4.0 County-Wide Assessment Results

4.1 County-wide Hazard and Risk Assessment Overview

The RCI Project Team visited the ten communities in Lander County from May 17 through 19, 2004. The inventory and evaluation of community design aspects (roads, signage, utility infrastructure), defensible space conditions, construction materials, architectural features, wildland-urban interface characteristics, fuel type, and fuel densities resulted in the overall hazard ratings for each community. Assessment results are summarized in Table 4-1.

Table 4-1. Assessment Results Summary
Community	Interface Classification	Interface Fuel Hazard Condition	Ignition Risk Rating	Community Hazard Rating
Altamira Farms	Rural	Low	Low	N/A
Austin	Intermix	High to Extreme	High	High
Battle Mountain	Intermix and Classic Interface	Low	Moderate	Low
Battle Mountain Colony	Classic Interface	Low	Low	Low
Carico Valley	Rural	Low to Moderate	Low	N/A
Gilman Springs	Classic Interface	Moderate	Moderate	Moderate
Grass Valley	Rural	Moderate to Extreme	High	N/A
Hilltop	Classic Interface	Low	Low	Low
Kingston	Intermix	Moderate to Extreme	High	High
Smoky Valley	Rural	Moderate	Moderate	N/A
N/A - The Community Hazard Assessment procedures are not applicable in rural ranch communities.

4.1.1 Wildfire Protection Resources

Local volunteer fire departments are responsible for fire protection in the communities where they are located. Wildland fire suppression resources are described for each volunteer department in the respective community chapter. The initial response to a wildland fire by volunteer-staffed fire departments will vary depending on the day of the week and the time of day that the fire is reported. Some volunteer fire department members may be unable to respond to fire calls immediately during typical workday hours.

Additional wildland fire suppression resources are available throughout Lander County from the US Forest Service Austin Ranger District, the Bureau of Land Management Battle Mountain Field Office, and the Nevada Division of Forestry Carlin Conservation Camp. Air attack resources are available from the BLM Winnemucca Field Office, when requested and available. BLM, NDF, and USFS firefighters receive National Wildfire Coordinating Group wildland firefighting training. Table 4-2 lists the types of wildfire resources, cooperating partners and equipment available to respond to wildland fires within Lander County.

Table 4-2. Lander County Wildfire Suppression Resources, Cooperating Partners and Available Equipment
Type of Resource	Amount of Equipment	Agency Partner (Resource Location)
Type 3 Engine Water Tender	1 1	US Forest Service- BLM Interagency (Austin)
Type 3 Engine Type 4 Engine	1 1	Bureau of Land Management Battle Mountain Field Office (Battle Mountain)
Hand Crew (Type 2- Trained)	3	Nevada Division of Forestry Conservation Camps (Carlin, Winnemucca, Tonopah)
Source: Chad Lewis, BLM Battle Mountain Field Office; Mike Pattison, Interagency FMO Austin, Kacey KC, NDF State Office; Butch Hayes, BLM Nevada State Office.

4.1.2 Detection and Communication

In Lander County fires are reported through 911 calls to the Lander County Sheriff’s Office in Battle Mountain and are communicated to volunteer fire response personnel by the Lander County Sheriff’s Office. Federal agency fire response personnel are dispatched to fires by the Central Nevada Interagency Dispatch Center using radios, pagers and telephones. The NDF Conservation Camps are dispatched through the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center and the Elko Interagency Dispatch Center. The Lander County Sheriff’s Office has access to state mutual aid frequencies. The radio system is compatible with neighboring agencies.

4.1.3 Community Preparedness

Lander County has an active Local Emergency Planning Committee and has adopted an all-risk emergency plan that includes disaster and hazardous materials handling plans.