the City of Chico. BCFD staffs four fire stations that make up “Battalion Four” which has Automatic aid agreements with City of Chico, Tehama County and Glen County. Battalion Four responsibilities encompass an area of approximately 170 square miles and contain a population of about 50,000. Critical infrastructure includes, Union Pacific Railroad main line, an underground petroleum pipeline, Highway 99 and Highway 32 as well as the Sacramento River.
Page 52 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 53 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The Chico Foothills have seen a substantial increase in home development. This development creates an increased populace and a lack of public awareness of burning regulations. Prescription emphasis is placed on public education and enforcement.
Page 53 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 54 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Berry Creek Ridge/ Lumpkin – Forbestown Ridge Includes the areas of Berry Creek, Brush Creek, Mountain House, Feather Falls, Forbestown, Clipper Mills and several Indian Rancherias. There are also significant land holdings of Sierra Pacific Industries and State and Federal lands. CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Mike Shorrock Berry Creek Fire Safe Council – Dennis Nay
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: This planning area consists of a wide range of vegetation types. The vegetation types include, grass, chaparral brush mix, manzanita, oak – woodland and timber. The fuel rank is predominately high to very high with ladder scores present with mixed to extensively mixed classification. This planning area is the gateway to the Plumas National Forest and extensive SPI land holdings.
Topography: Prominent topographical features in the planning area are the numerous steep canyons dispersed throughout the area. The two main canyons form the Middle Fork and South Fork of Lake Oroville. The area contours for numerous tributaries including Oregon Gulch, Cedar Ravine, Jack Hill Ravine and Forbestown Ravine to name a few. The remote nature of the area makes access difficult along these areas.
Weather: (refer to pg 16) There is no historic data to promote a consistent cause and effect as to weather and fire in this planning area. However the adjacent Plumas Forest does generate weather patterns that produce thunderstorms and dry lightning throughout the fire season.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: The Berry Creek Ridge/ Lumpkin-Forbestown Ridge planning area are spread over three ridges.
Page 54 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 55 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The Berry Creek community is perhaps the most compact but still qualifies as a wildland urban intermix. Access and the remote location create a timely response concern in the event of a fast moving fire. The highest concentrated density of homes, are within the Lake Madrone development and off of Bald Rock Road. The community also houses the summer retreat Camp Okizu. Feather Falls within the Lumpkin Ridge is also a wildland urban intermix. Access/egress is via Lumpkin Road. There is extensive traffic by logging trucks and summer travel as well as recreational travel increases seasonally. Many residents are off of remote roads that are ill maintained and address identification is limited in many cases. Forbestown Ridge includes the community of Forbestown. Forbestown is on the edge of Butte and Yuba County and there is an auto aid agreement with Foothill Fire Protection District. Steeper mountainous roads create a delay in response times. The communities have an active fire safe council that is involved in evacuation planning, fuel hazard reduction and outreach and education. During extreme fire weather danger and seasons with increased funding the Sunset Hill Lookout is staffed aiding in early wildland fire detection. .
Page 55 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 56 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Table Mountain – East Oroville CAL FIRE Butte County Fire Department Battalion Chief Russ Fowler City of Oroville Fire Chief, Les Bowers (interim) El Medio Fire District Chief Rusty Olhousin
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Table Mountain – East Oroville Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: The southern area of the fire planning area is predominately grass land. As the area extends north and east the fuel type’s change with the increased slope in topography. Fuel types increase in size and type to include grass oak woodland and manzanita, chaparral, toyon and white thorn. Topography and housing placement creates
Topography: The southern area is predominately flat. As the area extends into the adjoining planning area so does the slope (up to 25%) leading into the other planning areas. The steepest slopes can be found leading up the Cherokee Ravine and the Oregon Gulch drainage. As the topography extends east the slope is not as severe but the area is scattered with multi directional drainages and access is problematic due to sporadic road placement.
