13.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

Resource Concepts, Inc. (2003) completed an assessment entitled “White Pine County Wildfire Risk Assessment and Fuel Reduction Plan for the communities of Ely, Blue Diamond, Ruth, and McGill” on behalf of White Pine County. The pertinent information from the 2003 assessment is summarized for the McGill assessment.

The community of McGill is located approximately ten miles northeast of Ely, along US Highway 93 (Figure 13-1). Forty homes were included in the McGill assessment. The hazard assessment resulted in classifying McGill in the Moderate Hazard Category The primary factors that determined the hazard rating for McGill were inconsistent implementation of defensible space, limited firefighting capabilities, and accumulated vegetation in vacant lots, along ditches, and along town roads.

13.1.1 Community Design

The McGill wildland-urban interface area is predominantly characterized as a classic interface condition where residences border wildland fuels with a clear line of demarcation between the fuels and the residences. Lot sizes are mostly less than one acre.

• Access: US Highway 93 is the primary road connecting McGill with other communities in White Pine County. The highway is paved and at least 24 feet wide with adequate width for two-vehicle passage and fire suppression equipment to maneuver. Dead-end roads, narrow streets, and driveways in some areas of McGill may limit the ability for fire suppression equipment to maneuver or turn around.
• Signage: Street signs were present and visible for most streets in McGill. Clear and visible residential addresses and street signs are important to aid firefighting personnel in locating homes during low visibility conditions that occur during a wildland fire.
• Utilities: Electrical utilities are above ground and power line corridors have been properly maintained. Most homes have propane tanks with the minimum vegetation clearance of ten feet.

13.1.2 Construction Materials

A majority of homes are built with non-combustible roofing materials such as tile, metal, or composition and non-combustible or highly fire-resistant siding material such as medium density fiberboard.

13.1.3 Defensible Space

Sixty-three percent of the homes surveyed in McGill have landscaping that meets the minimum defensible space requirement to help protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

13.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Fire protection in McGill is provided by the McGill Volunteer Fire Department, as part of the NDF White Pine County Fire Protection District as authorized under NRS 473. Additional resources are available through other local volunteer fire departments, the Bureau of Land Management Ely Field Office, the NDF Ely Conservation Camp, Great Basin National Park.

Table 13-1. McGill Wildfire Suppression Resources

Type of Equipment	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type 1 Engine Type 2 Rescue Unit Engine	1 1 2	McGill Volunteer Fire Department
Engine Type 1 Engine Type 3 Engine Type 4 Water Tender	1 1 1 4	City of Ely Fire Department
Type 1 Engine Type 4 Water Tender Rescue Unit Engine	1 1 1 2	Ruth Volunteer Fire Department
Type 6 Water Tender 2000-gallon	1 1	Lackawanna Volunteer Fire Department
Source: White Pine County Community Wildfire Hazard/Risk Assessment June 2003 (RCI) and subsequent interviews.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

Water in McGill is provided through the McGill-Ruth Consolidated Water and Sewer General Improvement District. Fire hydrants are available within 500 feet of residences in McGill. The two community wells in McGill are supported by springs at the base of the Duck Creek Range and by the Steptoe Valley aquifer.

13.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

Vegetation around McGill is composed primarily of black sagebrush, with some willows and grasses along an irrigation ditch on the west side of town. Piles of combustible debris are present around many of the homes in the McGill interface area. Mine tailings from Kennecott Copper Reduction Plant on the east side of town are almost devoid of vegetation and fuels The area above the mine that was bare of fuel is now dominated by halogeton and Russian thistle. The mine tailing west of town was seeded and is now dominated by perennial grass and alfalfa, growing to a height of three to four feet. The vegetation should be grazed to prevent excessive build-up of dry fuels. The fuel hazard within the area surrounding most of the community was considered moderate.

As of August 2004, the recommendations from the previous assessment (RCI 2003) had not been implemented.

13.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst Case Scenario

The greatest threat in McGill would be spot fires in the numerous abandoned outbuildings, structures, and flammable debris throughout town.

