PLANNING INFORMATION EXCHANGE (PIE ......Montana’s State Floodplain Manager & ASFPM’s Region 8 Director Floods After Fires Planning Information Exchange (PIE) Webinar Series The

PLANNING INFORMATION EXCHANGE (PIE) QUARTERLY WEBINAR SERIES PRESNTS:

The Fire/Flood Dynamic: Linkages, Tools & Actions

May 15, 2018

• Attendees must participate in the entire event in order to receive a certificate, CMs or CECs.

• CFMs are eligible for 1 CEC for participating in this webinar. AICPs are eligible for 1.5 CM.

• You must have registered individually. Attending the webinar in a group setting or viewing the recording does not make you eligible for Certificates, CMs or CECs.

Certificates, CMs & CECs

Planning Information Exchange (PIE) Webinar Series The Fire/Flood Dynamic: Linkages, Tools & Actions

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Logistics

Open and close your control panel using the orange arrow at top left corner

• Choose “Computer audio” to usecomputer speakers or headphones

• Choose “Phone call” to dial in usingthe information provided

Submit questions & commentsvia the Questions panel

Participation

Moderator & Technical Support

Chad Berginnis, CFMASFPM Executive DirectorWebinar Moderator


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Presenters

Michele SteinbergWildfire Division DirectorNational Fire Protection Association

Traci Sears, CFMMontana’s State Floodplain Manager & ASFPM’s Region 8 Director

The Fire/Flood DynamicUnderstanding how to plan for natural cycles

and disturbances

May 15, 2018 | Michele Steinberg | Wildfire Division Director, NFPA


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Fires as part of nature

• Fire is an essential, natural process:• Replenishes soil nutrients

• Removes dead and dying vegetation

• Creates conditions for healthyregrowth

Fire Ecology Terminology

• Fire-adapted ecosystem• Ponderosa pines

• Fire-dependent ecosystem• Pyrophitic species LOVE fire!

• Fire regime

• Stand-replacing fire

• Serotinous ( A pine cone or other seed case thatrequires heat from a fire to open and release theseed)


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Pitch pine-scrub oak barrensFire !

What conditions contribute to large wildfires?

• Weather• Winds

• Heat

• Drought

• Topography• Slope and aspect

• Formations such as chimneys

• Fuel (Vegetation)• Health

• Density

• Moisture content


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Results of fire exclusion

• Our history of fire prevention and suppression threatens our ecosystems

• Risk of larger fires (more vegetation in poorer health)

• Catastrophic wildfire has severe effects on plant and animal life


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The Problem is getting WORSE

• Growing population and construction in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)

• Buildup of trees/brush due to over-suppression

• Climate change• Drought, pine beetles, longer fire season, etc.


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Population change – 1990-2000

13.2% growth overall

The largest increase IN HISTORY

US added 32.7 million people

Dark blue is 50% to 191% growth

Population change 2000-2010

One of the slowest-growing decades

Growth in the South and West more than 3x that of Midwest and Northeast

9.7% growth

Dark green is 50% to 110% growth

Top 5 states for growth: NV, AZ, UT, ID, TX


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What conditions contribute to post-firefloods?

• Loss of vegetation/root systems holding the soil

• Steep slopes and rugged topography

• Very hot-burning fires can cause hydrophobicity in the soil• “Hydrophobic soils” – they

don’t have rabies!• You might hear “water

repellent” Photo credit: Craig Allen, USGS

Examples of post-fire floods

• Schultz Fire, Flagstaff, Arizona, 2010

• Cerro Grande Fire, Los Alamos, New Mexico, 2000

• Thomas Fire, Montecito, California, 2018

• Montana locations after 2000 and 2001 fires Photo credit: Anne Youberg,

AZGS


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Resources – data, assessments, plan examples• U.S. Geological Survey – Landslides Hazards Program

• Post-fire debris-flow hazard assessments for recently burned areas in the western United States free to agencies and private organizations

• Association of Fire Ecology

• Soil Conservation Districts

• USDA Forest Service

• National Association of State Foresters

• Wildfire risk mapping – WRAP platform• Colorado, Texas, 13 Southern States

• State GIS departments

Community Wildfire Protection Plans


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L.A. Times Op/Ed – January 2018

Char Miller, author and environmental educator at Pomona College:

“To break from this repetitive and dangerous cycle, to act in advance of the next firestorm, requires public officials to question two presumptions that most of them have been loath to critique: All growth is good growth, and voters never choose to pay more in taxes.”


