Lassen CountyseConD eDItIon

a pubLICatIon of the Lassen County fIre safe CounCIL

L I V I n G W I t h f I r ea GuIDe for the homeoWner

photo courtesy of Chris Zinko, Calfire

Fire has been a natural part of Lassen County’s environment for thousands of years. These historic fires were frequent, of low intensity, and a major influence on the appearance of our forests. Beginning in the 1870s, Lassen’s forests and the occurrence of fire started to change.

Much of Lassen National Forest is considered a “fire environment.” It contains flammable vegetation and a climate to support fire. Fire is a natural process in the forest, and many of the plants growing here evolved in the presence of frequent fires. In fact, it is unnatural for fire to be absent for very long in many areas.

Prior to European-American settlement, much of the forest burned, on average, every five to 18 years. Because these areas burned so often, large amounts of wildfire fuels could not build up. Consequently, these fires were usually of low intensity.

The frequency and intensity of fire influences the type and health of the surrounding forests. The frequent, low-intensity fires prior to European-American settlement created an open, park-like forest. The photo at the bottom right corner is of a Defensible Fuel Profile Zone (DFPZ) done in the year 2007. Experts feel this is a good example of what Lassen’s original (prior to European-American settlement) forest looked like.

The low-intensity fires thinned out young trees and shrubs and also reduced the buildup of deep layers of pine needles, leaves, and twigs. The older, thick-barked trees survived this type of fire. As a result, the forest was dominated by patches of large, mature trees with a sparse understory.

This is no longer the case for Lassen’s forests.

Today’s forest is much different than the forest that existed prior to 1870. The low elevation mixed conifer forests of Lassen County, where many homes are located, has four times more understory trees today than it did prior to 1870. In addition, there has been a substantial increase in the amount of shrubs present.

There has been a considerable increase in the density of trees and shrubs in the understory. A major cause of the increase in woody plants has been the lack of frequent, low-intensity fires. With European-American settlement, these fires were effectively suppressed.

Under these unnatural conditions, uncontrollable, high-intensity fires are much more likely. The Moonlight and Wheeler Complex fires are recent examples of these types of fires in our area. Furthermore, the forest is less healthy and more susceptible to disease and insects, particularly during drought conditions.

Unfortunately, given Lassen’s current

conditions, homes and lives are at risk.

Living With FireLiving With Fire. . . in the Lassen CountyFire is Natural to the

Lassen County Environment

LOW-INTENSITY FIRE

DfpZ treatment in 2007

BEForE thE FirE

Living in a highWildfire hazard areaThe potential for loss of human life and propertydue to wildfire in LassenCounty and Northeastern California is growing. The Lassen County Fire Safe Council’s purpose is to teach people how to live more safely with the threat of wildfire. For Lassen County as well as for all residents living in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI), it is not a question of “if ” a wildfire will occur, but “when” it will occur.

Prior to the fire, this homeowner changed the roof material from wood shakes to fire-resistant tiles and reduced the amount of flammable vegetation surrounding the home. These pre-fire activities helped this house survive the fire.

The homeowner is the most important person in preventing a house from being destroyed by wildfire. It is the actions that a homeowner takes before a wildfire occurs that are critical.

humaN BEhavior is just as importaNt as FirE BEhavior iN saviNg your homE!

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l Who Wins, Who Loses...Why do some houses survive a wildfire, while others are destroyed? Research findings

prove that house survival during wildfire is not random, miraculous or “dumb luck.” Rather, it is how the house is built, the characteristics of the adjacent vegetation and other fuels, and routine maintenance that often determine which ones burn and which survive. These types of actions are called “pre-fire” activities. Pre-fire activities are actions completed before a wildfire occurs that improve the survivability of people and the house. The “winners” will be the people who implement pre-fire activities.

DuriNg thE FirE aFtEr thE FirE

The 2007 Angora Fire destroyed 242 homes and damaged 35 others. The presence of unburned vegetation surrounding this house suggests a burning ember landed on something easily ignitable on or immediately adjacent to the home.

Fact: California law (PRC 4291) requires property owners and/or occupants to create 100 feet of DEFENSIBLE SPACE around homes and buildings.

Fact: Proper defensible space clearance to 100 feet dramatically increases the chance of your

house surviving a wildfire.

Fact: The Lassen Fire Safe Council web siteis a great resource for information.www.lassenfiresafecouncil.org

Lassen County homeowners need to prepare for wildfire...

Photo courtesy of Candice Towell and the RG-J

WHAT IS DEFENSIBLE SPACE?Defensible space is the area between a house and an oncom-ing wildfire where the vegetation has been modified to reduce the wildfire threat and to provide an opportunity for firefighters to effectively defend the house. Sometimes, a defensible space is simply a homeowner’s properly maintained backyard.

WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VEGETATION AND WILDFIRE THREAT? Many people do not view the plants growing on their property as a threat. But in terms of wildfire, the vegetation adjacent to their homes can have considerable influence upon the survivability of their houses. All vegetation, including plants native to the area and ornamental plants, is potential wildfire fuel. If vegetation is properly modified and maintained, a wildfire can be slowed, the length of flames shortened, and the amount of heat reduced, all of which assist firefighters in defending the home against an oncoming wildfire.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT MY HOUSE, SO WHY BOTHER WITH DEFENSIBLE SPACE?Some individuals incorrectly assume that a fire engine will be parked in their driveway and firefighters will be actively defending their homes if a wildfire approaches. During a major wildfire, it is unlikely there will be enough fire fighting resources available to defend every home. In these instances, firefighters will likely select homes they can most safely and effectively protect. Even with adequate resources, some wildfires may be so intense that there may be little that firefighters can do to prevent a house from burning. The key is to reduce fire intensity as wildfire nears the house. This can be accomplished by reducing the amount of flammable vegetation surrounding a home. Consequently, the most important person in protecting a house from wildfire is not a firefighter, but the property owner. And, it is the action taken by the owner before the wildfire occurs, such as proper landscaping, that is most critical.

