Part III-F – Wildland/Urban Fire
A.
OVERVIEW.............................................................................................................. 2
B.
CALIFORNIA FIRE VULNERABILITY ............................................................................ 2
CALIFORNIA FIRE HISTORY ............................................................................................... 3
Figure 1 - Annual Acres Burned by Decade and Life Form, 1950-2000s ........................................................3
Figure 2 - Fire Frequency (Number of Times Burned), 1950 – 2008 ...............................................................4
WILDLAND FIRE VS. WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRES.................................................. 5
RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN CALIFORNIA ....................... 5
URBAN FIRE CONFLAGRATION POTENTIAL ........................................................................ 5
Table 1 - Fire History by Number of Structures Destroyed .............................................................................8
Figure 3 - State of California Fire Threat .........................................................................................................9
Figure 4 - State and Federal Declared Fire Disasters from 1950 to 2009 .....................................................10
Figure 5 - Number of structures ignited in California 2000 to 2009................................................................11
Figure 6 - Wildfire Hazard Ranking in Local Hazard Mitigation Plans............................................................12
CALIFORNIA STRATEGIC FIRE PLAN ................................................................................ 13
C.
ORANGE COUNTY ................................................................................................. 14
Figure 7 – Orange County Wildland Fire Management Planning Areas ........................................................14
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE ........................................................................................ 15
WILDLAND FIRES ........................................................................................................... 16
Figure 8 - Current fuel hazard ranking as of 2005 for Orange County. ..........................................................16
Figure 9 – Orange County Vegetation ...........................................................................................................19
WILDLAND FIRES AS A THREAT TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ............................................. 20
THE INTERFACE ............................................................................................................. 21
THE THREAT OF URBAN CONFLAGRATION ....................................................................... 23
FIRE FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE...................................................................................... 23
FIRE CODES .................................................................................................................. 24
D.
COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT ................................................................. 28
Table 2 - CCCD Sites located in OC Wildland and Urban Fire Planning Areas ............................................28
CCCD’S WILDLAND AND URBAN FIRE THREAT ................................................................ 29
E.
URBAN/WILDLAND FIRE HAZARD MITIGATION STRATEGIES ..................................... 30
Part III-F Urban Fire
A.
OVERVIEW
This section of the plan will look at the fire threat to CCCD, its service area and facilities. There
are three basic types of fire hazards:



Wildfire
Wildland-urban interface
Urban fire
Part B of this section will review the overall fire threat to California followed by Part C which will
discuss the fire threat to the Orange County area. Fires can also be caused as secondary
hazards following major earthquakes. Earthquakes were identified earlier in this plan as major
hazards to the CCCD. This plan will discuss fire and earthquake in Part C. Part D explains the
fire threat to the CCCD, its service area and its facilities. Part E outlines the fire mitigation
strategies needed by the CCCD to prevent and prepare for major fire incidents.
California and Orange County have an extensive history of every type of fire (wildfires, wildlandurban interface and urban). Over the past 10 years, Southern California has been hit by three
catastrophic fires. Because of this, the state, its 57 counties and cities have developed and
updated a series of comprehensive building codes, fire codes, hazardous materials regulations,
fire prevention programs and educational programs. They also reviewed and updated quality
emergency response equipment and ensured that highly trained and technical first responders
are prepared to respond to all types of fires in California. Educational facilities are of particular
concern to fire prevention professionals. Over the past 60 years, knowledge, experience and
unfortunately tragedy have taught us the importance of fire prevention. The California Fire
Marshal’s Office and fire professionals have developed fire codes to ensure limited fires in
public schools including the community colleges. Although sometimes bothersome and
expensive, these codes ensure the safety of California’s children.
B.
C ALIFORNIA FIRE VULNERABILITY
Among California’s primary hazards, fires (including wildfire, wildland-urban interface and urban
fire) represent the third most destructive source of hazard, vulnerability and risk, both in terms of
recent state history and the probability of future destruction.
According to the 2009 California State Hazard Mitigation Plan, California is recognized as one of
the most fire-prone and consequently fire-adapted landscapes in the world. The combination of
complex terrain, Mediterranean climate, and productive natural plant communities, along with
ample natural and aboriginal ignition sources, has created a land forged in fire.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 2 of 31
CALIFORNIA FIRE HISTORY
Excluding fires occurring in the desert, estimates of annual acreage burned prior to the arrival of
European settlers range between 4.5 and 12 million acres annually. These findings indicate
that dramatic influence of natural wildfire, which supports and maintains ecosystem structure
and function in California’s wildlands. Dramatic changes in fire activity accompanied the
European settlement of California, partly due to agriculture, grazing, logging and mining. These
changes were magnified through land use practices (agriculture, urbanization) that removed
natural fuel. After the turn of the 20th century, these land uses were organized around fire
suppression designed to protect people and property.
From 1950 to 2008, an average of 320,000 acres burned annually in California. However, there
is substantial annual variability, attributable to weather conditions and large lightning events that
result in many dispersed ignitions in remote locations. Annual totals range from 31,000 acres in
1963 to a high of 1.37 million acres in 2008. Looking at acreage burned by decade and life form
confirms these basic trends. Fire is most common in scrublands across all decades, with a
large spike in the first decade of the 2000s.
Figure 1 - Annual Acres Burned by Decade and Life Form, 1950-2000s
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 3 of 31
Figure 2 - Fire Frequency (Number of Times Burned), 1950 – 2008
This map shows the distribution of burn frequency from 1950 to 2008. The South Coast and
Central Coast regions show the highest frequencies. Orange County is located in the South
Coast
region.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 4 of 31
The California State Hazard Mitigation Plan research proves the following trends exist in
California:
 Increased fire severity
 Increased human infrastructure at risk
 Increased hazards and risks associated with vegetation fires due to climate change
 Fire suppression costs are increasing
 Increased losses from fires
These studies together suggest that patterns exhibited in recent history will intensify due to both
changes in the threats and the assets within the State that are exposed.
WILDLAND FIRE VS. WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRES
There are two primary types of wildfires: wildland-urban interface and wildland fire. This
distinction is important because mitigation damage and actions related to the two types may
differ significantly. California experiences an average of 5,000 wildland-urban interface fires
each year. Wildland-urban interface is defined as “the area or zone where structures and other
human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.
