4.0 County-Wide Assessment Results
4.1 County-wide Risk and Hazard Assessment Overview
The RCI Project Team evaluated the eleven communities in Humboldt County from July 12 to July 15, 2004. The Fort McDermitt community assessment was completed by SWCA (2003). Inventory and analyses of community design aspects (roads, signage, utility infrastructure), defensible space conditions, construction materials, architectural features, wildland-urban interface characteristics, fuel types, and fuel hazards resulted in an overall hazard rating for each community. The overall risk and hazard conditions for each community are summarized in Table 4-1.
| Community | Interface Condition | Interface Fuel Hazard | Ignition Risk | Community Hazard Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denio | Intermix | Low to High | High | Moderate |
| Denio Junction | Rural | Low to Moderate | High | Low |
| Golconda | Intermix | Low to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Grass Valley | Intermix | Low to High | High | Moderate |
| McDermitt | Interface | Low to Moderate | High | Low |
| Orovada | Intermix | Low to Moderate | High | Low |
| Paradise Ranchos | Interface | Low to Moderate | High | Moderate |
| Paradise Valley | Intermix | Moderate | Low | Moderate |
| Quinn River | Rural | Low to High | High | N/A1 |
| Valmy | Interface | Low | Low | Moderate |
| Winnemucca | Interface | Low to High | High | Moderate |
| Fort McDermitt | Intermix | Low to High | N/A2 | High3 |
| 1 The Community Hazard Assessment was not applicable. Quinn River does not have a residential neighborhood. 2N/A - This information was not provided in the SWCA report 3This rating was based upon similar community hazard assessment procedures reported in the SWCA (2003) report. |
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4.1.1 Wildfire Protection Resources
The Bureau of Land Management administers the largest land base in Humboldt County (seventy percent of the area). As such, The BLM generally manages the wildland-urban interface areas, responds to the majority of wildland fires, and is responsible for reducing fuel hazards adjacent to communities. Initial attack on wildfires in Humboldt County is provided by local volunteer fire departments. The BLM has cooperative agreements with each volunteer fire department in Humboldt County and has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Wildfire Support Group for initial attack of wildfires on public lands. (Refer to Section 3.4.1 for background on the Wildfire Support Group.)
The Central Nevada Interagency Dispatch Center in Winnemucca dispatches Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service fire suppression resources and also provides logistical support for additional interagency partners such as the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Federal agency resources are commonly relocated to areas of high activity during a fire season. The actual resources sent to a specific incident are dependent on fire activity and available personnel and equipment. The types of wildfire suppression resources available from the BLM Winnemucca Field Office are summarized in Table 4-2. The BLM Winnemucca Field Office has 25 trained fire suppression personnel and fifty seasonal employees. All BLM Winnemucca Field Office firefighters receive training to meet National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualifications. The US Forest Service Santa Rosa Ranger District has one Type 4 engine available to respond to fires in the vicinity of Paradise Valley, and one Type 4 engine from the BLM is assigned to this station during fire season. Additional resources are available upon request through the dispatch system. The local wildfire suppression resources available for each community are detailed in subsequent community chapters.
| Type of Equipment | Amount of Equipment | Cooperating Partner (Resource Location) |
|---|---|---|
| Engines Water Tender Bulldozer Air Attack Helicopter Single Engine Air Tanker |
10 1 1 1 1 2 |
BLM Winnemucca Field Office (Closest available resources dispatched from the Central Nevada Interagency Dispatch Center). |
| Source: Personal Communication with Jeff Fedrizzi, BLM Winnemucca Fire Management Officer | ||
4.1.2 Detection and Communication
Fires are reported in Humboldt County through 911 calls to the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Dispatch in Winnemucca notifies the local Volunteer Fire Departments and the Central Nevada Interagency Dispatch Center of the fire. The Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office has access to state mutual aid frequencies, and the radio system is compatible with neighboring agencies. Fires are communicated to the BLM Winnemucca Field Office and the US Forest Service Santa Rosa Ranger District through the Central Nevada Interagency Dispatch Center.
The BLM Winnemucca Field Office has cooperative agreements and annual operating plans with all Humboldt County Fire Departments that outline how the BLM will conduct fire suppression activities. The BLM Winnemucca Field Office has recently changed their run card system from paper-based to the “WildCAD” (Computer Aided Dispatch) system. When a fire is reported, the system identifies the daily fire hazard level (low, moderate, high, extreme) and assigns the appropriate available BLM equipment and personnel to the incident. The system also identifies potential fire suppression resources from local volunteer fire departments and the Wildfire Support Group. Fire crews from the Nevada Division of Forestry Honor Camp at Rose Creek are dispatched through the Interagency Dispatch Center in Elko, Nevada.
4.1.3 Community Preparedness
Humboldt County has an active Local Emergency Planning Committee and has adopted an emergency plan that includes a hazardous materials response plan. The County also has an all-risk disaster response plan that is updated annually. The plan should be updated to reflect the inherent disasters related to wildfire, and especially those mentioned in the worst case wildfire scenario mentioned listed for each community.