DOES DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIRE A LOT OF BARE GROUND IN MY LANDSCAPE?No. Unfortunately, many people have this misconception. While

LASSEN COUNTY AND NORTHEASTERN CALIFORNIA

Defensible Space

bare ground is certainly effective in reducing the wildfire threat, it is not required or desired. Many homes have attractive, well-vegetated landscapes that also serve as effective defensible space.

DOES CREATING A DEFENSIBLE SPACE REQUIRE ANY SPECIAL SKILLS OR EQUIPMENT?No. For the most part, creating a defensible space employs routine gardening and landscape maintenance practices, such as pruning, mowing, weeding, plant removal, appropriate plant selection and irrigation. Equipment needed includes common tools, such as a chain saw, a pruning saw, pruning shears, loppers, a weed-eater, a shovel and a rake. A chipper, compost bin or large rented trash dumpster may be useful in disposing of unwanted plant material.

HOW BIG IS AN EFFECTIVE DEFENSIBLE SPACE?Defensible space size is not the same for every home, but varies depending on the slope and type of wildland vegetation growing near the house.

DOES DEFENSIBLE SPACE MAKE A DIFFERENCE?Yes. Investigations of homes threatened by wildfire indicate that those with an effective defensible space are much more likely to survive a wildfire. Furthermore, homes with both an effective defensible space and a nonflammable roof (composition shingles, tile, metal, etc.) are many times more likely to survive a wildfire. Defensible space also allows firefighters to effectively and safely defend your home.

DOES HAVING A DEFENSIBLE SPACE GUARANTEE MY HOUSE WILL SURVIVE A WILDFIRE? No. Under extreme conditions, almost any house can burn. However, having a defensible space will significantly improve the odds of your home surviving a wildfire.

What can homeowners do to reduce the wildfire threat?The Living With Fire wildfire threat reduction recommendations are presented according to four zones...

Access Zone

Interior Zone

Built Zone

CoNtaCt By FLamEsThis type of threat occurs when vegetation and other fuels burning near the house produce flames that come in contact with the home and ignite it. Often, it happens when fire burns through a uniform layer of vegetation right up to the house. Direct contact by flames is probably what most homeowners visualize when they think of a house burning during wildfire.

raDiaNt hEatRadiant heat melted the vinyl siding on this house. Flames never came in contact with it. Radiant heat is produced by invisible electromagnetic waves that travel out in all directions from a flame. When a house receives enough radiant heat for a sufficient amount of time, it will ignite. Sometimes radiant heat can burst windows and allow burning embers to enter the house.

FLyiNg EmBErsMore houses burn due to flying embers than any other reason. If fire conditions are right, embers can be lofted high into the air and transported more than a mile. Burning embers can also be carried by wind and fire whirls. If these burning embers land in easily ignitable materials, a new fire can start.

Wildfire will threaten your house in three ways…

Photo courtesy of Ben Hammack

Photo courtesy of B

en Ham

mack

This zone provides suggestions that help emergency responders locate your home in a timely manner.

access ZoneThis zone pertains to the vegetation surrounding your home, both landscape plants and native plants.

Defensible space Zone

Built Zone

This zone includes recommendations for home construction.

interior ZoneThis zone offers fire safety tips for inside the home.

Photo courtesy of Mike Dannenberg

What can homeowners do to reduce the Wildfire threat?

Access Zone

road Width and grade: Private roads and driveways over 200 feet long must be at least 16 feet wide with a steepness grade limited to 12%. Any grade in excess of 12% shall be paved with asphalt or concrete. Roads and driveways less than 200 feet must be at least 12 feet wide.

address: The home address should be readily visible from the street. The address sign should be made of a BLUE reflective background made from noncombustible material with WHITE characters at least 4 inches high.

turnarounds: Homes located at the end of private driveways greater than 200 feet in length MUST comply with Fire Standard #7. Fire Standard #7 requires a minimum 35 foot radius for turnarounds or 70 foot wide “hammerheads” 35 feet from centerline with a radius of 30 feet.

turnouts: The placement and number of Turnouts are to be determined by the County Fire Warden. If adequate turnouts are provided, the road width can be reduced to 12 feet. Turnouts should be of sufficient length and width to accommodate parking a fire engine.

Bridges and Culverts: Inadequately built bridges and culverts may prevent fire fighting equipment from reaching your home. Contact the County Fire Warden or the Lassen County Road Department about proper bridge and culvert design.

Driveway Clearance: Overhead obstructions, such as overhanging branches and power lines, should be removed or raised to provide an unobstructed vertical clearance of at least 15 feet along the entire length and width of the driveway. Flammable vegetation should be cleared at least 10 feet from both sides of the driveway.

street signs: Street signs should be posted at each intersection leading to your home. Each sign should feature characters that are at least 6 inches high and should be made of reflective, noncombustible material. Colors for street sign differ by road type. If a private road, signs are WHITE background with BLACK letters. If a County maintained road, signs are GREEN background with WHITE letters.

gated Driveways: Electronically operated driveway gates require key access for local fire districts and departments.

Defensible Space Zone

Wildland Fuel reduction area: The Wildland Fuel Reduction Area lies beyond the Lean, Clean and Green Area and often consists of naturally occurring plants (pine trees, manzanita, sagebrush, etc.). Within this area:

• Remove dead vegetation, including dead shrubs, dried grass, fallen branches, thick accumulations of needles and leaves, etc.

• Thin dense stands of shrubs and trees to create a separation between them.

• Remove “ladder fuels” by removing low tree branches and shrubs under the trees.

The “Lassen County and Northeastern California Landscaping Plant Guide” provides information about defensible space

and general landscape management. Contact the Lassen County Fire Safe Council, (530) 251-5560, or contact us by email:

lassenfiresafecouncil.org, to request a copy.

Noncombustible area: Create a Noncombustible Area at least 5 feet wide around the base of your home. This area needs to have a very low potential for ignition from flying embers. Use irrigated herbaceous plants, such as lawn, ground cover and flowers that are recommended for Lassen County and Northeastern California; rock mulches; or hard surfaces, such as brick and pavers, in this area. Keep it free of woodpiles, wood mulches, dead plants, dried leaves and needles, flammable shrubs (such as juniper), and debris.

