2007-1646-Resolution No. 2007-148 Recorded 12/3/2007REVIEW ,
LEGAL COUNSEL
DESCHUTES
COUNTY CLEyV 2007016JS
NANCY
COMMISSIONERS' JOURNAL ,
11111111111111111111111111111111
Ui vol &vt 04 ,13.30 PM
BEFORE THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESC1 UTES COUNTY, OREGON
A Resolution Adopting the East and West
Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
RESOLUTION NO. 2007-148
WHEREAS, the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (P.L. 106-393) directs federal agencies in collaboration
with local communities to develop plans to reduce wildland fire hazard fuels, prioritize treatment areas, expedite
the process for determining environmental impacts from such fuels reduction projects and directs federal funds
in accordance with adopted Community Wildfire Protection Plans; and
WHEREAS, community members of Alfalfa, Hampton, Milican, Brothers and citizens who recreate on
public lands came together with representatives of Fire Districts, Oregon Department of Forestry, the USDA
Forest Service, the USDI Bureau of Land Management, and Deschutes County to develop the East and West
Community Wildfire Protection Plan ("Plan"); and
WHEREAS, the Plan was created in accordance with Preparing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan:
A Handbookfor Wildland-Urban Interface Communities; and
WHEREAS, the Plan identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuels reduction treatments and
recommends the types and methods of treatment on Federal and non -Federal land that will protect one or more
at -risk communities and essential infrastructure; and recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability
throughout the at -risk communities; and
WHEREAS, for the Plan to take effect it is necessary that the Board accept and approve the Plan; now,
therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF DESCHUTES
COUNTY, OREGON, as follows:
Section 1. That the document entitled "East and West Community Wildfire Protection Plan' is hereby
approved and adopted.
DATED this 26th day of November 2007.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
OF DESCHUTES COUNTY, OREGON
/Z ,- . - - - - '4��J
MI EL M. A Y, hair
Vice
ATTEST: 11*
Recording Secretary TAMMY BA , C
East & West Deschutes County
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
November 12, 2007
Draft for public comment
i , � oQecoN
ro
• � F F
Prepared by
Kate Lighthall, Project Wildfire - (541) 382.1675
Kli hthall bendcable.com
9 Declaration of Agreement
The Healthy Forests Restoration Act requires that the applicable local government, the
local fire department, and the state entity responsible for forest management agree to the
Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The undersigned have reviewed the East & West
Deschutes County CWPP and agree to this completed document.
John Kopser, Chair
Brothers Rangeland Fire Protection Association
Carolyn Chase
Alfalfa CWPP Steering Committee
Travis Medema, District Forester
Oregon Department of Forestry
Mike baly, Chair`
Deschutes County Board
Commissioners
Dennis Luke, Commissioner
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
Tammy Bae , Commissrioner
Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
East& West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Date
Date
Date
It �e S-/)-7
Date
Date
Date
MAcknowledgements
The following people are acknowledged for their participation, collaboration and
commitment resulting in the creation of the East & West Deschutes County Community
Wildfire Protection Plan.
Kate Beardsley
Resident
Matt & Jennifer Borlen
Residents
Linda Calvi
Resident
Bob & Bet Carssow
Residents
Carolyn & Jerry Chase
Residents
Lisa Clark
Central Oregon Fire Management Service
John Cox
Resident
Dave Fields
Oregon State Fire Marshals Office
Melinda Fortner
Deschutes County
Gordon Foster
Oregon Department of Forestry
Jack Hecht
Resident
James Howell
Resident
Brian Huff
Oregon State Fire Marshals Office
Rex Hurd
Resident
Jake Keller
Upper Deschutes Natural Resources Coalition CWPP
John Jackson
Crook County CWPP
Doug Johnson
US Forest Service
Ken Lane
Upper Deschutes Natural Resources Coalition CWPP
Katie Li hthall
Project Wildfire
Cindy Lute
Resident
Pat Peterson
Resident
David Pitts
Resident
Peter Poweres
US Forest Service
James Raffens er er
Resident
Melis Ramsey
Resident
Bruce Shutler
Resident
Nate Starr
Resident
Joe Stutter
Deschutes Coun
hast ac west uescnutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
F101 Table of Contents
Declarationof Agreement.................................................................................................................................. i
Acknowledgements.............................................................................................................................................ii
Contactinformation...........................................................................................................................................iv
Purpose.............................................................................................
Collaboration.......................................................................................................................................................
3
Backgroundinformation...................................................................................................................................
4
CommunityBase Maps......................................................................................................................................
6
CommunityProfile.............................................................................................................................................
6
WildlandUrban Interface description.............................................................................................
6
WUIarea — West..................................................................................................................................
7
WUIarea — Paulina & East Lakes....................................................................................................10
WUIarea — Alfalfa...............................................................................................................................12
WUIarea — Brothers/Hampton........................................................................................................14
CommunityAssessments of Risk......................................................................................................................15
ODFAssessment of Risk Factors......................................................................................................15
Riskof Wildfire Occurrence.......................................................................................................15
Hazard............................................................................................................................................17
ProtectionCapability...................................................................................................................19
ValuesProtected...........................................................................................................................22
StructuralVulnerability..............................................................................................................24
Summaryof ODF Assessment of Risk Factors...............................................................................26
FireRegime - Condition Class.........................................................................................................27
Summaryand composite of risk assessments..................................................................................30
Areasof special concern......................................................................................................................31
Prioritized Hazard Reduction Recommendations
andPreferred Treatment Methods..........................................................................................................32
PrioritizedCommunities at Risk.......................................................................................................32
Prioritiesand Goals.............................................................................................................................33
PreferredTreatments — Federal and State Owned Lands...........................................................33
Preferred Treatments — Private and County Owned Lands........................................................34
Recommendations to Reduce Structural Vulnerability................................................................................36
Structural vulnerability hazards and recommendations..............................................................37
Defensiblespace checklist...................................................................................................................38
OtherRecommendations...................................................................................................................................39
Action Plan and Implementation
.................................................4 0
Evaluationand Monitoring...............................................................................................................................41
Appendices
AppendixA — Community Maps.......................................................................................................43
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan iii
ED Contact Information
Joe Stutler, County Forester
Deschutes County
61150 SE 27th Street
Bend, OR 97702
(541)322-7117
Gordon N. Foster, Unit Forester
Oregon Department of Forestry
3501 NE 3`d Street
Prineville, OR 97754
(541) 447-5658
Lisa Clark, Fire Mitigation Specialist
Central Oregon Fire Management Service
3050 NE 3`d Street
Prineville, OR 97754
(541) 416-6864
Kate Lighthall, Program Coordinator
Project Wildfire
63377 Jamison Street
Bend, OR 97701
(541) 322-6396
�wcuuics i-uunry t,ommuntty Wildfire Protection Plan iv
This page intentionally left blank.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
East & West Deschutes County
Community Wildfire
Protection Plan
Due to the unique geographical, topographical and vegetative variations across Deschutes
County, each incorporated area within the county elected to complete a CWPP specific to
its own population and region. Six Community Wildfire Protection Plans have been
completed and implemented prior to this plan that have helped shape the process and
ensure success of this seventh and final plan for Deschutes County. This Community
Wildfire Protection Plan encompasses the remaining unincorporated and/or unprotected
wildland urban interface areas in Deschutes County not included in the previous six
plans.
Wildland fire is a natural and necessary component of ecosystems across the country.
Central Oregon is no exception. Historically, wildland fires have shaped the forests and
rangelands valued by residents and visitors. These lands in the east, south and west
portions of Deschutes County are now significantly altered due to fire prevention efforts,
modern suppression activities and a general lack of large scale fires. The result on the
west end of the county is large tracts of overstocked ponderosa, mixed conifer and
lodgepole pine forests with dense ground fuels of bitterbrush and saplings. On the east
side of the county, the effect on the rangelands and grasslands is seen in the replacement
of native bunchgrass and ponderosa pine with sage, juniper and cheat grass. Although
vastly different in vegetation and topography, these ecosystems are now similarly altered
to a state which allows fires to burn rapidly and more intensely than in the past with an
increased capacity to threaten lives and property.
Within these boundaries, there is a significant amount of public land with numerous
destination resorts, developed and dispersed recreation sites which provide valuable
recreation opportunities to both residents and visitors in Deschutes County. In the
summer months, transient populations of up to 40,000 people occupy these areas creating
a seasonal challenge for those agencies responsible for fire suppression and evacuation.