RULE-MAKING AUTHORITY AND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN CALIFORNIA
Local government agencies (cities and counties) typically control the authority to enact and
enforce land use ordinances, building codes, and fire codes for development within their
boundaries. This land use authority includes those areas where the local agency shares fire
protection responsibility with either federal or state agencies. Financial responsibility for fire
protection is a significant issue because fire protection is very expensive and considerably more
expensive in wildland-urban interface areas.
URBAN FIRE CONFLAGRATION POTENTIAL
Although the California State Hazard Mitigation Plan focuses primarily on wildfires, it recognizes
urban conflagration, or a large disastrous fire in an urban area, as a major hazard that can occur
due to many causes such as wildfires, earthquakes, gas leaks, chemical explosions, or arson.
The urban fire conflagration that followed the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake did more damage
than the earthquake itself. A source of danger to cities throughout human history, urban
conflagration has been reduced as a general source of risk to life and property through
improvements in community design, construction materials, and fire protection systems.
For example, following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, improvements in architecture, building
design, and construction materials helped to reduce the likelihood of recurrence. Subsequent
improvements in construction have been encouraged throughout the U.S. by modern building
and fire codes. The Great Chicago Fire burned approximately 2,000 acres and is estimated to
have killed 200 to 300 people and damaged 17,500 buildings. It is interesting to note that on
the same day as the wind-driven Great Chicago Fire, one of the most devastating wildlandurban interface fires in the United States history occurred in Peshtigo, Wisconsin. Driven by the
same winds that spread the fire in Chicago, the fires in Wisconsin burned more than 1,000,000
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 5 of 31
acres of forest, destroyed several entire towns, and killed more than 1,500 people. While the
urban fire codes changed significantly after the Great Chicago Fire, wildland-urban interface fire
codes have only recently gathered significant attention.
Although the frequency of urban conflagration fires has been reduced, they remain a risk to
human safety. One reason is the current trend toward increased urban density and infill in
areas adjacent to the wildland-urban interface. In an effort to keep housing close to urban jobs,
areas previously left as open space due to steep slopes and high wildland fire risk are being
reconsidered as infill areas for high-density housing.
A memorable example of urban conflagration linked to wildland fire in recent California history is
the Oakland Hills firestorm, officially known as the Tunnel Fire. The October 20, 1991 fire
occurred in portions of the cities of Oakland and Berkeley. In Oakland 2,777 units were
destroyed or badly damaged. An additional 69 units were destroyed within the City of Berkeley.
The fire happened in an economically well-off, largely built-out residential area that has a longstanding fire history linked to hot, dry fall winds and the presence of dense, flammable
vegetation. Seasonably strong, dry winds drove flames furiously and rapidly across an
approximately two-and-one-half square mile area of densely developed hillside neighborhoods.
California has had a long history of disastrous wildland-urban interface fires beginning with the
1923 Berkeley Fire that destroyed 584 buildings while burning 123 acres. Repetitive wildland
fires do occur, as noted above, a significant lesson about this 1923 fire is that wildland-urban
interface fire revisited this same location in 1970 and again in 1991 with the most damaging
wildland-urban interface fire in California history. Other important events in California history
that caused changes in the approach to these fires were:
 The 1961 Bel Air Fire, which resulted in examination of wooden roofs in wildland-urban
interface areas
 The 1970 Fire Siege, which resulted in development of the Incident Command System
(ICS)
 The 1980 Southern California Fire Siege, which resulted in the creation of the CAL FIRE
Vegetation Management Program
 The 1985 Fire Siege, which resulted in major expansion of local government fire service
mutual aid on wildland-urban interface fires
 The 1988 49er Fire, which was identified as the “wildland-urban interface fire problem of
the future” due to urban expansion from Sacramento metropolitan area into the Sierra
foothills
 The 1991 Tunnel Fire which resulted in the creation of the Standardized Emergency
Management System (SEMS) in California and legislation requiring Fire Hazard Severity
Zone mapping in LRAs (AB 337-Bates)
 The 1993 Laguna Fire, which resulted in creation of the California Fire Safe Council
concept and changes to flammable roofing codes
 The 2003 Fire Siege, which resulted in changes to defensible space clearances from 30
feet to 100 feet and formation of Governor’s Blue Ribbon Commission on fires
 The 2007 Angora Fire, which resulted in a California-Nevada Governor’s Blue Ribbon
Commission examination of wildland-urban interface issues in Lake Tahoe area
 The 2008 Sylmar Fire in Los Angeles, which led to revision of mobile home fire safety
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 6 of 31

The 2009 Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest which led to re-examination of
wildland fire management in proximity to urban areas
In October 2007, a series of large wildfires ignited and burned hundreds of thousands of acres
in Southern California. The fires displaced nearly one million residents, destroyed thousands of
homes, and took the lives of 10 people. Within the context of wildland fire, the Southern
California Siege of 2007, along with the Angora Fire in South Lake Tahoe, demonstrated again
a well-recognized fact that fire is an integral component of California’s ecosystems. The Angora
Fire burned 3,100 acres and destroyed 242 homes and 67 commercial structures in June 2007.
Wildfires are costly, comprising watersheds, open space, timber, range, recreational
opportunities, wildlife habitats, endangered species, historic and cultural assets, wild and scenic
rivers, other scenic assets and local economies, as well as putting lives and property at risk.
FEMA DR-1810 was the result of extremely high winds and wildfires beginning November 13,
2008, and continuing through November 29, 2008 which impacted Los Angeles, Orange,
Riverside, San Bernardino, and Santa Barbara counties. Winds, at times more than 70 miles
per hour, played an integral role in worsening fire conditions by fanning the flames and
spreading the wildfires with frightening speed. Fires consumed approximately 43,500 acres,
destroying 858 homes, 10 businesses, and 110 outbuildings. In addition, 136 homes were
severely damaged and a large number of home-based businesses and rental properties also
experienced moderate damage. Threatened structures also included over 12,550 residences,
100 commercial buildings and 200 outbuildings causing widespread human injury; destruction
and damage to homes, businesses, schools, hospitals and infrastructure throughout the region.
State and local agency response costs were estimated at $15 million per day.