Lean, Clean and green area: For a distance of 5 feet to 30 feet from the home, there should be a Lean, Clean and Green Area. “Lean” indicates that only a small amount of flammable vegetation, if any, is present within 30 feet of the house. “Clean” means there is little or no accumulation of dead vegetation or flammable debris within the area during fire season. “Green” implies that plants located within this area are kept healthy, green and irrigated during fire season. For most homeowners, the Lean, Clean and Green Area is the residential landscape. This area often has irrigation, contains ornamental plants, and is routinely maintained.

Built ZoneEaves: The eaves of a home act as a heat trap for hot air and gases, greatly increasing the chance of ignition. Covering the underside of the eave with a soffit, or “boxing in” the eave, allows the heat to escape. Enclose eaves with fiber cement board or 5/8 inch thick, high grade plywood.

Windows: Windows are one of the weakest parts of a home and usually break before the structure ignites. This allows burning embers and heat to enter the home, which may lead to internal ignition. Single-paned and large windows are particularly vulnerable. In high fire hazard areas, install windows that are at least double-paned and that utilize tempered glass for the exterior pane. The type of window frame (wood, aluminum or vinyl) is not critical. If using vinyl, make sure it has metal reinforcement members. Closable, solid exterior shutters can provide additional window protection.

vents: Attic, soffit and foundation vents on homes are potential entry points for flying embers. All vent openings need to be covered with 1/8 inch noncorrosive wire mesh. Do not use fiberglass or plastic mesh because they can melt or burn. Be cautious when painting so as to not clog the wire mesh with paint which would render the venting useless. Do not permanently cover vents, as they play a critical role in preventing wood rot in the house.

Exterior siding: Wood products, such as boards, panels and shingles, are common siding materials. However, they are combustible and not good choices for fire-prone areas. Noncombustible siding materials, such as stucco, brick, stone and cement board, are better choices. Log homes that utilize fire-rated chinking or notched logs are also good choices.

Chimneys: Chimney and stovepipe openings should be screened with an approved spark arrestor cap.

rain gutters: Rain gutters trap flying embers. Always keep your rain gutters free of leaves, needles and debris. Check and clean them several times during fire season. Gutter covers can help, but still require maintenance. In some instances, rain gutters can be removed as long as roof runoff water can be carried away without damaging the house exterior or foundation, and without causing erosion. Gutter removal may also affect erosion control Best Management Practices (BMPs). In the event of a wildfire, it is good practice to plug your gutters and fill with water.

NotE: New construction must use approved, fire-resistant materials. For more information, go to:www.osfm.fire.ca.gov/sfmfirecagov.html.

Firewood: Firewood stacks should be located at least 30 feet from the home. If the stacks are stored uphill from the house, make sure that burning firewood cannot roll downhill and ignite the home.

roof: Homes with wood-shake or shingle roofs are much more likely to be destroyed during a wildfire than homes with fire-resistant roofs. If you have a wood-shake or shingle roof, consider replacing it with a Class-A fire-resistant type. Fire-resistant roofing materials include composition, cement, metal and tile. Contact the local fire district or department about roofing requirements for your area. Openings in the roof materials, such as the open ends of barrel tiles, should be plugged to prevent ember entry and debris accumulation. Regardless of the type of roof you have, keep it free of fallen leaves, needles and branches.

Decks: Decks using wood and non fire-resistant rated wood-plastic materials are combustible. Consider replacing them with newer fire-resistant-rated types. Routinely remove debris (needles, leaves, twigs, etc.) from the gaps between deck boards. Replace deck materials in poor condition. The sides below low decks should be enclosed with fire-resistant materials and properly vented. However, this may result in increased land coverage for your property and may require a permit. As an alternative, enclose the deck sides with 1/8 inch wire mesh to prevent debris from accumulating underneath. The area under higher decks should be kept free of combustible materials.

Wooden Fence: If a wooden fence is attached to the house, replace at least the first 5 feet nearest to the house with a noncombustible section of fencing, such as brick, rock or metal. As an alternative, consider installing a noncombustible gate at this location.

Flammable items: Keep the porch, deck and other areas of the home free of easily combustible materials, such as furniture and cushions, umbrellas, flags, streamers, etc., baskets, dried flower arrangements, newspapers, pine needles and debris.

In 1985 fires destroyed more than 1,400 homes throughout the u.s. since then, pri-vate and governmental have worked to discover the roots of this problem and to bring the best available research and practices to the public.

The Lassen County Fire Safe Council, Firewise Com-munities U.S.A., and the Nevada Living with Fire Pro-grams all teach people how to keep homes safer from wildfires. For residents, communities and new develop-ments, it’s important to know how to design and build safely and to maintain wildfire safety in the long run but equally important to know what you can do to make improvements to your home to increase its fire surviv-ability.

Equally important is the need to perform Firewise maintenance of individual properties and common areas within a community. This effort serves several purposes including bringing residents together to con-tribute to the safety and aesthetic goals of each others interests over time.

the home Ignition Zone The first consideration in reducing destruction of homes from wildfire lies in reducing the possibilities for ignition in the Home Ignition Zone - that is, the home and its immediate surroundings within 100 to 200 feet. The conditions within this zone largely determine the home’s resistance to ignition and its survivability from wildfire.

A wildfire disaster resulting in the loss of many homes and perhaps lives is almost always the result of worst-case scenario conditions. These include lots of vega-tive fuel (living and dead), hot, dry windy weather, and often topography with steep slopes or “chimneys” that carry fire quickly. The fire through this wildland area builds in intensity and spreads rapidly. When the fire burns into a community, the homes become more fuel and sequential ignitions result in homes igniting neigh-boring homes - also known as a conflagration.