In addition, the recent explosion in population has led to increased residential
development in forested areas, in the wildland urban interface (WUI). To address these
and other related issues, members of fire agencies, local businesses and organizations,
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan I
and individuals collaborated to develop the East & West Deschutes County Community
Wildfire Protection Plan.
The identification of priority areas for hazardous fuels treatment in these areas along with
the identification of treatment standards are key components of this plan.
0 Purpose
The purpose of the East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
(CWPP) is to:
• Protect lives and property from wildland fires;
• Instill a sense of personal responsibility and provide steps for taking preventive
actions regarding wildland fire;
• Increase public understanding of living in a fire -adapted ecosystem;
• Increase the community's ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from
wildland fires;
• Restore fire -adapted ecosystems;
• Improve the fire resilience of the landscape while protecting other social,
economic and ecological values.
• Provide guidance to federal agencies for implementing fuels reduction treatments;
• Prioritize the use of limited funds for the treatment of hazardous fuels; and
• Promote biomass utilization.
This document outlines the priorities, strategies and action plans for fuels reduction
treatments in the unincorporated and/or unprotected areas in the eastern and western
portions of Deschutes County in the wildland urban interface. This CWPP also addresses
special areas of concern and makes recommendations for reducing structural vulnerability
and creating defensible spaces in the identified communities at risk. It is intended to be a
living vehicle for fuels reduction, educational, and other projects to decrease overall risks
of loss from wildland fire; updated and revisited at least annually to address its purpose.
Although reducing the risk of catastrophic wildland fire is the primary motivation behind
this plan, managing the forests and wildlands for hazardous fuels reduction and fire
resilience is only one part of the larger picture. Residents and visitors desire healthy,
fire -resilient forests and wildlands that provide habitat for wildlife, recreational
opportunities, and scenic beauty.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan will assist in
the identification of surrounding lands, including federal and state lands, at risk from
catastrophic wildland fire. This plan also identifies priorities and standards for reducing
hazardous wildland fuels while improving forest and rangeland health, supporting local
industry and economy and improving fire protection capabilities. It also identifies
strategies to address special areas of concern such as critical transportation and
evacuation routes, as well as outlines actions that individuals can take to help protect
themselves and their neighborhoods against the threat of wildland fires.
9 Collaboration
In 2003, Congress passed historical bi-partisan legislation: the Healthy Forests
Restoration Act (HFRA). This legislation directs federal agencies to collaborate with
communities in developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) which
includes the identification and prioritization of areas needing hazardous fuels treatment.
It further provides authorities to expedite the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
process for fuels reduction projects on federal lands. The act also requires that 50% of
funding allocated to federal fuels projects be used in the wildland urban interface.
For the first time, communities have the opportunity to direct where federal agencies
place their fuels reduction efforts. With a Community Wildfire Protection Plan in place,
community groups can apply for grants to treat hazardous fuels and address special
concerns to reduce the risk of catastrophic loss as a result of wildland fire.
Three Steering Committees collaborated to develop this plan. In each of the communities
of Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton, local residents came together with representatives from
Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2, Oregon Department of Forestry
(ODF), the USDA Forest Service (USFS), the USDI Bureau of Land Management
(BLM), Deschutes County and Project Wildfire to develop the priorities and
recommendations for the eastern regions of the county.
For planning in the western and southern regions of the county, these same
representatives collaborated with special use permitees who lease federal lands for
recreational and resort use to develop priorities and recommendations for these regions of
Deschutes County.
The overall plan was created by these Steering Committees in accordance with Preparing
a Community Wildfire Protection Plan: A Handbook for Wildland-Urban Interface
Communities (Communities Committee, Society of American Foresters, National
Association of Counties, National Association of State Foresters 2005); and Deschutes
County Resolution 2004-093.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 3
A draft of the East & West Deschutes County CWPP was available for public comment
for 30 days prior to the final signing and approval of the plan. Interested parties provided
comments for consideration by the Steering Committees during this period.
The East & West Deschutes County CWPP was also formally adopted by Deschutes
County by resolution # on
[ME] Background information
Deschutes County is located in central Oregon and is a rapidly growing social, economic
and recreational destination. Estimates from Portland State University put the 2006
population at 152,615 — up 32.3% since 2000. Portland State University also reports that
50,495 residents live in the unincorporated areas within the county.
According to Recreation Information Management data from Deschutes National Forest,
the recreational areas included in this CWPP planning area are occupied by as many as
40,000 people from June 1St through September 15'h of each year.
The East & West Deschutes County CWPP addresses four project areas: West, Paulina
& East Lakes, Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton.
The western portion of Deschutes County and the southern region around Paulina Lake
and East Lake were historically characterized by open stands of ponderosa pine and
native grasslands. Following logging in the first half of the 1900's many of these stands
naturally regenerated to lodgepole pine. Lodgepole pine is a species that lives and dies
by high intensity and active stand replacement crown fires. It is therefore less desirable
from a wildland fire perspective because of the risk these stands pose to the communities
and activities in the area. Today, with less stand management, logging activity and
highly effective wildland fire suppression, the forestland is predominantly dense
lodgepole pine with some mixed stands of lodgepole and ponderosa pine. Much of the
understory consists of dense bitterbrush and manzanita with some areas of native
bunchgrasses. Due to the lack of disturbance, these stands continue to become more and
more overcrowded.
In the Alfalfa area, the historical vegetation included ponderosa pine, western juniper and
sagebrush. Today, the mix is more western juniper and sage than 100 years ago, with
sporadic ponderosa pine.
Historically, the Brothers/Hampton area included a mix of sagebrush, western juniper and
some ponderosa pine. This vegetation type was maintained by frequent low to moderate
intensity fires. Today, the Brothers/Hampton area is characterized by widespread stands
of western juniper, western sage and non-native grasses, predominantly cheat grass.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
As part of the ongoing wildland fire risk management of the surrounding public and
private forestlands, the US Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon
Department of Forestry, and private landowners are engaged in hazardous fuels treatment
projects across the county in or near these areas.
Currently, under the combined management of the Central Oregon Fire Management
Service (COFMS), the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management are
involved in multiple fuels projects in WUI areas that stretch across this CWPP planning
area.
As of November 2007, these include:
• East Turnbull — proposed treatment of 4,500 acres of hazardous fuels
along Cascade Lakes Highway; now in the implementation stage.
• Snow — proposed treatment of hazardous fuels south of Hosmer Lake and
north of Crane Prairie Reservoir along Cascade Lakes Highway; currently
in planning stage.
• Sparky — proposed treatment of hazardous fuels along Highway 46
(Cascade Lakes Highway) north and west of Mt. Bachelor; currently in the
planning stage.
• Sunriver HFRA — proposed treatment of hazardous fuels west of Sunriver;
currently in planning stage.
• Deadlog — proposed treatment of hazardous fuels in the Brothers Wildland
Fire Use area; currently in planning stage.
In addition to these current and planned projects, COFMS is also managing the
implementation and completion of several other projects.
Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF) is currently engaged in multiple projects including
the West Bend Fuel Break along the FS 4606 Road and ongoing defensible space projects
with large landowners across Deschutes County to help individual landowners comply
with the Oregon Forestland -Urban Interface Fire Protection Act of 1997 also known as
Senate Bill 360.
In the Millican, Hampton and Brothers communities, ODF has worked with local
residents to form a Rangeland Fire Protection Association to improve the wildland fire
response.
0 Community Base Maps
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 5
Utilizing the best available information and data from the US Forest Service, Oregon
Department of Forestry, the Fire Learning Network and Deschutes County databases, the
Steering Committees relied on the following maps and GIS data to complete the risk
assessment process:
• Alfalfa area WUI boundaries with identified Communities at Risk
• Brothers/Hampton area WUI boundaries with identified Communities at Risk
• West WUI boundaries with identified Communities at Risk
• Paulina & East Lakes WUI boundaries with identified Communities at Risk
• 2006 Deschutes County tax lot and population data
• Wildland fire starts in the last ten years
• Current Fire Regime - Condition Class
This information is located in Appendix A.
0 Community Profiles
This CWPP addresses four project areas which are profiled below: West, Paulina & East
Lakes, Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton. For each area, the appropriate Steering
Committee carefully identified characteristics including population, geographic and
vegetative information.
