33.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

Ryndon is a small town located in west central Elko County along Interstate 80 approximately 22 miles east of Elko. Ryndon is situated along the Humboldt River at an elevation of approximately 5,170 feet. The results of the community hazard assessment classified Ryndon in the Moderate Hazard category (57 points). A summary of the factors that contribute to this hazard rating is provided in Table 33-3. Primary factors include inadequate address signage, a high number of homes with unenclosed decks, and limited fire suppression resources. The community boundary identified for this report is shown in Figure 33-1.

33.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface condition in Ryndon is intermixed: structures and wildland fuels are scattered throughout the community, with no clear separation between wildland fuels and developed parcels. Of the 246 homes were included in this assessment, 198 are on lots of one acre or less, and 48 homes are on lots of one to ten acres in size.

• Access: Interstate 80 is the primary transportation route through Ryndon. The road is at least 24 feet wide, paved, and has adequate turnaround space for fire suppression equipment. Secondary community roads were all of adequate width and grade for passage.
• Signage: Street signs are clearly posted on ninety percent of the roads in Ryndon. Residential addresses are visible on only thirty percent of homes. Clear and visible street signs and addresses are important to aid firefighters in locating homes in low visibility conditions during a wildfire.
• Utilities: All of the utilities are above ground. Power line corridors need proper maintenance to minimize wildfire damage to electric utilities and reduce the possibility that sparks could start a fire in adjacent vegetation.

33.1.2 Construction Materials

Ninety-six 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. All of the homes have fire resistant roofing materials such as composition roofing, metal, or tile. About half 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.

33.1.3 Defensible Space

About three-quarters of the homes observed meet the minimum defensible space requirement recommended to help protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

33.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Fire protection in Ryndon is provided by the Ryndon Volunteer Fire Department. Table 33-1 lists the types of local wildfire resources and equipment available for initial response to Ryndon 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 33-1. Wildfire Suppression Resources Available to Ryndon

Type of Equipment	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Type 2 Engine Type 6 Engine	1 1	Ryndon VFD (Ryndon)
Type 1 Engine Type 3 Engine Type 6 Engine	1 1 1	Lee Engine Company (Elko)
Type 2 Engine Type 1 Water Tender	1 1	Nevada Division of Forestry (Elko)
Source: Sam Hicks, Nevada Division of Forestry Elko County Prevention Captain; Bill Krohn, Ryndon VFD Fire Chief. 1

The Ryndon VFD received a Fire Assistance grant this year to purchase a Type 1 Engine that is expected to be delivered at the end of 2005. As the community continues to grow, the needs for building improvements and equipment upgrades will become high priorities.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Water available for fire suppression in Ryndon includes one gravity-fed 30,000-gallon water storage tank. The Humboldt River can also be used as a drafting source or helicopter dip site, however the river is typically dry in summer. Most available water sources are at least a twenty to 45 minute turnaround time to refill fire apparatus.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

The Ryndon 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

The Ryndon VFD responds to an average of twelve to fifteen total calls annually, including emergency medical and wildland/brush fire calls.

33.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The vegetative fuel density in the Ryndon interface area is generally light, estimated at one to two tons per acre, which was considered a moderate fuel hazard. Fuels in the community consist primarily of sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and greasewood shrubs one to three feet in height. Ground fuels consist of basin wildrye, Indian ricegrass, bluegrass, squirreltail, 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. The terrain within the community boundary is mostly flat. The prevailing wind direction is from the south/southwest.

33.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst Case Scenario

The worst case scenario for a wildfire in the area surrounding Ryndon would start along Interstate 80 on the north side of the freeway within the community. A strong southwest wind would blow the fire northeast through the community. Many mobile homes would be quickly threatened with limited local fire resources to protect the structures.

33.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

Ryndon has a moderate to high risk of ignition. The potential for heavier fuel loading from annual grasses during years of high precipitation exacerbates this risk. There is a history of lightning strikes around the community. The primary risks of ignition in Ryndon would be an auto accident on Interstate 80, railroad sparking, lightning, and other human caused ignitions that are unpredictable and can occur at any time.

33.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls not only on the local fire protection district but also on the residents and local governments. The recommendations for the Ryndon area focus primarily on the ongoing and additional efforts to create and maintain defensible space and on the community coordination and public education efforts that could be undertaken to enhance fire safety.