By changing the character of the Home Ignition Zone, a resident can alter the path of a fire approaching a home. Whether homes will ignite during a wildfire has to do with the condition of the home itself and the area

in the Home Ignition Zone. Some risk factors to look for include homes with flammable roofing, siding and decking materials; accumulations of leaves, needles, twigs, brush or tree limbs on, around or under homes, dense vegetation in the Home Ignition Zone; and flam-mable items (mulch, woodpiles, wooden fences & gates, deck furniture, ornaments, and other materials) in direct contact with homes or attachments.

assessing risks and reducingIgnition hazards The best resource for determining your area’s rela-tive risk to wildfires is usually the California Department of Forestry or CalFire. It is safe to say however, that just about all areas within Lassen County are considered at risk for wildland fires. The Lassen County Fire Safe Council, when entertaining homeowner sign-ups for treatments whenever they are performing fuel reduc-tion projects in a community, have the ability to also perform Risk Assessments in the Home Ignition Zone. To find out if there are projects being considered in your area you can contact the Lassen County Fire Safe

The Character of the Home Ignition Zone

Council at lassenfiresafecouncil.org or 251-5560. However as a homeowner or renter you can conduct your own Risk Assessment in the Home Ignition Zone. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has a sample “Structure Assessment Guide” which you may obtain from our web site to perform your own Risk As-sessment in the Home Ignition Zone. This is a great way to learn what you can do yourself around your home to mitigate and make improvements to your home and its surroundings to address survivability should a wildfire event pass through your area.

Roof - The most important consideration is to ensure your home has a nonflammable roof. Good choices for roofing material include asphalt, fiber cement, tile, concrete and metal. Simpler roofs with steep pitches limit the accumulation of needles and dead leaves that can be an “ember trap” in a wildfire. Gutters, skylights and other elements on the roof should also be made of non-flammable material.

Walls - The siding used on homes can also make a dif-ference in how well the home will resist ignition from a wildfire. Non-flammable choices include stucco, brick, and fiber-cement. Large timber construction is also fire-resistant as it takes a long time for large timbers to ignite and burn. Vinyl siding can be vulnerable to radi-ant heat but will typically melt and drop away from the sheathing rather than carry fire. If there is no protection installed for the wall underneath vinyl siding, the home is more vulnerable to radiant heat and embers. Wood siding is also vulnerable to ignition, more so if it does not have an interlocking lap, which means there is space between the shingles and the studs where embers could pen-etrate.

Windows - During a wildfire, windows, like the rest of the home, are exposed to radiant heat, convection and embers. Radiant heat could be severe enough to break the glass in a window or ignite the exterior siding directly below it. Flames from burning siding or vegetation burning near a window could touch the window and heat it to the breaking point. Embers can strike a window and break it, or ignite any flammable debris on a window sill. For these reasons, dual pane or tempered glass are good Firewise choic-es for windows. Dual pane windows have a added advantage of the outer layer of glass that provides a thermal shield for the inner pane, allowing it to heat more slowly decreasing the chance it will heat enough to break.

Vents and Openings - Openings in the home need special consideration. Chimney flues, attic vents on the roof or under the eaves, crawl space vents, even dog- gie doors can provide an opening for embers or flames to enter the interior of the home during a wildfire. These areas should be screened with metal mesh of no more

than 1/8 inch but you need to pay special attention when painting so you do not clog the screen openings. Doggie doors, garage doors, and entry doors should have seals that prevent ember entry when closed properly. Attachments - Decks, Porches and Fences - Decks that are just above ground level should be screened to prevent combustible debris from entering. This also keeps out animals, such as skunks! Also, note the

stones being used to minimize growth of vegetation. The gaps between deck boards (about 3/16 in.) are there for drainage and ventilation. Keeping the gaps clean also protects the deck boards and joists from decay. The best advice is to keep these clean of debris, especially before and during the fire season.

Decks in particular pose special haz-ards in a wildfire. If they overhang a slope, they can heat from beneath and

eventually ignite from radiant of convective heat. This is exacerbated by any accumulation of flammables - stored items or leaf litter - under or around the deck. The flat deck surface can load up with embers flying from up to a mile away. Consider using nonflammable material or material that will not carry fire to the house. You can add special protection in the area where the deck meets the house to prevent the home igniting from the deck by us-ing metal flashing.

Wooded fences are prone to ignition as they extend into vegetated areas and often have accumulated debris or leaf litter against them. If flammable fence material is being used, a simple fence fix is to ensure that the attach-ment to the house is made of a nonflammable material.

to the 200 foot mark. But you should begin in the area closest to your home - within three to five feet of your walls and attachments.

Fuel-Free Area - Basically, it is a bad idea to al-low flames to touch your home. By creating an area free of fuel for an encroaching wildfire within three to five feet of your home, you can avoid many potential

ignitions. This area should be designed to have nonflammable material such as rock or gravel, bare earth, or small, low-growing flowers or other plants that will not generate enough heat to car-ry flames to the sides of your home or its attach-ments. Remember that a wood deck or fence that attaches to your home needs the same kind of attention to minimize the ignition potential.

Firewise Plants - For ornamental vegetation around the home, choose species compatible with your local environment that are also fire-re-sistant or that will not carry fire to adjacent grass, shrubs or your home. There are many sources of information regarding choice of plants but the Lassen County Fire Safe Council has done much of the work for you with the recent devel-opment of the Lassen County and Northeastern

California Landscape Plant Guide. You can request a copy from the Lassen County Fire Safe Council at their web site, lassenfiresafecouncil.org or pick one up at Every Blooming Thing Nursery, Millwood Florist, or Realty World. This guide is very informative and full of information on choosing the right plant for use in high fire hazard areas.

Plant Arrangement - In keeping with the Zone Con-cept, a Firewise landscape will keep the area within 30 feet of the home “lean, clean, and green,” with plant-

ings arranged in islands to break up the continuity of potential fuel for a fire.

Tree Spacing - It’s best to keep tree limbs and branches at least 10 feet away from the sides and roof of your house, and avoid limbs that hang over the house (besides gener-ating needles or leaf drop onto your roof, a burning limb can come down on the roof and cause more problems). The tops or crowns of the trees should be spaced so that fire

cannot make the leap from canopy to canopy. Trees should be separated from lower growing vegetation that can create a “ladder” for fire to go from the sur-face into the tree canopy.

