4.1 District-Wide Assessment Results

Field evaluations, interview, fuel measurements and community assessments were conducted between May 2 and June 11, 2004. The overall results of the Risk/Hazard Assessments conducted in the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District are summarized in Table 1-1. Hazard mapping for the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District is shown on Figure 4-1.

4.1.1 Wildfire Protection Resources

Wildland firefighting suppression resources in the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District include the following agencies:

• Tahoe-Douglas Fire District Fire Department
• North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, Incline
• South Lake City Fire Department
• Carson City Fire Department
• Lake Valley Fire Department
• Lake Tahoe Regional Fire Chiefs Association Mutual Aid Agreement
• US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU)
• Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF)
• East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts

The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District is the primary agency that responds to wildfires for the communities described in this plan. It is a career fire district located on the south and east shores of Lake Tahoe. TDFPD protects and serves the Douglas County Nevada portion of Lake Tahoe, covering 17.3 square miles. TDFPD is the largest fire department in the Lake Tahoe Basin, employing 45 line personnel, six chief officers, an administrative assistant, and a mechanic. TDFPD is governed by a five member elected Board of Trustees that serve four year terms. The Board meets monthly.

The TDFPD service area includes high rise hotel-casinos; extensive time share and condominium developments that also include low and high rise buildings; commercial and warehouse centers; high, medium and low density residential areas including large apartment complexes; several large estates; and an extensive wildland-urban interface/intermix problem with many areas built near and among dense forest areas. This interface/intermix problem is compounded by a forest mortality rate as high as 50 percent in some areas.

The Fire Chief has the overall responsibility for all aspects of the District operations and functions as the chief executive and financial officer overseeing the annual budget. TDFPD is governed by a five member elected Board of Trustees that serve four-year terms. The Board meets monthly on the fourth Monday of each month. Table 4-1 lists the typical equipment available from a TDFPD station and typical response times.

Table 4-1. Typical Wildfire Resources for a First Alarm

Response Time	Type Of Equipment	Amount Of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
10 to 30 minutes	Type III Engine Type I Engine Medic Unit Duty Officer Type III Engine Air Attack Air Tanker	1 2 2 1 2   1	TDFPD       USFS-LTBMU Grass Valley, CA Dispatch
1 to 2 hours	Type I Engine Type III Engine Hand Crew Type II Strike Team Type I Engine Strike Team Type III Engine Engine Task Force	1 1 1 1 1 1	NDF     Lake Tahoe Regional Chiefs   East Fork Fire and Paramedic Districts
2+ hours	Resources as ordered by LTBMU		LTBMU is dispatched by interagency dispatch center in Camino, CA
Source: Personal Communication with Chief Bruce Van Cleemput, Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District 5-2004.

Water Sources and Infrastructure in the District

There are several water tanks scattered throughout the district varying in size from 100,000 gallons to over one million. There are fire hydrants available within a minimum of 500 feet of structures. The water sources are either gravity fed or powered by pumps with emergency back-up generators.

Utilities

Most of the power lines in the area are above ground. A few subdivisions have underground power, however the main power transmission lines into the Tahoe Basin are above ground. Above ground power lines pose certain risks - during windstorms power lines can arc, throwing sparks into nearby vegetation, or homes. Utility right-of-ways that are not maintained free of vegetation pose a fire risk.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

All of the firefighters have a minimum of NFPA firefighter I and II training and wildland firefighting training (NWCG 310-1), and are trained to National Wildfire Coordinating Group Red-Card certification standards. Red Card certification is part of a fire qualifications management system used by many state and all federal wildland fire management agencies that indicates an individual is qualified to fight wildland fires.

TDFPD Communication and Detection

Fires are reported in Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District through the Minden Interagency Dispatch Center located in Minden, Nevada and through 911 calls. The TDFPD has access to the state mutual aid frequencies. Fires are communicated to fire response personnel through the use of radios and pagers. The radio system is compatible with neighboring agencies, however, there are areas with gaps in radio coverage particularly at Stateline near the high-rise hotels and at Spooner Summit. There are no fire lookouts, patrols, or reconnaissance flights.

Prior to 1999, the US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit used the dispatch service in Minden, Nevada. The Minden Dispatch fills resource orders through the Western Great Basin Coordination Center located in Reno, Nevada.

In 1999 the dispatch service for the US Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit was moved from the Minden Interagency Dispatch in Minden, Nevada to the Camino Interagency Dispatch in Camino, California. Currently, all resources ordered anywhere in the Lake Tahoe Basin by the US Forest Service must go through the Camino Dispatch. The Camino Dispatch fills resource orders through the North Zone Coordinating Center located in Redding, California. Orders that cannot be filled are forwarded to the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, which dispatches resources throughout the United States. The dispatch system is diagramed in Figure 4-2.

This process is not effective in obtaining needed resources in the Lake Tahoe basin in a timely manner as was demonstrated by the 2002 Gondola Fire. Air tankers were available at the Minden Air Tanker Base but were not ordered by Camino Dispatch because Minden is located outside of California. Although the Minden tankers were the closest resource, California tankers from bases farther away were used. In addition, local Nevada fire resources were also not ordered. At one point, California fire engines were responding past Nevada fire stations that were closer to the fire. The Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District ordered resources under the Lake Tahoe Regional Chiefs Mutual Aid Agreement. Because of the confusing dispatch system, the California Office of Emergency Services assigned request numbers to the mutual aid engines, and TDFPD was billed for the mutual aid engines that should have responded for no charge.

