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Alpine County Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan Public Workshop #1 February 2020 ---PAGE BREAK--- Presentation Overview Introduction to the Project 01 02 Fuel Management Activities 03 Risk Assessment 04 Identifying Projects 05 Question/Answer Session ---PAGE BREAK--- 01 Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan ---PAGE BREAK--- Introduction of Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan • Approximately 67% of residential units in Alpine County are located in high or very high wildfire hazard severity zones • Fire trends across the West show longer fire season with larger fires • Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan will build off existing fire hardening efforts in the county and expedite the process of implementing projects to protect communities Purpose and Need ---PAGE BREAK--- Introduction of Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan • Goal: Reduce wildfire risks and protect important resources throughout the County. • Objectives: – Identify important resources and assets – Identify the high fire hazard areas – Define and prioritize projects Plan Goals & Objectives ---PAGE BREAK--- Introduction of Wildfire Risk Mitigation Plan • CAL FIRE awarded a Community Fire Prevention Grant • Five Major Communities – Woodfords – Hung-a-lel-ti – Markleeville – Bear Valley – Kirkwood • Project Team – County Steering Committee – Panorama Environmental – Spatial Informatics Group Project Overview ---PAGE BREAK--- 02 Fuel Management Activities ---PAGE BREAK--- Fuel Management Activities Mechanical • Used for larger scale vegetation management • Requires heavy machinery • Two Main Types: – Mechanical thinning/ whole -tree harvest – Mastication Fuel Treatment Types and Methods ---PAGE BREAK--- Fuel Management Activities Hand Thinning • Used for thinning stands of small- diameter trees and shrubs • Requires hand tools – Powered: chainsaws and brush cutters – Non-powered: loppers and hand saws Fuel Treatment Types and Methods ---PAGE BREAK--- Fuel Management Activities Prescribed Burn • Used for burning of ladder fuels in a predetermined area under the supervision of trained fire personnel Fuel Treatment Types and Methods ---PAGE BREAK--- Fuel Management Activities Federal Lands • USFS and BLM – Fuels reduction projects on public lands adjacent to communities and recreation sites County • Alpine County Hazardous Fuels and Healthy Watersheds project • Biomass Pile/Fuels Reduction Program • Cooperative fuels reduction projects with local community groups Existing Fuel Management Efforts ---PAGE BREAK--- Fuel Management Activities Non-Governmental Organizations • Alpine Fire Safe Council • Alpine Biomass Collaborative • Alpine Watershed Group • Sierra Nevada Conservancy • Eastern Alpine Volunteer Fire Department • Calaveras Fire Safe Council • Bear Valley Residents, Inc. • Amador Calaveras Consensus Group • Calaveras Healthy Impact Product Solutions Existing Fuel Management Efforts ---PAGE BREAK--- 03 Risk Assessment ---PAGE BREAK--- Alpine County Fire Hazards Mitigation Plan – Risk Assessment ---PAGE BREAK--- SY LLA BUS • Conway Credentials • Integrated Hazard Modeling • Wildfire Risk Assessment • Risk and Opportunity Outputs • Appropriate Application ---PAGE BREAK--- Scott Conway Qualifications • Extensive Wildland Fire Experience • Red Carded for 14 years • Dozer Boss • Type 1 Fire Fighter • Public Information Officer • GIS Specialist • Fuels Reduction Project Expert • 16 years of assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring experience • Mechanical removal • Mastication • Manual lop scatter and/or pile • Prescribed fire • Spatial Ecologist • Remote Sensing and spatial data specialist • Trained in forest and fire ecology • Proficient fire and vegetation growth modeler ---PAGE BREAK--- Integrated Hazard Landscape Weather Wildfire Simulation Burn Probability Fire Intensity (flamelength) • Integrated Hazard Creates a single characteristic Integrated Hazard Modeling ---PAGE BREAK--- • Integrated Hazard Creates a single characteristic Easily mapped Integrated Hazard Modeling Integrated Hazard 1:175,000 Lowest Middle High Highest Low Recent Fire Communities Woodfords Markleeville Bear Valley Kirkwood Hung a Lel Ti ---PAGE BREAK--- • Integrated Hazard Creates a single characteristic Easily mapped Scalable Integrated Hazard Modeling Integrated Hazard 