Each group also identified wildland urban interface (WUI) areas, or Communities at
Risk, within each project area according to the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.
The Healthy Forests Restoration Act defines wildland urban interface as an area within or
adjacent to an at -risk community that has been identified by a community in its wildfire
protection plan. For areas that do not have such a plan, it is identified as:
• extending t/z mile from the boundary of an at -risk community,
• extending 1'/z miles from the boundary of an at -risk community when other
criteria are met such as a sustained steep slope or a geographic feature that
creates an effective firebreak, or is classified as Condition Class 3 land,
• adjacent to an evacuation route.
The Healthy Forest Initiative (HFI) and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA)
define a "community at risk" from wildland fire as one that:
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 6
• is a group of homes and other structures with basic infrastructure and services
in or adjacent to federal land;
• has conditions conducive to large-scale wildland fire; and
• faces a significant threat to human life or property as a result of a wildland
fire.
West
The western region of Deschutes County encompasses 480,007 acres (750 square miles)
of heavily forested ponderosa, mixed conifer and lodgepole pine. He forest floor is thick
with bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, down wood and other native and non-native species.
The western region of Deschutes County presents a unique challenge for the wildfire
planning process. COFMS manages 427,152 acres or 89% of the land in this area, and
allows for long term leases by special use permitees at recreation sites. These include
Crane Prairie Resort, Cultus Lake Resort, Twin Lakes Resort and numerous other
developed and dispersed recreation sites including trailheads to the wilderness areas in
the Cascade Mountains.
These resorts and recreation sites are nationally recognized for outstanding camping,
fishing and recreation opportunities. This area serves a transient population that tops
40,000 on any given weekend during the summer months, during the height of fire
season. In the event of a wildfire, this area presents tremendous challenges for fire
suppression, evacuation and general life safety.
The eastern edge of the planning boundary meets the west side of the Bend CWPP,
Sunriver, Upper Deschutes Coalition and Grater La Pine CWPP boundaries boundary and
the northern portion of the planning area is bordered by the Greater Sisters Country
CWPP and the Deschutes/Jefferson County line. The western edge of the planning area
is the Deschutes/Linn and Deschutes/Lane County lines while the southern portion is
flanked by the Deschutes/Klamath County line. See Appendix A for maps of this area.
Unlike the previous six CWPPs, the standard 1'/z mile boundary around the WUI areas, or
Communities at Risk, does not meet the planning area boundary. For planning and
assessment purposes under this CWPP, "outlying areas" refers to the lands outside the
WUI boundaries described below.
Wildland Urban Interface Description — West
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
For assessment and prioritization purposes, the Steering Committees identified the
following seven sub regions as WUI areas, or Communities at Risk, within the West
planning area:
Reservoirs — 71,787 acres with 53 structures. Resident population 133.
(This WUI includes Cultus Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir and Wickiup Reservoir.)
Edison Trailhead — 4,591 acres with no structures. Resident population 0.
Evacuation Routes — 19,933 acres with 1 structure. Resident population 3.
Other Trailheads — 18,692 acres with no structures. Resident population 0.
(This WUI includes Millican Crater, Scott Pass, Pole Creek , and Whychus Creek Falls
Trailheads.)
Round Mountain — 126 acres with no structures. Resident population 0.
Lakes — 24,919 acres with 4 structures. Resident population 10.
(This WUI includes Todd Lake, Sparks Lake, Elk Lake, Hosmer Lake and Lava Lake.)
Tumalo Falls — 4,704 acres with no structures. Resident population 0.
The outlying areas that surround the WUI boundaries in the West planning area include
335,252 acres with 4 structures and an estimated resident population of 10. There are
over 1,000 individual developed campsites in the outlying areas. The outlying areas and
these campsites are not included in the assessments.
Fuel Hazards and Ecotypes — West
The majority of the vegetation in the West WUI and outlying areas includes:
• Ponderosa pine
• Lodgepole pine
• Mixed conifer
• Bitterbrush
• Riparian areas
Ponderosa pine is currently found throughout the West planning area. Historically,
ponderosa pine forests contained more understory grasses and shrubs than are present
today. These plants combined with fallen pine needles, formed fast -burning fuels that led
to recurrent widespread burning. Frequent low -intensity ground fires that occur 11-15
years characterize the fire regime for ponderosa pine. The pattern of low ground fires
and stand dynamics resulted in the open park -like conditions that early inhabitants and
visitors found in the region.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Less stand management, logging activity and highly effective wildland fire suppression,
have significantly altered the ponderosa pine forest type. Removal of the larger "yellow
belly" pines has dramatically decreased clumpy open forests, replacing them with more
evenly spaced and smaller "black -bark" forests. Similar to other species of conifer forest
types, the suppression of fire has greatly increased the stocking levels and density of
trees, creating ladder fuels and putting the stands at risk of attack from insects and
disease. These factors have contributed to more intense fires in ponderosa pine forests in
recent years.
Mature lodgepole pine in central Oregon is characterized by dense, uniform stands, an
absence of other species, and a general lack of understory shrubs (although bitterbrush is
often found with mature lodgepole pine). Lodgepole pine forests exhibit a moderate
severity fire regime with a fire return interval between 60 and 80 years. Fire in lodgepole
pine stands can be low, moderate, or severe over time and often result in full stand
replacement.
In addition to fire, mountain pine beetles are worth noting as a significant disturbance
agent as the two processes are linked. The fire cycle in lodgepole pine is 60-80 years and
occurs as follows: a stand replacement fire leads to stand regeneration 4 Dead snags
from the fire fall to the forest floor and fuels begin to accumulate -+ Windstorms blow
more trees to the ground -* Forest fires burn some of the downed logs and lead to heart
rot in the standing trees 4 The heart rot stresses the stands and makes it vulnerable to
attack by the mountain pine beetle -* A major outbreak of the mountain pine beetle
causes significant mortality and soon the conditions are ripe for another stand
replacement fire.
Mixed conifer forests include mixed stands of ponderosa pine, Douglas -fir, grand fir,
western larch, lodgepole pine and subalpine fir. Generally, these forests are adjacent to
ponderosa pine stands at lower elevations and mountain hemlock or subalpine fir forests
at the upper limits. Because mixed conifer forests span such a wide range of
environments, they are divided into two types: warm and dry, and cool and moist. The
warm, dry mixed conifer type is found at lower elevations, down to 800 feet in some
cases. As elevation increases, conditions become favorable for the cool and moist mixed
conifer types. While elevation is a major factor in how these forest types are distributed,
other factors such as soils, aspect, topographical features, and climate patterns also play a
role.
Historically, mixed conifer stands experienced both low intensity and stand replacement
fires 35 — 100 year intervals.
Bitterbrush occurs throughout the planning area on all aspects and elevations and is
frequently found with mature lodgepole pine. Fire severely damages bitterbrush,
especially if rain is not received shortly after a burn. Bitterbrush is fire dependent, but
not fire resistant. It regenerates mostly from seed after a fire and often sprouts from
caches of seeds made by rodents. Bitterbrush will sprout after burning regardless of the
severity of the burn and matures relatively quickly. Consequently, the West planning
area is rich with patches of bitterbrush that burn well on their own and provide fire -ready
ladder fuels for taller tree stands.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan
A riparian area is defined as the strip of moisture -loving vegetation growing along the
edge of a natural water body. The exact boundary of the riparian area is often difficult to
determine because it is a zone of transition between the water body and the upland
vegetation. With eight bodies of water within the WUI areas in the West planning
region, riparian areas are of great concern from the wildland fire perspective. Vegetation
types in these riparian areas vary and include trees, shrubs, grasses, forbs and willows.
The primary exposure from a wildland fire perspective is during the spring before "green
up" has occurred and autumn when the vegetation has cured and is highly flammable.
Riparian areas include all rivers and tributaries within the planning area.
The result of the fuel hazards and forest types in the West WUI and outlying areas is an
overgrowth of trees, forest floor fuels and an abundance of dead or dying vegetation that
contribute to a substantially elevated risk of wildland fires that are difficult to control.
These overly dense conditions lead to fire behavior that produce flame lengths over eight
feet with crowning and torching that can result in stand replacement severity fires.
Not only have large, stand replacement fires not occurred, but also the more frequent low
intensity fires have not been allowed to burn either. This practice of fire exclusion along
with insufficient vegetation/f cels reduction has resulted in the buildup of excessive live
and dead fuels.
