32.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

The Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) and Nevada Department of Wildlife Gallagher Fish Hatchery residences comprise a small community at the south end of Ruby Valley. The community is located along Ruby Valley Road, south of Ruby Lake Estates, and north of Shanty Town. The area is situated at an elevation of approximately 6,000 feet. The results of the community hazard assessment classified the Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery in the Moderate Hazard category (53 points). A summary of the factors that contribute to this hazard rating is provided in Table 32-3. Primary factors include homes with inadequate defensible space and the presence of areas with heavy fuel loading. The community boundary identified for this report is shown in Figure 32-1.

32.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface around the Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery has an intermix interface condition: structures are scattered throughout the community with no clear separation between wildland fuels. Fifteen homes were included in the assessment, all on parcels of at least one acre in size.

• Access: Ruby Valley Road is the primary transportation route through Ruby Valley. The road is between twenty to 24 feet wide, dirt and gravel base, and has adequate turnaround space for fire suppression equipment.
• Signage: Street signs and residential addresses were not heavily weighted in the assessment for this community. While clear and visible street signs and residential addresses are important in locating homes during low visibility conditions that occur during a wildfire, the residences at the Refuge and Hatchery are situated at such distances from each other that it is highly unlikely that fire crews would be unable to visually locate individual residences that were threatened by wildfire.
• Utilities: All of the utilities are above ground. Power line corridors have been properly maintained to minimize wildfire damage to electric utilities and reduce the possibility that sparks could start a fire in adjacent vegetation.

32.1.2 Construction Materials

Ninety-three percent of the homes observed in the interface area are built with non-combustible or highly fire resistant siding materials such as medium density fiberboard, and fire resistant roofing such as composition material, metal, or tile. Thirteen percent of the homes have unenclosed porches, decks, or balconies that create drafts and provide areas where sparks and embers can be trapped, smolder, ignite, and rapidly spread fire to the house.

32.1.3 Defensible Space

Eighty-seven percent of the homes in this area meet the minimum defensible space requirement recommended to help protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

32.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

The Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery is protected by the Ruby Valley Volunteer Fire Department. The department has several stations situated throughout the valley, with a total of seventeen volunteers and one chief. The Ruby Valley NWR has three full time staff and three seasonal paid staff members. The Nevada Division of Wildlife Gallagher Fish Hatchery has equipment and trained personnel as well. Table 32-1 lists the types of local wildfire resources, cooperating partners, and equipment available for initial response to Ruby Lake NWR in the event of a reported wildfire. Additional resources are available from local, state, and federal agencies through mutual aid agreements as described in Section 4.1.1.

Table 32-1. Wildfire Suppression Resources Available to Ruby Valley NWR

Type of Equipment	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Type 6 Engine Type 2 Engine	1 1	Ruby Valley VFD Secret Pass Station (Ruby Valley
Type 2 Engine Water Tender	1 1	Ruby Valley VFD School Station (Ruby Valley)
Type 6 Engine Type 3 Engine	1 1	NDOW Gallagher Fish Hatchery (Ruby Valley)
Type 4 Engine Water Tender	1 1	Ruby Valley NWR (Ruby Valley)
Type 2 Engine	1	Spring Creek Station 1 (Spring Creek)
Type 6 Engine	1	Nevada Division of Forestry (Wells - seasonal)
Type 6 Engine	1	US Forest Service (Wells)
Source: Sam Hicks, Nevada Division of Forestry Elko County Prevention Captain; Larry Burton, Ruby Valley VFD Fire Chief.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Water available for fire suppression in the vicinity of the Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery includes ranch ponds, individual residence and irrigation wells, and numerous creeks that could be used for drafting sites in the event of a wildfire.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

The Ruby Valley volunteers have received training from the Nevada Division of Forestry and cooperating agencies to meet the minimum National Wildfire Coordinating Group basic wildland standards.

Work Load

In a typical year, the Ruby Valley VFD responds to the following annual calls:

• Three to four emergency medical calls.
• Six to twelve wildland/brush fire calls.
• Six other calls.

Community Preparedness

Elko County has an active Local Emergency Planning Committee and has adopted an emergency plan that includes a hazardous materials response plan and an all-risk disaster response plan, which is updated annually. Ruby Valley is included in the County plans.

32.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The vegetative fuel density in the Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery interface area varies. In the lower elevation areas of the valley fuels consist of sagebrush and rabbitbrush, with an understory of perennial grasses, crested wheatgrass, and cheatgrass. Cheatgrass growth is dependent on annual moisture and will produce increased fuel volumes and elevate fuel hazard conditions in years of higher than average precipitation. Fuel loads along the valley bottom are estimated at two to four tons per acre and were considered a moderate fuel hazard. On slopes to the west of the community the fuels are of a greater density, with some pinyon-juniper stands. Fuel loading was estimated at four to eight tons per acre and was considered a high fuel hazard. The prevailing wind direction is from the south/southwest; however downslope winds from the mountains are erratic and unpredictable. There is a history of afternoon thunderstorms and dry lightning strikes in the area.

32.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst Case Scenario

The worst case scenario for a wildfire threatening the Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery would be a dry lightning storm west of the community upslope in pinyon-juniper and annual grass fuels. Erratic downslope winds would drive the fire toward residences. Initial response from fire suppression resources could be an hour or more away dependent on availability during normal working hours.