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Presenters

Michele SteinbergWildfire Division DirectorNational Fire Protection Association

Traci Sears, CFMMontana’s State Floodplain Manager & ASFPM’s Region 8 Director

Floods After Fires


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Ta lk ing about F loods Dur ing W i ld f i res?

• Wildfires Are Not A Singular Disaster

• They are the Beginning of Many Disasters.

• Disaster Cycle lasts 5 – 10 Years

• Disasters continue until the watershed is stabilized

(Maia Potts & Brian Varrella – Fort Collins Presentation)


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A bridge collapse on a business access road at Highway 287 and Dillon Road in Lafayette causes three cars to fall in the creek on Sept. 13. (Cliff Grassmick / Daily Camera)

News: Boulder FloodEight days, 1,000-year rain, 100-year floodThe story of Boulder County's Flood of 2013By Charlie Brennan and John Aguilar, Camera Staff WritersPosted: 09/21/2013 07:49:24 PM MDTUpdated: 09/22/2013 01:19:34 PM MDT

Mudslides Strike Southern

California, Leaving at Least

13 DeadPublished On Jan. 9, 2018 Santa Barbara News-Press, via

Reuters

By Jennifer Medina, Thomas Fuller and Tim Arango :33

CARPINTERIA, Calif. — First came the fires. Now come the

floods.

Heavy rains lashed the hillsides of Santa Barbara County

on Tuesday, sending one boy hurtling hundreds of yards in

a torrent of mud before he was rescued from under a

freeway overpass. His father, though, was still missing. A

14-year-old girl was buried under a mountain of mud and

debris from a collapsed home before being pulled to safety

by rescuers as helicopters circulated overhead, searching

for more victims


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mailto:[email protected]?subject=Boulder Daily Camera:

http://www.nytimes.com/by/jennifer-medina

https://www.nytimes.com/by/thomas-fuller

http://www.nytimes.com/by/tim-arango

Montana's 2017 fire season tops 1 million acres burnedPosted: Sep 06, 2017 4:56 PM MDT

Star t ing the F lood Conversa t ion – How and W hen?

• Immediately• Wildfires can create a drastic increase

of flood risk areas.

• Flash Floods and Mudflows could occur right away.

• Discuss the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program)

• Participation

• Talk about Flood Insurance early and often.

• Start discussing Mitigation options.

• Long term – develop map for on-going and future development.

• Long term – higher standards


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FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT HISTORY

Hungry Horse Dam


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Development in

flood-prone areas

FLOODPLAIN MANAGEMENT HISTORY

Disaster relief payouts

for flood damages

Availability of

flood insurance

ISSUES TO ADDRESS

NATIONAL FLOOD

INSURANCE PROGRAMNFIPMAPPING

REGULATIONS

INSURANCE

MITIGATION


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LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Enforce National Flood Insurance Program

requirements via a local floodplain ordinance

STATE

Coordinates administration of the National Flood

Insurance Program with FEMA

FEMA

Administers the National Flood Insurance Program

NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

AN AGREEMENT

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

adopt and enforce

floodplain regulations that

meet FEMA requirements

(VOLUNTARY)

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

makes subsidized

flood insurance available

within the community

W HAT IS THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM?


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NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

LOCAL COMMUNITIES

Floodplain Mapping

73,000 River Miles In

State

11,100 Miles Are Mapped


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NFIP Par t i c ipa t ion

Thank you for your community’s interest in joining the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This letter is to confirm a Community Assistance Visit that we have arranged with you to discuss the NFIP application process, NFIP participation requirements, Floodplain Regulations, the potential for Floods after Wildfires, and the Musselshell Mapping Project. This meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24, 2018, at 9:30 AM, and will be held at the Petroleum County’s offices.

Floodplain Mapping

73,000 River Miles In

State

11,100 Miles Are Mapped


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Mapped and Par t i c ipa t ing Communi t ies

1.6 REGULATED AREA

• These regulations apply only to the flood hazard areas specifically adopted herein asRegulated Flood Hazard Areas (or Special Flood Hazard Areas) which are more fully and specifically described in Section 4.

1.17 DISASTER RECOVERY

• The Floodplain Administrator shall notify owners that a permit may be necessary for an alteration or substantial improvement before repair or reconstruction commences on damaged structures because of damages caused by natural or man-made disasters such as floods, fires or winds.