Paulina & East Lakes
Much like the areas identified in the West planning area, this planning area includes the
popular recreation sites Paulina and East Lakes, the Newberry National Volcanic
Monument Lava Caves and Lava Forest, and Sugar Pine Butte. Also known for
outstanding camping, fishing and other recreational opportunities, this planning area
serves the transient population in the summer months that poses a tremendous challenge
for fire suppression, evacuation and general life safety.
This region encompasses 257,991 acres of heavily forested ponderosa and lodgepole
pine. The forest floor is thick with bitterbrush, rabbitbrush, down wood and other native
and non-native species. COFMS manages 223,529 acres, or 87% of the land in this
area, and allows for the long term lease by special use permitees at Paulina and East
Lakes Resort.
The eastern edge of the planning boundary meets the west side of the Brothers/Hampton
planning boundary. State Highway 20 and the Bend CWPP border this area to the north
while the Deschutes/Klamath and Deschutes/Lake County lines border it to the south.
The western edge of the Paulina & East Lakes planning area meets the southeastern edge
of the Greater Bend CWPP, and the eastern flanks of the Upper Deschutes River Natural
Resources Coalition CWPP, the Sunriver CWPP and the Greater La Pine CWPP
boundaries. See Appendix A for maps.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 10
Wildland Urban Interface Description — Paulina & East Lakes
For assessment and prioritization purposes, the Steering Committees identified the
following five sub regions as WUI areas, or Communities at Risk, within the Paulina &
East Lakes planning area:
Paulina & East Lakes — 28,501 acres with 3 structures. Resident population 8.
Newberry Visitor Center & Lava River Cave — 4,180 acres with no structures,
no population.
Newberry Lava Cast Forest — 4,776 acres with no structures, no population.
Evacuation Routes — 10,233 acres with 1 structure. Resident population 3.
Sugar Pine Butte — 126 acres with no structures, no population.
The outlying areas that surround the WUI boundaries in the Paulina & East Lakes
planning area include 210,175 acres with no structures and no population. These acres
are not included in the assessments.
Fuel Hazards and Ecotypes — Paulina & East Lakes
The majority of the vegetation in the Paulina & East Lakes WUI and outlying areas
includes:
• Ponderosa pine
• Lodgepole pine
• Mixed conifer
• Bitterbrush
• Riparian areas
General descriptions of ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, mixed conifer, bitterbrush and
riparian areas along with the wildland fire hazards presented by each, are under Fuel
Hazards and Ecotypes — West starting on page 8.
Ponderosa pine, mixed conifer and lodgepole pine are found throughout the planning
area, along with bitterbrush and riparian areas. The riparian areas include those found
adjacent to and downstream from Paulina Lake and East Lake.
The result of the fuel hazards and forest types in the Paulina & East Lakes WUI and
outlying areas is an overgrowth of trees, forest floor fuels and an abundance of dead or
dying vegetation that contribute to a substantially elevated risk of wildland fires that are
difficult to control. These overly dense conditions lead to fire behavior that produces
flame lengths over eight feet with crowning and torching that can result in stand
replacement severity fires.
last & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan I I
As with the fuel buildup in the West planning area, stand replacement fires have not
occurred. More frequent low intensity fires have not been allowed to burn either. This
practice of fire exclusion along with insufficient vegetation/fuels reduction has resulted in
the buildup of excessive live and dead fuels.
Alfalfa
The Alfalfa region of Deschutes County encompasses 77,222 acres and includes the
unincorporated community of Alfalfa. The residential area of Alfalfa is predominantly
agricultural, used for grazing and farming. There are 365 structures in this area and an
estimated population of 913.
Approximately 80% or 61,462 acres of the lands in the Alfalfa planning area are publicly
owned and federally managed by Central Oregon Fire Management Service, a combined
managing organization of the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service.
The Alfalfa planning area is bordered on the eastern and northern sides by Crook County.
The southern edge of the Alfalfa planning boundary meets State Highway 20 and Crook
County. The western edge borders the Greater Bend CWPP boundary. See Appendix A
for maps.
Located in the southeastern portion of the Alfalfa planning area is the Badlands
Wilderness Study Area. Approximately 30,000 acres of public land is reserved here as a
wilderness study area. The Badlands was created as a wilderness study area by a BLM
resource area land management plan in 1981. Since that time numerous studies have
confirmed the land designation. The 2005 update of the BLM land management plan
utilizes this confirmation to allow for the management of these acres as a wilderness area
pending final legislation by Congress. Current management activities restrict all
motorized vehicles and consequently no mechanical treatment of fuels.
The Bureau of Land Management has future plans to complete a Fire Management Plan
for the Badlands which will allow a full range of management strategies including the
monitoring of wildland fire.
Because Alfalfa WUI does not include any portion of the Badlands Wilderness Area,
there will be no effect on fuels treatments within those zones.
Wildland Urban Interface Description — Alfalfa
For assessment and prioritization purposes, the Alfalfa Steering Committee identified the
following WUI area, or Community at Risk, within the Alfalfa planning area:
Alfalfa — 48,586 acres with 365 structures. Resident population 913.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 12
The outlying areas that surround the WUI boundaries in the Alfalfa planning area include
28,636 acres with no structures and no population. These acres are not included in the
assessments.
Fuel Hazards and Ecotypes — Alfalfa
The majority of the vegetation in the Alfalfa WUI and outlying areas includes:
• Western juniper
• Western sage
Throughout the Alfalfa planning area, western juniper and western sage are the
predominant forest fuels.
During its first few decades, western juniper is extremely susceptible to wildfire and
spends most of its resources putting down major root systems instead of developing thick
bark or other fire resistant characteristics. Prior to settlement of the western United
States, juniper was frequently killed by wildfires that moved through the landscape
approximately every 30 years. As a result, it grew almost exclusively in rocky areas and
outcrops where fire could not burn it. Over the past century, western juniper has
established itself outside the rocky outcrops and into much of central Oregon.
Specifically, the increase in its range is attributed to more effective fire suppression
which has allowed stands to grow unchecked by fire and past grazing practices of
domestic livestock which has decreased the amount of ground vegetation needed to carry
a fire.
Western sage and a variety of sagebrush species are also found throughout the Alfalfa
planning area. Like western juniper, sagebrush is highly susceptible to fire and rarely
re -sprouts. Under historic conditions, sagebrush took approximately 20 years to reach
pre -burn densities following a wildfire event. Without periodic fire, sagebrush reaches an
uncharacteristic old-growth form with increased height, woody stems, and thick
accumulations leaves — all highly flammable. Changes in fire occurrence along with fire
suppression and livestock grazing have contributed to the current condition of sagebrush
in the planning area. Introduction of annuals, especially cheat grass, has increased fuel
loads so that fire carries easily, increasing the potential for significant and dangerous fire
behavior.
The result of the fuel hazards and forest types in the Alfalfa WUI and outlying areas is
overstocked juniper fuel beds with an abundance of sage and ground fuels that contribute
to a substantially elevated risk of wildland fires that are difficult to control. These
conditions lead to fire behavior that produces flame lengths over eight feet with crowning
and torching that can result in stand replacement severity fires. Not only have large,
stand replacement fires not occurred, but also the more frequent low intensity fires have
not been allowed to burn either. This practice of fire exclusion along with insufficient
vegetation/fuels reduction has resulted in the buildup of excessive live and dead fuels.
Last & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 13
Brothers/Hampton
The Brothers/Hampton planning area encompasses 685,381 acres (1,070 square miles).
There are 26 structures in this area and an estimated population of 66. This planning
area is predominantly agricultural with grazing and farming the principal land use.
The Bureau of Land Management manages 75% (514,035 acres) of the lands in the
Brothers/Hampton planning area, while the Oregon Department of Forestry tends 7% or
47,976 acres. The balance of the land, 117,610 acres, is privately owned.
The southern edge of the Brothers/Hampton planning boundary is bordered by the Lake
County line and the west side meets the Alfalfa planning area. The Deschutes/Crook
County line borders the area to the east and north with a small portion of Harney County
meeting the boundary on the east side. See Appendix A for maps.
Wildland Urban Interface Description — Brothers/Hampton
For assessment and prioritization purposes, the Brothers/Hampton Steering Committee
identified the following six sub regions as WUI areas within the planning area:
Hampton North of Highway 20 — 111,170 acres with 3 structures. Resident
population 8.