Weather: (refer to pg 16) Table Mountain – East Oroville does not exhibit any substantial differences to the Unit wide weather pattern.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: Table Mountain – East Oroville is predominately managed within Battalion 6 with some jurisdictional areas overlapping with Battalion 5 in the Bangor area. This area includes Cherokee, Bangor, Oregon City, Thermalito, Kelly Ridge, WP Addition, Wyandotte, Copely acres, Palermo and Honcut. The City of Oroville lies within the planning area boundaries. There is extensive State Parkland and Department of Water Resources owned land throughout the area. There are two Indian Rancherias within the planning area, both with gaming casinos and tribal
Page 56 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 57 Community Wildfire Protection Plan communities (Mooretown and Berry Creek). The main influencing factor for vegetation fire is light flashy fuels mixed in with numerous structures. A secondary factor is that many of the housing areas are relatively poor and the lots are overgrown with vegetation and other flammable items. The City of Oroville and the El Medio Fire Protection District both have unique fie safety planning areas within their jurisdictions. The City of Oroville has large areas of wildland urban interface. The City has a weed abatement program to help alleviate the risk of wildfire to some of these occupancies. The El Medio Fire District has large areas of light flashy fuels, which have a yearly tendency to become ignited and spread rapidly into surrounding homes and businesses. The District attempts to mitigate this by conducting fuel hazard reduction burns in typically fire prone areas. However, this measure only treats a small portion of a relatively large area of the District. Critical infrastructure within this planning area includes the Department of Water Resources State Water Project (Oroville Dam/ Hyatt powerhouse, Diversion Dam/ power plant, Thermalito Powerhouse), Pacific Gas and Electric Companies hi-voltage transmission infrastructure (major power grid), Union Pacific railroad’s all-weather transcontinental route, and South Feather water and power’s hydro-generating and water distribution infrastructure. Prescription emphasis is in education and enforcement (hazard reduction). The battalion, in cooperation with the Butte Fire Safe Council, is an active participant in “Fire in the Foothills” – a fire safe community outreach program to reach fire prone residents in the Eastern foothills of Oroville.
Page 57 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 58 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Valley (South) Including the Cities of Biggs and Gridley CAL FIRE/ Butte County Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Brown Fire Inspector Specialist Skip Sannar Gray Lodge Wildlife Area (Department of Fish and Game) Oroville Wildlife Area
Specific Fire Behavior Factors and Wildland Urban Interface Situation The following synopsis is intended to specify the fire behavior factors (fuels, topography and weather) and Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) problems specific to the Valley (south) Fire Planning Area.
Fuels: The east side of the Valley (south) is a transition zone at the edge of the Sacramento Valley and is bisected by State Responsibility Area and Local Responsibility Area line. This “front” is characterized by grass fuels on the flat valley edge and oak woodland or rolling Blue Oak Savannah in the foothills. The west side is the Upper Butte Sink of Butte Creek, an important flyway, fishery and wildlife habitat characterized by seasonal marshes, riparian habitat and a heavy loading of fine fuels. The two cities are surrounded by intensely farmed land. Bisecting north and south of the Planning Area is the Feather River. The river bottom is a ten-thousand acre hardwood forest with its own unique fire regime.
Topography: The Valley (South) is predominately flat. The river bottom contributes the only unique feature to the area.
Weather: (refer to pg 16) The Valley (south) does not exhibit any substantial differences to the Unit wide weather pattern.
Wildland Urban Interface Situation: The Valley (South) encompasses the southwestern corner of Butte County and includes the cities of Biggs and Gridley, the Mooretown Rancheria and the unincorporated communities of Palermo and Honcut. Automatic aid agreement is maintained with the City of Oroville, El Medio Fire Protection District and with Sutter County Fire Department. CAL FIRE also provides wildland fire protection to the growing Mooretown Rancheria in the State Responsibility Area through our statewide agreement with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Page 58 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 59 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The Gray Lodge Wildlife area is an off map critical infrastructure area within the unit. The area continues to benefit from an aggressive Vegetation Management Program. Prescription emphasis is placed on education and enforcement. Firefighters seek to establish strong ties to the community though the maintenance of pre-fire plans, smoke detector instillation, third grade education programs and other community education events. The greatest risk of fire loss to the Valley (south) is in concentrated areas affecting agricultural processing plants, storage areas and crop acreage. Also in the opportunity of fire starts from the River bottom spreading to adjacent Fire Sheds.
