Metro Chiefs Annual Conference May 24, 2012

 Why should Metro Chiefs care?

 How can you help communities get ready for wildfire?

 What resources are available?

 East Shore, Staten Island, NY (courtesy Richmond Community Wildfire Protection Plan)

 North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, 2009

   Austin Oklahoma City Colorado Springs

  Estimated average of 356,800 fires reported per year ◦ 976 per day 23% of all fires reported to local fire departments Source : Brush, Grass, and Forest Fires, Marty Ahrens NFPA Fire Analysis and Research, Quincy, MA, August 2010

Unclassified natural vegetation fire; 42 700; 12% Forest, woods or wildland fire; 36 700; 10% Grass fire; 132 000; 37% Brush or brush and grass mixture fire; 145 400; 41%

West Midwest Northeast South

70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 9% 14% 3% 7% Northeast 54% 51% 60% 63% South All brush, grass or forest fires Brush or brush and grass mixture Grass fire Forest, woods or wildland fire 20% 19% 21% 14% 17% 16% 15% 13% Midwest West

225 200 175 150 125 100 75 50 25 0 174 112 22 15 Northeast 208 81 85 South 25 All brush, grass or forest fires Brush or brush and grass mixture Grass fire Forest, woods or wildland fire 86 34 34 Midwest 6 32 12 10 West 3

◦ Reduce potential fire intensity that the vegetation will influence (aka fuel modification or fuel reduction) ◦ Reduce the structure’s ignitability (aka home retrofit)

 ◦ Home ignition zone A house burns because of its interrelationship with everything in its immediate surroundings (100 -200 feet) ◦ What happens within this zone is critical to structure survival ◦ A wildfire’s potential relationship with a house can be interrupted here

 The Home Ignition Zone includes the home, in addition to its immediate surroundings up to 200 feet.

If it’s attached to the house, it’s part of the house.

   The Little Things are Frequent Culprits Roof flammability dominates likelihood for ignition, usually from embers Openings are vulnerable to ember penetration Nooks and crannies are vulnerable to massing embers Fuel Reduction Around the Home is Effective   Keep flames from touching the house or attachments Keep radiant heat from large flames at least 10 meters (33 feet) away from structure and attachments

 ◦ Rated roofs (A, B or C) Levels refer to the size of a burning firebrand placed on the roof assembly  Fire-resistant building materials  Fire-resistant plant materials

  Create a ‘fuel free’ area around your house that runs one yard out on all sides. When preparing your home ignition zone, start with the house and work out

 Keep mulch and pine needles away from your house, fence and deck. If something is attached to the house, it is part of the house

 Wood fences and mulch should not touch structures

 Pine needles are unwelcome in your gutters or on your roof

 During fire season, store fire wood at least 30 feet from your house if possible

 In wooded areas, thin trees, removing down and dead and the ladder fuels. Firewise choices include healthy, large specimens and deciduous species, when present

  Plan your Firewise landscape!

Careful selection of fire-resistant plants can slow the spread of a wildfire and reduce its intensity

 Keep plant debris to a minimum… ◦ Rake ◦ ◦ Mow Dispose of debris promptly

  Work with our neighbors!

Where homes are close enough to ignite one another, neighbors must work together to modify overlapping home ignition zones

    Firewise offers a national recognition program for small communities Firewise tools and resources can improve residents’ readiness Tailor a plan to fit local needs Recognition for neighborhood efforts

 ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Five Firewise Standards Obtain a wildfire hazard assessment Form a committee and create a plan Conduct an annual “Firewise Day” Invest minimum $2/capita in local efforts Submit a simple application form via state forestry, and repeat Firewise Day and investment each year

750 in 40 states (Alaska & Hawaii too!)

  $103 million invested 1 million+ people affected   343 sites 5+ years 30 sites 10+ years

Enabling Fire Departments to Deliver the Wildland Fire Personal Preparedness Message

Collaboration for Local Success

Ready, Set, Go!

