7.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

The Rancho Haven Community is located along the western boundary of Washoe County north of the Red Rock community. The community is situated at the base of the east slope of the Peterson Mountains. The community boundary is shown in Figure 7-1. The community hazard assessment resulted in classifying Rancho Haven in the High Hazard Category (67 points). A summary of factors that contributed to the hazard rating is included in Table 7-3. Primary factors that determined the hazard rating in Rancho Haven included the potential fire behavior related to topography and vegetative fuels, limited water sources within the community for fire suppression, the distance from fire suppression resources, and the inadequate address signage throughout the community.

7.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface area in Rancho Haven is characterized as an intermix condition. There is no clear line of demarcation between wildland fuels and the residential structures in the community. Most of the residences are located on lots less than one acre in size (see Figure 7-1).

• Access: Red Rock Road is the primary transportation route providing access to the community. The road is greater than 24 feet wide, which provides adequate space for two-way vehicular travel and for fire suppression equipment to maneuver. However, this is the only road between Red Rock and Rancho Haven, which if blocked could reduce fire suppression response time.
• Signage: All street signs are adequately signed and easily visible, however almost one-quarter of residential addresses are not easily visible from the road. Clear and visible street signs and residential addresses are important in locating homes during low visibility conditions that occur during a wildfire.
• Utilities: All utilities are above ground. Power lines have been properly maintained minimizing the possibility that arcing may start fires in nearby vegetation.

7.1.2 Construction Materials

Most of the homes in the interface are built with non-combustible or ignition resistant siding such as medium density fiberboard, stucco, or brick. Almost all of the homes have roofs of non-combustible material such as tile, metal, or composition. Approximately eighteen percent of the homes observed have unenclosed balconies, porches, decks, or other architectural features that can create drafty areas where sparks and embers can be trapped, smolder, ignite, and rapidly spread fire to the house.

7.1.3 Defensible Space

Approximately eighty percent of the homes surveyed in the Rancho Haven Community have landscaping that meets defensible space guidelines to protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

7.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

The Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department, part of the Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire District, is located in the west-central portion of the Rancho Haven community. Red Rock VFD assists Reno Fire Department with local fire protection resources for Rancho Haven. The Red Rock VFD reported having 24 volunteer members at the time interviews were conducted for this report. Table 7.1 shows the fire suppression resources available to the volunteers to respond to a reported wildland fire in the Rancho Haven area.

Table 7-1. Rancho Haven Initial Attack Wildfire Suppression Resources

Type of Resource	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type 1 Engine Type 3 Water Tender	1 2 1	Red Rock Volunteer Department (Truckee Meadows Station 40 - Rancho Haven)
Source: Roy Slate and Marty Scheuerman Reno Fire Department on 9/21/04

The Reno Fire Department responds with resources from the closest available career staffed station according to their standard wildland fire dispatch. Additional resources are available upon request from local, state, and federal agencies through mutual aid agreements as described in Section 4.1.1.

Detection and Communication

Fires are reported in Washoe County through the 911 system, which connects the call with the Washoe County 911 Center. Washoe County 911 notifies the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center of wildland fires. The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center notifies the Volunteer Fire Departments, the Nevada Division of Forestry, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service of fires through the use of pagers and radios.

Communication frequencies are currently compatible between agencies. However, when the federal agencies go to narrow band digital radios, the volunteers will no longer be able to communicate with the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Rancho Haven has one fire hydrant located approximately one mile south of the fire station. It is operated by gravity from a nearby pond. There are three ponds at the south end of the valley that could be used for drafting water to refill fire resources and possibly be used as a helicopter dip site. The only other water supply is from private wells in the community. The round trip time to refill fire apparatus would be at least 45 minutes.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

Volunteers and career firefighters are required to have at least forty hours of basic wildland training and attend eight hours of annual wildland refresher training, thus satisfying the National Wildfire Coordinating Group 310-1 wildland requirements for training. Approximately half of the total volunteer firefighters are certified to respond to wildland fires. However, they do not use the red card system used by most state and all federal fire agencies to certify that a person is qualified to fight a wildland fire. Many Reno Fire Department members are trained to a higher level and are certified through the red card system, but this is at the discretion of the individual.

Financial Support

The Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department is funded by the Washoe County general fund.

Community Preparedness

Rancho Haven is included in the Washoe County All-Risk Emergency Plan.

7.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

Vegetative as well as dead and down fuels combined with topographical features contribute to the potential fire hazard around wildland-urban interface communities. Fuel hazard maps for the Rancho Haven wildland-urban interface and representative fuel hazard photo points are provided in Figures 7-2 and 7-3.

The terrain in the wildland-urban interface area of the community is generally flat with a slightly northeast aspect. The prevailing winds are from the south and southwest, with high wind speeds that are common especially during summer afternoons. There is a significant history of large fires and lightning-caused fire ignitions on the mountains all around the community.

The dominant unburned vegetation north of the Rancho Haven community consists of moderately dense Utah juniper with a Wyoming big sagebrush and rabbitbrush understory. Basin wildrye, cheatgrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail are the dominant grass species in the area. Where the juniper and sagebrush are intermixed, fuel loads were estimated to range between ten and fifteen tons per acre and were considered an extreme fuel hazard.

Vegetation on the east side of the valley is dominated by black greasewood, rabbitbrush, basin wildrye, cheatgrass, saltgrass, and bottlebrush squirreltail. Fuel loads were estimated to range between one and two tons per acre and were considered a moderate fuel hazard.