Other Structures - Other structures attached to the house or within the Home Ignition Zone should be built to minimize ignition. These structures might include garages, storage sheds, work sheds, greenhouses or stables. Ensure that these structures are built from fire-resistant materials and will employ the same care around the property as for the primary structure.

Designing a firewise Landscape

Homes ignite because of the condition of the home itself and everything around the home within 100 to 200 feet. The landscape design and material become a critical element in creating a Firewise home. The primary considerations include:

● Zone concept ● Fuel-free area

● Firewise plants ● Choosing Firewise plants

● Plant arrangement and maintenance ● Tree spacing

You can also learn more about Firewise landscap-ing and choosing the right plants with the Lassen Coun-ty Fire Safe Council’s “Lassen County and Northeastern California, Landscape Plant Guide”.

Zone Concept - This refers to the idea of working from your house out into the land-scape in designing yourFirewise surroundings (see diagram). The overall Home Ignition Zone includes the home and everything around it within 100 to 200 feet. If your home is on a steep slope you may need to design your landscaping

Zone Concept diagram

modifying the existing home Ignition Zone

If you are living in an older home and are wondering where to begin your Firewise improvements, the rec-ommendation is always to begin with the home and work your way out from there. For your home struc-ture, consider the following improvements. These are listed roughly in order of how easy or inexpensive they are to accomplish. However, replacing a flammable roof is one of the most important things you can do to make your home safer from wildfire.

● Remove flammable material such as needles, leaves and twigs from your roof and gutters, and from under decks and porches and along fences.

● Screen all vents in your eaves oron your roof, chimney openings, and crawl-spaces or underneath decks with 1/8” or smaller nonflammable metal mesh screen.

● Replace wood fences with metal(or install metal flashing or a metal gate on the fence portion that touches the house).

● Replace single-pane windows with dual-panewindows and ensure window screens are in good shape.

● Replace flammable siding with nonflam-mablematerial.

● Replace flammable roof with a nonflam-mableroof assem-bly.

For your yard and land-scape, con-sider these improve-ments:

● Create a fuel-free zone within 3-5 feet of your home’s perimeter as well as any attachments.

● Remove any tree branches that hang over your roof or are within 10 feet of your chimney.

● Remove dead or dying plants and rake up needles, leaves and other debris within 30 feet of your home.

● Replace fire-prone plants with Firewise species.

● Remove vines, shrubs, scrub and other under-growth beneath trees or large shrubs to prevent a fire “ladder”.

● Thin out trees up to 100 feet from your home to keep tree canopies from touching.

Working with your neighborsIn many cases in Lassen County your home may be within 100 feet of your neighbor’s home. You may be wondering how you can improve your wildfire safety if you can’t cross that Home Ignition Zone line into someone else’s back yard. If fact, if your neighbor’s home isn’t Firewise, you can be at greater risk from ignition during a wildfire, as a burning structure will generate a tremendous amount of heat and flying embers. Your neighbor may even be the Lassen National Forest, Plumas National Forest, Bureau of Land Management or private rangeland. Fire behavior knows no boundaries and will be the same regardless of who owns the land within your Home Ignition Zone. This is why it is critical to work with your neighboring landowners to ensure the greatest degree of protection from wildfire.

Neighbors may also encounter shared wildfire risks within commonly-held areas, such as open space or roadways. Homeowners individually should address the mitigation and maintenance of these areas by working together in order to reduce the fuels where these com-mon areas border. Residents working in cooperation with their neighbors with good Firewise practices and governance have a great opportunity to reduce their wildfire risks.

a memo from firefighter robert holt with the redding Interagency hotshot Crew, describing the scene in a neighborhood during the angora fire that destroyed 254 homes near Lake tahoe in 2007: “.....the house had pine needles draped on its roof, under its wooden porch, and along its wooden fence. [We] cut a line around it, but because of the extreme wind, it jumped our line and flames involved the porch. Figuring this house was done for, I tried to get into the back yard of the house next door to the south. Because its gates were locked and I would not have an escape route, I could not find a way to protect it. I took refuge around the southwest corner of the first house and sprayed water on the side of the second house, but soon the heat was too much, I took a blast to the right side of my face and abandoned the houses. If the first house had cleaned its roof, fence, and porch of pine needles, I could have saved it. If there had been a way to access the back of the second house, I could have saved that one as well......”

“It is my expert opinion that we could have saved no less than 75% of the houses that were lost if the landowners had removed the pine needles from their roofs, porches, and fence lines. In addition, houses that had locked gates and not-easily-found spigots also burned. When one house be-came involved, the surrounding houses caught fire also due to the flying embers and direct flame impingement.”

helping your Local fire DepartmentEven if you modify your home’s landscape to incor-porate the most fire-resistant materials and designs into your home construction, there is no guarantee that a wildfire will not threaten your home. It is im-portant that your local fire department be able to find and defend your home.

Here are some suggestions on how to modify your property to accommodate your local fire depart-ment.

street signs and numbers: If made from combustible materials, your street signs and numbers can ignite or melt, leaving the fire department with no ability to locate your home. It is critical that signs and numbers be noncom-bustible and visible from the road. Lassen County requires that private street signs are made with a WHITE BACKGROUND and BLACK LETTERS. For County maintained roads, signs are made with GREEN BACKGROUND and WHITE LETTERS.

Driveways: Fire trucks and equipment are quite large and often have difficulty in tight spots. Consequently, your home’s driveway must be large enough to accommodate the typical sized trucks. County design requirements for a 200 foot or longer drive-way is 16 feet wide and 15 feet of vertical clear-ance.

Gates: If your home is gated, it is very important that the gate opens inward and be wide enough to ac-commodate the fire fighting equipment. Experts also recommend that the gate be at least 30 feet off of the main road, so that the equipment can pull off the road to open the gate. If the gate is locked, the lock should not be so strong that fire-fighters cannot break it in an emergency. Elec-tronically operated driveway gates require key access for local fire district access.

