WORKSHOPWORKSHOP

Agenda Examine Firewise conceptsExamine Firewise concepts Learn hazard assessment tools & Learn hazard assessment tools &

techniquestechniques Review community development & Review community development &

land use planning processesland use planning processes Explore opportunities for shared Explore opportunities for shared

involvementinvolvement Learn through “hands on” exerciseLearn through “hands on” exercise Consider future steps toward successConsider future steps toward success

Workshop ObjectivesWorkshop Objectives

to learn how to understand and identify fire to learn how to understand and identify fire

problems through hazard assessmentproblems through hazard assessment

to develop meaningful fire & life safety programs to develop meaningful fire & life safety programs

to reduce riskto reduce risk

to measure the impact of fire & life safety to measure the impact of fire & life safety

considerations on community development, considerations on community development,

including land use planning and hazard mitigation.including land use planning and hazard mitigation.

ConceptsConcepts

History 1985 Wildland Fires

CACA

FLFL

1,400 homes 1,400 homes lost!lost!

1,400 homes 1,400 homes lost!lost!

400 in ONE day!!400 in ONE day!!

Wildland/Urban InterfaceWildland/Urban Interface

Not a Not a geographicalgeographical location, location,

A A set of conditions set of conditions that exist that exist in every community.in every community.

Interface fires = national problem

Safety in the W/U Interface is affected by all aspects of community– values– desires– stability– sustainability– public security

Everyone has a piece of the solution

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The “Wildfire Disaster Cycle”The “Wildfire Disaster Cycle”

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Breaking the “Cycle”Breaking the “Cycle”

A Homeowner IncentiveA Homeowner Incentive

Some 200,000 residents of a large fire-prone wooded area in Colorado are being warned that they may find themselves without insurance if they do not take steps to protect their properties from potential fire damage.

Rocky Mountain News May 5, 1999

Breaking the “Cycle”Breaking the “Cycle”

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Breaking the “Cycle”Breaking the “Cycle”

• FloodsFloods• TornadoesTornadoes• HurricanesHurricanes• EarthquakesEarthquakes• WildfiresWildfires

. . . other natural disasters. . . other natural disasters

• FloodsFloods• TornadoesTornadoes• HurricanesHurricanes• EarthquakesEarthquakes• WildfiresWildfires

. . . other natural disasters. . . other natural disasters

Through Multi-hazard PlanningThrough Multi-hazard Planning

Who Who isis the community? the community?Architects & LandscapersArchitects & Landscapers

HomeownersHomeowners

Community PlannersCommunity Planners

Fire & Emergency OrganizationsFire & Emergency Organizations

Elected OfficialsElected Officials

Banks, Mortgage FirmsBanks, Mortgage Firms

Developers & BuildersDevelopers & Builders

Insurance ProfessionalsInsurance Professionals

Utilities & Public ServicesUtilities & Public Services

WUI VisionWUI Vision

Wildland fires can occur Wildland fires can occur in the future in the future withoutwithout

the loss of homes and the loss of homes and structures.structures.

GoalsGoals

Goals 1. Improve safety in the wildland/urban 1. Improve safety in the wildland/urban

interface by sharing responsibility.interface by sharing responsibility.

2. Create and nurture local 2. Create and nurture local partnerships.partnerships.

3. Integrate FIREWISE concepts into 3. Integrate FIREWISE concepts into community and disaster mitigation community and disaster mitigation planning.planning.

Shared Shared ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Traditional RolesTraditional Roles

Fire Fighter = Protector “hero”Fire Fighter = Protector “hero”

Homeowner = Helpless victimHomeowner = Helpless victim

Fire Protection SystemFire Protection SystemWater Dept.Street Dept.Police Dept.Planning Dept.SchoolsInsuranceBuilders & DevelopersMediaCommunicationsState/federal gov’ts

Homeowners

F.D.F.D.Fire Fire

AgencyAgency

Re-defined RolesRe-defined Roles

Fire Fighter and HomeownerFire Fighter and Homeowner

PartnersPartners

But the But the PartnershipPartnership includes many includes many others...others...

insurance professionalsinsurance professionals emergency managersemergency managers community plannerscommunity planners elected officialselected officials community administratorscommunity administrators architects and buildersarchitects and builders and more . . .and more . . .

