22.1 Hazard and Risk Assessment

The Sheridan Acres community is located south of Genoa and west of Gardnerville, Nevada, along the base of the Carson Range. The community is situated on east-facing alluvial fans and benches and the Carson River floodplain. Residential development is currently occurring adjacent to the community in the Job’s Peak Ranch subdivision. National Forest, the Job’s Peak Ranch community, public lands, and the California state line border the community to the west. Agricultural lands border the community to the east. Approximately 200 homes were observed in the community during the assessment. The hazard assessment resulted in classifying Sheridan Acres in the High Hazard category (65 points). A summary of the factors that determine this hazard rating is included in Table 22-2. The primary conditions that affect Sheridan Acres community are the potential for extreme fire behavior, the distance to fire suppression water sources, and the availability of volunteer firefighters.

22.1.1 Community Design

The Sheridan Acres interface area is characterized as the intermix wildland-urban interface condition. Structures are scattered throughout the wildland area with no clear line of demarcation between wildland fuels and residences in the community. Parcels observed in the interface area were all greater than one acre in size (see Figure 22-1).

• Roads: Foothill Road (Fairview Lane) and Centerville Lane are the primary roads that provide access between the community and other areas of Douglas County. The roads are paved, greater than 24 feet wide, and provide adequate access for fire suppression vehicles. Most of the secondary community roads have adequate turn around space for fire suppression equipment and the majority of community roads have a grade less than a five percent.
• Signage: Street names are adequately identified with reflective signs. Residential addresses were visible on all of the homes assessed. Clear and visible residential addresses are important to aid firefighting personnel in locating homes during low visibility conditions that occur during a wildland fire.
• Utilities: Overhead and underground power lines are present within the community. Power line right-of-ways are properly maintained, which minimizes the possibility of power lines sparking during windstorms and starting fires in nearby vegetation. Propane tanks were also present within the community and sometimes lacked the proper vegetation clearance of ten feet.

22.1.2 Construction Materials

Approximately eight percent of the homes assessed had wood shake roofing materials. The remaining 92 percent of the homes assessed were built with fire resistant siding materials and non-combustible roofing materials. About sixteen percent of the homes observed have unenclosed balconies, porches, decks, or other architectural features that create drafts and provide areas where sparks and firebrands can be trapped, smolder, ignite, and rapidly spread fire to the home.

22.1.3 Defensible Space

A majority, 71 percent, of the homes in the interface have landscaping that would meet the minimum defensible space requirement to help protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

22.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Sheridan Acres is provided wildland and structure fire protection by the NDF Sierra Forest Fire Protection District and East Fork Fire and Paramedic District’s Sheridan Volunteer Fire Department (Station 8). See Tables 4-2 and 4-3 for more information on the typical fire suppression response for first-alarm wildland-urban interface fires in Douglas County. Appendix E lists the type and number of fire suppression vehicles located at each EFFPD station.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Water availability for fire suppression in Sheridan Acres includes one 500,000-gallon tank and one 120,000-gallon static fill tank. Emergency generators are not available for the pumps on the wells that fill the tanks. There are hydrants available in the Job’s Peak Ranch subdivision adjacent to the community, but no hydrants are available within the community. The Carson River and four ponds are available for use as helicopter dip sites.

22.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

Vegetation, dead and down fuels, and topographic features contribute to the potential fire hazard around wildland-urban interface communities. The fuel hazards were mapped for Sheridan Acres, and fuel hazard photos were taken to provide additional information for the vegetation type descriptions (see Figures 22-2 and 22-3).

The terrain around Sheridan Acres is generally flat with east-facing slopes less than eight percent. Fire ignitions have occurred within the vicinity of the community from both human and lightning causes. The 1996 Autumn Hills Fire burned 3,804 acres less than one half mile northwest of the community. The Fredericksburg fire burned 3,383 acres southwest of the community in 1986. The predominant wind direction is downslope from the south/ southwest especially in the late afternoon.

Three major vegetation types occur within the vicinity of the Sheridan Acres community including Jeffrey pine/sagebrush, sagebrush/bitterbrush, and irrigated pasturelands. The irrigated pasturelands were located on the east side of the community, generally east of Foothill Road. They provide an effective greenstrip on the east side of the community and were considered a low fuel hazard.

Within the community and directly north and west of the community, the vegetation consists of big sagebrush, bitterbrush, desert peach, Mormon tea, and rabbitbrush. Dominant grasses in the understory were Indian ricegrass, cheatgrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail. Shrubs are dense with one to four feet between shrubs with shrub heights ranging between four and six feet. The fuel load was estimated to be between six and eight tons per acre and was considered a high fuel hazard.