Fox Butte Road — 21,899 acres with no structures, no population.
Millican/Brothers/Pine Mountain — 238,995 acres with 22 structures. Resident
population 55.
Hampton South of Highway 20 — 51,455 acres with 1 structure. Resident
population 3.
Glass Butte Road — 24,398 acres with no structures, no population.
Evacuation Routes — 5,705 acres with no structures, no population.
The outlying areas that surround the WUI boundaries in the Brothers/Hampton planning
area include 231,759 acres with no structures and no population. These acres are not
included in the assessments.
Fuel Hazards and Ecotypes — Brothers/Hampton
The majority of the vegetation in the Brothers/Hampton WUI and outlying areas
includes:
• Western juniper
• Western sage
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 14
General descriptions of western juniper and western sage along with the wildland fire
hazards presented by each are under Fuel Hazards and Ecotypes — Alfalfa starting on
page 13.
Western juniper and sage are the predominant species of vegetation in this planning
area.
The result of the fuel hazards and forest types in the Brothers/Hampton WUI and outlying
areas is overstocked juniper fuel beds with an abundance of sage and ground fuels that
contribute to a substantially elevated risk of wildland fires that are difficult to control.
These conditions lead to fire behavior that produce flame lengths over eight feet with
crowning and torching that can result in stand replacement severity fires. Not only have
large, stand replacement fires not occurred, but also the more frequent low intensity fires
have not been allowed to burn either. This practice of fire exclusion along with
insufficient vegetation/fuels reduction has resulted in the buildup of excessive live and
dead fuels.
Mr!] Community Assessments of Risk
The East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan utilizes two
risk assessment methodologies: the Oregon Department of Forestry Assessment of Risk
Factors and a group assessment based on the current Fire Regime and Condition Class of
the landscape.
ODF Assessment of Risk Factors
The Oregon Department of Forestry Assessment of Risk Factors is based on five
categories of evaluation that include a variety of information designed to identify and
evaluate wildland fire risk across Oregon: risk of wildfire occurrence, hazard, protection
capability, human and economic values protected and structural vulnerability.
Risk of Wildfire Occurrence
The risk of wildfire occurrence refers to the likelihood of a fire occurring based on
historical fire occurrence, home density and ignition sources. The calculations are based
on the number of wildland fire starts per 1,000 acres per ten years, as well as home
density and ready ignition sources like dry lightning storms, debris burning and
equipment use. A score is given for each evaluation with the total scores corresponding
to a level of risk in each category.
Table 1 summarizes the risk of wildfire occurrence in each WUI area.
bast & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 15
Table 1 — Risk of Wildfire results in each WUI area
What is the
likelihood of a
fire occurring?
West
Reservoirs 15 Moderate
Edison Trailhead 20 Moderate
Evacuation Routes 15 Moderate
Other Trailheads 10 Low
Round Mountain 15 Moderate
Lakes 15 Moderate
Tumalo Falls 10 Low
Alfalfa
Alfalfa 20 Moderate
Paulina & East Lakes
Paulina & East Lakes
Newberry Visitors
Center and Lava River
Cave
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast
Forest
Sugar Pine Butte
15 Moderate
10 Low
15 Moderate
10 Low
10 Low
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican Brothers
Pine Mountain
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
25 Moderate
20
Moderate
30 High
25 Moderate
20 Moderate
25
Moderate
Risk: Low = 0 — 13 points; Moderate = 14 — 27 points; High = 28 — 40 points.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 16
The current condition of the vegetation on the federal and private lands adjacent to and
within the WUI boundaries ranges from low to high, with an average rating of moderate
based on the risk of fire occurring in these areas. The conditions pose an elevated risk of
catastrophic loss from wildland fire. The communities of Bend, La Pine, Sunriver,
Sisters and Redmond and surrounding rural neighborhoods are also threatened by embers
falling on the community from an adjacent wildland fire.
Hazard
The hazard rating describes resistance to control once a fire starts based on weather,
topography (including slope, aspect and elevation), vegetation and crown fire potential.
As stated earlier, effective wildland fire suppression has led to the extensive buildup of
overstory and ground vegetation in the wildland urban interface. The hazard ratings
follow for each WUI area.
Table 2 summarizes the hazard ratings for each WUI area.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 17
Table 2 — Hazard rating results in WUI areas
West
Hazard rating
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evacuation Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
75
Extreme
80
Extreme
75
Extreme
78
Extreme
80
Extreme
75
Extreme
81
Extreme
Alfalfa
Alfalfa 1 66 Extreme
Paulina & East Lakes
Paulina & East Lakes
Newberry Visitors
Center and Lava River
Cave
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast
Forest
Sugar Pine Butte
79 Extreme
76 Extreme
76 Extreme
76 Extreme
70 Extreme
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
66 Extreme
Fox Butte Road
66 Extreme
Millican Brothers
Pine Mountain
66 Extreme
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
66 Extreme
Glass Butte Road
66 Extreme
Evacuation Routes
66 Extreme
Hazard: Low = 0 — 9 points; Moderate = 10 — 40 points; High = 41 — 60 points;
Extreme = 61 — 82 points.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 18
A wildland fire could start within any of these areas or in any of the forested areas
adjacent to or surrounding them. With a fire of any significance, it could be difficult to
assemble the resources necessary to adequately address all of the fire and life safety
issues that could arise in the early stages of emergency operations.
Protection capability
The ratings for this category are based on fire protection capability and resources to
control and suppress wildland and structural fires. The ratings also consider response
times and community preparedness. In each of the three sub regions, there is no
organized structural fire protection. Only wildland fire protection is provided by Oregon
Department of Forestry, the Forest Service and/or the BLM. When local resources are
fully engaged, all agencies can request additional resources through the State of Oregon
and request federal resources through the Pacific Northwest Coordination Center.
Although the inter -agency cooperation is high in these areas, the fact remains they are
outside any organized fire district, and response times to a fire are greatly reduced. The
hazard rating for each WUI area within the four project areas is high, posing an extreme
risk of catastrophic loss for residents and visitors in these areas.
Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF)
The Central Oregon District of the Oregon Department of Forestry does not provide fire
protection in the planning areas. ODF does provide wildland fire response for fires
burning on, or threatening private forestlands paying a Forest Patrol Assessment.
USDA Forest Service and USDI Bureau of Land Management
The Forest Service and BLM provide wildland fire protection on the federal lands within
the West, Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton planning areas. Together, they are identified as
the Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMS). COFMS includes the
Deschutes National Forest, the Ochoco National Forest, the Crooked River National
Grassland, and the Prineville District of the BLM. These four units are managed
cooperatively under combined leadership, with an Interagency Fire Management Officer,
two Deputy Fire Management Officers, and a Board of Directors including decision
makers from both agencies, with Forest Service District Rangers and BLM Field
Managers. COFMS has a central dispatching facility in partnership with the Oregon
Department of Forestry that serves as a communications hub for fire and fuels operations,
as well as safety and training issues for COFMS. In total, COFMS provides the
following resources: 15 engines, 4 initial attack hand crews, 6 prevention units, 2 dozers,
2 water tenders, 1 helicopter with module, 35 smokejumpers, 2 Inter -regional Hotshot
crews, 1 air tanker, 1 National Fire Cache, 1 interagency dispatch center and 20 overhead
staff positions.
Anytime an incident grows beyond the capability of the local resources a request may be
made to the State and to the Pacific Northwest Coordination Center for additional
wildland fire fighting resources.
bast & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 19
Law Enforcement
Police services are provided by Deschutes County Sheriff. The Sheriff's Department has
responsibility for ensuring safe and orderly evacuations in the event of a major
emergency. A number of resources have been allocated to accomplish this task including
hi/lo sirens on vehicles; emergency notification via radio and television; reverse 9-1-1
capability; and Sheriff's Department staff. Any issues relative to a major emergency are
addressed by the Countywide Disaster Plan and the County Department of Emergency
Services.
Oregon State Police assists the federal agency law enforcement efforts and cooperates
with Deschutes County for protection in the three planning areas.