The Lassen County Fire Safe Council working with the Lassen County Fire Chiefs Association has devel-oped and recommend that your home address sign should be made with a highly reflective BLUE BACK-GROUND with WHITE NUMBERS. It is recommended that the letters be no less than 4 inches and no larger than 6 inches. The placement of such a sign should be at every split in the road which will help emergency services in locating you more quickly should an emergency situation arise.

Sample of recommended House Number Sign

476-500

Driveways less then 200 feet long 12’ minimum. Longer then 200 feet 16’ minimum

Gate swings in

For bridge requirements contact the Lassen County Road Dept.

Homes located at the end of private driveways greater than 200 feet in length must comply with Fire Standard #7. Fire Standard #7 requires a minimum 35 foot radius for turnarounds or 70 foot wide for “Hammerheads” 35 feet from centerline with a radius of 30 feet.

Gates, roads & bridges

Display visible home address sign at entrance to driveway.

Sign ups are Underway asFire Safe Council Pursues Private Landowners to

Participate in Fuel Reduction Treatments

with the Western States Fire Managers and the United States Forest Service. LCFSC is emphasizing the unique nature of these projects, saying that they all require landscape-scale treatment. “These are not traditional fuel breaks,” said Esgate. “They are really forest health and fire safety projects. Good forest health translates into good fire

safety. The goal is to bring the forest into balance with what the environment will support to put the forest in a healthy condition,” Esgate said, ex-plaining further, “The result is that fire no longer becomes a serious threat. Fire, when it comes, will lay on the ground. And after it’s suppressed we’ll still have our homes and the forest” While helping landown-ers meet the State mandated 100 - foot clearance require

The Lassen County Fire Safe Council (LCFSC)

is poised to take a major bite out of fire danger in the Susanville area with four landscape-scale projects. Two projects continue our previous work in the Ar-chery/Childrens & Gold Run Areas and expand it into Ely-sian Valley. Another is being implemented in Janesville in collaboration with the Janesville Town Council. A fourth is being implemented in cooperation with Sierra Pacific Indus-tries in and around Lake Forest. “It’s not an easy task,” says Project Man-ager Tom Esgate. “We aren’t dealing with just a few land-owners. We’re deal-ing with hundreds. Each one has a different idea and different priorities. Our mission is to strike a balance that will result in a treat-ment prescription that is sustainable and also meets the goals and dreams of the people who live in the community.” Planning for these projects began late in the summer of 2006, and with the new funding commitments, a landowner sign-up is now underway.

The projects are all being funded with assistance

from the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, California Fire Safe Council, Lassen County Resource Advisory Committee as well as CalFire in cooperation

some landholders chose not to participate,” said Esgate, not-ing that there are occasional holdouts. “That could put not only their property at greater risk, but their neighbor’s prop-erty as well.”

The Fire Safe Council hopes that all the landholders in

the areas will cooperate. With the fires that we have had in the Susanville area in the last

few years, we hope that local residents will see the urgent need to pro-tect their property from the threat of wildfires. It is no longer a matter of if we will have a fire, but when it will happen. “We will make multiple attempts with people, trying to give them more information to come up with a prescription that works for everyone,” Esgate said, explaining the landowner sign up process for project par-ticipation. “Obviously we have to do substantial treatments because we have a fiduciary respon-sibility to the funding organizations. They give us the money because they want beneficial results.”

The Lassen County Fire Safe Coun-

cil hopes to make the area properties “fire survivable and pleasing to the eye.” Noting that with a little care, planning and effort, one can have one’s cake and eat it too, where forested property is con-cerned, said Esgate, “When a fire comes through, there will still be a forest. There won’t be a stand replacement and a conversion to brush land.” An integral part of the LCFSC sign up effort includes inform-

ments, Esgate will also be encouraging them to treat the entire landscape in an effort to establish fire survivability.

From lessons learned as a result of the recent Angora

Fire in Lake Tahoe we know how fire intensity diminishes when an out of control crown fire runs into a completed fuel reduction site. Treatments can protect communities from

wildfires. Emphasizing the LCFSC’s complete coopera-tion with the individual land-owners to make these forest treatment prescriptions poss- ible, Esgate stressed that there will be no arm twisting or pressure applied. “Landowners have the final say, even to the point that they may not want to participate. We’d be very disappointed in that,” he said, “but that’s how our process works. It would be a shame if

This completed fuel treatment is representative of Lassen County Fire Safe Council landscape scale treatments. Hundreds of small trees were removed and chipped to make the forest healthier and safer. “This is more or less what the condition of the eastside forests were prior to European settlement”, says Tom Esgate, Managing Director for the Council. “If we can get back to this healthier condition, a fire can come through and we’ll still have our homes and our forest.”

“That may happen in these areas,’ said Esgate. “Those are the kinds of prescriptions we will negotiate with the landowners.”Information and pub-

lic awareness are “critical components” of LCFSC’s outreach to gain support from landowners for their project’s implementation and elicit their cooperation and participation, according to Esgate. “The science of this is easy. It’s the sociology that is the huge challenge,” he said.

ing landowners about what constitutes a healthy forest as well as a fire survivable forest. What Esgate calls the “eastside forest ecosystem,” meaning forests located along the east side of the Sierras, is predominantly ponderosa or Jeffrey pine with some recently established juniper. These are differentiated from west side forests, where moisture is more abundant. Eastside forests are stressed, according to Esgate. “We’ve got more trees than the avail-able moisture and nutrients can support.” Esgate placed blame for this “overstocking” of trees squarely on a flawed perception of proper forest management and human intervention, in the form of fire suppression, often for good reasons, in what was once an orderly, balanced ecosystem. “Prior to European occupa-tion, these were open-crown stands of large trees because fire played a central role,” said Esgate. “Because fire has been taken out of the formula, everything is out of balance.” Over time, we have come to see an overstocked forest as natural, when, in fact, it is an unhealthy, fire-prone forest. “People have become comfortable with it,” said Esgate. “European and post-European settle-ment has been going on for almost 200 years. Over that period, we’ve had multiple generations come and go and people have become comfort-able with what they see.” To better explain his vision of proper forest management, Esgate offers an enlighten-ing comparison, “I like to use the analogy of growing radishes: The first thing you do after they come up is take out a substantial portion of the starts. If you don’t thin, the result will be a skinny root and no radish. It’s the same with our local forest.” Overstocking has resulted in suppressed growth and smaller trees. Because of heavy competition for limited moisture, an unhealthy condi-tion has been created and trees are less able to ward off damaging insect infestations. This has also increased the