On average 9,000 wildfires burn half a million acres in California annually. While the number of
acres burned fluctuates from year to year, a trend that has remained constant is the rise in
wildfire-related losses. Likewise, fires that originate in the wildfire-urban interface from
structures or other improvements can cause damage to the wildland resources and nonwildland-urban interface assets at risk. The challenge is in how to reduce wildfire losses within
a framework of California’s diversity. The following table shows the most disastrous wildlandurban interface fires listed in order of structures destroyed. Eighty percent of the most
damaging wildland-urban interface fires have occurred in the last 20 years.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 7 of 31
Table 1 - Fire History by Number of Structures Destroyed
FIRE HAZARD VS. FIRE RISK
The diversity of wildland-urban interface settings and disagreement about alternative mitigation
strategies have led to confusion and different methods of defining and mapping fire areas. One
major disagreement has been caused by terms such as “hazard” and “risk” being used
interchangeably. Hazard is the physical condition that can lead to damage to a particular asset
or resource. The term “fire hazard” is related to those physical conditions related to fire and its
ability to cause damage, specifically how often a fire burns a given locale and what the fire is
like when it burns (its fire behavior). Thus, fire hazard only refers to the potential characteristics
of the fire itself.
Risk is the likelihood of a fire occurring at a given site (burn probability) and the associated
mechanisms of fire behavior that cause damage to assets and resources (fire behavior). This
includes the impact of fire brands (embers) that may be blown some distance igniting fires well
away from the main fire.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 8 of 31
Figure 3 - State of California Fire Threat
This CAL FIRE map shows wildfire threat wildly distributed across hilly and mountainous terrain
throughout California. Threat is a measure of the potential fire severity. Urban areas are shown
as facing a moderate threat in this model due to exposure from wildland-urban interface fires
and windblown embers that could result in urban conflagration.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 9 of 31
Figure 4 - State and Federal Declared Fire Disasters from 1950 to 2009
This map shows declared wildfire disasters from 1950 to 2009. Highest numbers occurred in
Southern California, showing the influence of major populated urban areas in Los Angeles and
other nearby counties on fire emergency and disaster events.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 10 of 31
The following figure shows structures ignited by wildfire in California from 2000 through 2009.
Overall, 5,000 wildfires have burned 200,000 acres in California. The numbers of ignited
structures rose significantly with the Southern California wildfires of 2003 and then dropped
back substantially in the period from 2004 through 2008.
Figure 5 - Number of structures ignited in California 2000 to 2009
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 11 of 31
Figure 6 - Wildfire Hazard Ranking in Local Hazard Mitigation Plans
This map identifies wildfire hazards as being a predominant concern (51 percent of local
jurisdictions) in the 2010 Local Hazard Mitigation Plans review for most Southern California and
many San Francisco Bay Area counties, as well as many North Coast and Sierra Mountain
counties.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 12 of 31
CALIFORNIA STRATEGIC FIRE PLAN
The California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection approved the 2010 Strategic Fire
Plan in June 2010. The Strategic Fire Plan forms the basis for assessing California’s complex
and dynamic natural and human-made environment and identifies a variety of actions to
minimize the negative effects of wildland fire.
Vision
The vision of the Strategic Fire Plan is for a natural environment that is more resilient and
human-made assets that are more resistant to the occurrence and efforts of wildland fire
through local, state, federal and private partnerships.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 13 of 31
C.
ORANGE COUNTY
A variety of fire protection challenges exist within Orange County, including structure, urban
fires, wildland fires, and fires in the wildland-urban interface. This hazard analysis of Orange
County focuses on wildland fires, but also addresses issues specifically related to the wildlandurban interface and structure issues.
Figure 7 – Orange County Wildland Fire Management Planning Areas
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 14 of 31
The provision of adequate fire protection is directly affected by residential, commercial and
industrial growth, all of which are proceeding rapidly in Orange County. By 1960, manufacturing
employed three times as many workers as the agricultural industry. Aerospace and other hightech industries began moving into the area, bringing with them growing affluence. Between
1950 and 1960, Orange County's median income grew from the 20th highest of California's 58
counties to the third highest. By the mid-1990s, Orange County's high-tech and information
industries were among the most dynamic in the United States. By 1999, Orange County had a
population of 2.85 million residents. Between 1990 and 2020, the population of the entire
County is expected to increase by more than 500,000 or 21.6 percent, with a corresponding
increase in demand for fire protection services (Statistics taken from the Orange County
General Plan, 1999).
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE
In an effort to alleviate the dangers from wildland fires in or near the interface with urban
development (wildland-urban interface), the construction of fuel modification zones (firebreak,
fuel break, or greenbelt) are required. The application of this method does have limitations and
is therefore only a part of the solution. Fire prevention measures that reduce the level of risk to
the structures located in the wildland-urban interface must be further studied and developed in
order to “harden the structure/home” and prevent the spread of wildland fire due to flying
embers and radiant heat.
Much of the following, which addresses the threat of fire to urban areas, wildlands and the
wildland-urban interface, has been extracted from the information prepared by the Orange
County Fire Authority for the Safety Element of the Orange County General Plan.
Some of the most difficult fire protection problems in the urban area are:
 Multiple story, wood frame, high-density developments
 Large contiguous built up areas with combustible roof covering materials
 Transportation of hazardous materials by air, rail, road, water and pipeline
 Natural disasters
Other factors contributing to major fire losses are:






Delayed detection of emergencies
Delayed notification to the fire agency
Response time of emergency equipment
Street structure – private, curvilinear and dead-end, street widths
Inadequate and unreliable water supply with poor hydrant distribution
Inadequate code enforcement and code revisions, which lag behind fire prevention
knowledge
Fire Prevention is the major fire department activity in urban areas; the objective is to prevent
fires from starting. Once a fire starts, the objective is to minimize the damage to life and
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 15 of 31
property. Urban fire prevention programs that are designed to achieve this fire prevention
objective are:




Adoption and aggressive enforcement of the most recent Fire and Building Codes with
state and local amendment addressing wildland fire hazards
Development of a comprehensive master plan to ensure that staffing and facilities keep
pace with growth
Enforcement of Hazardous Materials Disclosure Ordinance
Active participation in Planning Committees and other planning activities
The character of the existing built-up area and future land use determines the location of fire
stations, the number of fire companies, staffing of such companies, and future fire protection
facility needs. Structural conditions also influence the quantity of water needed for fire
protection (fire flow) and hydrant distribution.