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EMERGENCY COMMAND CENTER Battalion Chief David Hawks B-2109
Purpose Statement The Butte Unit Emergency Command Center (BTU ECC) provides command and control services, as well as “pre arrival” emergency medical services, for all of the unincorporated areas of Butte County, in addition to the Cities of Oroville, Biggs, Gridley, the El Medio Fire Protection District, and the Mooretown Indian Rancheria. The BTU ECC is also the CAL FIRE Command and Control center for State Responsibility Area (SRA) lands within Plumas County.
Furthermore, the BTU ECC is the OES Fire Operational Area Mutual Aid Coordination center for Butte County. As the Operational Area Coordinator, the BTU ECC has responsibility to coordinate all fire mutual aid requests for all jurisdictions within Butte County. This responsibility also gives the BTU ECC the authority to directly obtain resources from all neighboring counties including Yuba, Sutter, Plumas, Glenn, Colusa, Tehama, and Lassen.
In 1995, the BTU ECC processed 12,024 incidents. In 2007, 15,536 incidents were processed, an increase of over 22% in 12 years. The BTU ECC is currently staffed with five Fire Captains, six Communications Operators, one Telecommunications Systems Analyst, and one Battalion Chief. This staffing has remained fairly constant since 2005, and allows for three person staffing during shift hours, and two generally two person staffing “wide awake” during the night shift, and the ECC Duty Captain sleeping close by.
Objectives ♦ Continue to provide quality command and control services, as well as excellent customer service, to all of our customers. ♦ Pursue staffing increases to support increases in daily incidents, as well as increasing job complexity, and to provide for relief dispatchers. ♦ Pursue cooperative agreements with other departments and agencies to enhance efficiency of resource command and control, within Butte County. ♦ Pursue available technology to more efficiently conduct command and control operations. ♦ Cooperate fully and effectively with allied agencies.
Mission The mission of the Oroville Emergency Command Center is to provide a consistent, accurate, timely, and coordinated command and control system. “We will provide support, direction, and communications with our ultimate goal being the best service possible to all who depend on our team.”
Page 60 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 61 Community Wildfire Protection Plan TRAINING AND SAFETY BUREAU Battalion Chief Scott Lindgren B-2105
Purpose Statement “Today’s training is tomorrow’s performance,” is one goal of the Butte Unit Training and Safety Bureau. Another goal is to ensure that all firefighters come home from an emergency in the same condition that they responded. The Bureau provides staff service and support to the Unit in both the fields of training and safety for all career and volunteer firefighters. Firefighting is a very dangerous and demanding job that requires split second life, death and property conservation decisions. Firefighters must be able to quickly assess a situation, develop an incident action plan and execute the plan regardless of the type of emergency. The Training and Safety Bureau helps firefighters better and more safely perform their work. Many federal and state statutes regulate the business of firefighting and rescue. Consequently, the Unit must be totally informed and ready to provide comprehensive and accurate training and safety information to firefighters.
In the area of training, the Bureau is responsible to develop firefighter skill proficiency courses, present courses, conduct practice-training drills and evaluate firefighter performance. As much as is possible, the Bureau uses nationally or state certified courses to ensure that firefighters meet all required standards. Examples of certified courses include the basic Firefighter I and II training, pre-hospital Emergency Medical Technician and Medical First Responder courses, technical rescue classes such as Rescue Systems I, Confined Space Awareness and Operations courses and Swift Water Rescue Awareness and Technician classes. In addition to formal classroom or field training courses, firefighters must constantly practice their skills, which are called drills. Generally, firefighters drill on the average about two hours per workday. The training officers provide training and drill to all Unit career and volunteer firefighters.