1:25,000 Lowest Middle High Highest Low 90 meter pixels or 2 acre resolution ---PAGE BREAK--- • Integrated Hazard Creates a single characteristic Easily mapped Scalable Straight forward Information Integrated Hazard Modeling Integrated Hazard 1:175,000 Lowest Middle High Highest Low Recent Fire Planning Areas Middle, Higher, and Highest ~ 50,000 acres 40 – 60 million $ ---PAGE BREAK--- A Wildfire Risk Assessment Framework for Land and Resource Management (Scott et al. 2013) • Likelihood = burn probability • Intensity = flame length (Integrated Hazard) • Susceptibility = High Valued Resource and Asset Analysis Wildfire Risk A ssessment Scott, Joe Thompson, Matthew Calkin, David E. 2013. A wildfire risk assessment framework for land and resource management. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS- GTR-315. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 83 p. ---PAGE BREAK--- In coordination with the steering committee • Account and map High Valued Resources and A ssets (HVR A ) Residential Structures Education Facilities (Daycare/Schools/Colleges) Recreational Facilities - campgrounds, rv parks (non ski area) Business and Public Structures Places of Worship Non Habitable/Unknown Structures (barns/sheds) Health and Elder Care Facilities High Hazard Buildings Airport/Helibase Communication infrastructure (cell towers, microwave towers, etc) Potable water storage tanks); snow making infrastructure Major Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) Minor Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) Community Evacuation/Refuge/Safe Zones/Areas Cemeteries or significant resource buildings, areas Watersheds of special significance Wildland Urban Interface Defense Ski Area Terrain ---PAGE BREAK--- High Valued Resources and Assets 1:30,000 Residential Structures Communications Recreation Facilities Ski Area Terrain Business and Public Structures Wildland Urban Interface - Defense Evacuation Corridors In coordination with the steering committee • Account and map High Valued Resources and A ssets (HVR A ) ---PAGE BREAK--- In coordination with the steering committee • Account and map • Relative Importance survey • 8 Responses • Water district • USFS • Alpine County staff • CALFIRE • Fire Safe Council • Resident High Valued Resources and A ssets (HVR A ) HVRA Uniqueness/Rarity/Endemism Replaceability Safety/Critical Infrastructure Total Score Residential Structures 2.13 3.63 3.25 9.01 Education Facilities (Daycare/Schools/Colleges) 2.63 4.38 3.5 10.51 Recreational Facilities - campgrounds, rv parks (non ski area) 3.25 3.63 2.38 9.26 Business and Public Structures 2.63 4 4 10.63 Places of Worship 2.13 3.67 2.71 8.51 Non Habitable/Unknown Structures (barns/sheds) 1.71 2.57 1.71 5.99 Health and Elder Care Facilities 2.17 4 4.14 10.31 High Hazard Buildings 3 3.83 3.33 10.16 Airport/Helibase 2.57 3 4 9.57 communication infrastructure (cell towers, microwave towers, etc) 3.13 3.88 4.5 11.51 Potable water storage tanks); snow making infrastructure 3.13 4.13 4.5 11.76 Major Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) 3.13 4 4.25 11.38 Minor Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) 2.88 3.13 3.88 9.89 Community Evacuation/Refuge/Safe Zones/Areas 3.25 2.86 4.13 10.24 Cemeteries or significant resource buildings, areas 3.25 4.5 n/a 7.75 Watersheds of special significance 3.25 4 n/a 7.25 Wildland Urban Interface Defense 5.0 5.0 n/a 10.00 Ski Area Terrain 3.14 4 n/a 7.14 ---PAGE BREAK--- In coordination with the steering committee • Account and map • Relative Importance survey • Response Function survey • 6 Responses • USFS • Alpine County staff • CALFIRE • Resident High Valued Resources and A ssets (HVR A ) HVRA Flame Length 0-2ft Flame Length 2- 4ft Flame Length 4- 6ft Flame Length 6- 8ft Flame Length 8- 12ft Flame Length 12+ft Residential Structures neg 1.17 neg 2.17 neg 2.67 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Education Facilities (Daycare/Schools/Colleges) neg 1.17 neg 2.33 neg 2.67 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Recreational Facilities - campgrounds, rv parks (non ski area) neg 0.50 neg 1.50 neg 2.33 neg 2.83 neg 2.83 neg 2.83 Business and Public Structuresneg 1.17 neg 2.17 neg 2.50 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Places of Worship neg 1.17 neg 2.17 neg 2.67 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Non Habitable/Unknown Structures (barns/sheds) neg 0.67 