Features of structural conditions that affect fire control are:
 Type of construction, construction features, and use of buildings
 Area of building (ground floor area)
 Number of stories
 Type of roof covering material
 Exposures to the building
WILDLAND FIRES
California experiences large, destructive
wildland fires almost every year and
Orange County is no exception. Wildland
fires have occurred within the county,
particularly in the fall of the year, ranging
from small, localized fires to disastrous
fires covering thousands of acres. The
most severe fire protection problem in the
unincorporated areas is wildland fire
during Santa Ana wind conditions.
Figure 8 - Current fuel hazard ranking as of 2005 for
Orange County.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 16 of 31
Reasons for control difficulty associated with wildland fires are:
 Adverse weather conditions
 Large quantities of contiguous combustible fuel beds
 Inaccessible terrain
 Nonexistent or very limited water supply
 Large fire fronts requiring dispersal of fire forces
For these reasons, it is usually necessary for the firefighting force to meet the advancing fire
front in an accessible area containing a minimum amount of combustible vegetation, and
preferably located close to a water source.
The major objective of wildland fire defense planning is to prevent wildland fires from starting
and, if unsuccessful, to minimize the damage to natural resources and structures. Some of the
more successful programs currently in effect which contribute to the success of wildland fire
prevention activities are:







Closure of public access to land in hazardous fire areas
Building Code prohibition of most combustible roof covering materials (still allows the
Class C)
Local amendments requiring “special construction features,” e.g. boxed eaves, Class A
roof, dual pained or tempered glass windows
Construction and maintenance of community and private fuel modification zones
Vegetative Management Program (controlled burning)
Weed Abatement Program
Fire Prevention Education Programs
There are a number of natural conditions which dictate the severity of a wildland fire when it
occurs. Three such conditions are weather elements, the topography of the area, and the type
and condition of wildland vegetation.
WEATHER
Weather conditions have many complex and important effects on fire intensity and behavior.
Wind is of prime importance; as wind increases in velocity, the rate of fire spread also
increases. Relative humidity (i.e., relative dryness of the air) also has a direct effect; the drier
the air, the drier the vegetation and the more likely the vegetation will ignite and burn.
Precipitation (annual total, seasonal distribution and storm intensity) further affects the moisture
content of both dead and living vegetation, which influences fire ignition and behavior.
Many wildland fires have been associated with adverse weather conditions. In recent years,
Orange County has experienced numerous wildland fires that have destroyed, damaged or
threatened an extensive number of homes and businesses that relates to millions of dollars in
property damage and loss of business revenue. The Sierra Incident in CY2006 burned 10,584
acres; the Santiago Incident in CY2007 burned 28,476 acres and either damaged or destroyed
23 residences and the Freeway Complex in CY2008 that burned 30,305 acres and either
damaged or destroyed 300+ residences; are just a few examples of the devastation caused by
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 17 of 31
wildland fires. At the onset of these fires, the Santa Ana winds were exceeding 50 mph, making
quick containment impossible.
Additionally, the extreme fire weather conditions of 1993, aided the devastating firestorms that
swept Laguna Beach and the County during the period of October 24 through November 4.
During this period, a total of 20 major fires in six Southern California counties burned out of
control, of which three of these fires occurred in Orange County: the Stagecoach fire burned
750 acres and destroyed 9 buildings, the Laguna Beach fire burned 14,337 acres, destroyed
441 homes and caused approximately $528 million in damage, and the Ortega fire burned
21,384 acres and destroyed 19 buildings.
In 1997, the Baker Canyon fire by Irvine Lake burned 6,317 acres of vegetation, followed by two
additional fires in 1998: The Blackstar/Santiago Canyons fire destroyed 8,800 acres, and the
Carbon Canyon fire burned 733 acres of brush.
In 2008 a wildfire was the result of extremely high winds and wildfires which impacted five
counties including Orange County. Winds blew more than 70 miles per hour fanning the flames
and spreading the wildfires with alarming speed.
In addition to winds, structural development exposures within or adjacent to wildland represents
an extreme fire protection problem due to flying embers and the predominance of combustible
roof coverings.
TOPOGRAPHY
Topography has considerable effect on wildland fire behavior and, depending on the
topography, may limit the ability of firefighters and their equipment to take adequate action to
suppress or contain wildland fires. A wildland fire starting in a canyon bottom will quickly spread
to the ridge top before initial attack forces arrive. Rough topography greatly limits fireline
construction, road construction, road standards, and accessibility by ground firefighting
resources. Steep topography also channels airflow, creating extremely erratic winds on leeward
slopes, canyons and passes. Water supply, intended for protecting structures located at higher
elevations, is frequently dependent on water pump stations and utilities. The source of power
for such stations is usually from overhead electrical power distribution lines, which are subject to
destruction by wildland fires.
VEGETATION
A key to effective fire control and the successful accommodation of fire in wildland management
is the understanding of fire and its environment. The fire environment is the combination of
combustible fuels, topography, and air mass and the complexity of these factors play an
important role to influence the inception, growth, and behavior of a fire. The topography and
weather components are, for all practical purposes, beyond human control, but it is a different
story with fuels, which can be controlled before the outbreak of fires. In terms of future urban
expansion, finding new ways to control and understand these fuels can lead to possible fire
reduction.
A relatively large portion of the county is covered by natural (though modified) vegetation as
indicated on the Composite Vegetation Map provided by the Orange County Fire Authority. Of
these different vegetation types, coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and grasslands become the
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 18 of 31
most hazardous, with a high probability of ignition, during the dry summer months and, under
certain conditions, during the winter months. For example, as chaparral gets older, twigs and
branches within the plants die and are held in place. A stand of brush 10- to 20-years of age
will contain dried and cured dead material that can produce a rate of spread comparable to
grass fires. In severe drought years, additional plant material may die, contributing to the fuel
load. There will normally be enough dead fuel accumulated in 20- to 30-year old brush to give
rates of spread approximately twice as fast as in a grass fire. An example is; under moderate
weather conditions in a grass vegetation type a rate of spread of one-half foot per second can
be expected, conversely a vegetation type of 20- to 30-year old stand of chaparral may have a
rate of fire spread of about one foot per second. Fire spread in old brush (40 years or older) has
been measured at eight times as fast as in grass, about four feet per second. Under extreme
weather conditions, the fastest fire spread in grass is 12 feet per second or about eight miles
per hour.