Communi1y Preparedness
Also under the category of Protection Capabilities, the ODF Assessment of Risk
examines a community's level of organization and preparedness to respond in an
emergency situation. The assessment considers whether the area has an organized
stakeholder group that looks out for its own area through mitigation efforts, a phone tree,
etc. Or, does the area only receive outside efforts such as newsletters, mailings or fire
prevention information from other groups? The Steering Committees used local
knowledge to determine the level of preparedness.
In the West planning area, preparedness for a wildland fire emergency is difficult to
measure due to the transient nature of the visiting population. With only 155 residents,
the WUI areas in the West are at a strong disadvantage when it comes to preparation for
and notification of an emergency. The same can be said for the Paulina & East Lakes
project area.
In the Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton planning areas, community preparedness is
somewhat better. With a year round population, although small at 989, most community
members are at least acquainted with each other and could execute a phone tree or similar
neighbor -to -neighbor notification if needed. In both areas, with no structural fire
protection, most residents are aware of the high risk of fire in the area and have taken
steps to educate themselves about those risks and reduce some of the potential for
catastrophic loss.
Table 3 summarizes protection capability of each WUI area.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 20
Table 3 — Protection Capability results in WUI areas
West
Protection
Capabilities
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evacuation Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
17
High
17
High
17
High
17
High
17
High
17
High
17
High
Alfalfa
Alfalfa 1 17
Paulina & East Lakes
27
High
Paulina & East Lakes
17
High
Newberry Visitors
27
High
Center and Lava River
17
High
Cave
17
High
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast
Forest
17
High
17
High
Sugar Pine Butte
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican Brothers
Pine Mountain
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
27
High
27
High
27
High
27
High
27
High
27
High
Protection capability: Describes fire protection capability and resources based on type
of protection, response times and community preparedness. Low = 0 — 9 points;
Moderate = 10 — 16 points; High = 17 — 40 points. A risk factor of low is the goal for
each community.
hast & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 21
Values Protected
These ratings are based on home density per ten acres and community infrastructure such
as power substations, transportation corridors, water and fuel storage, etc. The category
rating for each WUI area within the four project areas is low, due to the lack of
community infrastructure, except for the Brothers/Millican/Pine Mountain WU1 which
scored a moderate rating.
Based on Deschutes County tax records from 2006, there are 62 structures in the West
and Paulina & East Lakes planning areas. If a large wildland fire occurs in this area the
loss to property and businesses could be in the hundreds of thousands. The larger
concern is with the potential closure of US Highway 97, the only north/south interstate
highway east of the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. The economic loss to the Central
Oregon region could exceed $3.5 million per day.
There is a total population of 66 in the Brothers/Hampton WUI areas and a total of 923 in
the Alfalfa WUI areas. Like the West WUI areas, although a wildland fire could cause a
substantial economic loss to homes and businesses there, the greater concern is the
potential closure of State Highway 20, a major transportation route and known as the
second busiest highway in Oregon.
Across the four project areas, the essential infrastructure is minimal but includes roads,
some utilities, one electrical sub -station, and the two transportation corridors mentioned
above. Although the list is short, the cost to replace any of the essential infrastructure
could be in the tens of millions.
Table 4 summarizes human and economic values protected.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 22
Table 4 — Human & Economic Values Protected results in WUI areas
Human &
Economic
Values
Protected
West
22 Moderate
Paulina & East Lakes
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evacuation Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
12
Low
12
Low
2
Low
2
Low
2
Low
2
Low
12
Low
Alfalfa
Alfalfa I 22 Moderate
Paulina & East Lakes
22 Moderate
Paulina & East Lakes
12 Low
Newberry Visitors
2 Low
Center and Lava River
22 Moderate
Cave
2 Low
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast
Forest
2 Low
2 Low
Sugar Pine Butte
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican Brothers
Pine Mountain
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
22 Moderate
2 Low
22 Moderate
12 Low
2 Low
2 Low
Values protected: Describes the human and economic values in the community based on
home density per ten acres and community infrastructure such as power substations,
transportation corridors, water and fuel storage, etc. Low = 0 — 15 points; Moderate = 16
— 30 points; High = 31 — 50 points.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 23
Structural Vulnerability
In recent years, many neighborhoods in each of the three planning areas have taken steps
to decrease the vulnerability of structures to wildland fire. Although attitudes and
behaviors towards fire are changing in the Central Oregon area thanks to educational
programs like FireFree, the exponential population growth and continued development
into the wildland urban interface present fresh challenges each year. The Steering
Committees put high value on the importance of making structures and neighborhoods as
fire safe as possible.
Each Steering Committee addressed structural vulnerability in the planning areas based
on a combined approach including the NFPA 1144 survey and the statewide ODF
Assessment of Risk standards. Ranging from low to high, the survey included
assessments of the following criteria on a community -wide scale rather than lot by lot:
• Flammable roofing — wood or non -wood present;
• Defensible space — meets local requirements or not;
• Ingress/egress — one, two or more roads in/out;
• Road width — 0 to more than 24 feet wide;
• All season road conditions — surfaced or not, with grade more or less than 10%;
• Fire Service access — more or less than 300 ft, with or without turnaround;
• Street signs — Present with 4" reflective characters or absent.
Adequate water resources were not considered in this assessment and are addressed as a
priority item under Action Plan and Implementation.
The following is an explanation of the risk assessment values followed by a table with the
four project areas and the WUI areas in each, the value ratings (with corresponding
scores) and the total scores for each community in each category. The higher the total
score in this assessment, the higher the overall risk.
Table 5 summarizes structural vulnerability in each WUI area.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 24
Table 5 — Structural Vulnerability results in WUI areas
Structural
Vulnerability
West
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evacuation Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
67
High
21
Low
16
Low
20
Low
20
Low
67
High
67
High
Alfalfa
Alfalfa 1 39 Moderate
Paulina & East Lakes
Paulina & East Lakes
Newberry Visitors Center
and Lava River Cave
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast Forest
Sugar Pine Butte
57 Moderate
45 Moderate
16 Low
18 Low
20 Low
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican Brothers Pine
Mountain
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
17
Low
17
Low
17
Low
17
Low
17
Low
17
Low
Structural vulnerability: Describes the likelihood that structures will be destroyed by
wildfire based on roofing and building materials, defensible space, separation of homes,
fire department access and street signage. Low = 0 — 30 points; Moderate = 31 — 60
points; High = 61 — 90 points.
t:ast & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 25
Table 6 presents a summary of each assessment category in each WUI area and a
total score from each category assessed.
West
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evac Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
Paulina &
East Lakes
Paulina &
East Lakes
Newberry Visitors
Center and Lava
River Cave
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava
Cast Forest
Sugar Pine Butte
Alfalfa
Alfalfa
Brothers
Hampton
Hampton
N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican Brothers
Pine Mtn
Hampton
S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
Table 6 — ODF Assessment of Risk — Summary
What is the Human &
likelihood of Hazard Protection Economic Structural Total
a fire rating Capabilities Values score
occurrin¢? Protected Vulnerability
15 y
75
17
12
67
186
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
High
20
80
17
12
21
150
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
15
75
17
2
16
125
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
10
78
17
2
20
127
Low
Extreme
High
Low
Low
15
80
17
2
20
134
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
15
75
17
2
67
176
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
High
10
81
17
12
67
187
Low
Extreme
High
Low
High
15
79
17
12
57
180
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Moderate
10
76
17
22
45
170
Low
Extreme
High
Moderate
Moderate
15
76
17
2
16
126
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
10
76
17
2
18
123
Low
Extreme
High
Low
Low
10
70
17
2
20
119
Low
Extreme
High
Low
Low
20
66
17
22
39
164
Moderate
Extreme
High
Moderate
Moderate
25
66
27
17
157
Moderate
Extreme
High
22 Moderate
Low
20
66
27
2
17
132
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
30
66
27
22
17
162
High
Extreme
High
Moderate
Low
25
66
27
12
17
147
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
20
66
27
2
17
132
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
25
66
27
2
17
137
Moderate
Extreme
High
Low
Low
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 26
Fire Regime - Condition Class
Fire Regime - Condition Class considers the type of vegetation and the departure from its
natural fire behavior return interval.
Five natural (historical) fire regimes are classified based on the average number of years
between fires (fire frequency) combined with the severity of the fire on dominant
overstory vegetation. Fire regimes I (ponderosa pine & bitterbrush) and 11 (western
juniper) and III (mixed conifer) and IV (lodgepole pine) are the predominant
representations on the landscape in the three planning areas. Western juniper for example
has a fire return interval of approximately 30 years with high potential for stand
replacement fires. Therefore, it falls within Fire Regime 11.
