OverviewClimatechangemayaffecttheabilitytoachieveon-the-groundprojectgoalsandobjectives.Thefollowingcasestudydemonstrateshowclimatechangevulnerabilityandadaptationinformationcanbeintegratedintoexistingandfuturefireandfuelsmanagementprojectstoincreaseoverallprojectresilience.Forthisexample,resourcemanagersandregionalstakeholdersworkedtogethertoevaluate:1)howclimateandnon-climatevulnerabilitiescouldimpacttheabilitytoachieveprojectgoals,2)whatcurrentprojectactionshelptoaddressorminimizevulnerabilities,and3)whatnewactionscouldbeaddedtotheprojecttoaddressremainingvulnerabilities.Whilethisspecificprojecthasalreadybeencompleted,establishingand/ormaintainingfuelbreaksisacommonactivityinsouthernCalifornia,andthistypeofprocesscouldeasilybereplicatedinfutureprojects.

OjaiCommunityDefenseZoneProjectGoals&ActionsTheOjaiRangerDistrictwithintheLosPadresNationalForestrestoredandexpandedanexistingfuelbreaksysteminchaparralhabitattoincreasedefensiblespacewithintheforestandthewildland-urbaninterface(WUI)ofOjai,MeinersOaks,andUpperOjaiValley.Thegoalsofthisprojectwereto:

1. ReducethethreatofwildfiretocommunitiesintheWUI;2. Createsaferconditionsforthepublicandfirefighters;3. Protectwatershedhabitatvalueandwaterquality;4. Reducepotentialimpactsofhigh-intensitywildfire;and5. Increasetheefficiencyandcosteffectivenessoffiresuppression

activities.

TheForestremovedpotentialfuelsthatcouldincreasethesize,intensity,andrateofwildfirespread,creatingfuelbreaksinstrategicallylocatedareas.Primaryprojectactionsincluded:

• Managinggroundcovertoresultinamixtureofbareground,grasses,andforbs• Usingirregularwidths,shapes,andpatternsinthefuelbreakdesign• Expandingwidthoffuelbreak• Usingmechanicaltreatmentsforfuelremovalarounddwellingsandotheroccupiedbuildings

ProductofEcoAdapt'sAwarenesstoActionProgram, FundedbytheU.S.ForestServiceandCaliforniaLandscape SouthernCaliforniaClimateAdaptationProject ConservationCooperative

TheOjaiCommunityDefenseZoneProject

ASouthernCaliforniaClimateChange

AdaptationCaseStudy

Step1:IdentifyClimate&Non-ClimateVulnerabilitiesHowmayclimatechangeandnon-climatestressorsaffecttheabilitytomeetgoalsorimplementprojectactions?

Increasedtemperature! Contributestofast-moving,moreseverewildfiresunder

hot/dryconditions(e.g.,SantaAnawinds)

Increasedinvasivegrasses! Altersavailabilityandcontinuityoffinefuels,

contributingtomoreseverewildfiresandalteredtimingoffires

Alteredwildfireregimes! Increasespost-fireerosioninseverelyburnedareas,

negativelyimpactingwatershedvalueandwaterquality! Increasesresourcesneededforlongerfireseasonsand

moresevere/largerfires

Increaseddrought/precipitationchanges! Extendsthelengthofthefireseason! Increasesamountofdead/dyingplantmatterthancan

actasfuel! Reduceswateravailabilityandincreasesdistanceto

waterusedforfightingfiresIncreasedextremeprecipitationevents! Increasesfloodingandassociatederosioninburnedareas

Increasinghumanpopulation! Increasesnumberoffireignitionsandthenumberof

peopleatriskduringawildfire

Credit:U.S.ForestService

Credit:D.Wells

ProductofEcoAdapt'sAwarenesstoActionProgramSouthernCaliforniaClimateAdaptationProject

FundedbytheU.S.ForestService

andCaliforniaLandscapeConservationCooperative

EcoAdaptP.O.Box11195BainbridgeIsland,WA98110+12062013834info@ecoadapt.org

Step2:ReducingVulnerabilitiesThroughExistingProjectActionsWhichexistingprojectactionshelpaddresspotentialvulnerabilities?

Action:Managinggroundcovertoresultinamixtureofbareground,grasses,andforbs✔ Removes/Controlsinvasivegrasses

Action:Useirregularwidths,shapes,andpatternsinthefuelbreakdesign✔ Reducesthepotentialforincreasederosionbydecreasingareasofcompletevegetationremovaland

minimizingthedistancethatsoilcanmove

Action:Expandingwidthofthefuelbreak✔ Reduceswildfirerateofspreadbydecreasingavailablefuels

Action:Usingmechanicaltreatmentsforfuelremovalarounddwellingsandotheroccupiedbuildings✔ Reduceswildfirerateofspreadandpotentialseveritybydecreasingavailablefuels✔ DecreasestheriskofignitionsandpotentialwildfiredamageintheWUIbyreducingfuels

Step3:IntegratingNewProjectActionstoAddressRemainingVulnerabilitiesWhatadditionalactionscouldbeimplementedinthefuturetofurtherreduceidentifiedvulnerabilities?

Action:Plantnativeperennialgrasseswithinthefuelbreak ✔ Reducesinvasivegrassestablishmentbymaintainingdominanceofnativespecies,helpingdecrease flashyfirebehavior

✔ Increaseswaterinfiltration✔ Reduceserosionpotentialbyminimizingbaresoil

Action:Establishtriggerpointsforrecreationclosuresandrestrictions✔ Reducesthenumberofignitionsbyminimizingthenumberofhumansintheareaduringhigh-risktimes

Action:Includeenergycorridorplanningand/orestablishrestrictions✔ ReducesthenumberofignitionsandSantaAna(high-windevent)vulnerabilities

Action:Installemergencygreywatersystemsin‘safetyzones’✔ Providesnearbywaterforfightingfires

Credit:J.Wapotich