Figure 9 – Orange County Vegetation
Approximately 98% of the Coast Community College District is in the #10 Urban Zone.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 19 of 31
WILDLAND FIRES AS A THREAT TO SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Wildland fire is a natural part of the ecosystem in Southern California. However, wildland fire
presents a substantial hazard to life and property in communities built in or adjacent to the open
spaces of Orange County. There is a huge potential for losses due to Wildland Urban Interface
fires in Southern California. The fall of 2007 marked on of the most destructive wildland fire
season in California history. In a four day period from 10/20/07 thru 10/23/07, 20 separate fires
started and raged across Southern California in Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, San
Bernardino, Riverside, Orange and San Diego counties. The massive Witch Incident in San
Diego County alone consumed of 1,218 homes and burned over 197,990 acres. Orange
County had the Santiago fire on October 21, 2007 which burned 28,400 acres. There were 15
homes lost, eight homes damaged and fortunately no lives lost.
WILDLAND FIRE CHARACTERISTICS
There are three categories of wildland-urban interface: the classic exists where well-defined
urban and suburban development presses up against open expanses of wildland areas, the
mixed wildland-urban interface is characterized by isolated homes, subdivisions and small
communities situated predominantly in wildland settings, and the occluded wildland-urban
interface existing where islands of wildland vegetation occur inside a largely urbanized area.
Certain conditions must be present for significant interface fires to occur. The most common
conditions include: hot, dry and windy weather, the inability of firefighting forces to contain or
suppress the fire, the occurrence of multiple fires that overwhelm committed resources, and a
large fuel load (dense vegetation). Once a fire has started, several conditions influence its
behavior, including fuel, topography, weather, drought, and development.
Southern California has two distinct areas of risk for wildland fire. The foothills and lower
mountain areas are most often covered with scrub brush or chaparral. The higher elevations of
mountains also have heavily forested terrain.
The higher elevations of Southern California’s mountains are typically heavily forested. The
magnitude of the 2003, 2007 and 2008 fires is the result of three primary factors: (1) weather
conditions including severe drought, a series of storms that produce thousands of lightning
strikes and windy conditions; (2) infestations of a variety of beetles and other pests that has
killed thousands of mature trees; and (3) the cumulative effects of wildland fire suppression over
the past century that has resulted in an overabundance of brush and small diameter trees in the
forests.
At the beginning of the 1900s, forests were relatively open, with 20 to 25 mature trees per acre.
Periodically, lightning would start fires that would clear out underbrush and small trees,
renewing the forests.
Today's forests are completely different, with as many as 400 trees crowded onto each acre,
along with thick undergrowth. This density of growth makes forests susceptible to disease,
drought and severe wildland fires. Instead of restoring forests, these wildland fires destroy them
and it can take decades to recover. This radical change in our forests is the result of nearly a
century of well-intentioned but misguided management.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 20 of 31
THE INTERFACE
One challenge Southern California faces regarding the wildland fire hazard is from the
increasing number of houses being built in the wildland urban interface. Every year the growing
population expands further and further into the hills and mountains, including forest lands. The
increased "interface" between urban/suburban areas and the open spaces created by this
expansion has produced a significant increase in threats to life and property from fires and has
pushed existing fire protection systems beyond original or current design and capability. Many
property owners in the interface are not aware of the problems and threats they face.
Therefore, many owners must do more to manage or offset fire hazards or risks on their own
property. Furthermore, human activities increase the incidence of fire ignition and potential
damage.
FUEL
Fuel is the material that feeds a fire and is a key factor in wildland fire behavior. Fuel is
classified by volume and by type.
Fuel volume is described in terms of “fuel loading,” or the amount of available vegetative fuel.
Fuel type is an identifiable association of fuel elements of distinctive species, form, size,
arrangement, or other characteristics that will cause a predictable rate of spread or resistance to
control under specified weather conditions. Chaparral is a primary fuel type in Southern
California and the basis of the extreme conditions associated with wildland fires. Chaparral
habitat ranges in elevation from near sea level to over 5,000' in Southern California. Chaparral
communities experience long dry summers and receive most of their annual precipitation from
winter rains.
Fire has been important in the life cycle of chaparral communities for over 2 million years;
however, the true nature of the "fire cycle" has been subject to interpretation. In a period of 750
years, it is generally thought that fire occurs once every 65 years in coastal drainages and once
every 30 to 35 years inland.
The vegetation of chaparral communities has evolved to a point it requires fire to spawn
regeneration. Many species invite fire through the production of plant materials with large
surface-to-volume ratios, volatile oils and through periodic die-back of vegetation. These
species have further adapted to possess special reproductive mechanisms following fire.
Several species produce vast quantities of seeds which lie dormant until fire triggers
germination. The parent plant which produces these seeds defends itself from fire by a thick
layer of bark which allows enough of the plant to survive so that the plant can crown sprout
following the blaze. In general, chaparral community plants have adapted to fire through the
following methods: a) fire induced flowering, b) bud production and sprouting subsequent to fire,
c) in-soil seed storage and fire stimulated germination, and d) on plant seed storage and fire
stimulated dispersal.
An important element in understanding the danger of wildland fire is the availability of diverse
fuels in the landscape, such as natural vegetation, manmade structures and combustible
materials. A house surrounded by brushy growth rather than cleared space allows for greater
continuity of fuel and increases the fire’s ability to spread. After decades of fire suppression
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 21 of 31
“dog-hair" thickets have accumulated, which enable high intensity fires to flare and spread
rapidly.
TOPOGRAPHY
Topography influences the movement of air, thereby directing a fire course. For example, if the
percentage of uphill slope doubles, the rate of spread in wildland fire will likely double. Gulches
and canyons can funnel air and act as chimneys, which intensify fire behavior and cause the fire
to spread faster. Solar heating of dry, south-facing slopes produces up slope drafts that can
complicate fire behavior. Unfortunately, hillsides with hazardous topographic characteristics are
also desirable residential areas in many communities. This underscores the need for wildland
fire hazard mitigation and increased education and outreach to homeowners living in interface
areas.