The Safety Officer ensures that the department follows national health and safety firefighting, emergency medical, hazardous materials response and technical rescue standards. This is no easy task and was recently compounded by the national respirator fit standard. This standard requires that all firefighters annually complete a personal medical statement, possibly take a personal medical physical examination, be fit tested for any design respirator that the firefighter might wear during the course of an emergency and that firefighters only enter burning buildings in groups of two with an outside backup group of two firefighters. The Safety Officer also must ensure that the Unit Health and Safety Committee regularly meets, that firefighters are afforded counseling if they suffer from the effects of job stress such as Critical Incident Stress Disorder or have off duty issues that either effect their performance or work attendance and that firefighters correctly use all assigned personal protective equipment, mobile apparatus and tools.
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Assigned to the Training and Safety Bureau are one Battalion Chief who functions as the bureau commander, two training Fire Captains, one Safety Fire Captain and a part-time clerical position responsible for firefighter safety and training compliance record keeping.
The Training and Safety Bureau members respond to greater alarm emergencies where they function as incident safety officers or assistant incident safety officers. They also respond to emergencies as additional command officers and have technical expertise in fields such as rescue.
Firefighter performance is directly related to their knowledge and proficiency of assigned emergency response duties. The Training and Safety Bureau helps to ensure that knowledge and proficiency meets required standards. Throughout all the mandates, the Training and Safety Bureau practices customer service and ensures that customer service is a viable part of all training and educational classes.
Objectives The Training & Safety Bureau Present & Future: • Continue to provide all-risk training and safety service and support to all CAL FIRE/BCFR career, and volunteer firefighters. • Continue to provide staff oversight to ensure a safe work environment for all personnel. • Continue to document every training and practice drill to ensure complete firefighter records, operational capability and reduced liability. • Will assist or present all-risk training as is needed to meet the missions of CAL FIRE and the Butte County Fire Department. • Worked with the Emergency Services Foundation of Redding to secure funding for eight additional automatic external heart defibrillators and 200 sets of spine immobilization backboards and spider straps. • Worked with the local Emergency Medical Care Committee on pre- hospital emergency medical issues. • In addition to instructing classes to career and volunteer firefighters also present training classes to other agencies and private citizens. • Continue to work closely with other local fire departments and the local community college. • Stay on the cutting edge of all improvements in firefighter health and safety subjects. • Develop a master plan for the Training & Safety Bureau. • Develop a state funded capital outlay proposal for an office and total training facility for the bureau.
Page 62 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 63 Community Wildfire Protection Plan SUPPORT BUREAUS OTHER PROGRAMS THAT NEED FUNDING WITHIN THE BUTTE UNIT
Magalia Reforestation Center Forester II Rich Eliot
Purpose Statement The Magalia Camp, formerly the Butte Fire Center, serves a dual purpose as the Magalia Reforestation Center (MRC) and a regional training facility for CAL FIRE’s northern region. The joint operation to staff firefighting hand crews at the Butte Fire Center between CAL FIRE and the California Conservation Corps (CCC) ended in the spring of 2003 when the CCC was forced to make reductions due to the state budge crisis. Efforts to staff CAL FIRE Firefighting hand crews have been unsuccessful. The Magalia Reforestation Center is managed under a Forester II, Nursery Unit Manager, with a Nursery Manager Forester I, 2 Forestry Assistants one Forestry Technician, up to six Forestry Aides and clerical support who also assist the training center staff and fire crews. The northern region training facility provides emergency response and support training to CAL FIRE and other interagency personnel from October to May annually.
The Magalia Camp was initially constructed in 1949, remodeled in the mid-fifties and in the early nineties, and is located 10 miles north of Paradise and east of the Skyway at the 2700 foot elevation near a residential community (Magalia-Paradise Pines). Butte Fire Center is open year-round, receiving moderate to heavy snowfall (some storms produce four feet of snow), and 70-90“ of rain per year. The CAL FIRE owns the Fire Center property. It was originally constructed to house 60 inmate firefighters when the camp was a joint CAL FIRE-California Department of Corrections (CDC) operation. In the 1973 due to nearby urban encroachment, the camp changed from CAL FIRE-CDC to a California Ecology Center. In 1977, the Ecology Center changed to a CAL FIRE- CCC cooperative Fire Center partnership as it remains today. Several of the buildings are made of surplus materials.
