35.0 Conclusions

The RCI Project Team developed the recommendations for Clark County communities based on site-specific conditions observed during the wildfire risk and hazard assessments and information provided by local fire departments and agencies. General and specific recommendations provide a starting point so that each community described in this report can take a proactive approach to implement projects to reduce the risks of loss of life, property, and natural resources from a wildland fire.

Large wildfires have not been a common occurrence in Clark County but the history of ignitions has been extensive. A rapid response to wildland fire calls has been successful despite the fact that most County and City firefighters are not equipped or trained to fight wildland fire. Mutual aid assistance from the Nevada Division of Forestry, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, the US Park Service, and the US Air Force has greatly contributed to wildland firefighting success in Clark County. Providing proper wildland fire training and equipment is the most prevalent recommendation for Clark County in this report. Training and equipping all firefighters, both career and volunteer, for fighting wildfires increases their effectiveness and, more importantly, their safety when responding to a wildland fire call.

Eighteen of the thirty communities assessed in Clark County have a low fire hazard rating. The wildland-urban interface around most of these communities is characterized by a low fuel hazard condition typical of the Mojave Desert where shrubs are sparse and ground fuels are not abundant except in wet years. These conditions also contribute to low ignition risks. High fuel hazards in these communities are associated with tall and dense tamarisk and mesquite in riparian areas along the Colorado, Muddy, and Virgin Rivers.

Six of the seven high and extreme hazard communities are located in the Spring Mountains. Extreme fuel hazards, high visitor numbers, and constricted access to the communities create extremely dangerous conditions for the evacuation of residents and tourists and for the ingress of firefighters to these areas. These communities are in urgent need of improved defensible space and extensive fuel reduction treatments to minimize the potential for loss of life and property during a catastrophic wildfire.

There is no way to completely eliminate the threat that wildfires present to communities in the wildland-urban interface. However, the recommendations in this report are intended to increase public responsibility and encourage concerned community members to be proactive in reducing the risk of wildfire ignitions near their communities. Creating and maintaining defensible space on private property and increasing public awareness of the risks and potential for damage or loss of lives and property associated with living in a fire prone environment is best accomplished at the local level.

The recommendations presented for each community in this report should be considered a starting point for addressing community wildfire safety. Long-term community safety from wildfire requires a permanent commitment to the enforcement of fire safe ordinances at the local level and dedicated attention to fuels management. Regular monitoring of fuel conditions and periodic updates to this report should include new recommendations for maintenance or implementation of additional treatments as development continues to encroach at the wildland-urban interface.