This is a “fire safe” home, but the forest around it was destroyed. Esgate lamented that these owners will no longer be able to enjoy the beautiful forest around their home because they may have not had the opportunity to treat their surroundings. “When our landscape-scale treatments are implemented, when a fire comes through,” said Esgate, “you’ll still have your home and your forest, afterward.”

fuel load to hazardous lev-els. Now when a fire comes through it can be carried through the crowns, and in the aftermath we’re left with a moonscape and a subse-quent conversion from for-est to brush. “So we’ve set

ourselves up for bug kills and catastrophic fires that threaten our watersheds and quality of life,” he said, in summary.

In their unhealthy state, our forests contain what look

to be smaller, younger trees coming up among the large diameter, old growth trees. But that perception is often flawed, according to Esgate. “In many cases, those younger looking trees are actually trees of the same age as the larger ones

they are just suppressed, and they will never amount to anything.” Those small trees have the same number of growth rings as the larger ones, indicating they are the same age, but they simply can’t grow due to overcrowd-

ing. These small-er, slow grow-ing trees are drain-ing nutri-ents and water from the

soil, stressing and, in some cases, causing the demise of their larger neighbors. “Those smaller trees are real candidates for thinning. By doing so, you will make the larger ones more vibrant,” said Esgate.Proper thinning may also

require the removal of a few larger trees as well where the canopy is dangerously thick to reduce fire danger.

For more information or to participate in either the Gold Run, Archery/Chil-drens, Janesville, or Lake Forest projects, contact Fire Safe Council Secretary, Cathy Dirden at: mcdirden@hotmail.com Phone: (530) 251-5560

ORTom Esgate, Managing Director, Lassen Fire Safe Counciltwesgate@sbcglobal.net

“So we’ve set ourselves up for bug kills and cata-strophic fires that threat-en our watersheds and quality of life,”

Tahoe Today...

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Map of Property Owner Participation in the Susanville/Janesville Fuel Break Project

Firewisein the

Classroom

6th Grade Classroom

Unit of StudyThe Lassen County Fire Safe Council (LCFSC) was developed as a local non-profit corporation formed to educate the local communities to prepare and prevent wild fires before they happen. In addition, the LCFSC provides funding for fuel treatments on private property with the mis-sion to assist private landowners in the development of sustainable fuel hazard reduction on their property as well as education on how to maintain and promote fire survivability.

“The specific purpose of this corporation is to preserve California’s natural and man made resources by mobilizing all Californians to make their homes, neighborhoods and communities fire safe”.

One of the ways the Lassen County Fire Safe Council address the educational element of the Com-munity Wildfire Protection Plan or CWPP is to not only provide for education of property owners living within the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI or “woo-ee”) on measures they should take to provide for “defensible space” surrounding their property and homes but to also focus on the education of our children but to do so in an environment that assures their comfort when discussions of a sensitive subject such as wildfires and the disastrous results of such an event. With this in

mind, the Fire Safe Council developed a sixth grade educational curriculum which provides the opportunity to reach our children and empower then to believe that they too have a role to play in the preparation and development of their own family emergency evacuation plan so the family is prepared and ready should an evacuation be ordered and the family members are not all at home.

Residents of Lassen County, especially those living in the WUI are historically, continually in danger of deal-ing with a wildfire event. This 6th grade unit of study

will empower the students with the knowl-edge in knowing what to do before, dur-ing, and after a wildland fire in keeping themselves, their family and their neigh-bors safe. The 6th grade unit of study consists of five one hour lessons spread

over one week. All materials to provide the education program to the students are provided to each school by the Fire Safe Council utilizing Title III funds.

Lassen County schools currently providing this pro-gram to their students include Richmond Elementary, Johnstonville Elementary, Janesville School, Fletcher-Walker Elementary in Westwood. Schools scheduled to begin the program this school year are Big Valley

Elementary in Bieber, Fort Sage Elementary, Diamond View School, Long Valley Charter School and possibly Shaffer Elementary in Litchfield. With the new school year the Fire Safe Council 6th grade education pro-gram will be County-wide.

Concept of Lesson 1: Living in Lassen Coun-ty you are always at risk of a wildfire event impact-ing your lives. The damage and destruction caused by these fires can be devastating. It is important to understand the role fire has and how it travels. Through this understanding, steps can be taken to prevent loss of life, property and wildlife.

Concept of Lesson 2: Is to inform residents and students that living in the Wildland Urban Interface comes with responsibilities for reducing the risks of fire on their own property.

Concept of Lesson 3: Is to inform students and their families that the Local, State and National Agencies have plans to assist residents to prepare for a wild-land urban interface fire. All family members must understand and be ready to use the local community disaster plan.

Concept of Lesson 4: The Family Disaster Plan, coordinated with the community plan, is vital for wildfire survival.

InstructionalMaterials Include:

1. Teacher Manual: • Detailed lesson plans • Each lesson has a set of transparencies • Classroom curriculum is aligned with State Curriculum Guidelines • Materials are arranged for ease of use.

2. Instructional Materials Kit: • Class set of all required pamphlets • Local street maps

• Community Evacuation Plans (if available)• Classroom videos • Folders for student materials• Magnetic, vinyl envelope with family emergency information

All classroom materials and supplies are provided at no cost to the schools and are resupplied at the end of the classroom presentation by the Lassen County Fire Safe Council.

This program is dependent upon grant funding as well as community support.

Contact the Lassen County Fire Safe Council for more information (530) 251-5560

Concept of Lesson 5: Residents of all ages, community groups and public agencies play important roles throughout planning, sur-viving, and recovering from a wildfire.

Our education program was initially developed in Butte County by the Butte County Fire Safe Council and is a very successful program there. In addition, there is much interest from the State of Nevada “Living with Fire” program in the Lassen Fire Safe Council’s education program. which we look forward to extending the pro-gram nationwide.