Work Load

In 2003, TDFPD responded to 1,200 emergency medical calls, 50 wildland fires and 750 other calls.

Financial Support

The TDFPD is a NRS 318 district and financial support comes from the ad valorem tax rate the state sales tax.

Community Preparedness

The TDFPD has several emergency plans, all of which are updated annually:

• Hazardous materials response
• Pre-attack Plan for response to incidents with the district
• An All-Risk Plan for Douglas County
• Emergency Evacuation Plan in cooperation with the Douglas County Sheriff's Department

The TDFPD has a plan for open burning twice a year and a compost-your- combustibles event once a year. The district has a brush clearance program although it is not enforced at this time. The district reviews development plans to ensure compliance with the 1997 Uniform Fire Code.

4.2 General Risk Reduction Recommendations for the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls on residents as well as the local fire protection agency and public agencies. The following general recommendations focus primarily on fuel reduction and defensible space efforts that residents, fire departments and public agencies can follow to increase fire safety. Recommendations also include public education and community coordination efforts. The most important consideration for successful implementation of the recommendations in this report may be for agency and landowner cooperation and coordination to ensure that the necessary fuel reduction treatments are implemented, completed, and maintained.

Defensible space treatments are an essential first line of defense for residential structures. Significantly reducing or removing vegetation within a prescribed distance from structures (typically 30 feet) reduces fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against oncoming wildfire. Defensible space recommendations in this report comply with the standards approved by TRPA in the North Lake Tahoe FPD checklist and explanation included in Appendix D.

Fuels reduction treatments are applied on a larger scale than defensible space treatments. By permanently changing the fuel structure over large blocks of land to one of lower volume or reduced flammability with a fuel reduction treatment, the expected result in the event of a catastrophic wildfire would be one of reduced capacity for uncontrolled spread through the treated area.

Fuelbreaks are necessary to slow the advance of a fire and protect resources or structures from a fire. The fuelbreaks discussed in this recommendation will aid in keeping access roads open and protect power lines. Because there are limited access points to the community, it is imperative that these be maintained to allow fire suppression equipment into the community and to provide an evacuation route if the need arises.

These fuelbreaks will also help to protect utility lines in the area. Properly maintained vegetation within power line corridors greatly reduces potential hazards, and the risk of additional ignitions, along those easements. It is important to keep power line corridors clear of flammable vegetation, especially around power poles and beneath transformers, as fires have been known to start from arcing power lines during windy conditions. Damage by fire to power lines often causes power failures, which are especially dangerous to communities without a backup energy source, as most communities rely on electric pumps to provide water to residents and firefighters for structure protection and fire suppression.

Coordination among local, state and federal fire suppression agencies is important in the day-to-day fire prevention activities and becomes critical in the event of a wildland fire. During a fire event, firefighters from other communities and states may be dispatched to areas they have never been before. This is particularly true in areas that have limited fire suppression resources and will most likely be dependent on an outside agency in the event of a catastrophic wildland fire.

Public education on making communities more fire safe is critical. Informed community members will take the initiative to lead efforts in effectively reducing the threat that wildland fires present to the entire interface community.

4.2.1 Property Owner Responsibilities

General guidelines for improving defensible space around residences and structures in the district are provided below.

Defensible Space

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the checklist and explanation provided in Appendix D. 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.
• Immediately dispose of cleared vegetation when implementing defensible space treatments. The material dries quickly and poses a fire risk if left on site.
• Maintain this defensible space as needed to keep the space lean, clean, and green.
• Remove all dead and dying vegetation, debris, and scrap lumber within 30 to 100 feet of any structure according to the guidelines in Appendix D. Contact TRPA for approval of tree removal within the defensible space zone. If trees are less than 6 inches in diameter (measured at 4.5 feet on the trunk) then no permit or approval is required.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum distance of 10 feet.
• Thin native shrubs such as manzanita and bitterbrush to a spacing of twice their height. Short, green well-maintained groundcovers do not need to be thinned.
• Store firewood a minimum distance of 30 feet from structures.
• Install spark-arresting screens on chimneys.
• Enclose or screen areas under wood decks and porches to prevent entry by flying embers. If not possible, then maintain the areas to be free of weeds and other flammable debris. Screen all house vents and eaves.
• Remove pine needles, leaves, and debris from roofs and rain gutters.
• Thin live native trees within the defensible space zone to 80 square feet basal area per acre to open up the crown canopy and provide room for the crowns to expand. The TRPA and the fire district can help the homeowner make this determination. Closed tree canopies trap heat from ground fire and can lead to a crown fire.
• For trees remaining within the defensible space zone, limb branches a minimum of 6 feet from the ground, preferably up to 15 feet, or not more than 1/3 of the tree height to reduce ladder fuels.
• Remove all dead and diseased branches, duff and native shrubs from beneath remaining trees.
• Prune trees so that the branches are at least 10 feet away from chimneys and or structures.
• Irrigate all trees and large shrubs in close proximity to structures to increase their fire resiliency. This is especially important during drought conditions.
• Where cheatgrass has become a dominant species within the defensible space area it should be mowed prior to seed set. Mowing should be repeated annually or as necessary to deplete the cheatgrass from the seed bank. Reseeding should follow with a more fire resistant seed-mix approved by TRPA.

