26.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

Sun Valley is located north of Sparks and Reno-Northwest, east of Golden Valley and west of Spanish Springs. The community boundary is shown in Figure 26-1. The community hazard assessment resulted in classifying the Sun Valley in the Moderate Hazard Category (50 points). A summary of factors that contributed to the hazard rating is included in Table 26-3. Primary factors that determined the hazard rating in the Sun Valley included inadequate defensible space implementation and inadequate address signage throughout the community.

26.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface area in the Sun Valley community can be described generally as an intermix condition. There is no clear line of demarcation between wildland fuels and the residential structures in the community. All of the residences are located on lots less than one acre in size.

• Access: Sun Valley Boulevard (State Route 443) is the primary transportation route providing access to and from the community. The road is greater than 24 feet wide and provides adequate space for two-way vehicular travel and for fire suppression equipment to maneuver. Secondary roads in the majority of the community have road grades less than five percent with adequate turn around areas for fire suppression apparatus. However, in the northwest section of the community most secondary roads are steep and narrow with dead ends that make access by fire suppression apparatus almost impossible. A few roads on the southeast side of the community have the same problem.
• Signage: All of the street signs in the community are easily visible. Eighty-six percent of the residential addresses are 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 not been properly maintained in all areas of the community. Proper maintenance minimizes the possibility that arcing may start fires in nearby vegetation. In some areas of the community, the recommended ten feet of vegetation clearance does not exist around propane tanks.

26.1.2 Construction Materials

Almost all of the homes in the interface are built with non-combustible or ignition resistant siding such as medium density fiberboard, stucco, or brick. All of the residences have roofs of non-combustible material such as tile, metal, or composition. Approximately 22 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.

26.1.3 Defensible Space

Approximately 64 percent of the homes surveyed in the Sun Valley community have landscaping that meets defensible space guidelines to protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

26.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Fire protection for the Sun Valley community is primarily provided by Reno Fire Department career staffed Fire Station #15. The standard Reno Fire Department dispatch for a wildland fire is shown in Table 26-1. Other local, state, and federal resources are available upon request through mutual agreements as described in Section 4.1.1.

Table 26-1. Standard Reno Fire Department Wildland Fire Dispatch for Initial Attack Near Sun Valley

Type of Resource	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type 3 Engine Type 1 Water Tender Battalion Chief Safety Officer	3 1 1 1 1	Reno Fire Department (Closest available career and volunteer resources)
Source: Roy Slate and Marty Scheuerman Reno FD

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. 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

Sun Valley has fire hydrants within 1,000 feet of structures with minimum flow capacities of 1,000 gallons per minute in most areas of the community. Fire hydrants are gravity fed from several water storage tanks. There is no emergency back-up generator for refilling the storage tanks. In the areas not served by a hydrant system the estimated round trip time to additional water supplies to refill fire apparatus is approximately twenty minutes or less.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

Reno Fire Department firefighters are required to have at least forty hours of basic wildland training and are required to attend eight hours of annual wildland refresher training.

Reno Fire Department is in the process of providing additional training for career Captains and Chief Officers. They do not use the red card system. 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 Reno Fire Department is funded from the City of Reno General Fund.

Community Preparedness

Sun Valley is included in the Washoe County All-Risk Emergency Plan.

26.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The terrain in the Sun Valley community is generally flat in the valley bottom with slopes between eight and twenty percent on the southeast facing foothills northwest of the community. The foothills are gently rolling with many small drainages dissecting the fans. The prevailing wind direction is from the west and southwest. High wind speeds are common during summer afternoons.

The vegetative fuels on the east side of the community consist primarily of big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, bitterbrush, spiny hopsage, and Mormon tea. Most shrubs are one to two feet tall with cheatgrass and bottlebrush squirreltail under the shrub canopies. The fuel loads were estimated to range between one and two tons per acre and were considered a low to moderate fuel hazard depending upon slope.

On the northwest side of the community, moderate to high density Utah juniper is the dominant species with big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, spiny hopsage, Mormon tea, cheatgrass and bottlebrush squirreltail interspersed between trees. Shrubs in this area of the community ranged between two and four feet tall. The fuel load was estimated to range between ten and fifteen tons per acre depending upon tree density and was considered an extreme fuel hazard.

26.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst-Case Scenario

The worst-case scenario for a wildland fire near Sun Valley would start with an ignition northwest of the community boundary in a stand of juniper and brush. Strong west winds, greater than twenty miles per hour, would push the fire toward homes and quickly threaten structures that do not have adequate defensible space.

26.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

The ignition risk for Sun Valley is rated moderate. The valley bottom is rapidly being developed with housing and commercial structures, thus reducing the wildland fuel load in these areas but increasing the population density and the chances for a human caused ignition. The overall area does have a history of wildland fires and is prone to summer lightning activity.

26.1.8 Existing Mitigation Projects

In June of 2003, as part of the North Valley Fuels Treatment Project, the Bureau of Land Management completed a fuel reduction project for both the Sun Valley and Lemmon Valley communities. Fuelbreaks 100 feet-wide were constructed using mechanical treatments to reduce juniper and shrub cover at the community interface (USDI 2003). The treatment area in Sun Valley was approximately fourteen acres.

26.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls not only on the local fire protection district but also on the residents of the community, businesses, and local governments. The hazard recommendation for Sun Valley focus on creating and maintaining defensible space and on fuel reduction treatments.

26.2.1 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.
• Remove or board up abandoned trailers and structures to prevent sparks from entering and igniting the structure.

Reno Fire Department Recommendation

• Conduct courtesy inspections of home defensible space measures and assist with implementation of defensible space treatments.

26.2.2 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 beneath power lines.

Reno Fire Department Recommendation

• 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.

Bureau of Land Management Recommendation

• Widen and maintain the existing fuelbreak an additional width of 100 feet, for a total treatment area of 200 feet in the northwest section of the community as shown on Figure 26-1. Remove all pinyon-juniper in the first 100 feet. Limb the remaining trees to a height of four feet, or no more than one-third of the total height of the tree. Thin the brush to a minimum spacing of two times the height of the plants throughout the entire treatment area.

26.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources and Training

Reno Fire Department Recommendation

• Meet annually with the Nevada Division of Forestry, the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service 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.

26.2.4 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.

26.2.5 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

• 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.

26.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 26-2. Sun Valley 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 homes according to the defensible space guidelines in Appendix E.
	Community Coordination	Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. Ensure that residential addresses are 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.
Washoe County	Community Coordination	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, water supply, and emergency access. 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.
Bureau of Land Management	Fuels Reduction	Increase the width of the existing fuelbreak to 200-feet wide in the northwest section of the community.
Reno Fire Department	Defensible Space Treatments	Conduct courtesy inspections of defensible space condition and assist with implementation of defensible space treatments.
	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 with the Nevada Division of Forestry and the Bureau of Land Management to discuss and update pre-attack plans for the community and test radio coverage and compatibility.
	Public Education	Distribute copies of the publication “Living with Fire” to all property owners.

Table 26-3 Sun Valley Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 26-1 Sun Valley Fire History, Suppression Resources, Critical Features, and Proposed Mitigation Projects small | large | x-large