During the period when CAL FIRE/CCC hand crews were operating from the Butte Fire Center they averaged 65,000 emergency response hours per year responding to fires, rescues, floods, vehicle accidents, and other public service needs. BFC also serves as a designated incident base for large fires supplying feeding, sleeping areas, command post functions, staging and communications.
The Magalia Camp is the only camp in Butte County which provides hand crews for emergency response and public service. The loss of the CAL FIRE firefighting hand crews greatly impacts the CAL FIRE Butte Units firefighting and emergency response capabilities, crews needed for management of MRC. Substantial losses to public service in the form of fuel reduction and community service work, on the Upper Paradise Ridge, within Butte County, and statewide.
Page 63 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 64 Community Wildfire Protection Plan The goal is to restore the Magalia Camp to its full resource management and fire protection levels capable of meeting California’s reforestation needs and providing CAL FIRE firefighting hand crews capable of all-risk, fire, flood, or rescue, emergency response and reimbursable public service fuel reduction and community service work.
Objectives The Magalia Camp Present & Future Vision: • Restore the camps ability to respond to all types of emergencies providing total, full-service, all-risk fire crew response. • Restore the camps ability to provide crew labor as a reimbursable project to the CAL FIRE Magalia Reforestation Center. • Restore the camps ability to provide crew labor to reimbursement project sponsors such as the California Department of Water Resources, State Parks & Recreation, Cal Trans and the Department of Fish and Game. • Update, restore, replace or add new facilities as needed to bring the entire camp, MRC and training center into a well functioning operational area for all three concerns house at this site. Restore the camps ability to provide hand crews for reimbursable fire safe fuel reduction work through area Fire Safe Councils
Page 64 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 65 Community Wildfire Protection Plan CHICO AIR ATTACK BASE Battalion Chief Marlene Heisey B2108
Purpose Statement CAL FIRE operates the Chico Air Attack Base at the Chico Municipal Airport. Firefighting aircraft such as air tankers and the command and control aircraft, air tactical group supervisor (ATGS) respond from the base during the contract response period, which is generally June 15 through October 15 of each year. Air tankers and command planes are termed, “fixed wing aircraft,” and constitute one part of the aerial firefighting resources. The other aerial component is helicopters, which are referred to as rotary wing aircraft. Both are critical elements utilized for effective wild fire suppression.
Air Attack Bases (AAB) is located so that firefighting aircraft can initiate aerial fire suppression activities at any location within CAL FIRE’s jurisdiction within about 20 minutes. Other CAL FIRE air bases serving Northern California include the Redding AAB, Grass Valley AAB, Ukiah AAB, Santa Rosa AAB, Rohnerville AAB south of Eureka, and the Columbia AAB near Sonora. There are a total of 18 AAB's throughout California that forms a statewide system. Of those, 10 are operated by CAL FIRE, 3 by the federal agencies (USFS and BLM). The remaining 5 bases are operated jointly between CAL FIRE and the Federal Agencies. Northern California fixed wing aircraft distribution is as follows:
Nearby CAL FIRE and federal Air Attack Bases BASE CAL FIRE AIR CAL FIRE AIR USFS AIR TACTICS USFS AIR TACTICS GROUP TANKERS GROUP TANKERS SUPERVISOR SUPERVISOR PLANE PLANE See Note Below Chico 1 OV-10 Bronco 1 S-2 1200 gallon tanker Redding 1 OV-10 Bronco 2 S-2 1200 gallon 1 Cobra tankers Helicopter AA507 Chester 1 Cessna 337 Grass Valley 1 OV-10 Bronco 2 S-2T 1200 1 Aero gallon tankers Commander *Note: Due to recent restrictions as a result of safety concerns over the airworthiness of the federal contract aircraft the USFS is limited on the number of aircraft which will be available for firefighting. Consequently these aircraft will be strategically located and repositioned based upon fire activity and weather conditions.
