City of Helotes Community Wildfire Protection Plan A collaborative community-bases planning process to help protect life, property, and natural resources in the City of Helotes 1.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 5 1.1 Statement of Intent ................................................................................................... 5 1.2 Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................ 5 1.3 Collaborative/Planning Committee Members ............................................................ 6 1.4 Planning Process and Methodology .......................................................................... 6 2.0 Community Profile .......................................................................................................... 9 2.1 Community Location ................................................................................................. 9 2.2 Community Legal Structure .....................................................................................10 2.3 Emergency Response Capabilities Management .....................................................10 2.4 Fire Code .................................................................................................................11 2.5 Utilities .....................................................................................................................12 2.6 Schools ....................................................................................................................13 2.7 Climate ....................................................................................................................15 2.8 General Landscape .................................................................................................18 2.9 Vegetation ...............................................................................................................21 2.10 Historical Fire Occurrence .......................................................................................23 2.11 Endangered Species ...............................................................................................24 3.0 Community Risk Assessment .......................................................................................28 3.1 Fuels........................................................................................................................28 3.2 Extreme Fire Behavior .............................................................................................29 3.3 Characteristic Rate of Spread ..................................................................................30 3.4 Characteristic Flame Length ....................................................................................31 3.5 Where People Live ..................................................................................................32 3.6 Wildland Urban Interface .........................................................................................33 3.7 Community Protection Zone ....................................................................................34 3.8 Risk Assessment Findings .......................................................................................35 4.0 Community Prescription ................................................................................................38 4.1 Treatment of Structural Ignitability ...........................................................................38 The Home Ignition Zone ..........................................................................................38 Firewise Communities .............................................................................................39 Target Firewise Communities ..................................................................................40 4.2 Hazardous Fuels Reductions Project(s) ...................................................................42 Best Management Practices ....................................................................................42 Precautionary Considerations ..................................................................................43 Projects ...................................................................................................................43 4.3 Public Outreach and Education................................................................................49 City of Helotes CWPP 2 Public Information ....................................................................................................51 Public Outreach .......................................................................................................49 Prevention Signs and Posters ..................................................................................52 4.4 Resource and Training Needs .................................................................................53 Position Qualifications .............................................................................................53 Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) Skills Crosswalk: ......................55 RT-130, Annual Fireline Safety Refresher Training: .................................................56 NWCG Chainsaw Certification Standards: ...............................................................56 4.5 Evacuation Planning ................................................................................................57 Planning: .................................................................................................................57 Advance Warning ....................................................................................................58 Evacuation ...............................................................................................................58 Return of Evacuees .................................................................................................59 4.6 Wildland Urban Interface Code ................................................................................60 International Wildland Urban Interface Code............................................................60 NFPA 1141 ..............................................................................................................60 NFPA 1144 ..............................................................................................................60 4.7 Mitigation Funding Sources .....................................................................................61 FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program ..................................................................61 Texas A&M Forest Service Capacity Building ..........................................................61 Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program (HB 2604) ............................61 5.0 Implementation Timetable .............................................................................................62 5.1 Tracking of Progress/Fire Planning Checklist ...........................................................62 5.2 Completed and In Progress Projects in Helotes .......................................................63 Firewise Communities .............................................................................................63 Hazardous Fuel Reduction Projects .........................................................................63 Ingress/Egress .........................................................................................................63 Training ...................................................................................................................64 6.0 Glossary ..........................................................................................................................65 6.1 Acronyms ................................................................................................................65 6.2 Definitions ................................................................................................................65 7.0 Appendicies .......................................................................................................................69 A.1 Proclamation ............................................................................................................70 A.3 Wildfire Risk Assessment Score Sheet ....................................................................72 A.4 Custom Sign Order Form .........................................................................................74 8.0 Record of Revisions .......................................................................................................75 City of Helotes CWPP 3 In accordance with Title I of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 This document was prepared by the City of Helotes Fire Department and Texas A&M Forest Service and was completed on TBD Thomas A. Schoolcraft Tom Boggus Mayor Director City of Helotes Texas A&M Forest Service Rick Schroder Mark Stanford City Administrator Fire Chief City of Helotes Texas A&M Forest Service Walton Daugherty Bruce Woods Fire Chief Department Head Mitigation and Prevention City of Helotes Texas A&M Forest Service City of Helotes CWPP 4 1.0 Introduction Texas is one of the fastest growing states in the nation, with much of this growth occurring adjacent to metropolitan areas. This increase in population across the state will affect counties and communities that are located