High-risk area (Regulations & Insurance

Required)

(1%-Chance Floodplain, 100-Year Floodplain)

• Floodway

• Flood Fringe

Moderate-risk area

0.2%-Chance Floodplain,

500-Year Floodplain

Flood

fringe

Flood

fringe

Flood

way

Detailed Study


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Poll Question

TRUE or FALSE

Floods only occur in the designated mapped areas.

Detailed Study


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Educat ion to Proper ty Owners

• Email sent out by the state agency to local communities back in August 2017 – during active wildfires around the state.

In the midst of this very active wildfire season, we are reminding you that flood often follows wildfire. As most of you know, wildfires generally cause soils to be temporarily hydrophobic, increasing surface runoff and erosion. These conditions, along with wet weather, can lead to flash flooding and mudflow.

Now is the time for you to start educating your community about a possible elevated flood risk due to wildfire, before an event strikes. Unfortunately, the fire season isn’t yet over so many communities are still at risk for fire and associated flooding.

Some important points to remember:

Standard homeowners insurance usually does not cover damage from flood or mudflow

Flash flood or mudflow from wildfire can occur anywhere, not just in high-risk flood areas

Anyone in your community can purchase flood insurance, not just those in high-risk flood areas

Flood insurance policies generally require 30 days to go effective (so purchase one now!)

FEMA F lood Af te r F i re Too lk i t

https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/159559

• Key Messages

• Communications Materials and Tips

• Social and Digital Media

• Print Materials

• Press Outreach

• Appendix


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https://www.fema.gov/medialibrary/assets/documents/159559

FEMA F lood Af te r F i re Too lk i t - Out reach

• Sample Letter to Local Reporters.

• Easy to tailor with local community information

• Ask for State assistance if overwhelmed or if you need guidance

Subject: FEMA & [Org Name] Warn: High Risk of Flood after Fire

Body:

Dear [Reporter Name],

I hope this email finds you well.

I am the [insert title] for [insert region]. [Insert sentence to personalize. Example: “Thanks so much for your work to raise awareness after the devastating recent wildfires.”]

With the rainy season coming up, I wanted to bring attention to [insert region]’s high risk of flooding after wildfires. Because the wildfires have changed the terrain, all residents who live in and around areas impacted by wildfires are now at a heightened risk for flash flooding and mudflows. We’re working to get the word out and make sure all [insert city] residents are prepared for flooding. Will you help us by writing a story covering this topic?

Attached please find a press release with more information about how the community can take action. I’m also happy to put you in contact with representatives from [other local community organization] who can provide more information about the urgent flooding risk.

Poll Question

What is the best outreach tool for your community?

a. Radio/TV/PSA Commercialsb. Media Ads/Social Mediac. Newspapersd. Direct Mailings to property ownerse. All of the above


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Long Term – Put together Maps fo r the a f fec ted areas

Long Term - Mi t iga t ion and Recovery

• Systematic and inclusive

• Leadership and unity of effort

• Pre-disaster & post-disaster recovery planning


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Long Term – Higher S tandards -Losses Avo ided

Land Use Too l – Post -Disas te r Bu i ld ing Mora to r ium

Planning for Hazards: land Use for Colorado Guide

Led by the Colorado Department of Local Affairs and Advisory

Committee

https://planningforhazards.com/about-guide

A post-disaster moratorium on repairing or rebuilding structures temporarily restricts building activity following a major disaster.

Communities have the authority to implement such restrictions post-event.

The benefits of enacting a post-disaster moratorium include:

* Allowing a community to pause or slow down the permitting and rebuilding process to help ensure appropriate post-disaster rebuilding (and determining what is appropriate ahead of any disaster event).

* Ensuring that community goals for recovery and redevelopment are being met.

* Allowing for necessary mitigation, code changes, and/or policy changes to be fully evaluated and/or implemented before rebuilding takes place.


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https://planningforhazards.com/about-guide

Thank you!► Traci Sears

(406) 444-6654

[email protected]

• Keys to Recovery Success• Act quickly• Actively plan• Engage the community• Develop partnerships, networks

and effective coordination strategies

Questions??

Q&A


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mailto:[email protected]

Closing Comments

• ASFPM CFM CECs will be automatically applied

• Certificates of Attendance will be emailed within one week of today’s event, please contact [email protected] with any certificate issues

Thank You for Joining Us!


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Documents

PLANNING INFORMATION EXCHANGE (PIE ......Montana’s State Floodplain Manager & ASFPM’s Region 8 Director Floods After Fires Planning Information Exchange (PIE) Webinar Series The