Within the Butte Unit, three air attack bases provide primary, initial action response. They are the Chico, Grass Valley and Chester bases from which the closest Air Tactical Group Supervisor and air tankers respond regardless of jurisdiction. When additional air tankers are needed, they respond from the next closest base. Historically, fast spreading wild fires within the Butte Unit require from three to eight air tankers. The heavier the vegetation, the more difficult the
Page 65 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 66 Community Wildfire Protection Plan suppression is and the more air tankers that are required. In addition, the proximity of the base to the fire plays an extremely important role in being able to refill the air tankers and return them to the fire in a timely basis. This becomes an even more critical issue at rapidly evolving fires with significant values at risk such as structures and timber. Chico AAB annually delivers about 500,000 gallons of aerial retardant that is dropped on fires. The most retardant ever pumped during a year was during 1999 when over 1.3 million gallons were delivered. The August 1999 Butte Complex of lightning fires significantly contributed to the record. During the fire season Chico is staffed with a combination of CAL FIRE and contract employees. The daily staffing is from 10 to 12 personnel that include a CAL FIRE staff of 1ATGS, 1 base manager, 3 firefighter ones, 9, retardant contract personnel and 2 contract pilots and a mechanic.
The AAB in Butte County was originally located at the Oroville Airport. About 1968 the base was relocated to Chico and an air attack facility constructed. Since the origin, the Chico facility has been remodeled several times including 1983 and during 1999. The remodels were only band-aid approaches to keeping the facility operational and attempting to meet the logistical needs of the personnel assigned to the base. Future plans call for the base to be relocated and rebuilt at the northeast corner of the airport. The proposed site will provide adequate space for the temporary presence of up to 12 air tankers including the MAFFS (Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System) California Air National Guard C-130 air tankers that drop 3,000 gallons of retardant. The new site also will include an office, adequate space and facilities to meet personnel needs, mechanic facilities, aircraft hanger and a control tower all of which will help ensure safe and effective operations by aerial fire fighting personnel and equipment protecting the life and property of our local area.
The Chico Air Attack Base Present & Future: • Continue to respond to all types of emergencies providing total, full- service, air operations support. • Continue the present aircraft staffing at CAAB including one state funded Air Tactics Group Supervisor command aircraft and one state air tanker. • Continue to closely work with local airport cooperators including the City of Chico and with local community groups and elected officials who support the existence and operation of the CAAB. • Develop a master plan for the CAAB. • Develop a state funded capital outlay proposal to replace and relocate the CAAB at the Chico Municipal Airport. • Improve the ability of the CAAB to service and support military firefighting aircraft, Modular Airborne Firefighting System (MAFFS).
Page 66 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 67 Community Wildfire Protection Plan FIRE PREVENTION BUREAU (EDUCATION & ENFORCEMENT) Battalion Chief Todd Price
Purpose Statement The Butte Unit Fire Prevention Bureau is responsible for public education, public information, fire hazard abatement, life safety, fire investigations and the enforcement of state laws and county ordinances pertaining to forest and fire laws. Each of these sup programs are important facets of a well balanced fire prevention program. Additionally, the Prevention Bureau works closely with the Fire Protection Planning Bureau to ensure that common fire prevention interests are met. The table below lists the fires by cause type for the 2006 – 2007 years as recorded by the preliminary investigation reports required for all fires within the Unit.
