SEQUOIA CREST COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN ALDER CREEK FIRE SAFE COUNCIL KERN RIVER VALLEY FIRE SAFE COUNCIL KENNETH DELFINO Registered Professional Forester # 506 January 2008 SEQUOIA CREST Community Wildfire Protection Plan Certification and Agreement The Community Wildfire Protection Plan for Sequoia Crest • Was collaboratively developed with the Sequoia Crest Property Owners Association, Alder creek Fire Safe Council, Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council, USDA Forest Service, Tulare County Fire Department and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. • The plan provides an analysis of the fire/fuel situation in the community, community attitudes toward wildland fire, and information on the fire safe condition of 101 properties. • The plan identifies fuel reduction projects for Sequoia Crest. • The plan provides recommendations on increasing information and communication on wildland fire issues and problems. • The plan recommends that the most effective fire defenses are the actions of the residents of the community to improve the survivability of their properties. The following entities attest that the standards listed above have been met and mutually agree with the contents of this Community Wildfire Protection Plan. _________________________ __________________________ Edward Royce, President Harry Love, President Kern River Valley Fire Safe Council Alder Creek Fire Safe Council _________________________ ___________________________ Ed Wristen, Unit Chief, Priscilla Summers, District Ranger Tulare Unit Tule River Ranger District California Department of Forestry Sequoia National Forest and Fire Protection ________________________ Steve Sunderland, Chief Tulare County Fire Department 2 CONTENTS Executive Summary............................................................................................ 5 Sequoia Crest Recommendations................................................................... 10 Overview of Project Area History and Setting of Sequoia Crest................................................... 14 Fire Protection Resources………………………………………………………… 18 Tulare County……………………………………………………………….. 21 California Department of Forestry and Fire Prot……………………… 23 Forest Service………………………………………………….................... 24 Mutual Aid………………………………………………………................... 26 Self Protection………………………………………………………………. 27 Wildland Fire Fundamentals……………………………………………………… 30 Fire Environment and Fire History of Sequoia Crest ………………………... 31 Vegetation …………………………………………………………………… 31 Fuels ………………………………………………………………………….. 34 Topography …………………………………………………………………. 39 Weather ………………………………………………………………………. 40 Fire Behavior ………………………………………………………………... 40 Fire History ………………………………………………………………….. 40 Fire Behavior ………………………………………………………………………... 41 Topography ……………………………………………………. …………... 41 Weather ………………………………………………………………………. 44 Fuel …………………………………………………………………………… 45 Extreme Fire Behavior Conditions ……………………………………… 47 Fire Danger Rating System ………………………………………………. 48 Evaluation of Structures ………………………………………………………….. 50 Evacuation Plan ……………………………………………………………………. 70 Protect Your Property …………………………………………………………….. 73 When a Fire Approaches …………………………………………………………. 85 Purpose of the Project ……………………………………………………………. 87 Request for Proposal ………………………………………………..................... 88 3 Submitted Proposal ……………………………………………………………….. 88 Project Tasks …………………………………………………………. …………… 89 Prospect for Future Success …………………………………………………….. 90 Acknowledgments ………………………………………………………………... 100 About the Author …………………………………………………………………. 100 Literature Cited ……………………………………………………...................... 101 Appendix I, PRC 4291 ……………………………………………....................... 104 Appendix II, LE – 100 …………………………………………………………….. 106 Appendix III, Letter to Property Owners ……………………………………… 107 Appendix IV, Forest Service Evacuation Plan ………………………………. 108 Appendix V, Address Number Order Form ………………………………….. 109 Appendix VI, Property Evaluation Form ……………………………………… 110 Appendix VII, Vegetation Types …………………………………..………….. 111 Appendix VIII, Vegetation Classification ……………………………………... 115 Appendix IX, Fire Fighting Gel …………………………………………………. 116 Appendix X, Fire Protection Agreement, Fire Laws ………………………... 117 Appendix XI, Sequoia Tree Lighting Fire …………………………………….. 119 Map 1, General Location ………………………………………………………….. 8 Map 2, Sequoia Crest Subdivision ……………………………………………… 9 Map 3, Proposed Fuel Break …………………………………………………….. 13 Map 4, Fire History ………………………………………………………………… 94 Map 5, Fuel Types …………………………………………………………………. 96 Map 6, Fuel Type Detail …………………………………………………………... 97 Map 7, Aerial View of Project Area …………………………………….............. 98 Map 8, Aerial View of Project Area ……………………………………………... 