CCCOOOUUUNNNTTTYYY OOOFFF SSSAAANNN DDDIIIEEEGGGOOO VVVEEEGGGEEETTTAAATTTIIIOOONNN MMMAAANNNAAAGGGEEEMMMEEENNNTTT RRREEEPPPOOORRRTTT A Report on Vegetation Management in the Unincorporated Area of San Diego County March 25, 2009 TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................................................................i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .....................................................................................................................iii SECTION I: INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................6 1.1 Purpose of the Report .................................................................................................. 6 1.1.1 Board of Supervisor’s Direction..........................................................................6 1.1.2 Report ‘Take Away’ ................................................................................................6 1.2 Fire Issues in San Diego County ................................................................................ 7 1.2.1 Regional Issue.........................................................................................................7 1.2.2 F.A.S.T. Target Areas............................................................................................8 1.3 System Approach to Wildfires ..................................................................................... 9 1.3.1 Fire Suppression...................................................................................................10 1.3.2 Damage Assessment ..........................................................................................10 1.3.3 Fire and Building Codes .....................................................................................10 1.3.4 Vegetation Management ....................................................................................11 1.3.5 Land Use Planning ...............................................................................................11 1.3.6 Education and Outreach.....................................................................................12 1.3.7 Overview 12 1.4 Vegetation Management Technical Committee ..................................................... 12 1.4.1 Committee and Workshops ...............................................................................12 1.4.1.1 Committee Makeup ............................................................ 12 1.4.1.2 Workshop Setting ............................................................... 13 1.4.2 Areas of Discussion and Consensus..............................................................13 1.4.2.1 Vegetation Considerations ................................................. 13 1.4.2.2 Overall Approach to Vegetation Management:................... 15 1.4.2.3 Management Efforts along the Wildland Urban Interface ... 15 1.4.2.4 Strategies for Vegetation Management .............................. 16 SECTION II: VEGETATION MANAGMENT RESOURCES...................................................18 2.1 Vegetation Modification Tools ................................................................................... 18 2.1.1 Hand Cutting ..........................................................................................................18 PAGE i 2.1.2 Mastication..............................................................................................................18 2.1.3 Herbivores...............................................................................................................19 2.1.4 Prescribed Burning...............................................................................................19 2.1.5 Herbicides ...............................................................................................................20 2.1.6 Post Management Monitoring...........................................................................21 2.1.7 Treatment Costs....................................................................................................21 2.2 Unique Regulations Specific to Controlled Burns and Other Treatments.......... 21 2.2.1 State 22 2.2.1.1 California Environmental Quality Act .................................. 22 2.2.1.2 CAL FIRE ........................................................................... 22 2.2.1.3 Air Pollution Control District................................................ 24 2.2.2 Local 24 SEC. 87.501. CLEARING PERMIT REQUIRED.......................... 25 SEC. 87.502. EXEMPTIONS. ...................................................... 25 SEC. 86.501. FINDINGS, PURPOSE AND INTENT. .................. 25 SEC. 86.502. APPLICATION OF REGULATIONS. ..................... 25 SEC. 86.503. EXEMPTIONS. ...................................................... 26 SECTION III: VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES .................................................27 3.1 Approach to Defining the Priorities........................................................................... 27 3.2 Summary of the Priority Areas .................................................................................. 29 3.2.1 Priority Area #1: Palomar Mountain...............................................................29 3.2.2 Priority Area #2: I-8 Laguna Fire.....................................................................29 3.2.3 Priority Area #3: Southeastern County .........................................................30 3.2.4 Priority Area #4: Greater Julian.......................................................................31 3.2.5 Priority Area #5: San Luis Rey West .............................................................31 3.2.6 Priority Area #6: Rancho (Santa Fe) .............................................................31 3.2.7 Priority Area #7: Santa Margarita ...................................................................32 3.2.8 Priority Area #8: Northeast County – Warner Springs .............................32 3.2.9 Priority Area #9: Cuyamaca - Laguna..........................................................32 SECTION IV: VEGETATION MANAGEMENT PROJECTS ..................................................34 4.1 Federal and Tribal Lands ........................................................................................... 34 4.1.1 Cleveland National Forest..................................................................................34 4.1.2 Bureau of Land Management ...........................................................................35 PAGE ii 4.1.3 Bureau of Indian Affairs ......................................................................................35 4.1.4 Natural Resource Conservation Service .......................................................35 4.2 State Agencies............................................................................................................. 35 4.2.1 CAL FIRE ................................................................................................................35 4.2.2 California State Parks..........................................................................................36 4.2.3 California Department of Fish and Game......................................................36 4.3 County of San Diego................................................................................................... 37 4.3.1 Multiple Species Conservation Program .......................................................37 4.3.2 County Owned Lands..........................................................................................39 4.3.3 Fuels Reduction Program...................................................................................41 4.3.4 Defensible Space Inspection Program...........................................................41 4.4 Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, and Fire Safe Council of San Diego County and Community Fire Safe Councils ..................... 42 SECTION V: VEGETATION MANAGEMENT NEXT STEPS................................................44 5.1 Priority Specific Vegetation Management Plans .................................................... 44 5.1.1 Plan Development ................................................................................................44 5.1.2 Plan Implementation ............................................................................................44 5.1.3 Plan Monitoring......................................................................................................45 5.2 Local Legislative Policy .............................................................................................. 45 5.3 State Legislative Change ........................................................................................... 45 5.4 Seasonal Park Closures............................................................................................. 45 5.5 Ornamental Landscape Regulations........................................................................ 46 5.6 Research on Fire Behavior and Ember Production............................................... 46 REFERENCES.......................................................................................................................................47 APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................................49 Appendix A: 10-Year Fire History – San Diego County Appendix B: FAST Project Areas