3

Living in the Wildland Urban Interface

and the Ember Zone

Ready, Set, Go! begins with a house that firefighters can defend.

A home within one mile of a natural area is in the Ember Zone. Wind-driven embers can attack your home. You and your home must be prepared well before a fire occurs. Ember fires can destroy homes or neighborhoods far from the actual flame front of the wildfire.

Defensible space works!If you live next to a natural area, the Wildland Urban Interface, you must provide firefighters with the defensible space they need to protect your home. The buffer zone you create by removing weeds, brush and other vegetation helps to keep the fire away from your home and reduces the risks from flying embers.

It all begins with a house that firefighters can defend,

a home within one mile of a natural area is in the “ember Zone”. Wind-driven embers can attack your home. you and your home must be prepared well before a fire occurs. ember fires can destroy homes or neighborhoods far from the actual flame front of the wildfire.

Living in theWildland Urban Interface

and the Ember Zone

Defensible Space Works! If you live next to a natural area, the Wildland urban Interface, you must provide firefighterswith the defensible space they need to protectyour home. the buffer zone you create by removing weeds, brush and other vegetationhelps to keep the fire away from your home andreduces the risks from flying embers.

Will YOUR home survive when the embers arrive?

AWARE!EMBER

BEFS-09-05

acknowledgementsLiving With Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner – Lassen County was written by Dan Douglas, Education Director, Lassen County Fire Safe Council with article submission(s) from Tom Esgate, Managing Director, Lassen County Fire Safe Council. Illustration and design services provided by Kirah Van Sickle for Animania, LLC. and Dan Douglas, Lassen County Fire Safe Council

Printing and layout of this publication was made possible with funding from the Lassen County Board of Supervisors, Title III funding and the .

For more information about Living With Fire, contact Dan Douglas, (530)251-3347 or dandouglas@frontiernet.net or education@lassenfiresafecouncil.org.

A master CD is available to agencies who wish to create a customized version of this publication by registering at www.livingwithfire.info

University of Nevada Cooperative ExtensionSpecial Publication-06-11www.unce.unr.edu/publications/

The University of Nevada, Reno is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical or mental disability, and sexual orientation in any program or activity it operates. The University of Nevada employs only U. S. citizens and aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

Living With Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner – Lassen County was made possible through support from the following organizations:

What should i wear and have with me?

❏ Wear only cotton or wool clothes ❏ Proper attire includes long pants,

long-sleeved shirt or jacket, and boots

❏ Carry gloves, a handkerchief to cover your face, water to drink, and goggles

❏ Keep a flashlight and portable radio with you at all times

❏ Tune in to a local radio station and listen for instructions

What about family members and pets?❏ If possible, evacuate all family mem- bers not essential to preparing the house for wildfire ❏ Make sure to designate a safe meeting place and

contact person ❏ Relay your plans to the contact person ❏ Evacuate pets ❏ Contact the local Humane Society for pet

assistance if needed

how should i prepare my car?❏ Place vehicles in the garage, pointing out with

keys in the ignition ❏ Roll up the windows ❏ Close the garage door, but leave it unlocked ❏ If applicable, disconnect the electric garage door

opener so that the door can be opened manually

What should i take?❏ Important documents (bank, IRS, trust,

investment, insurance policy, birth certificates, medical records)

❏ Credit and ATM cards ❏ Medications ❏ Prescription glasses ❏ Driver’s license ❏ Passport ❏ Computer backup files ❏ Inventory of home contents (consider

videotaping) ❏ Photographs of the exterior of the house and

landscape ❏ Address book ❏ Cell phone and charger ❏ Personal toiletries ❏ Change of clothing ❏ Family photo albums and videos ❏ Family heirlooms ❏ Place essential items in the car

how should i leave my home?❏ Close all interior doors ❏ Leave a light on in each room ❏ Remove lightweight, non fire-resistant

curtains and other combustible materials from around windows

❏ Close fire-resistant drapes, shutters and Venetian blinds

❏ Turn off all pilot lights ❏ Move overstuffed furniture, such as couches and

easy chairs, to the center of the room

What about the outside of my home?❏ Place combustible patio furniture in the house or

garage ❏ Shut off propane at the tank or natural gas at the

meter ❏ Close all exterior vents if possible ❏ Prop a ladder against the house to provide

firefighters with access to the roof ❏ Make sure that all garden hoses are connected to

faucets and attach nozzles set on “spray” ❏ Close all exterior doors and windows ❏ Leave exterior doors unlocked ❏ Turn on outside lights ❏ If available and if there’s time, cover windows,

attic openings and vents with plywood that is at least one-half inch thick

❏ Wet down wood-shake or shingle roofs before leaving

❏ Fill trash cans and buckets with water and place them where firefighters can find them

❏ If you have an emergency water source (pool, pond, etc.) and/or portable pump, clearly mark its availability so it can be seen from the street

For more information, visit our web site www.lassenfiresafecouncil.org

Bureau of Land management is a federal land management agency and wildland fire fighting organization. Visit www.ca.blm.gov.

u. s. Forest service provides numerous wildland fire fighting resources across the state on National Forest lands. Visit www.ca.fs.fed.us.

Lassen County Fire safe Council is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to help Lassen County’s high fire hazard communities get organized and acquire funds for community-level wildfire threat reduction projects. www.lassenfiresafecouncil.org

County of Lassen - Board of Supervisors providing Title III funds for the development and printing of this publication.www.co.lassen.ca.us

CalFire is a state agency that provides fire fighting resources throughout California and is an important manager of California’s natural resources located on private and state lands. www.fire.ca.gov

Be prepared! It will likely be dark, smoky, windy and hot. There may be airborne embers, no power, no telephone service, and poor or no water pressure.

if Wildfire approaches . . .

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university of Nevada Cooperative Extension is a federal, state and county partnership that develops educational programs in response to Nevada’s important issues. They are responsible for managing the Living With Fire program. For information about other Cooperative Extension

programs, visit www.unce.unr.edu.