A previously burned area on the west side of the valley is dominated by crested wheatgrass, bluegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, and cheatgrass. Traces of sagebrush, rabbitbrush, desert peach, and bitterbrush were noted, with most of the shrub heights less than two feet. In the burned areas near the community, fuel loads were estimated to range between less than one and two tons per acre and were considered a moderate fuel hazard.

7.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst-Case Scenario

The worst-case wildfire scenario would be a fire starting in the central and/or northern portion of the community near homes. On a high hazard day, with a south wind blowing greater than twenty miles per hour, the fire could be pushed north through moderately dense brush and juniper on south-facing slopes, threatening many homes located throughout the Rancho Haven area. Due to limited fire resources within the community and the remote location, the initial attack resources would be quickly overwhelmed and a fire could cover a very large area before additional resources could arrive.

7.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

Rancho Haven has a high ignition risk rating. There is a significant history of wildfire and fire ignitions within and surrounding the community. There is a tendency for heavy lightning in the area during the summer and moderate to high vehicular traffic in the area represent the greatest risk factors.

7.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations and Roles

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls not only on the local fire protection district but also on the residents, businesses, and local governments. The recommendations for the Rancho Haven community focus primarily on treatments that will reduce the fuel hazard on private property and promote community coordination and communications between property owners and fire suppression agencies.

7.2.1 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 recommended defensible space area). Defensible space reduces the fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against oncoming wildfire.

Property Owner Recommendations

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation to create defensible space around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix E. This area should be kept:
  • Lean: There are only small amount 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.
• Clear all dead plant material and combustible materials a minimum of five feet from the exterior of all structures.
• 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.
• Enclose areas under wood decks and porches when possible or maintain these areas to be free of weeds and other flammable debris. Box in eves and cover ventilation openings with very fine metal wire mesh to prevent embers from entering the attic and crawl spaces.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum of ten feet.
• Clear weeds and brush to a width of ten feet along both sides of the driveways.
• Maintain a minimum clearance of thirty feet from the crown of trees that remain within the defensible space zone. Keep this area free of smaller trees, shrubs, and other ladder fuels.
• 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 around chimneys.
• Mow grass within the defensible space zone to maintain a maximum height of four inches.
• Thin sagebrush and other shrubs to a spacing between shrubs that is equal to twice the shrub height.
• Immediately dispose of cleared vegetation when implementing defensible space treatments. This material dries quickly and poses a fire hazard if left on site.
• 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.
• Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
• Maintain the defensible space as needed.

Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department

• Volunteers should be trained and be available for courtesy inspections of home defensible space measures.

7.2.2 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 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.

Utility Company Recommendation

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

Reno Fire Department Recommendations

• Develop and promote a program for cleaning weeds and debris from around structures and fences in the community and for biomass disposal. Continue to enforce the permit process for open burning.

Washoe County Recommendations

• Reduce vegetation and maintain a minimum of 25 feet of clearance from the edge of all roadways in brush areas within the community.

7.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources and Training

Red Rock Volunteer Fire Department and Reno Fire Department Recommendation

• Meet annually with the Nevada Division of Forestry and the Bureau of Land Management to review pre-attack plans and to coordinate firefighting resources and response procedures including testing radio compatibility and coverage. Upgrade radios to new narrowband/digital technologies as needed to maintain communications with the federal agencies.
• Install at least one 15,000-gallon water storage tank for firefighting purposes at the Red Rock Fire Station.

7.2.4 Community Coordination

Property Owner Recommendation

• Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. The Nevada Fire Safe Council facilitates solutions to reduce the loss of lives and property from wildfire in Nevada’s communities. Through the establishment of a local 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
  1187 Charles Drive
  Reno, Nevada 89509
  www.nvfsc.org

• Ensure that residential addresses are visible from the road. Address characters should be at least four inches high, reflective, and composed of non-flammable material. Improving visibility of addresses will make it easier for those unfamiliar with the area to navigate under smoky conditions caused by a wildland fire.

Washoe County Recommendations

• 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.
• Facilitate coordinated and collaborative efforts at the County and State levels for consistency in fire safe community planning and enforcement of fire safe ordinances in a unified manner.

7.2.5 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.

Reno Fire Department Recommendation

• 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.

7.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 7-2. Rancho Haven Priority Recommendations to Reduce Wildfire Risks and Hazards

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space Treatments	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around home according to the defensible space guidelines in Appendix E.
	Community Coordination	Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. Ensure that street and address signs are clearly visible from the road.
Utility Company	Fuels Reduction	Remove trees and thin shrubs beneath power lines and utility poles. Maintain fifteen feet of clearance around utility poles.
Red Rock VFD   Reno Fire Department	Defensible Space Treatments	Conduct courtesy inspections of defensible space condition and defensible space treatments on private property.
	Fuels Reduction	Develop and promote regular brush clearance and biomass disposal, and continue to enforce the open burn permit programs.
	Resources and Training	Meet annually to discuss and update pre-attack plans for the community.
Washoe County	Fuels Reduction	Reduce vegetation and maintain a minimum of 25 feet of clearance from the edge of all roadways in brush areas within the community.
	Community Coordination	Continue to require that all future development in the County to meet the National Fire Codes in regards to construction materials, road design, water supply, and other fire department needs. Facilitate coordinated and collaborative efforts at the County and State levels for consistency in fire safe community planning and enforcement of fire safe ordinances in a unified manner.
Reno Fire Department	Resources and Training	Install at least one 15,000 gallon water storage tank at the Red Rock Fire Station.
	Public Education	Distribute copies of “Living with Fire” to all property owners living in Rancho Haven.

Table 7-3 Rancho Haven Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 7-1 Rancho Haven Fire History and Suppression Resources small | large | x-large
Figure 7-2 Rancho Haven Fuel Hazard Classification small | large | x-large