33.2.1 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.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum distance of ten feet.
• Mow or remove brush growing against fences in the community. The minimum distance for clearance should be ten feet in grass and 25 feet in brush.
• 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.
• Trim and remove tree branches a minimum of four feet from the ground to reduce ladder fuels on all deciduous and coniferous trees within the defensible space zone. Prune all dead and diseased branches.
• Prune all tree branches to a minimum distance of fifteen feet from buildings, paying special attention to areas around chimneys.
• Where possible, irrigate all trees and large shrubs that remain in close proximity to structures to increase their fire resiliency. This is especially important during drought conditions.
• 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.[25] 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.
• Clear weeds and brush to a width of ten feet along both sides of the driveways.
• Maintain the defensible space as needed.
• Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
• Remove or board up abandoned trailers and other structures to prevent sparks entering and igniting the structures.

33.2.2 Fuels 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.

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 the road. Remove biomass and disposed of it at an appropriate site. Reseed treated areas with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

Ryndon VFD and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Coordinate residents to develop and enforce a community brush clearance and biomass disposal program.

Utility Company

• Reduce and remove vegetation to maintain clearance around power lines. Clear vegetation within fifteen feet of utility poles near the community.

Union Pacific Railroad

• Clear and maintain free of vegetation a minimum space of twenty feet on either side of the railroad tracks.

33.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources

Elko County and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Pursue grants to upgrade or replace the existing fire station, obtain wildland firefighting equipment, and install a minimum capacity 10,000-gallon water storage tank.

Ryndon VFD and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Continue to provide wildland firefighting training for all volunteers.
• Continue to meet annually with the cooperating agencies to review pre-attack plans for the area.
• Upgrade the VFD radio system to narrow band technology to ensure communication compatibility.

33.2.4 Community Coordination

• Ensure residential addresses are easily visible from the road. Address characters should be at least four inches high, reflective on a dark background, and made of non-flammable material. Improving visibility of addresses will make it easier for those unfamiliar with the area to navigate under smoky conditions during a wildfire.

Property Owners

• Coordinate through the ROWE Group (Ryndon, Osino, White Rock, Elburz) to form a local community-based organization to take responsibility and provide leadership for community-wide fuels reduction and community fire safety. The Nevada Fire Safe Council is one option for community organization. Through the establishment of a local Nevada Fire Safe Council Chapter, local communities will become part of a large network for sharing information, including notification 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 will provide assistance and support to communities to complete fire safe plans, set priorities, educate and train community members, and promote success stories of its members. To form a local chapter or for more information contact the:
  

  Nevada Fire Safe Council
  210 South Roop Street Suite 101
  Carson City, NV 89701
  www.nvfsc.org

Elko County

• Continue to require all future development in the County to meet the National Fire Codes with regard to community design, building construction and spacing, road construction and design, water supply and emergency access. Refer to Appendix F for an example of fire safe recommendations for planning new developments.

33.2.5 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.

Ryndon VFD

• 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.

33.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 33-2. Ryndon Risk and Hazard Reduction Priority Recommendations

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix E. Maintain the defensible space annually.
	Community Coordination	Ensure residential addresses are easily visible from the road. Coordinate through the ROWE Group to form a local community-based organization to provide leadership and be responsible for community-wide fuel reduction treatments and community fire safety.
Utility Company	Fuels Reduction	Reduce and remove vegetation to maintain clearance around power lines. Clear vegetation within fifteen feet of utility poles near the community.
Union Pacific Railroad	Fuels Reduction	Mow or reduce vegetation within a minimum distance of twenty feet on both sides of the railroad tracks.
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 the road.
	Community Coordination	Continue to require all future development in the County to meet the National Fire Codes with regard to community design, building construction and spacing, road construction and design, water supply and emergency access.
Elko County and Nevada Division of Forestry	Fire Suppression Resources	Upgrade or replace the existing fire station, obtain wildland firefighting equipment, and install a minimum capacity 10,000-gallon water storage tank.
Ryndon VFD and Nevada Division of Forestry	Fuels Reduction	Coordinate with residents to develop and enforce a community brush clearance and biomass disposal program.
	Fire Suppression Resources	Upgrade or replace the existing fire station, obtain wildland firefighting equipment, and install a minimum capacity 10,000-gallon water storage tank. Continue wildland firefighting training for all volunteers. Continue to meet annually with the cooperating agencies to review pre-attack plan for the area. Upgrade radio system to narrow band technology to ensure proper communication compatibility.
	Public Education	Distribute copies of the publication “Living With Fire” to all property owners.

Table 33-3 Ryndon Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 33-1 Ryndon Fire History and Suppression Resources small | large | x-large