12.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

Pine Valley is located south of Palisade along State Route 278, just west of the Elko/Eureka County border as shown in Figure 12-1. Pine Valley is a rural ranch community composed of widely spaced residences interspersed with large tracts of agricultural or public lands. The rural ranch community type does not lend itself to standard community assessment procedures (street and address signs, access, etc). Defensible space, suppression resources, and fuel hazard conditions are described qualitatively for Pine Valley.

12.1.1 Community Design

The topography in Pine Valley is generally flat and homes are surrounded by landscaped yards, corrals, or agricultural pastures with no wildland vegetation in close proximity to structures. These common characteristics usually contribute to a low risk of damage or direct loss of property due to wildfires. Ranch operators face more of a risk of economic losses to stored equipment and stockpiled hay that are not protected by defensible space.

12.1.2 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

The Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department provides fire protection for the Pine Valley community as part of the Nevada Division of Forestry Eureka County Fire Protection District. The Department has one fire station and reported having 25 volunteers at the time that interviews were conducted for this report. Additional resources are available to respond to a wildland fire from the BLM Battle Mountain and Elko Field Offices and the NDF Carlin Conservation Camp as described in Section 4.1.1. Table 12-1 lists the types of wildfire resources available for initial attack in the event of a reported wildland fire near Eureka.

Table 12-1. Pine Valley Wildfire Suppression Resources

Type of Equipment	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type 3 Water Tender Type 2	1 1	Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department
Type 3 Engine Type 6 Engine Water Tender	2 1 1	Carlin Volunteer Fire Department (Elko County)
Source: Personal conversation with Fire Chief Hale Bailey, Pine Valley VFD, (July 27, 2004)

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Pine Valley has no local water system. There is a pond for drafting in the southern part of the valley and all ranches have wells.

Detection and Communication

Fires are reported by phone by calling 911. Fires are communicated to fire response personnel using phones, radios, and pagers by fire dispatch in the Eureka County Sheriff’s Office in Eureka.

The radio frequency is compatible with neighboring agencies and the fire department has access to State mutual aid frequencies. There are many gaps in radio coverage throughout the area due to the terrain.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

All volunteer firefighters have received wildland training from the Nevada Division of Forestry. The volunteer fire departments in Eureka County use a modified red card system that certifies that a volunteer is qualified for wildland firefighting within their own fire district.

Work Load

The Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department responded to two wildland/brush fires in 2003 and three emergency medical calls.

Financial Support

Financial support for the Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department comes through the NDF Eureka County Fire Protection District, which is funded from the Eureka County general fund.

12.1.3 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The bottomlands within the community are used to grow grass hay and some ranchers grow alfalfa. Hayland was considered a low fuel hazard. Undeveloped lands in the valley bottom are dominated by greasewood and rabbitbrush with Great Basin wildrye, saltgrass, and annual forbs. The fuel load in the greasewood flats can reach one to two tons per acre and was considered a moderate fuel hazard. The other fuel type surrounding the community is big sagebrush shrublands with cheatgrass, perennial grasses and annual forbs in the ground fuel layer. These areas were estimated at one to three tons per acre and were considered a moderate fuel hazard. The slopes in the interface area range from eight to twenty percent and the aspect is generally to the south. As slope increases, juniper is added to the fuel load and the fuel hazard increases to high.

12.1.4 Fire Behavior Worst-case Scenario

A worst-case wildfire scenario in Pine Valley would occur in mid to late summer after a year of above normal precipitation and high cheatgrass production. High volumes of dry cheatgrass and annual weeds will provide an easily ignited fine fuel bed that can readily carry fire through the brush under windy conditions. Fires started in the mountains on either or both sides of Pine Valley could be pushed by strong erratic winds (greater than twenty miles per hour) into the valley and toward residences from any direction. Multiple ignitions caused by dry lightning strikes in the afternoon could exceed the initial attack capabilities of the volunteer fire department. Fires started south or west of Pine Valley pose the greatest threat since predominant winds are from the southwest.

12.1.5 Ignition Risk Assessment

The ignition risk for Pine Valley is high based upon an extensive ignition and large fire history in the surrounding area. Lightning is the highest risk factor although human caused ignitions can happen at any time.

12.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The risk and hazard reduction recommendations for Pine Valley address the primary concern for maintaining defensible space. Other recommendations pertain to community coordination, public education, and firefighter training that could be initiated to enhance fire safety in Pine Valley.

12.2.1 Defensible Space Treatments

Despite the reduced risk of damage or loss to structural properties, Pine Valley has other unique conditions due to the remote location and relative isolation. Hay and alfalfa fields, stockpiled bales, livestock, ranching and farming equipment, and fuel tanks are assets that require special planning for protection against wildfire because of their considerable value to ranchers and farmers.