WEATHER
Weather patterns combined with certain geographic locations can create a favorable climate for
wildland fire activity. Areas where annual precipitation is less than 30 inches per year are
extremely fire susceptible. High-risk areas in Southern California share a hot, dry season in late
summer and early fall when high temperatures and low humidity favor fire activity. The socalled “Santa Ana” winds, which are heated by compression as they flow down to Southern
California from the Great Basin Region, create a particularly high risk, as they can rapidly
spread what might otherwise be a small fire.
DROUGHT
Recent concerns about the effects of climate change, particularly drought, are contributing to
concerns about wildland fire vulnerability. The term drought is applied to a period in which an
unusual scarcity of rain causes a serious hydrological imbalance. Unusually dry winters, or
significantly less rainfall than normal, can lead to relatively drier conditions and leave reservoirs
and water tables lower. Drought leads to problems with irrigation and may contribute to
additional fires, or additional difficulties in fighting fires.
DEVELOPMENT
Growth and development in scrubland and forested areas is increasing the number of humanmade structures in Southern California interface areas. Wildland fire has an effect on
development, yet development can also influence wildland fire. Owners often prefer homes that
are private, have scenic views, are nestled in vegetation and use natural materials. A private
setting may be far from public roads, or hidden behind a narrow, curving driveway. These
conditions, however, make evacuation and fire fighting difficult. The scenic views found along
mountain ridges can also mean areas of dangerous topography. Natural vegetation contributes
to scenic beauty, but it may also provide a ready trail of fuel leading a fire directly to the
combustible fuels of the home itself.
WILDLAND FIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT
Wildland fire hazard areas are commonly identified in regions of the Wildland Urban Interface.
Ranges of the wildland fire hazard are further determined by the ease of fire ignition due to
natural or human conditions and the difficulty of fire suppression. The wildland fire hazard is
also magnified by several factors related to fire suppression/control such as the surrounding fuel
load, weather, and topography and property characteristics. Generally, hazard identification
rating systems are based on weighted factors of fuels, weather and topography.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 22 of 31
THE THREAT OF URBAN CONFLAGRATION
Although communities without
wildland-urban interface are
much less likely to experience
a
catastrophic
fire,
in
Southern California there is a
scenario
where
any
community might be exposed
to an urban conflagration
similar to the fires that
occurred following the 1906
San Francisco earthquake.
The photo to the left is of an
arson fire that occurred in
Huntington
Beach
on
Thanksgiving Day in 1986.
FIRE FOLLOWING EARTHQUAKE
Large fires following an earthquake in an urban region are relatively rare phenomena, but have
occasionally been of catastrophic proportions. The two largest peace-time urban fires in history,
1906 San Francisco and 1923 Tokyo, were both caused by earthquakes.
The fact that fire following an earthquake has been little researched or considered in the United
States is particularly surprising when one realizes that the conflagration in San Francisco after
the 1906 earthquake was the single largest urban fire, and the single largest earthquake loss, in
U.S. history. The loss over three days of more than 28,000 buildings was staggering: $250
million in 1906 dollars, or about $5 billion at today’s prices.
The 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, the 1991 Oakland hills fire, and Japan’s recent earthquake
all demonstrate the current, real possibility of a large fire, such as a fire following an earthquake,
developing into a conflagration. In the United States, all the elements that would hamper firefighting capabilities are present: density of wooden structures, limited personnel and equipment
to address multiple fires, debris blocking the access of fire-fighting equipment, and a limited
water supply.
This scenario highlights the need for fire mitigation activity in all sectors of the region, wildlandurban interface or not.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 23 of 31
FIRE CODES
LOCAL FIRE AND BUILDING CODES
The State Fire and Building Codes currently contain few regulations for protection of structures
from wildland fires. An Appendix to the California Fire Code, which must be locally adopted in
order to have enforcement authority, contains extracts from the Public Resource Code relative
to minimum brush clearances (30 to 100 feet) and safety in interface areas. Many local
jurisdictions develop local amendments that more specifically address risks within their
communities. The Orange County Fire Authority, through its partner cities and the County,
adopt fuel modification standards (170 feet minimum) and building construction requirements
(Class A roofs, boxed eaves, protected vents, dual paned windows, etc.) applicable in identified
fire hazard areas.
COUNTY FIRE CODES
Most of key sections of county codes are local amendments to the State Fire Code, including
brush clearance (fuel modification) and construction features (roofs, eaves, etc.) that apply to
wildland-urban interface areas are covered in the State Fire Code.
STATE FIRE CODES
California Fire Code 2001
(For fuel modification and enforcement of hazardous fuels within populated areas.)
Section 27, Appendix 2-A-1
Article 11, Section 1103.2.4
CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE
DIVISION 4. FORESTS, FORESTRY AND RANGE AND FORAGE LANDS
PART 1. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER 1. DEFINITIONS ........................................ 4001-4004
CHAPTER 2. GENERAL PROVISIONS
Article 1. Penalties .........................................
4021-4022
Article 2. Purchase of Land ..................................... 4031
PART 2. PROTECTION OF FOREST, RANGE AND FORAGE LANDS
CHAPTER 1. PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF FOREST FIRES
Article 1. Definitions .......................................
4101-4104
Article 2. General Provisions ................................
4111-4123
Article 3. Responsibility for Fire Protection ................ 4125-4136
Article 3.5. State Responsibility Area Fire Protection
Benefit Fees ..................................
4138-4140.7
Article 4. Cooperative Agreements ............................ 4141-4145
Article 5. Firewardens and Firefighting Personnel ......4151-4157
Article 6. Violations ......................................
4165-4170.5
Article 7. Public Nuisances ..................................
4171-4181
Article 8. Clarke-McNary Act ................................. 4185-4187
Article 9. Fire Hazard Severity Zones ........................ 4201-4205
CHAPTER 2. HAZARDOUS FIRE AREAS ................ 4251-4290
CHAPTER 3. MOUNTAINOUS, FOREST-, BRUSH- AND GRASS-COVERED
LANDS ..............................................
