FIRE PLAN ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT & UPDATE Interim 2013 A Joint Report of the Josephine County and Jackson County Integrated Fire Plans I. Introduction and Purpose The purpose of this 2013 Interim Fire Plan Accomplishment Report and Update is to serve as an accomplishment report and interim update to the Josephine County and Jackson County Integrated Fire Plans. The interim update is needed to provide revised project priorities and action items identified by fire plan partners until the 5-year plan updates are completed next year. Starting in 2000, a series of acts and collaboratively developed strategies call for a new approach to dealing with the national problem of wildfire. The National Fire Plan (2000) and 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy for the National Fire Plan; the Healthy Forests Initiative and Healthy Forests Restoration Act (2003); and the FLAME Act of 2009, National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy and Western Regional Action Plan direct an all-hands, all- lands approach for creating fire-adapted communities, fire resilient forests, and safe, efficient wildfire response. Collaboration among governments and broadly representative stakeholders is a key guiding principles. To address the significant wildfire problem locally, the two counties were among the first in Oregon to develop collaborative plans and engage public and private sector organizations, as well as local citizens in their planning efforts. In 2003, the Board of Commissioners from both Josephine and Jackson Counties sanctioned the creation of a local coordination group to support and guide local implementation of these national policies. Building on 1) a long-term commitment for collaboration, 2) a national policy framework for collaboration, and 3) ongoing financial support from the National Fire Plan and the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act (SRS), local, state and federal agencies and community organizations have assisted communities at risk in this region to reduce fuels, strengthen emergency management and fire response capabilities, and continue to engage in outreach and education. Community fire plans have been developed with the mission to reduce the risk from wildfire to life, property, and natural resources: In 2002, the Applegate Fire Plan became the first community fire plan in the nation at the watershed scale. In 2004, the Josephine County Integrated Fire Plan became the first county-wide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) in the state. INTERIM 7/31/13 Page 1 The Jackson County Integrated Fire Plan was completed in 2006. Local CWPPs have been also developed for the Ashland, Colestin Valley, Seven Basins, and the Illinois Valley. The time is right to take stock of the accomplishments of ten years and countless hours of agency and community support to reduce the risk of wildfire to our people, property, and natural resources; to understand our challenges and needs to move forward. Both the Josephine and Jackson County Integrated Fire Plans are in the process of being updated. The purpose of the updates is to celebrate the plan successes, to review plan elements which were successful, and some that were not, and to refocus priorities for future action. Dozens of partners have been interviewed to understand collaborative relationships and their contribution to the fire plan, including existing and new partners, and needs. Fire plan implementation committees have identified priority actions to meet the plan’s objectives. A Cohesive Strategy brainstorming workshop was recently convened to identify important needs for local implementation. The actions and priorities are being framed and aligned with the goals of the Cohesive Strategy and actions of the Western Regional Action Plan. This paper summarizes these findings. Additional work is needed before the full (5-year) fire plan updates can be completed and adopted. However, documenting updated fuels treatment priorities and action items is needed for grant applications and focus the coming year’s efforts. INTERIM 7/31/13 Page 2 Table of Contents I. Introduction and Purpose .................................................................................................................................... 1 List of Figures............................................................................................................................................................. 3 II. Why here, why now .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Why here ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Why now ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 III. Accomplishments ........................................................................................................................................... 12 Overarching—Structural Elements Necessary for Sustainability .................................................................... 12 Creating Fire-adapted Communities ..................................................................................................................... 17 Restoring and Maintaining Fire Resilient Landscapes ....................................................................................... 37 Responding to Wildfires ......................................................................................................................................... 46 IV. Outcomes ......................................................................................................................................................... 55 Communication generated direction and priorities ............................................................................................ 63 V. 2013 Hazardous Fuels Priorities ....................................................................................................................... 64 Josephine County Fuels Committee ..................................................................................................................... 64 Jackson County Fuels Committee ......................................................................................................................... 64 VI. 2013 Action Items .......................................................................................................................................... 67 Committee Roles and Responsibilities (revised) ................................................................................................. 67 Action Items ............................................................................................................................................................. 69 VII. Projects Administered by Partners (2001-2012) ........................................................................................ 89 List of Figures Figure 1. General forest ownership (Josephine and Jackson Counties) ..................................................................... 6 Figure 2. Percent of ownership within ½ miles of BLM or Forest Service lands .................................................... 7 Figure 3. Federal Treatment Acres – Josephine County ............................................................................................ 19 Figure 4. Federal Treatment Acres - Jackson County ................................................................................................. 19 Figure 5. Grant Fund Tends – Josephine County ....................................................................................................... 20 Figure 6. Grant Fund Tends –Jackson County ............................................................................................................ 20 Figure 7. Printed and web-based publications ............................................................................................................. 22 Figure 8. Wildfire Public Opinion Survey: Phase 1 and 2 Report Highlights ......................................................... 58 Table 1. Total dollar amount received by grant type (2001-2012) ............................................................................ 19 Table 2. Fuels Reduction Projects in the Applegate Valley, 2002 - 2010 ................................................................ 32 Table 3. Summary of Action items ................................................................................................................................ 67 Table 4. Projects Administered by partners (2001-2012) ........................................................................................... 89 INTERIM 7/31/13 Page 3 Photo 1. Biscuit Fire 2002 ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Photo 2. North River Road Fire ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Photo 3. Squires Peak Fire - Fire behavior in untreated stand .................................................................................. 55 Photo 4. Squires Peak Fire - Fire behavior in treated stand ...................................................................................... 55 Photo 5. Siskiyou Fire