neg 1.83 neg 2.50 neg 2.83 neg 2.83 neg 3.00 Health and Elder Care Facilities neg 1.33 neg 2.67 neg 2.67 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 High Hazard Buildings neg 1.80 neg 2.40 neg 2.80 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Airport/Helibase 0.00 neg 0.67 neg 2.00 neg 2.83 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 communication infrastructure (cell towers, microwave towers, etc) neg 0.83 neg 1.83 neg 2.50 neg 2.83 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Potable water storage tanks); snow making infrastructure neg 0.17 neg 1.33 neg 2.33 neg 2.83 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Major Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) pos 0.40 0.00 neg 1.40 neg 1.80 neg 2.40 neg 2.80 Minor Evacuation corridors (ingress and egress routes) pos 0.50 neg 0.17 neg 1.33 neg 1.83 neg 2.50 neg 2.83 Community Evacuation/Refuge/Safe Zones/Areas neg 0.17 neg 0.83 neg 1.83 neg 2.17 neg 2.50 neg 2.50 Cemeteries or significant resource buildings, areas neg 0.50 neg 1.33 neg 2.17 neg 2.67 neg 3.00 neg 3.00 Watersheds of special significance pos 2.50 pos 1.67 pos 0.67 neg 1.17 neg 2.17 neg 2.83 Wildland Urban Interface Defense pos 2.00 pos 1.33 neg 0.17 neg 1.00 neg 2.17 neg 2.67 Ski Area Terrain pos 1.50 pos 0.83 neg 0.50 neg 1.50 neg 2.33 neg 2.83 ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk Calculate expected net value change (eNVC) at each pixel = Fire Risk Wildfire Risk 1:175,000 High Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Making the data actionable - Remove the noise - Drop areas < 2 acres - Package by 25% risk categories - Break up by slope - < 35% - > = 35% & < 75% - 75% - Break up by ownership - USFS – 2,087 acres - BLM – 378 acres - BIA – 207 acres - County – 168 acres - NGO/Service District/PGE – 80 acres - State – 76 acres - Private – 2,598 acres ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate HVRA ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Rx Fire Opportunity Areas - Higher opportunity = most value gained from Rx burning - USFS (very high + highest) - 2,594 acres Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Rx Fire Opportunity Areas - Higher opportunity = most value gained from Rx burning - Bear Valley Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Rx Fire Opportunity Areas - Higher opportunity = most value gained from Rx burning - Bear Valley - Kirkwood Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Rx Fire Opportunity Areas - Higher opportunity = most value gained from Rx burning - Bear Valley - Kirkwood - Woodfords Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk – Unit Builder Rx Fire Opportunity Areas - Higher opportunity = most value gained from Rx burning - Bear Valley - Kirkwood - Woodfords - Hung a Lel Ti Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate ---PAGE BREAK--- Wildfire Risk & Rx Opportunity Wildfire Risk 1:24,000 High Very High Highest Moderate Rx Opportunity High Very High Highest Moderate What it is: • Helps triage limited resources • Can account for anything with value – real or intrinsic • Comprehensive planning tool • Project Identification • Attractive Proposals What it isn’t: • Inventory data • Only input for decisions • Contract grade ---PAGE BREAK--- A lpine County Fire Hazards Mitigation Plan – R isk A ssessment ---PAGE BREAK--- 04 Identifying Projects ---PAGE BREAK--- Priority Projects • Grant allows for up to three projects • County to identify priority projects – Project size – Land ownership – Fuel treatment methods – Cost • CEQA/NEPA analysis will be conducted for the projects Identify Projects ---PAGE BREAK--- Schedule Step Timing Identify Priority Projects March/April 2020 Draft WRMP March/April 2020 Second Public Workshop April 2020 Finalize WRMP Spring 2020 Conduct Environmental Studies and Review Spring – Fall 2020 Draft Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Winter 2021 Third Public Workshop Winter 2021 Final Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration Spring 2021 Project website: http://www.alpinecountyca.gov/index.aspx?NID=504 Direct email questions to Zach Wood, Alpine County Planner: [EMAIL REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- 05 Question & Answer / Workshop ---PAGE BREAK--- Questions? Project website: http://www.alpinecountyca.gov/index.aspx?NID=504 Direct email questions to Zach Wood, Alpine County Planner: [EMAIL REDACTED]