Further upslope of the community in the adjacent Job’s Peak Ranch community, the vegetation is dominated by a Jeffrey pine overstory, with a shrub and grass understory similar in species composition and density to downslope areas. The Jeffrey pine community was estimated to have fuel loads between four to eighteen tons per acre and was considered an extreme fuel hazard.

22.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst Case Scenario

The worst-case scenario for Sheridan Acres would likely occur in the event of a dry-lightning storm in which several ignitions occurred on the mountain southwest or west of the community. Driven by 25 mile per hour winds, any fire ignition could result in a crown fire capable of rapid spread downhill toward the community. Very few roads provide access for fire suppression equipment west of the community, which decreases response time. Spot fires could result in multiple fire fronts near residences in the community and could increase the difficulty for fire suppression personnel protecting homes. If Foothill Road were to be closed in two places due to fire, homeowner evacuation and fire suppression response could be limited.

22.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

Sheridan Acres has been rated with a high ignition risk. Several fires and ignitions have occurred immediately adjacent to the community (Figure 22-1). The predominant ignition risks for Sheridan Acres are lightning and power lines although human caused fires can occur at any time.

22.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The Sheridan Acres risk and hazard reduction recommendations focus on improving defensible space and promoting homeowner responsibilities. Other recommendations pertain to community coordination efforts that could be initiated to enhance the fire safe nature of Sheridan Acres.

22.2.1 Defensible Space Treatments

Property Owner Recommendations

Defensible space treatments are an essential first line of defense for residential structures. Significantly reducing or removing vegetation within a prescribed distance from structures (minimum of 30 feet to 200 feet depending upon slope and vegetative fuel type) reduces fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against an oncoming wildfire.

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix D. This area should be kept:
  • Lean: There are only small amounts of flammable vegetation,
  • Clean: There is no accumulation of dead vegetation or other flammable debris,
  • Green: Existing plants are healthy and green during the fire season.
• Maintain the area beneath unenclosed wood decks and porches free of weeds and flammabledebris. Enclose these areas wherever possible.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum distance of ten feet.
• Mow or remove brush growing within a distance of 25 feet and grass within ten feet of wood fences in the community.
• Store firewood a minimum distance of thirty feet from structures.
• Install spark-arresting screens on chimneys.
• Annually remove vegetation and debris along irrigation ditches to reduce the fuel load.
• Remove pine needles, leaves, and debris from roofs and rain gutters.
• Prune tree branches within fifteen feet of chimneys and structures.
• Limb branches of conifers a minimum of fifteen feet from the ground, or no more than one-third of the total tree height, to reduce ladder fuels. All dead and diseased branches and duff should be removed from beneath remaining trees.
• Irrigate all trees and large shrubs in close proximity to structures to increase their fire resiliency, which is especially important during drought conditions.
• Cheatgrass or other annual grasses that have become dominant within the defensible space zone should be mowed or treated with an application of pre-emergent herbicide prior to seed set. Treatments may need to be repeated the following year to ensure that the seed bank of unwanted grasses has been depleted. Refer to Appendix D for recommended seed mixes and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with removal of this annual grass.
• Maintain this defensible space as needed to keep the space lean, clean, and green.
• Immediately remove cleared vegetation to an approved disposal site when implementing defensible space treatments. This material dries quickly and presents a fire hazard if left on site.

22.2.2 Fuel Reduction Treatments

Fuel reduction treatments are applied on a larger scale than defensible space treatments. By permanently changing the fuel structure over large blocks of land to one of a lower volume or reduced flammability (a fuel reduction treatment), the expected result in the event of a catastrophic wildfire would be one of reduced capacity for uncontrolled spread through the treatment area.

Property Owner Recommendations

• Reduce vegetative fuels for a distance of ten feet on both sides of private driveways longer than 200 feet. Remove highly flammable shrub species and replace with fire-resistant species such as crested wheatgrass, lawn, or a low growing seeding. Appropriate seed mixtures and seeding specifications are provided in Appendix D.
• Coordinate with the Nevada Division of Forestry, EFFPD, and the US Forest Service to construct and maintain the proposed fuelbreak on the west side of the community.