Construction Materials

• Replace wood shake roofs with Class A non-combustible material such as tile, metal, or composition.
• Make sure residential addresses are visible from the road. Residential address characters should be at least six inches high and reflective. Improving visibility of addresses will make it easier for those unfamiliar with the area to navigate an area during a wildland fire.

Fuel Reduction Treatments

• Thin and remove native trees and brush for a distance of 10 feet from the road edge along both sides of private driveways longer than 200 feet. Flammable fuels should be replaced with fire-resistant species or a TRPA-approved pre-suppression seed mix.
• Maintain proper clearances beneath powerlines to the home.

Community Coordination

• Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. The Nevada Fire Safe Council proposes to work with Nevada’s communities to develop solutions that reduce the risk of loss of lives and property from wildfires. Through the establishment of a local Chapter, communities become part of a large information-sharing network that receives notifications 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 provides assistance and support to communities to complete fire safe plans, set priorities, educate and train community members and promote success stories of its members. For more information on forming a chapter, contact:
  The Nevada Fire Safe Council
  1187 Charles Drive
  Reno, Nevada 89509
  (775) 322-2413

4.2.2 Tahoe-Douglas FPD Responsibilities

In order to ensure that defensible space and fuels reduction occurs and is maintained regularly in the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District, the following recommendations are suggested

Fuel Reduction Treatments

• Coordinate with TRPA to develop a Memorandum of Understanding to allow the Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District the authority to mark and approve tree removal necessary for defensible space.
• Continue photographic monitoring of fuel hazard reduction project areas.
• Purchase for a heavy-duty chipper capable of handling up to 18-inch diameter trees. A seasonal summer crew would be sufficient to run the chipper for the proposed fuels reduction projects outlined in Chapter 11.0, Project Worksheets. This would be a multi-purpose crew, also available for hand-cut, pile, and burn projects and other proposed fuels reduction projects.

Community Coordination

• Develop a homeowner checklist that describes the homeowner's responsibilities for compliance with state and local fire safety ordinances. Encourage and enforce compliance with ordinances through regular neighborhood inspections to identify fuel hazards within the defensible space zone.
• Enforce the prompt removal of standing dead and dead down vegetation.

Public Education

• 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, (775) 784-4848.
• Hold an annual “Fire and Safety Awareness” event.

4.2.3 US Forest Service and/ State of Nevada Responsibilities

Fuel Reduction Treatments

• Thin trees and remove brush from individual lots according to Fuel Reduction guidelines in Chapter 11.0.
• Cooperate with the TDFPD to implement the fuel reduction recommendations in this document.
• Develop an agreement between Camino Interagency Dispatch Center and Minden Dispatch Center for wildfire ignitions that occur on National Forest lands that directs Camino Dispatch to provide Initial Attack Services and to transfer dispatch authority to Minden Dispatch for Expanded Dispatch Services for fires that are located on the Nevada portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin to initiate faster response from suppression resources in closer proximity to the fire.

4.2.4 Sierra Pacific Power Company Responsibilities

Fuel Reduction Treatments

• Remove rather than prune trees in the power line right-of-way. Topping trees severely weakens them and predisposes them to attack by bark beetle infestation and disease.
• Reduce vegetation to maintain a minimum distance of 15 feet from all utility poles.
• Clear all vegetation and maintain a minimum distance of 30 feet from the fence around all electrical transfer stations.

4.2.5 Douglas County Responsibilities

Community Coordination

• Replace wood-post street signs with fire-resistant street signage.
• Adopt ordinance to require Class A roofing and non-combustible siding in new construction.

4.2.6 TRPA Responsibilities

Fuel Reduction Treatments

• Permit yarding of slash and biomass material with cable systems as described in Section 11.0 of this document. Aerial yarding systems allow for material to be lifted from the ground before being transported to a landing. This reduces the amount of soil disturbance in biomass removal operations.
• Permit whole tree skidding to remove trees from an area. This method allows the tree removal process to be conducted at a landing site rather than chipping and spreading the chips in the forest. Heavy layers of chips inhibit grasses and forbs from emerging.
• Consider revising the Code of Ordinances to that a tree density of 80 to 100 square feet of basal area per acre is attainable (see Section 11.0).
• Cooperate with Douglas County to require that all roads be at least 22-feet wide and have turning radius of at least 45 degrees. Existing roads and turn-arounds should be widened. Long single-lane roads should have turn-outs of at least 35 feet, placed every 700 feet when possible.

Figure 4-1 Wildfire Hazard Classifications, Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District small | large | x-large
Figure 4-2 Communication Diagram for Wildfire Suppression, Tahoe-Douglas Fire Protection District small | large