30.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

Washoe Valley-East is located south of Pleasant Valley and east of Washoe Lake. Washoe Valley-East is situated at the base of the west-facing slope of the Virginia Range foothills. The community is bordered to the south and west by the Washoe Lake State Park and to the east by Bureau of Land Management administered public lands. The community boundary is shown in Figure 30-1. The community hazard assessment resulted in classifying Washoe Valley-East in the Moderate Hazard Category (53 points). A summary of factors that contributed to the hazard rating is included in Table 30-3. Primary factors that determined the hazard rating in Washoe Valley-East include the potential for hazardous fire behavior based on fuel hazards and topographic conditions in the community and limited fire suppression resources.

30.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface area in the Washoe Valley-East community 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 in the community are located on lots between one and ten acres in size.

• Access: East Lake Boulevard 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.
• Signage: All of the street signs in the community are easily visible and almost all 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.

30.1.2 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. Ninety-one percent of the residences have roofs of non-combustible material such as tile, metal, or composition. Approximately sixteen percent of the homes observed had 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.

30.1.3 Defensible Space

Approximately 87 percent of the homes surveyed in the Washoe Valley-East community have landscaping that meets defensible space guidelines to protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

30.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Fire suppression services for Washoe Valley-East is provided by Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire District. The standard Reno Fire Department dispatch for a wildland fire is shown in Table 30-1. Other local, state, and federal resources are available upon request through mutual agreements as described in Section 4.1.1.

Table 30-1. Standard Reno Fire Department Wildland Fire Dispatch for Initial Attack Near Washoe Valley - East

Type of Resource	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type III Engine Type I 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 Fire Department

Water Sources and Infrastructure

There are no fire hydrants in the Washoe Valley-East community. The closest hydrant is in Washoe City. The estimated round trip time to additional water supplies to refill fire apparatus is approximately twenty minutes away, or less. Washoe Lake and Little Washoe Lake can be used as a helicopter dip site and drafting site during years when the lakes hold water throughout the summer.

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.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

Reno/Truckee Meadows volunteer and career firefighters are required to have at least forty hours of basic wildland training and they are required to attend eight hours of annual wildland refresher training.

Financial Support

Financial support for the Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire Department is provided through the City of Reno General Fund and Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District (NRS 474).

30.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The terrain in the Washoe Valley-East community is characterized by southwest-facing hillsides, eight to twenty percent slope, and flatter terrain toward Washoe Lake. The prevailing wind direction in the community is from the west and southwest.

Vegetative fuels on the south, east, and north sides of the community, including interior parcels, primarily consist of bitterbrush, big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and desert peach, with cheatgrass, and perennial grasses under the shrub canopies. Shrub heights generally range between three and seven feet tall. The fuel loads in these areas were estimated at four to eight tons per acre and were considered a high fuel hazard. On the southwest side of the community near the Scripps Wildlife Refuge, the vegetation consists of rabbitbrush, greasewood, and big sagebrush with saltgrass in the understory. Fuel loads in this area were estimated at three to four tons per acre and were considered a moderate fuel hazard.

30.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst-Case Scenario

The worst-case scenario for the Washoe Valley-East community would be a dry lightning storm late on a summer afternoon, during a year with above normal precipitation and abundant cheatgrass production. Strong erratic winds, greater than twenty miles per hour could push fires started from multiple ignitions into the community from several directions. Interior lots with dense brush and structures with poor defensible space are at increased risk of structure loss. Fire suppression operations in areas without water storage must be supported by water tenders, which could delay fire containment and control.

30.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

There is a high ignition risk in the Washoe Valley-East community due to summer afternoon thunderstorms and high use of the area by the public. The area has some history of multiple ignitions and large fires.