13.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls not only on the local fire department but also on residents of the community and local governments. McGill recommendations focused on implementation and maintenance of defensible space. Fire suppression resource recommendations included bringing personnel and equipment up to frontline working condition.

13.2.1 Defensible Space Treatments

Defensible space treatments are an essential first line of defense for residential structures. Significantly reducing or removing vegetation within a prescribed distance from structures (30 feet to 200 feet depending upon slope and vegetative fuel type) reduces fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against an oncoming wildfire.

Property Owners

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to guidelines provided in Appendix E. 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.
• Maintain defensible space annually.
• Immediately remove cleared vegetation to an approved disposal site. This material dries quickly and poses a fire risk if left on site. Refer to the Defensible Space fact sheet in Appendix E for clearance guidelines.
• Keep the area beneath unenclosed porches and decks free of accumulated vegetation or other flammable debris. Enclose these areas wherever possible.
• Store woodpiles at least thirty feet from any structure.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum distance of ten feet.
• Cheatgrass or other annual grasses that have become dominant within the defensible space zone should be mowed or treated with an application of pre-emergent herbicide prior to seed set. Treatments may need to be repeated the following year to ensure that the seed bank of unwanted grasses has been depleted. Refer to Appendix E for approved seed mixes and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with removal of this annual grass.
• Remove brush growing within thirty feet, and mow grass within ten feet of fences in the community.
• Install spark arrestors on chimneys.

13.2.2 Fuels Reduction Treatments

Fuel 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 (a fuel reduction treatment), the expected result in the event of a catastrophic wildfire would be one of reduced risk for uncontrolled spread through the treatment area. Reducing vegetation along roadways and driveways could reduce the likelihood of wildfire spreading across roads and improve firefighter access and safety for protecting homes.

White Pine County and Town of McGill

• Reduce vegetation by mowing it to a height of not more than four inches for a distance of 25 feet from the edge of the pavement, along both sides of county roads. Seed or treat the cleared areas as necessary to control cheatgrass.

Electric Utility Company

Power line corridors and transformer sites should be kept clear of flammable vegetation, as fires have been known to start from arcing power lines during windy conditions. Fire damage to power lines often creates power failures that can be especially dangerous in communities without a backup energy source. Energized power lines can also fall during a wildfire creating additional hazards for citizens and firefighters.

• Maintain utility right-of-ways by removing trees from beneath power lines and thinning shrubs a minimum of fifteen feet around power line transformers.

13.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources

Adequate training, equipment, and water drafting supplies are critical to all firefighters, whether they are first responders, volunteer fire department personnel, or agency personnel. These matters are also of special importance to all communities, especially those located in remote portions of the county. The following recommendations are related to actions the county and/or fire departments can take to increase the quality of fire suppression response in their community.

McGill Volunteer Fire Department

• Continue to provide all volunteer fire fighters with annual wildland fire training including the use of fire shelters and State Fire Marshal structure firefighting training.
• Update or replace all suppression equipment up to maintain proper working standards.
• Meet annually with the Nevada Division of Forestry and the Bureau of Land Management fire management personnel to review pre-attack plans and to coordinate firefighting resources and response procedures.

Table 13-2. McGill Risk/Hazard Reduction Priority Recommendations

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space Treatments	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix E. Maintain defensible space as needed to keep the space lean, clean, and green.
Utility Company	Fuel Reduction Treatment	Reduce and remove vegetation around power lines and utility poles. Maintain a minimum of fifteen feet of clearance around power line transformers.
Town of McGill White Pine County	Fuel Reduction Treatment	Mow vegetation for a distance of 25-feet on each side of community roads.
Nevada Division of Forestry McGill Volunteer Fire Department	Fire Suppression Resources	Continue to provide volunteers with annual wildland fire training including the use of fire shelters and State Fire Marshal structure firefighting training. Bring all equipment up to proper working standards. Meet annually with NDF and BLM fire management personnel to review pre-attack plans.

Figure 13-1 McGill Fire History, Suppression Capabilities, and Critical Features small | large | x-large