East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts, Nevada Division of Forestry, Bureau of Land Management, and US Forest Service Recommendations

• Coordinate with property owners to construct a 400-foot wide shaded fuelbreak for a distance of approximately 1.5 miles on the west side of the community, for a total treatment of approximately 74 acres (see Figure 22-1). The fuelbreak should connect with the fuelbreaks proposed for the Job’s Peak Ranch and North Foothill Road Corridor communities. Remove small trees and shrubs within thirty feet of tree driplines. Thin shrubs outside the drip line to a canopy spacing twice the height of the shrubs. Thin trees stands where necessary (not already thinned) to a minimum basal area of 60 to 80 sq. ft. per acre. For example, where trees in the stand are of an average diameter of 14 inches (DBH), tree spacing should be reduced to approximately 65 trees per acre, with a minimum spacing of 25 feet between tree boles. If the average diameter of trees in the stand is 24 inches (DBH), tree spacing should be reduced to 22 trees per acre, with a minimum spacing of 45 feet between tree boles. Prune lower limbs within fifteen of the ground, but do not remove limbs from more than one-third the height of the tree. For more information on tree spacing between boles for various basal areas and tree diameters, refer to Appendix D.
• The biomass generated from construction of the fuelbreak should be removed (piled and burned or transported off the site) and disposed of at an appropriate site. The fuelbreak should be maintained such that there is no significant increase in shrub and tree density from post-treatment levels.

Utility Company Recommendation

• Remove trees or trim any tree branches within fifteen feet of either side of power lines and power poles throughout the Sheridan Acres community.

22.2.3 Fire Suppression Capability

Property Owner Recommendation

• Consider purchasing a fire retardant gel or foam product designed for homeowner use. These gels/foams can be applied to structures and vegetation to create an added layer of flame resistance in the event of a fire.

22.2.4 Community Coordination

Many of the most effective activities aimed at reducing the threat of wildfire for the Sheridan Acres community require that individual property owners coordinate with each other and with local fire authorities. Defensible space, for example, is more effective in small communities when applied uniformly throughout entire neighborhoods. Public education and awareness, neighbors helping neighbors, and proactive individuals setting examples for others to follow are just a few of the approaches that will be necessary to meet the fire safe goals in the community. Disposal of biomass generated from defensible space and fuel reduction treatments can sometimes be most efficiently handled through community programs.

Property Owner Recommendation

• Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. The Nevada Fire Safe Council proposes to work on solutions that reduce the risk of loss of lives and property from wildfires in Nevada’s communities. Through establishment of a local Chapter, communities become part of a large information-sharing network that receives notifications of programs and funding opportunities for fire mitigation projects such as those listed in this report. The Nevada Fire Safe Council will accept and manage grants and contracts on the Chapter’s behalf through its non-profit status. The Nevada Fire Safe Council provides assistance and support to communities to complete fire safe plans, set priorities, educate and train community members, and promote success stories of its members. For more information on forming a chapter, contact:
  

  Nevada Fire Safe Council
  1187 Charles Drive
  Reno, Nevada 89509
  www.nvfsc.org

East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts and Nevada Division of Forestry Recommendation

• Distribute copies of the publication “Living With Fire” to all property owners who live in Sheridan Acres. This publication is free of charge. Copies can be requested from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.

22.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 22-1. Sheridan Acres Priority Recommendations to Reduce Wildfire Risks and Hazards

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around home according to the defensible space guidelines in Appendix D.
	Fuels Reduction	Reduce vegetative fuels for a distance of ten feet on both sides of private driveways longer than 200 feet. Coordinate with the Nevada Division of Forestry, EFFPD, and the US Forest Service to construct and maintain the proposed fuelbreak on the west side of the community.
	Fire Suppression Capability	Consider purchasing a fire retardant gel or foam product designed for homeowner use.
	Community Coordination	Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council.
US Forest Service Bureau of Land Management	Fuels Reduction	Coordinate with property owners to construct a 400-foot wide shaded fuelbreak for a distance of approximately 1.5 miles on the west side of the community, for a total treatment of approximately 74 acres.
Utility Company	Fuels Reduction	Remove trees or trim any branches within fifteen feet of either side of power lines and poles throughout the Sheridan Acres community.
East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts Nevada Division of Forestry	Fuels Reduction	Coordinate with property owners to construct a 400-foot wide shaded fuelbreak for a distance of approximately 1.5 miles on the west side of the community, for a total treatment of approximately 74 acres.
	Community Coordination	Distribute copies of the publication “Living With Fire” to all property owners.

Table 22-2 Sheridan Acres Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 22-1 Sheridan Acres Fire History, Suppression Resources, and Proposed Mitigation Projects small | large | x-large
Figure 22-2 Sheridan Acres Classification of Fuel Hazard small | large | x-large