30.2 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 recommendations for the Washoe Valley-East community focus primarily on additional efforts that could be taken by community members and public agencies to increase wildland fire safety through reduction of fuels that pose a hazard. Other recommendations pertain to community coordination and public education efforts that could be undertaken to enhance fire safety

30.2.1 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.
• Replace wood shake roofs with fire resistant roofing material.
• 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.
• Install spark arrestors on 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.
• Replace ornamental junipers in landscaped areas with fire resistant species.
• 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.
• Where cheatgrass has become dominant within the defensible space zone, areas should be mowed prior to seed maturity or treated with an application of a pre-emergent herbicide.[19] Treatments may need to be repeated for several years to ensure that the seed bank of unwanted annual grass seeds has been depleted. Refer to Appendix E for a recommended seed mixture and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with cheatgrass removal.
• Maintain the defensible space as needed.

30.2.2 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.

Bureau of Land Management and Nevada State Parks

• Include construction and maintenance of a fuelbreak 200 feet wide around the community as shown in Figure 30-1 as part of the New Washoe City Fuels Treatment project currently proposed by the Bureau of Land Management Carson City Field Office.

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. Reduce and remove vegetation to maintain a minimum clearance of thirty feet from fences around power substations.

Washoe County Roads Department and Nevada Department of Transportation Recommendation

• Reduce vegetation and maintain roads by mowing all vegetation to a height of no more than four inches for a distance of twenty feet from the edge of the pavement on both sides of the road. Remove biomass and dispose at an appropriate site. Reseed treated areas with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

30.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources and Training

Reno/Truckee Meadows 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.

30.2.4 Community Coordination

Property Owner Recommendations

• 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

• Assure that address signs 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 during 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.
• Develop and enforce ordinances regarding fuel reduction and defensible space requirements for wildland-urban interface areas. Require defensible space implementation and maintenance on all developed lots and fuel reduction on all vacant lots within the interface area. Require approval by the appropriate fire agency of completed fuel reduction treatments prior to issuance of building permits for new wildland-urban interface 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.

Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire Department Recommendation

• Prepare an evacuation plan and post or otherwise distribute this plan to residents. This plan should include information regarding evacuation routes, evacuation procedures, designated fire safe zones, and procedures for sheltering in place in case evacuation becomes infeasible during a fast moving firestorm.

30.2.5 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/Truckee Meadows 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.

Property Owner Recommendation

• As an evacuation plan becomes available, citizens should read and become fully knowledgeable of evacuation procedures, fire safety zones, and safety procedures for sheltering in place in the event that evacuation is not possible.

30.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 30-2. Washoe Valley - East Priority Recommendations to Reduce Wildfire Risks and Hazards

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space	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. Improve address visibility from the road.
	Public Education	Participate in public education opportunities and become knowledgeable of emergency evacuation procedures
	Fuels Reduction	Reduce fuels by thinning brush and grass on undeveloped lots. Reseed if necessary to control noxious weeds.
Bureau of Land Management Nevada State Parks	Fuels Reduction	Include construction and maintenance of a fuelbreak 200 feet wide around the community perimeter, east of East Lake Boulevard as part of the New Washoe City Fuels Treatment Project.
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 Nevada Department of Transportation	Fuels Reduction	Reduce and remove vegetation in road right-of-ways to maintain an average four-inch vegetation height. Reseed treated areas to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.
Washoe County	Community Coordination	Continue to require all future development in the County to meet the national fire codes with regard to community design aspects, building construction and spacing, road construction and design, water supply, and emergency access. Develop and/or enforce county laws, regulations, and ordinances for defensible space and fuels reduction that include absentee homeowners, vacant lots, and new subdivisions. 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/Truckee Meadows Fire Department	Resources and Training	Meet annually with the Nevada Division of Forestry, the US Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management to discuss and update pre-attack plans for the community and test radio coverage and compatibility.
	Community Coordination	Develop an emergency evacuation plan for the Washoe Valley-East community.
	Public Education	Distribute copies of the publication “Living with Fire” to all property owners.

Table 30-3 Washoe Valley - East Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 30-1 Washoe Valley - East Fire History, Suppression Resources, and Proposed Mitigation Treatments small | large | x-large