Table 7 summarizes Fire Regimes.
Table 7 — Fire Regimes
Fire Regime Group
Fire Frequency
Fire Severity
Plant Association
Group
I ;
0 — 35'years,Low
severity
Ponderosa pine,
manzanita, bitterbrush
35 years
Stand replacement
'. We'stern.juniper,
III'.
35°— 106+ years
Mixed severity`
.Mixed conifer dry
IV
= 35;— 10+ yedrs
Stand replacement
Lod'gepolepine
.. >.200 years ._
Stand replacement
_ , --
Western.hemlock, ,
mixed conifer wet, .
Condition Class categorizes a departure from the natural fire frequency based on
ecosystem attributes. In Condition Class 1, the historical ecosystem attributes are largely
intact and functioning as defined by the historical natural fire regime. In other words, the
stand has not missed a fire cycle. In Condition Class 2, the historical ecosystem
attributes have been moderately altered. Generally, at least one fire cycle has been
missed. In Condition Class 3, historical ecosystem attributes have been significantly
altered. Multiple fire cycles have been missed. The risk of losing key ecosystem
components (e.g. native species, large trees, soil) is low for Class 1, moderate for Class 2,
and high for Class 3.
Table 8 summarizes Condition Class.
cast a west Uescnutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 27
Table 8 — Condition Class
Condition Class
Attributes
■ Fire regimes are within or near an historical range.
■ The risk of losing key ecosystem components is low.
Condition Class 1
• Fire frequencies have departed from historical frequencies (either increased or
decreased) by no more than one return interval.
■ Vegetation attributes are intact and functioning within an historical range.
■ Fire regimes have been moderately altered from their historical range.
■ The risk of losing key ecosystem components has increased to moderate.
Condition Class 2'
Fire frequencies have departed (either increased or decreased) from historical
frequencies by more than one return interval. This change results in moderate
changes to one or more of the following: fire size, frequency, intensity, severity
or landscape patterns.
■ Vegetation attributes have been moderately altered from their historic ranges.
■ Fire regimes have been significantly altered from their historical range.
■ The risk of losing key ecosystem components is high.
■ Fire frequencies have departed (either increased or decreased) by multiple
Condition Class 3
return intervals. This change results in dramatic changes to one or more of the
following: fire size, frequency, intensity, severity, or landscape patterns.
■ Vegetation attributes have been significantly altered from their historic ranges.
Table 9 shows the acreage and percentage of Condition Class 1, 2, and 3 lands in each
WUI area.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 28
Table 9 - Percentage & Acres of Condition Class
West
Reservoirs
Edison Trailhead
Evacuation Routes
Other Trailheads
Round Mountain
Lakes
Tumalo Falls
Outlying areas
Totals
Alfalfa
CC 1 CC 2 CC 3
Acre.- C'C 1 0/ A rrec C (1 1) 0/ A arae (,("I 0%
47,524
66.2%
24,034
33.5%
229
0.3%
4,115
89.7%
475
10.3%
1
0.0%
8,409
42.2%
11,512
57.8%
12
0.0%
9,416
50.4%
9,276
49.6%
0
0.0%
34
27.1%
92
72.9%
0
0.0%
13,724
55.1%
10,913
43.8%
282
1.1%
2,362
50.2%
2,337
49.6%
8
0.2%
115,532
34.5%
217,989
65.0%
1,731
0.5%
201,116
276,628
2,263
Alfalfa
Outlying areas
Totals
8,924
18.4%
39,662
81.6%
0
0.0%
7,180
25.1%
21,456
74.9%
0
0.0%
16,104
5,915
61,118
26
0
1,750
Paulina & East Lakes
Paulina & East Lakes
Newberry Visitors Center
and Lava River Cave
Evacuation Routes
Newberry Lava Cast Forest
Sugar Pine Butte
Outlying areas
Totals
Brothers/Hampton
Hampton N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
Millican/Brothers/Pine Mtn
Hampton S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
Evacuation Routes
Outlying areas
Totals
12,171
42.6%
15,974
56.1%
356
1.3%
17
0.4%
4,162
99.6%
1
0.0%
4,292
41.9%
5,915
57.8%
26
0.3%
1,750
1 36.6%
3,017
63.2%
9
0.2%
0
0.00
126
100.0%
0
0.0%
76,091
36.2%
133,161
63.4%
923
0.5%
126,529
55.2%
284,591
44.8%
1,315
0.0%
67,001
60.3%
44,169
39.7%
0
0.0%
8,650
39.5%
13,248
60.5%
1
0.0%
90,071
37.7%
148,910
62.3%
14
0.0%
34,944
67.9%
16,511
32.1%
0
0.0%
6,293
25.8%
18,105
74.2%
0
0.0%
3,059
53.6%
2,646
46.4%
0
0.0%
127,879
55.2%
103,872
44.8%
8
0.0%
337,897
347,461
23
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 29
As shown, the highest percentages of Condition Class 2 and 3 lands lie in the more rural
areas with the larger acreages. Steering Committees gave consideration for the number
of acres in Condition Class 2 and 3 in order to rank them for fuels treatment priority. The
Steering Committees present Table 10 as a composite of the ODF Assessment of Risk
(Table 6) and the Condition Class assessment (Table 9). The Steering Committees used
Table 10 as a method to identify and assign priorities for treatment.
Table 10 — Composite of ODF Assessment of Risk
& Condition Class
Group
consensus of both
Highest
assessments
Percentage of
with consideration
Community at Risk ODF Condition Class
for population
WUI area Rank 2 and 3 lands
and structures
West
Reservoirs
2
2
1
Edison Trailhead
4
7
5
Evac Routes
7
1
2
Other Trailheads
6
4
6
Round Mountain
5
7
7
Lakes
3
3
3
Tumalo Falls
1
5
4
Paulina &
East Lakes
Paulina &
I
1
1
East Lakes
Newberry
5
4
4
Visitors Center and
2
3
3
Lava River Cave
Evacuation Routes
3
2
2
Newberry Lava
4
4
4
Cast Forest
5
3
3
Sugar Pine Butte
5
5
5
Alfalfa
Alfalfa I 1 I 1 1 1
Brothers Hampton
Hampton
2
2
2
N. of Hwy 20
Fox Butte Road
5
4
4
Millican/Brothers
I
1
1
Pine Mountain
Hampton
3
5
6
S. of Hwy 20
Glass Butte Road
5
3
3
Evacuation Routes
4
6
5
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 30
The Steering Committee carefully considered the rank in both assessments and ultimately
relied on values at risk (population and structures) to compensate for the fact that some
areas have thousands of acres in Condition Class 2 and 3, but very few people and homes
actually at risk. For example, the Paulina & East Lakes WUI has a less percentage of
Condition Class 2 and 3 lands than the Newberry Visitors Center and the Lava Cast
Forest. Based on the knowledge that the Paulina & East Lakes WUI is heavily populated
during fire season in the summer months, the group elected to rank it as a higher priority
for fuels treatment than those areas with higher percentages of Condition Class 2 and 3
lands.
Areas of special concern
Critical Transportation Routes
Critical Transportation Routes do not have a standard definition in Deschutes County.
For purposes of this CWPP, the Steering Committees define Critical Transportation
Routes as:
• all routes necessary for the support of routine flow of commerce to and/or
through the greater planning areas,
• all routes that could be used for potential evacuation of citizens and/or
visitors from a wildland fire threat to public safety,
• routes needed for emergency ingress and egress to a wildland fire incident,
not including unimproved or "two -track" roads,
• and, all routes needed to protect and support critical infrastructure (power
substations, communication transmission lines, water and fuel storage,
public service facilities, recreation facilities, etc).
A detailed look at specific ingress/egress issues for each WUI area is included under
Recommendations to Reduce Structural Vulnerability. This issue is also highlighted
under Action Plan and Implementation.
Wildland/Structural Fire Protection
The majority of the land in the CWPP planning area is unprotected with no organized
structural fire protection. Of the 176,000 acres of unprotected lands in Deschutes
County, approximately 135,000 acres fall within this CWPP. With multiple recent
examples of significant structural losses, the Steering Committees expressed great
concern for this issue and recognized the need for the development of both structural and
wildland protection. This is a high priority for the Steering Committees and is addressed
in the Action Plan and Implementation sections.