RSG Programmatic Partners

• Partners – IAFC partnership with Federal Agencies • U.S. Forest Service • U.S. Department of Agriculture • U.S. Department of the Interior • U.S. Fire Administration

RSG Background

• 2007 California Firestorms: Need for Public Outreach • Solution by Ventura and Orange Counties, CA: – “Leave Early or Stay and Defend” Model • Tragic Lessons from the 2008 Victoria, Australia, fires • “Ready, Set, Go!” Initial Pilot Program in Ventura and Orange Counties, CA – Door to door campaign plus public events

Ready, Set, Go!

• Ready, Set, Go! Program Tenets –

Ready:

Be Ready, Be Firewise –

Set:

Situational Awareness When a Fire Starts –

Go:

Leave Early

Ready, Set, Go! – Role in Federal Policy

– Creating Fire Adapted Communities • Collaborative efforts at the community level • RSG! and Firewise are the national tools for this effort

RSG Programmatic Partners

• Partners – IAFC and National Program Stakeholders • National Fire Service; Law Enforcement; Insurance Industry; and County Government • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) & the Firewise Program

RSG Programmatic Partners

Firewise Communities Program

• Fire Departments as Ambassadors for preparedness • Working as Advocates for Firewise Communities • Helping State Forestry Agencies with Their Outreach Efforts

RSG Programmatic Partners

– Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS) • Connecting Fire Departments with Insurance Agents

RSG Programmatic Activities

• Ready, Set, Go! Program Expansion – 2010 Pilot States Roll Out (9) – 2011 Focus States (15) – 27 March National Roll Out at WUI 2011 – 2012 and Beyond

RSG Programmatic Activities

• Ready, Set, Go! Program Implementation – 2010 Pilot Experience and Lessons Learned – Development of the Implementation Guide and Resources for Departments

RSG Programmatic Resources

• Ready, Set, Go! National Action Guide – Localization: Customizable to Add Logos

RSG Programmatic Resources

And Adding local pictures

RSG Programmatic Resources

RSG Program Resources

• Ready, Set, Go! National Video – Files Available to Localize the Message and Images – Highlight Local Efforts and Fire Department

RSG Program Resources

• Ready, Set, Go! Video for Spanish Language Audiences – New for 2012 – Available online and via Request to RSG staff for the Digital Files

RSG Programmatic Resources

• Resources on www.wildlandfireRSG.org

RSG.org State Page

RSG Program Expectations

• Ready, Set, Go! Implementation – Expectations of RSG Departments • Engaging Individuals and Building Awareness – Keeping up the Momentum • Not a One Season Effort

NFPA Wildland Fire Operations Division • Created in 2010. • Supports NFPA with a greater presence and influence in helping to minimize losses from wildland fires across the U.S.

  NFPA 1141: Standard for Fire Protection Infrastructure for Land Development in Wildland, Rural, and Suburban Areas, 2012 Edition www.nfpa.org/1141   NFPA 1144: Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, 2008 Edition www.nfpa.org/1144

     NFPA 1142: Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting NFPA 1143: Wildland Fire Management NFPA 1051: Wildland Fire Fighter Professional Qualifications NFPA 1977: Protective Clothing and Equipment for Wildland Fire Fighting NFPA 1984: Respirators for Wildland Fire Fighting Operations

 ◦ IAFC WFPC: Operational Considerations for Addressing Outdoor Fires – April 2012 www.iafc.org

>Operations Resources>Wildland Urban Interface  ◦ Brush, Grass and Forest Fires – NFPA, 2010 www.nfpa.org/brushgrassforest  Addressing Community Wildfire Risk: A Review and Assessment of Regulatory and Planning Tools – NFPA, 2011 ◦ www.nfpa.org/regulatorytools

   Metro fire districts are not immune to the impacts of brush, grass and forest fires Fortunately, we know what to do to reduce risk ◦ Changes to our private property ◦ Work with neighbors ◦ Promote readiness community-wide Many resources are available to help

   Ready, Set, Go!

◦ www.wildlandfirersg.org

NFPA Standards ◦ www.nfpa.org/doc# Firewise website ◦ www.firewise.org

Michele Steinberg [email protected]

(617) 984-7487 www.firewise.org

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1 Batterymarch Park Quincy, MA 02169 7471 Lucian Deaton [email protected]

(703) 273-9815 x318 www.wildlandfirersg.org

International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) 4025 Fair Ridge Drive Fairfax, VA 22046