4291-4299
CHAPTER 4. RESTRICTED AREAS ........................ 4331-4333
CHAPTER 6. PROHIBITED ACTIVITIES
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 24 of 31
Article 1. Definitions and General Provisions ............ 4411-4418
Article 2. Prohibited Activities .............................
4421-4446
CHAPTER 7. BURNING OF LANDS
Article 1. Experimental Program for Wildland Fire Protection
and Resources Management .......................... 4461-4473
Article 2. Department of Forestry Burning Contracts . 4475-4480
Article 3. Private Burning of Brush-Covered Lands Under Permit 4491-4494
CHAPTER 10. PROTECTION OF FOREST AND LANDS
Article 8. Wildland Fire Prevention and Vegetation Management. 4740-4741
FEDERAL PROGRAMS
The role of the federal land management agencies in the wildland-urban interface is to reduce
fuel hazards on the lands they administer; cooperating in prevention and education programs;
providing technical and financial assistance; and developing agreements, partnerships and
relationships with property owners, local protection agencies, states and other stakeholders in
wildland-urban interface areas. These relationships focus on activities before a fire occurs,
which render structures and communities safer and better able to survive a fire occurrence.
FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (FEMA) PROGRAMS
FEMA is directly responsible for providing fire suppression assistance grants and, in certain
cases, major disaster assistance and hazard mitigation grants in response to fires. The role of
FEMA in the wildland-urban interface is to encourage comprehensive disaster preparedness
plans and programs, increase the capability of state and local governments and provide for a
greater understanding of FEMA programs at the federal, state and local levels.
FIRE SUPPRESSION ASSISTANCE GRANTS
This type of grant may be provided to a state with an approved hazard mitigation plan for the
suppression of a forest or grassland fire that threatens to become a major disaster on public or
private lands. These grants are provided to protect life and improved property, encourage the
development and implementation of viable multi-hazard mitigation measures, and provide
training to clarify FEMA's programs. The grant may include funds for equipment, supplies and
personnel. A Fire Suppression Assistance Grant is the form of assistance most often provided
by FEMA to a state for a fire. The grants are cost-shared with states. FEMA’s US Fire
Administration (USFA) provides public education materials addressing Wildland Urban Interface
issues and the USFA's National Fire Academy provides training programs.
HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM
Following a major disaster declaration, the FEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program provides
funding for long-term hazard mitigation projects and activities to reduce the possibility of
damages from all future fire hazards and to reduce the costs to the nation for responding to and
recovering from the disaster.
NATIONAL WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE FIRE PROTECTION PROGRAM
Federal agencies can use the National Wildland Urban Interface Fire Protection Program to
focus on Wildland Urban Interface fire protection issues and actions. The Western Governors'
Association (WGA) can act as a catalyst to involve state agencies, as well as local and private
stakeholders. The objective is to develop an implementation plan to achieve a uniform,
integrated national approach to hazard and risk assessment using fire prevention and protection
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 25 of 31
in the Wildland Urban Interface. The program helps states develop viable and comprehensive
wildland fire mitigation plans and performance-based partnerships.
U.S. FOREST SERVICE
The U. S. Forest Service (USFS) is involved in a fuel-loading program implemented to assess
fuels and reduce hazardous buildup on National Forest lands. The USFS is a cooperating
agency and, while it has little to no jurisdiction in the lower valleys, it has an interest in
preventing fires in the forested lands in the interface, due to the likelihood that a wildland fire
can spread from either jurisdiction onto the adjoining jurisdiction.
OTHER MITIGATION PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES
Some areas of the country are facing wildland-urban interface issues collaboratively. These are
model programs that include local solutions. Summit County, Colorado, has developed a
hazard and risk assessment process that mitigates hazards through zoning requirements. In
California, the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Orange County Fire Authority have
retrofitted more than 150 fire engines with fire retardant foam capability and Orange County is
developed a rating schedule specific to the wildland-urban interface to determine areas and
structures susceptible to wildland fire. All are examples of successful programs that
demonstrate the value of pre-suppression and prevention efforts when combined with property
owner support to mitigate hazards within the wildland-urban interface.
PRESCRIBED BURNING
The health and condition of a forest will determine the magnitude of wildland fire. If fuels, dry or
dead vegetation, fallen limbs and branches--are allowed to accumulate over long periods of time
without being methodically cleared; fire can move more quickly and destroy everything in its
path. The results are more catastrophic than if the fuels are periodically eliminated. Prescribed
burning is the most efficient method to get rid of these fuels. In California during 2003, various
fire agencies conducted over 200 prescribed fires and burned over 33,000 acres to reduce the
wildland fire hazard.
FIREWISE
Firewise is a program developed within the National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Protection
Program and it is the primary federal program addressing interface fire. It is administered
through the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group whose extensive list of participants
includes a wide range of federal agencies. The program is intended to empower planners and
decision makers at the local level. Through conferences and information dissemination,
Firewise increases support for interface wildland fire mitigation by educating professionals and
the general public about hazard evaluation and policy implementation techniques. Firewise
offers online wildland fire protection information and checklists, as well as listings of other
publications, videos and conferences. The interactive home page allows users to ask fire
protection experts questions and to register for new information as it becomes available.
FIREFREE PROGRAM
FireFree is a unique private/public program for interface wildland fire mitigation involving
partnerships between an insurance company and local government agencies. It is an example
of an effective non-regulatory approach to hazard mitigation. Originating in Bend, Oregon, the
program was developed in response to the city's "Skeleton Fire" of 1996, which burned over
17,000 acres and damaged or destroyed 30 homes and structures. Bend sought to create a
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 26 of 31
new kind of public education initiative that emphasized local involvement. SAFECO Insurance
Corporation was a willing collaborator in this effort. Bend's pilot program included:




A short video production featuring local residents as actors, made available at local
video stores, libraries and fire stations
Two city-wide yard debris removal events
A 30-minute program on a model FireFree home, aired on a local cable television station
Distribution of brochures, featuring a property owner evaluation checklist and a listing of
fire-resistant indigenous plants
WILDLAND FIRE MITIGATION ACTION ITEMS
As stated in the Federal Wildland Fire Policy, located at www.fs.fed.us “The problem is not
one of finding new solutions to an old problem but of implementing known solutions;
deferred decision making is as much a problem as the fires themselves. If history is to serve us
in the resolution of the wildland-urban interface problem, we must take action on these issues
now. To do anything less is to guarantee another review process in the aftermath of future
catastrophic fires.”