LE 66 Fire Cause Data Years 2006 and 2007 2006 Bat 1 Bat 2 Bat 3 Bat 4 Bat 5 Bat 6 Bat 7 Sum Arson 13 2 6 8 13 21 30 93 Campfire 6 121313 17 Debris 22 11 14 24 13 20 32 136 Equipment 16 6 27 27 10 28 53 167 Electrical 14 2 3 3 3 7 11 43 Lightning 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 PWF 4 004237 20 Power line 2 2 2 4 0 4 7 21 Railroad 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 3 Smoking 1 0 1 2 2 3 7 16 Miscellaneous 17 2 15 10 4 10 14 72 Undetermined 8 0 9 9 6 16 26 74 Total 103 26 79 94 56 116 190 664 2007 Arson 5 0 9 7 13 11 33 78 Campfire 9 011641 22 Debris 19 13 22 23 16 18 46 157 Equipment 12 3 26 30 11 23 33 138 Electrical 1 2 2 10 2 3 7 27 Lightning 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 PWF 5 304254 23 Power line 1 1 2 2 2 4 4 16 Railroad 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 2 Smoking 1 0 0 1 0 7 5 14 Miscellaneous 16 2 11 11 3 20 24 87 Undetermined 12 4 16 15 9 17 23 96 Total 81 29 89 104 64 114 180 661
PWF (Playing With Fire)
Page 67 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 68 Community Wildfire Protection Plan Over the past few years a number of fires have been caused by the use of machinery such as lawn mowers cutting standing dead grasses. While doing this kind of mowing, fires can start in a number of ways. These include mower blades striking rocks, hot mower exhaust systems touching dead grass, mechanical failures to pulleys, grass chaff buildup and improper fueling techniques. To combat what appear to be preventable fires caused by mowers, the Department has developed brochures for public distribution, which provide detailed information about the hazards of mowing dry grass, and how to take preventative measures. In addition, the Prevention Bureau has developed a Public Service Announcement to address the problem. The PSA focuses on the factors contributing to the problem, including mowing during warm weather, and what steps can be taken to help prevent these types of fires. The Prevention Bureau will continue to support the preliminary fire investigation needs of the Unit, assisting with complex fire investigations such as those involving fire fatalities, commercial structures, arson, or detailed follow-up investigative work. Through the preliminary fire investigation process specific fire cause problems will be addressed utilizing focused prevention efforts of education and enforcement programs. The Law Enforcement (LE) officers in prevention have the responsibility of instituting appropriate cost recovery or criminal action on negligent and intentionally caused fires. LE is responsible for instituting follow up investigations, completing complex case reports, and arresting criminal offenders for incidents that are intentionally caused. LE officers present criminal cases to the District Attorney for prosecution.
Fire Prevention Positions: Fire Protection Planning (FPP) The FPP is a CAL FIRE law enforcement officer who is responsible for the enforcement of Public Resources Code (PRC) 4290 (with in SRA), 4291, the Butte County Improvement Standards, and when applicable the CAL FIRE Code on all use permits. The FPP attends Inter Department Review, Planning Commission, Pre Development, Users Group, Board of Supervisors, and other meetings pertinent to Fire Protection Planning. The FPP provides current fire safe building requirements to all Butte County Contractors, Engineers and Architects.
Hazard Abatement Officer The Hazard Abatement Officer is a CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officer who is responsible for the enforcement of Butte County Code 38A, a weed abatement ordinance that enforces lot clearing on parcels less than six acres within specific spheres of influence. The Hazard Abatement Officer is also responsible for the enforcement of Public Resources Code 4291, governing defensible space requirements for landowners. The Hazard Abatement Officer works with Pacific Gas and Electric to resolve right of way issues for clearance around power lines, and enforcing Public Resources Code 4292 ensuring proper
Page 68 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 69 Community Wildfire Protection Plan clearances around distribution and transmission power lines. The Hazard Abatement Officer also works on railway right of way and maintenance issues within state and local responsibility areas. In addition to the above mentioned duties, the Hazard Abatement Officer has responsibility for fire investigations in state and local responsibility areas, to include fire cause analysis, report preparation, as part of enforcing various fire laws.
Fire Captain Specialist The Fire Captain Specialist is a CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Officer who is the lead fire investigator for the Unit. The Fire Captain Specialist performs complex criminal fire investigations within the Unit and assists cooperating fire agencies with criminal fire investigations. The Fire Captain Specialist directs the Juvenile Fire Setter Program for the Unit. The Fire Captain Specialist reviews all fire investigation reports, reveals and analyzes arson trends within the Unit and records arson statistics to the Department of Justice. The Fire Captain Specialist is the primary contact with the Butte County District Attorney, Major Crimes Unit, Butte County Sheriff Investigators and all other law enforcement agencies within the Unit. The Fire Captain Specialist maintains an active role within the Butte County Arson Task Force.