Property Owners Recommendations

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes, equipment and hay storage areas, and fences 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.
• Where cheatgrass or other annual grasses have become dominant within the defensible space zone, areas should be mowed prior to seed set or treated with an application of pre-emergent herbicide.[9] Treatments may need to be repeated for several years to ensure that the bank of unwanted annual plant seeds has been depleted. Refer to Appendix E for a recommended seed mixture and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with annual grass removal.
• Create a firebreak of bare ground or gravel for 100 feet around haystacks. Because it is dried plant material, stacked or baled hay is vulnerable to ignitions from internal combustion as well as from external sparks.
• Maintain areas under wood decks and porches free of weeds and other flammable debris. Install screens around unenclosed overhangs where possible. Install screens around unenclosed overhangs where possible. Box in eves and cover attic openings with very fine metal wire mesh to prevent embers from entering the attic space.
• Seed a mixture of fire-resistant species such as recommend in Appendix E around residential structures and ranch outbuildings.
• Clear a minimum ten-foot space around propane and other fuel tanks.
• Maintain the defensible space annually.
• Remove or board up any abandoned trailers or other structures to prevent flying embers from a wildfire entering and igniting these structures.
• Provide twenty feet of brush clearance along both sides of driveways and lanes in and around ranch residences.

12.2.2 Fuel Reduction Treatments

Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Establish and promote a program for cleaning weeds and debris from around structures and fences in the community.

Electric Utility Company

• Maintain utility right-of-ways by removing and or thinning shrubs within fifteen feet of utility poles.

Oil Well Owners

• Create and maintain fuel reduction treatments around operating oil wells and oil storage areas. Thin or prune shrubs to create a spacing of 1-1/2 times the height of the shrub between each plant. Reseed with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E, if needed, to control cheatgrass or other noxious weeds.

12.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources

Property Owners

• Establish backup power systems to assure that functional water sources are available for fire suppression.
• Develop water storage for fire protection and install water outlets with fire department threads on new and existing water developments for filling water tenders and engines. Pursue grant funding to assist with financing these improvements.

Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department and Nevada Division of Forestry

• Coordinate with Eureka County and the Bureau of Land Management to rehabilitate the abandoned highway maintenance station on State Route 278 to create an interagency seasonal fire station.
• Assure that volunteer firefighters receive annual wildland fire training including the use of fire shelters and State Fire Marshal structure firefighting training.
• Meet annually with the Bureau of Land Management to review pre-attack plans and to coordinate firefighting resources and response procedures including radio coverage and compatibility.

12.2.4 Community Coordination and Public Education

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension

• Develop a version of the “Living With Fire” publication tailored to the concerns of rural Nevada ranchers. The publication should include solutions for power back up, foam and other fire retardant products, fire resistant seeding, suggested site plans, and water storage adapted for filling fire engines and water tenders. Coordinate with the Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department for distribution to local residents.

12.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 12-2. Pine Valley Risk and Hazard Reduction Priority Recommendations

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space Treatments	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes, equipment, and hay storage areas according to the guidelines in Appendix E. Maintain the defensible space annually. Create a firebreak of bare ground or gravel for 100 feet around hay and equipment storage areas.
	Fire Suppression Resources	Establish backup power systems to assure that functional water sources are available for fire suppression. Develop water storage for fire protection and install water outlets with fire department threads on new and existing water developments for filling water tenders and engines.
Pine Valley Volunteer Fire Department Nevada Division of Forestry	Fire Suppression Resources	Establish and promote a program for cleaning weeds and debris from around structures and fences in the community. Coordinate with Eureka County and the BLM to rehabilitate the abandoned highway maintenance station on State Route 278 and create an interagency seasonal fire station. Assure that volunteer firefighters receive annual wildland fire training including the use of fire shelters and State Fire Marshal structure firefighting training. Meet annually with the Bureau of Land Management to review pre-attack plans, coordinate firefighting resources and response procedures, and test radio coverage and compatibility.
	Fuel Reduction Treatments	Establish and promote a program for cleaning weeds and debris from around structures and fences in the community.
Electric Utility Company	Fuel Reduction Treatments	Remove, prune, or mow all vegetation to maintain a minimum clearance of fifteen feet around all utility poles.
Oil Well Owners	Fuel Reduction Treatments	Create and maintain fuel reduction treatments around operating oils wells and oil storage areas. Reseed with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E if needed to control cheatgrass or other noxious weeds.
Nevada Cooperative Extension	Public Education	Develop a rural Nevada version of the “Living With Fire” publication tailored to the concerns of rural Nevada ranchers and farmers.

Figure 12-1 Pine Valley Fire History, Suppression Resources, and Completed Mitigation Treatments small | large | x-large