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 27 of 31
D.
COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
A variety of fire protection challenges exist within Orange County, including structure, urban
fires and wildland-urban interface fires. This table breaks down that threat by CCCD site:
Table 2 - CCCD Sites located in OC Wildland and Urban Fire Planning Areas
Identifier
A1*
A2
A3*
B1*
B2
C1*
D1*
D2
D3
D4*
D5
D6
D7
D8
D9
Site Name/City
College District
Office, CM
KOCE Transmitter
La Habra Heights
(LA County)
Transportation
Facility, CM
Orange Coast
College, CM
Orange Coast
Sailing Center, NB
Golden West
College, HB
Coastline
Administrative
Center, FV
Coastline Art
Gallery, HB
Coastline Costa
Mesa Center, CM
Coastline Garden
Grove Center, GG
Coastline Le-Jao
Center
Westminster
Coastline Newport
Beach Center NB
Coastline OC
Regional One
Stop-Irvine
Coastline OC
Regional One Stop
Center
Westminster
Coastline Tech
Center, FV
Owned
or
Leased
OC Urban-Wildland
Interface Fire Threat
Urban
Fire
Threat
Fire
Department
North
Area
Central
Coastal
Area
South
Area
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Costa Mesa
Fire Department
Owned
Yes
No
No
Yes
Los Angeles
County Fire Dept
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Newport Beach
Fire Department
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Huntington Bch
Fire Department
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Fountain Valley
Fire Department
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Leased
No
No
No
Yes
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Orange County
Fire Authority
Owned
No
No
No
Yes
Newport Beach
Fire Department
Leased
No
Yes
No
Yes
Orange County
Fire Authority
Leased
No
No
No
Yes
Orange County
Fire Authority
Leased
No
No
No
Yes
Fountain Valley
Fire Department
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 28 of 31
Costa Mesa
Fire Department
Costa Mesa
Fire Department
Huntington Bch
Fire Department
Costa Mesa
Fire Department
Garden Grove
Fire Department
CCCD’S WILDLAND-URBAN INTERFACE FIRE THREAT
This table above is based on the Orange County Wildland Fire Management Planning Area map
(shown to the right) to determine
which CCCD sites are located in a
wildland-urban interface and urban
fire planning areas. The following
are the results of this study:
Only four CCCD sites are threatened
by a wildfire:
 KOCE Transmitter in La
Habra Heights in Los
Angeles County
o The Fire Department
for this site is Los
Angeles County Fire
Department
 Coastline Newport Beach
Center in Newport Beach
o The Fire Department
responsible for this
site is the Newport
Beach Fire
Department
 Orange Coast Sailing Center
in Newport Beach
o The Fire Department
responsible for this
site is the Newport
Beach Fire Department
 Coastline OC Regional One Stop in Irvine
o The Fire Department responsible for this site is the Orange County Fire Authority
CCCD URBAN FIRE CONFLAGRATION POTENTIAL
All CCCD sites are vulnerable to urban fires. The sites should ensure they meet all local and
state fire prevention codes.
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 29 of 31
E.
WILDLAND/URBAN FIRE H AZARD M ITIGATION STRATEGIES
Hazard:
Action Item:
Wildland/Urban Fire #1
Educate Maintenance & Operations Directors responsible for the four identified
wildland-urban interface sites on their fire threat and how to reduce the amount
of combustible fuels. The four sites are:
1. KOCE Transmitter in La Habra Heights, Los Angeles County
2. Coastline Newport Beach Center in Newport Beach.
3. Orange Coast Sailing Center in Newport Beach.
4. Coastline OC Regional One Stop in Irvine
Coordinating
EHS/Emergency Management Coordinator will provide educational information
Organization:
to the Maintenance & Operations Directors of each of the identified four site
Ideas for
Find educational DVDs and handouts and provide them to Maintenance &
Implementation:
Operations directors. Access the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group on
line for appropriate educational information.
Time Line:
1 year
Constraints:
Time
Plan Goals Addressed
X
Promote Public Awareness
Create Partnerships and Implementation
Protect Life and Property
Protect Natural Systems
Strengthen Emergency Services
Hazard:
Action Item:
Coordinating
Organization:
Ideas for
Implementation:
Wildland/Urban Fire #2
Review educational materials and determine additional fire prevention measures
needed for the four identified wildland-urban interface potential sites. Sites
include:
1. KOCE Transmitter in La Habra Heights, Los Angeles County
2. Coastline Newport Beach Center in Newport Beach.
3. Orange Coast Sailing Center in Newport Beach.
4. Coastline OC Regional One Stop in Irvine
Maintenance & Operations Directors



Review the educational materials from the National Wildland Fire
Coordinating Group and study fire prevention codes to determine
measures needed
Purchase any needed supplies
Schedule maintenance personnel to reduce the amount of combustible
fuels at the four identified sites
Time Line:
Constraints:
1 year
Maintenance & Operations divisions have had budget and personnel cuts;
regular maintenance is difficult at this time but adding to the maintenance
schedule will be extremely difficult
Plan Goals Addressed
Promote Public Awareness
Create Partnerships and Implementation
X
Protect Life and Property
Protect Natural Systems
Strengthen Emergency Services
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 30 of 31
Hazard:
Action Item:
Coordinating
Organization:
Ideas for
Implementation:
Wildland/Urban Fire #3
Meet all Community College, State and Local fire codes and maintain all facilities
in compliance
Maintenance & Operations Directors
1. Review California Community College, State and Local fire codes
2. Determine any codes not met
3. Develop a plan to meet the codes
4. Purchase supplies needed
5. Schedule personnel
6. Maintain fire codes
Time Line:
1 year
Constraints:
Maintenance & Operations divisions have had budget and personnel cuts;
regular maintenance is difficult at this time but adding to the maintenance
schedule will be extremely difficult. Any additional supplies or equipment
needed must be scheduled through the college budget process
Plan Goals Addressed
Promote Public Awareness
Create Partnerships and Implementation
X
Protect Life and Property
Protect Natural Systems
Strengthen Emergency Services
III-E Wildland/Urban Fire
Page 31 of 31