i The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan Created by HangFire Environmental for the Kern River Fire Safe Council and the citizens they strive to protect. October 2002 The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan was funded by a grant to the Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council by the United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service, National Fire Plan-Economic Action Program. In accordance with Federal law and United States Department of Agriculture policy, Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council in cooperation with the Kern River Valley Revitalization Incorporated is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write the United States Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue,. SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202)720-5964 (voice or TDD). The United States Department of Agriculture-Forest Service is an equal opportunity provider and employer. ii Table of Contents Kern River Valley Community Wildfire Protection Plan................................................................i The Kern River Valley Community Fire Safe Plan........................................................................ii Table of Contents...........................................................................................................................iii Introduction.....................................................................................................................................1 The Assessment Process.................................................................................................................2 Fire Behavior..................................................................................................................................4 Hazardous Fuels..............................................................................................................................5 Fuel Ranking Methodology:...........................................................................................................7 Slope...............................................................................................................................................8 Fire History...................................................................................................................................13 Final Fuel Ranking........................................................................................................................13 Assets at Risk................................................................................................................................17 Structure Density......................................................................................................................17 Ecological Sensitive Areas.......................................................................................................21 Recreational Areas....................................................................................................................24 Pristine Areas............................................................................................................................26 Grazing Lands...........................................................................................................................28 Total Asset Ranking..................................................................................................................30 Other Factors that Influence Risk.................................................................................................32 Introduction...............................................................................................................................32 Ignitions....................................................................................................................................32 Ignition Density........................................................................................................................32 Fire Cause Analysis..................................................................................................................37 Local versus Out of Town Residency.......................................................................................40 Weather Analysis......................................................................................................................42 Response Time..........................................................................................................................48 Proposed Actions based on the Results of the Analysis...............................................................52 General Recommendations:......................................................................................................52 New Code Adoption.............................................................................................................52 Feasibility Study for the Potential Deployment of a Type One Helitanker..........................53 Develop School Programs aimed at Elementary, Middle, and High School Students.........53 Fire Cause Determination and Tracking System..................................................................54 Fuel Reduction and Fire Management Workshop................................................................55 Develop a Homeowners Guide to Living in the Forest; Neighborhood Fire Plan................56 Enforcement of Address Posting Codes...............................................................................57 Perform Neighborhood Assessments and Produce a Structure Protection Plan...................57 Specific Recommendations.......................................................................................................59 Alta Sierra Project.................................................................................................................59 Bodfish Project......................................................................................................................68 Kernville Project...................................................................................................................76 Squirrel Mountain Valley Project.........................................................................................80 Pala Ranch Project................................................................................................................80 Yankee Canyon Project.........................................................................................................82 Recommended Building Materials...............................................................................................85 iii Vents, eaves, and soffits............................................................................................................85 Decks.........................................................................................................................................85 Fully enclosed decks.................................................................................................................87 Roofing.....................................................................................................................................87 Exterior walls: siding................................................................................................................89 Windows & Glass.....................................................................................................................90 Exterior window covers, shutters, screens................................................................................91 Low E glass...............................................................................................................................92 Doors.........................................................................................................................................93 Current and Potential Funding Sources:.......................................................................................94 Appendix A-Fuel Model Guide..................................................................................................106 Appendix B-Fuel Ranking Details..............................................................................................109 Fuel Ranking Matrix...............................................................................................................110 Appendix C-Characterizing the Fire Threat to Wildland-Urban Interface Areas in California111 Appendix D- Fire Codes used in the Kern River Valley............................................................119 Appendix E-Glossary..................................................................................................................126 Appendix F- Community Wildfire Protection Plan Updates......................................................132 Appendix G- Kern River Valley Fuel Reduction Projects..........................................................133 Appendix H – Myers Canyon Community Wildfire Protection Plan.........................................134 Appendix I – Alta Sierra Community Wildfire Protection PlanIndex of Tables........................135 Index of Tables...........................................................................................................................136 Index of Maps.............................................................................................................................137