99 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Sequoia Crest is a rural mountain community of 104 habitable structures located in the Sequoia National Forest in Tulare County, California. Vegetation in this community are typical Southern Sierra Nevada mixed conifer forests at the 6000 to 7000 foot elevation range. Sequoia Crest is a subdivision of 140 acres adjacent to a 540 acre parcel which is a section of land surrounded by the recently created Giant Sequoia National Monument. The most unique feature of this property is the number of Giant Sequoia Redwoods on individual lots and on the adjacent private parcel. Growth of the forest and the lack of natural fire has created a tinder box situation that endangers the community and the Giant Sequoias. Springville, a small foothill town, lies approximately 12 air miles to the west, directly down-canyon from Sequoia Crest and Camp Nelson about 3 air miles south, are both listed as a “communities at risk” from wild land fire. Most recently, the “Deep Fire” burned over 3000 acres between Springville and Sequoia Crest. Aggressive fire fighting and a wind change kept the fire from moving upslope toward Sequoia Crest. In 2002, the “McNally Fire” burned over 150,000 acres and came within 8 air miles of Sequoia Crest. The conditions that supported both of these major fires exist within the Sequoia Crest community. Sequoia Crest, with only 12 full time residents, is about one hour from full shopping services in Porterville. This one hour trip is along the relative twisted and steep Highway 190, past Camp Nelson and about five miles north on Redwood Drive. The community has the normal public utilities including electrical power, telephone and a community owned water system. Tulare County provides garbage service at a central transfer station near Camp Nelson, although it is only open a few days a week. Tulare County maintains all the paved roads and they are snow plowed on a regular schedule during the winter. The nearest fire station is at Camp Nelson, about 20 minutes away. Wildland fire protection is provided by The U. S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service during the summer months only. Year around structural fire protection is 5 provided by Tulare County (since July 1, 2007). Ambulance service is provided by a volunteer group in Camp Nelson (at the same site as the County fire station). Air ambulance (helicopter) is provided by Hall Ambulance in Bakersfield, 30 minutes away. Law enforcement, Tulare County Sherriff, must come from Porterville, Springville or Camp Nelson, wherever a Deputy is on duty. Wildland fire is the Sword of Damocles hanging over this community. The question is not “if a fire will occur”, but “when it will occur” and “how much damage it will do”. The community is located on a northwest to south aspect with over 100 percent slopes on some lots. Fire history records, kept since 1910, indicate that no recent fires have burned near this community. Fire scars on the old growth Giant Sequoias indicate that this area probably experienced historic and pre-historic natural or indigenous fire at approximately the same frequency as the west slope of the Sierra’s, about a 25 to 40 year frequency. All of the permanent residents and many part-timer owners were interviewed during three visits to the project area and some had a high level of interest and knowledge about wildfire conditions and fire safe principles. Unfortunately many of the part-time owners had minimal understanding, other than the requirement for vegetation clearance protection zones. Many have hazardous conditions that could be easily remedied. Most did not realize that fire protection resources are scarce in this area and that engines and equipment may not be available during the initial stage of a fire. Some thought that fire engines would descend on the area as soon as a fire is reported as they watched on television during Southern California fires. This project involved the evaluation of 101 properties with report prepared for each property (see Appendix VI for a sample of an evaluation report). Those property evaluations have been given to all owners and no copies have been retained. A summary of the conditions found is contained in the section “Evaluation of Structures: Construction and Clearance”. A companion section “Protect Your Property” should also be given to each owner to assist them in improving their chance of survival when a fire occurs. Recommendation #1 describes owners responsibilities. 6 Recommendation #2 describes a fuel reduction project on National Forest land that needs to be installed (map # 3). This fuel break will improve the capability of firefighters to protect developed areas in the community. Recommendation #3 suggests fuel reduction on vacant lots within the community. Vacant lots were not individually evaluated however most have had little