Page 69 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 70 Community Wildfire Protection Plan VEGATATION MANAGEMENT PROGRAM (VMP) Battalion Chief Jeff Harter B2119
Purpose Statement During the past 10 years, the Unit has treated an average of 859 acres annually under the Vegetation Management Program (VMP). Currently the Unit has treated approximately 8,585 acres since 1998, with an estimated 483 additional treated acres by the end of the fiscal year. Many of the projects undertaken in the Unit have been within state wildlife areas. Due to the existing land use patterns within the Unit and the increasing population densities in Butte County, it is anticipated that the emphasis of the Vegetation Management Program will continue to focus projects in rural areas. Future projects will expand on state wildlife areas with high assets at risk in wildlife enhancement.
Active VMP projects include the following:
Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI): Goal of 1050 acres to be treated in the Butte and Tehama County areas north of the community of Cohasset along the timber road known as the H Line and north of Jarbo Gap along Rim Road (V- Line). This project will treat under story growth of manzanita and pine needle accumulation along a 16 mile shaded fuel break maintained by SPI. Cal Fire plans to burn 50 acres in the fall of 2008. In the last three years conditions for burning on this project have not lend them selves to be favorable due to weather, fire activity with in the state or landowner readiness.
Total cost of project is $49,189.44 with 73.16 percent paid by CAL FIRE.
Shippee Road VMP: Goal of 2,405 acres to be treated. This project will eradicate noxious weeds within the confines of the Dove Ridge Conservation Bank area managed by the Center for Natural Lands Management. This is located between Hwy 99 and 70 south of Hwy 149 in Butte County. In June 2006 and again in 2007, 140 acres was burned. The same parcel was burned to study the effects fire has on the noxious weeds. The next planned burn will be in June of 2008.
Total cost of project is $5,360.64 with 71.56 percent paid by CAL FIRE.
Gray Lodge Wildlife Refuge VMP: Goal of 6000 acres to be treated. Located 6 miles west of Gridley, in Butte County, this project enhances the wildlife habitat managed by the California Department of Fish and Game. Reduction of over grown cat tails and other plant
Page 70 of 73 Butte Unit 2008 71 Community Wildfire Protection Plan species are burned to create feed and open space for annual migrating waterfowl that visit the refuge each year. The population of waterfowl in the refuge has significantly increased since the burning has been conducted. 750 acres was burned on August 2, 2005 and 700 acres was burned August 22, 2006. In 2007, 1,755 acres were burned. The next burn is planned for the Spring of 2008.
Total cost of project is $32,749.41 with 54 percent paid by CAL FIRE.
The VMP program is expanding the burning to the Dry Creek, Howard Sough, Llano Seco Units along Butte Creek on California Fish and Game Lands. Over 2,000 acres of waterfowl and animal habitat will be treated. Other areas we are working with California Fish and Game are Oroville Wildlife Area, Table Mountain and Darby Unit. Each of these areas is unique by vegetation type and topography. The goal is to have agreements for each of these areas by the end of 2008.
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APPENDIX: Project Submission Template
Project Name
Submitted project name, a reference tool to distinguish project identification. If the name needs to be adjusted due to like named projects the submitting party will be notified.
Project Location
Projects location can be the community, address, physical location, section, township and range, lat/ long or other referencing characteristic.
Submitting Agency/Individual:
Name, address, phone number, EMAIL
Submittal Date: Date project is being submitted.
Date Received: Administrative Use Only
General Description
Submitting agencies are encouraged to work with their local fire safe councils and fire protection agency representative when creating a project description. Provide a detailed summary of the projects intentions. Include as descriptive as possible the projects parameters, location, anticipated costs and resources required for successful implementation and conclusion. Include expected benefits, sustainability and visibility of this project to the community that the project will be administered. If this project is targeting a specific funding source include specific requirements that are meeting the funding sources prerequisites. Provide any intangibles that are not covered in the Project Classification portion of the CWPP. This is meant to be a summary statement. Do not feel you have to target every category, it is expected that most projects will not be so broad in their implantation. This process is to track projects within the Unit. The grading assigned to a project will be a referencing tool to help categorize and help determine an order of merit for project submission.
Project Classification: Admin Use Only Project Grade: Admin Use Only
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