The “Firewise” GoalThe “Firewise” Goal

Homes should be designed, built, and Homes should be designed, built, and

maintained to withstand a wildfiremaintained to withstand a wildfire

WITHOUTWITHOUT

the intervention of the fire department.the intervention of the fire department.

Flexible Planning Flexible Planning ProcessProcess

What is planning?

Looking at what you have

Defining what you need

Developing a strategy to meet present

and future needs

Acting on that strategy

Planning is a PROCESS

Not the recipe...

nor it is the meal...

and while the chef is the leader, there are many cooks.

A Descriptive Process

Organize the Planning GroupOrganize the Planning Group Assess the HazardsAssess the Hazards Define the ProblemDefine the Problem Set Goals and ObjectivesSet Goals and Objectives Generate and Review AlternativesGenerate and Review Alternatives Select AlternativesSelect Alternatives Draft a FIREWISE Development PlanDraft a FIREWISE Development Plan Adopt the Action PlanAdopt the Action Plan Evaluate and ReviseEvaluate and Revise

Planning ToolsPlanning Tools

GIS MappingGIS Mapping ArcView 3.1 ArcView 3.1

Hazard Assessment ProcessHazard Assessment Process

Select the areas to be evaluatedSelect the areas to be evaluated Select the Hazard Components to be Select the Hazard Components to be

consideredconsidered Rank the hazard ComponentsRank the hazard Components Compile the Hazard Ranking in a Compile the Hazard Ranking in a

Usable FormatUsable Format Develop future actionsDevelop future actions

NFPA 299NFPA 299

Standard for Standard for the Protection the Protection

of Life and of Life and Property from Property from

WildfireWildfire

1997 Edition

NFPA 299NFPA 299

Purpose.

This standard provides planning, construction, maintenance, education, and management elements to parties responsible for fire protection, land use planning, property development, property maintenance, wildfire safety training, public fire safety education, and others responsible for … [the protection of life and property from wildfire].

NFPA 299NFPA 299

Appendix A Appendix A

The Hazard Assessment SystemThe Hazard Assessment System

Rating FactorsRating Factors

VegetationVegetation

StructureStructure

LocationLocation

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form ElementsElements

A. Subdivision DesignA. Subdivision Design

• Ingress & Egress

• Primary Road Width

• Road Accessibility

• Secondary Road Terminus

• Average Lot Size

• Street Signs

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form ElementsElements

B. Vegetation (Fuel Models)B. Vegetation (Fuel Models)

• NFDRS Fuel Models

• Defensible Space

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form ElementsElements

C. TopographyC. Topography

• Slope

– Less than 9%

– Between 10% and 20%

– Between 20% and 30%

– Between 31% and 40%

– Greater than 40%

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form ElementsElements

D. Additional Rating FactorsD. Additional Rating Factors

• Rough topography

• History of fire occurrence

• Exposure to fire weather & strong dry winds

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form ElementsElements

E. Roofing MaterialE. Roofing Material• Class A, B, C, Nonrated

F. Existing Building ConstructionF. Existing Building Construction • Predominate materials

G. Available Fire ProtectionG. Available Fire Protection • Water source

H. UtilitiesH. Utilities• Placement

Table A-3-2(a) Table A-3-2(a) Wildfire Hazard Severity FormWildfire Hazard Severity Form Totals for subdivisionTotals for subdivision

Low Hazard Low Hazard <49 points <49 points

Moderate Hazard Moderate Hazard 49-68 points49-68 points

High Hazard High Hazard 69-83 points 69-83 points

Extreme Hazard Extreme Hazard >83 points >83 points

Structural Ignition Assessment Model Structural Ignition Assessment Model (SIAM)(SIAM)

Computer-based modelComputer-based model

Another tool in risk assessment & Another tool in risk assessment &

managementmanagement

Available in 2001Available in 2001

– Download from www.firewise.orgDownload from www.firewise.org

Next . . .

Falls County needs your help.Falls County needs your help.