32.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Gallagher Fish Hatchery have a high risk of ignition based on fire history in the area and the potential for increased fuel loading from annual grasses in high precipitation years. The area has seen two large wildfires; one in 1979 that burned 8,500 acres, and a second in the early 1990’s that burned 2,000 acres within the previous burn. Several lightning strike fires have ignited trees, but those fires have not spread over large areas. The primary risks of ignition are lightning, prescribed burns, and other human caused ignitions that can occur at any time.

32.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

Recommendations for the Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Gallagher Fish Hatchery focus on defensible space and landscape scale fuel reduction treatments.

32.2.1 Defensible Space Treatments

Defensible space treatments are an essential first line of defense for residential structures. The goal of the treatments is to significantly reduce or remove flammable vegetation within a prescribed distance from structures. (Refer to Appendix E for the minimum recommended defensible space area). Defensible space reduces the fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against an oncoming wildfire.

Property Owners Recommendations

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix E. 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.
• Store firewood a minimum distance of thirty feet from structures.
• Remove all dead vegetation and other flammable materials a minimum of five feet from the exterior of the structure.
• Where cheatgrass has become dominant within the defensible space zone, areas should be mowed prior to seed maturity or treated with an application of a pre-emergent herbicide.[24] Treatments may need to be repeated for several years to ensure that the seed bank of unwanted annual grass seeds has been depleted. Refer to Appendix E for a recommended seed mixture and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with cheatgrass removal.
• Maintain areas under wood decks and porches free of weeds and other flammable debris. Enclose these areas when possible. Box in eves and cover attic and other ventilation openings with very fine metal wire mesh to prevent embers from entering the attic or crawl space.
• Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum distance of ten feet.
• Immediately dispose of cleared vegetation when implementing defensible space treatments. This material dries quickly and poses a fire hazard if left on site.
• Maintain the defensible space as needed.

32.2.2 Fuel Reduction Treatments

Fuel reduction treatments are applied on a larger scale than defensible space treatments. Permanently changing the fuel characteristics over large blocks of land to one of a lower volume and one of altered distribution reduces the risk of a catastrophic wildfire in the treated area. Reducing vegetation along roadways and driveways could reduce the likelihood of blocking access and escape routes, help contain the fire perimeter, and improve firefighter access and safety for protecting homes.

US Fish and Wildlife Service

• Construct a 200-foot wide fuelbreak along the south and west sides of the National Wildlife Refuge facilities by removing all shrubs within the first 100 feet (closest to structures) and thinning shrubs in the remaining 100-foot width to a spacing equivalent to two times the shrub heights. The fuelbreak should be maintained through annual mowing or grazing treatments as shown in Figure 32-1. Reseed treated areas without adequate crested wheatgrass stands with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

Nevada Department of Wildlife

• Construct a 300-foot wide fuelbreak along the west side of the Gallagher Fish Hatchery facilities by removing all shrubs within the first 100 feet (closest to structures) and thinning shrubs in the remaining 200 feet to a spacing equivalent to two times the shrub heights as shown in Figure 32-2. The fuelbreak should be maintained through annual mowing or grazing treatments. Reseed treated areas without adequate crested wheatgrass stands with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

Elko County

• Reduce vegetation and maintain roads by mowing all vegetation to a height of no more than four inches for a distance of twenty feet from the edge of the road on both sides of other community roads. Remove and disposed of biomass at an appropriate site. Reseed treated areas with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E.

32.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources

Ruby Valley VFD and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Continue to encourage all volunteer firefighters to attend wildland firefighting training and Firefighter I training.
• Work with Elko County and the State of Nevada to create incentives for recruiting and retaining volunteers.
• Upgrade the VFD radio system to narrow band technology to ensure proper communication compatibility with cooperating agencies.

32.2.4 Public Education

A public education program that explains fire safe measures in clear and emphatic terms will have an impact on residents of the wildland-urban interface. Informed community members will be more inclined to make efforts to effectively reduce wildfire hazards around their homes and neighborhoods.

Ruby Valley VFD and Nevada Division of Forestry

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

32.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 32-2. Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery Risk and Hazard Reduction Priority Recommendations

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes, equipment, and hay storage areas according to the guidelines in Appendix E. Maintain the defensible space as needed.
US Fish and Wildlife Service	Fuels Reduction	Construct a 200-foot wide fuelbreak on the south and west sides of the National Wildlife Refuge facilities.
Nevada Department of Wildlife	Fuels Reduction	Construct a 300-foot wide fuelbreak on the west side of the fish hatchery facilities.
Elko County	Fuels Reduction	Reduce vegetation and maintain roads by mowing all vegetation to a height of no more than four inches for a distance of twenty feet from the edge of the road on both sides of other community roads.
Ruby Valley VFD Nevada Division of Forestry	Fire Suppression Resources	Continue to encourage all volunteer firefighters to attend wildland firefighting training and Firefighter I training. Upgrade VFD radio systems to ensure communication compatibility with cooperating agencies. Work with Elko County and the State of Nevada to identify incentives to recruit and retain volunteers.
	Public Education	Distribute copies of the publication “Living With Fire” to all property owners.

Table 32-3 Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 32-1 Ruby Lake NWR and Hatchery Fire History, Suppression Resources, Critical Features, and Proposed Mitigation Projects small | large | x-large