Water
East &c West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 31
The WUI areas in this CWPP are either not protected or unincorporated or both. This
presents significant challenges in the event of a wildland fire as there are no water
resources for fire suppression or protection. Adequate water resources were not
considered in the assessment. This topic is addressed under Action Plan and
Implementation.
FRI Prioritized Hazard Reduction Recommendations and
Preferred Treatment Methods
The Steering Committees agreed that the East & West Deschutes County Community
Wildfire Protection Plan is a living tool that can be used for multiple outcomes. The
following is an outline of the prioritized WUI areas, or Communities at Risk, as well as
preferred treatments and goals for hazardous fuels reduction under this Community
Wildfire Protection Plan.
Prioritized Communities at Risk
Based on the combined assessment as shown in Table 13 and group consensus the
Steering Committees have identified the following prioritized WUI areas for hazardous
fuels reduction treatments on public and private lands in the planning areas:
Based on group consensus, the Steering Committees determined priorities for hazardous
fuels treatment in the four project areas:
West
Highest priorities WUI areas:
• Reservoirs
• Evacuation Routes
• Lakes
• Tumalo Falls
Paulina & East Lakes
Highest priorities:
• Paulina & East Lakes
• Evacuation Routes
• Newberry Visitors Center
and Lava River Cave
Alfalfa
High priorities:
• Edison Trailhead
• Other Trailheads
• Round Mountain
High priorities:
• Newberry Lava Cast Forest
• Sugar Pine Butte
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 32
Highest priority:
• Alfalfa WUI area.
Brothers/Hampton
Highest priorities:
• Millican-Brothers-Pine Mountain
• Hampton North of Hwy 20
• Glass Butte Road
Priorities and goals
High Priorities:
• Fox Butte Road
• Evacuation Routes
• Hampton South of Hwy 20
With critical needs assessed and priority areas listed, the Steering Committees identified
the following goals to meet the Purpose on page 1 of the East & West Deschutes County
CWPP:
• Reduce hazardous fuels on public lands
• Reduce hazardous fuels on private lands (both vacant and occupied)
• Reduce structural vulnerability
• Increase education and awareness of wildland fire threat
• Identify, improve and protect critical transportation routes
Preferred treatments and goals for hazardous fuels
reduction
The standard of the East & West Deschutes County CWPP is to decrease the risk of
uncharacteristic wildland fire behavior by reducing fuel loads to that which can produce
flame lengths of less than four feet. This enables safe and effective initial attack. The
overall goal is to return the landscape to Condition Class 1 and provide for a healthy, fire
resilient landscape that supports the social, economic and ecological values of Central
Oregon area residents and visitors. The Steering Committees recognize the effectiveness
and value of maximizing treatment efforts in areas that are adjacent to federal, state, or
private projects and recommends that future projects consider these benefits when
selecting areas for treatment. The following specific standards are recommended for
treatments on public and private lands within the WUI areas in each of the four project
areas.
Federal and state owned lands
Federal lands are managed by the US Forest Service and the Bureau of Land
Management and occupy 85% of lands in the planning area, located in all four project
areas.
State owned lands 3% of the planning area but include blocks of land in the Alfalfa and
Brothers/Hampton planning areas.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 33
It is the intent of the Steering Committees that each of the four project areas is subject to
expedited measures for hazardous fuels treatment and allocation of funds to protect the
communities and neighborhoods as stipulated by the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.
Federal and state land managers are strongly encouraged to work toward the overall
standard by treating Condition Class 2 and 3 lands with the goal of returning the
landscape to Condition Class 1 by reducing fuel loads to that which can produce flame
lengths of less than four feet:
• Within a'/4 mile buffer of adjacent WUI areas. Treatments should begin
here and increase in t/4 mile increments until the WUI boundary is reached.
• Within 500 feet of any critical transportation route or ingress/egress that
could serve as an escape route from adjacent communities at risk.
The standard will be achieved through a variety of treatment methodologies such as
thinning, prescribed burning and mechanical treatments. Specific treatments should
address fuels issues on a landscape scale rather than acre by acre. These treatments shall
be consistent with the current Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan and the
COFMS Five -Year Fire Management Plan on the federal lands.
The Steering Committees also encourage federal land managers to work with local
landowners to minimize road closures that could be used as alternate evacuation routes
from Communities at Risk.
Private and county owned lands
Private lands occupy 12% of the four planning areas. This is privately owned land and is
considered developed, or in rare cases intermixed with development. The County owns
only 2,221 acres in this planning area. The Steering Committees recommend that County
owned lands be treated in the same manner as privately owned lands.
Private lands with structural improvements
On private lands with structural improvements, the goal is for each structure to meet the
Default Standards identified in the Oregon Forestland — Urban Interface Fire Protection
Act of 1997, also known as Senate Bill 360. This statute outlines standards and
requirements for defensible space on private property that receives fire protection from
Oregon Department of Forestry.
Although the Oregon Department of Forestry does not provide wildland fire protection in
each of the four planning areas, the Steering Committees support the goals and standards
of Senate Bill 360. The Steering Committees agreed that the Default Standards from
Senate Bill 360 are the minimum goal to achieve on private and county owned lands
throughout the WUI areas. Citizens and homeowners can achieve this goal by complying
with SB 360 standards regardless of whether they are afforded wildland fire protection by
Oregon Department of Forestry.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 34
A detailed description of the standards is available from the Oregon Department of
Forestry in the handbook for the Oregon Forestland — Urban Interface Fire Protection Act
of 1997. This information is also available at www.oreagon.-gov/ODF/fire/SB360.
The Default Standards under the Oregon Forestland — Urban Interface Fire Protection Act
of 1997 are:
• Establish a primary fuel break of 30 feet around structures;
• Create fuel breaks around driveways longer than 150 feet;
• Remove tree branches within 10 feet of chimneys;
• Remove any dead vegetation that overhangs a roof;
• Remove flammable materials from under decks and stairways;
• Move firewood 20 feet away from structures;
Property owners can also achieve the Senate Bill 360 standards by taking advantage of
FireFree and Firewise suggestions to create and/or maintain defensible space, a fire-
resistant buffer that allows for effective first -response firefighting and a significantly
reduced risk of the spread of fire. These national education programs promote a variety
of fire safe actions to help prevent the spread of fire to protect individual homes and
neighborhoods. Information about these programs can be found at www.firefree.org and
www.firewise.or. More information is also listed in this plan under Recommendations
to Reduce Structural Vulnerability.
Agricultural lands
Within the Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton WUI areas, the majority of the private land is
considered agricultural for farm or grazing use. In general, these acreages present a
specific threat within WUI areas because they are often flat with a variety of grasses,
weeds and shrubs. With wind of any significance, a wildland fire can race across these
properties and direct flames and ember showers to nearby homes and structures. The
Steering Committees recognize this risk and recommends that those acres that are
primarily agricultural in use follow the guidelines under Senate Bill 360 for "High".
Those guidelines are the same as described above for the Default Standards and also
include a secondary fuel break of an additional 20 feet (a total of 50 feet).
The Steering Committees recommend that any vacant lots and acreages that are
dominated by hazardous wildland fuels follow the guidelines under Senate Bill 360 for
"High Density Extreme" which also includes the standard of a 20 -foot fuel break around
each vacant lot with an additional 80 feet of fuel break for a total of 100 feet of defensible
space around the lot.
0 Recommendations to Reduce Structural
Vulnerability
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 35
Structural Vulnerability
There are only 446 structures spread across the four project areas in this CWPP.
Structural vulnerability is addressed as a required evaluation under the ODF Assessment
of Risk but more importantly, to assist local residents in preparing their properties against
the threat of wildland fire. In addition, special use permitees can use the
recommendations to address issues of structural vulnerability surrounding recreation sites
and resorts. Based on the assessment of structural vulnerability for the ODF Assessment
of Risk, Table 11 identifies the main hazards within the four project areas. For each
hazard or risk listed, an action is recommended to address the threat or decrease the risk.
Adequate water resources for fire suppression were not considered as part of this
assessment. This topic is addressed under Action Plan and Implementation.
Table 11 — Structural Vulnerability Hazards & Recommendations
WUI Area Primary Hazards Recommended Actions
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 36
Table 12 provides a checklist for residents seeking to reduce the risk of catastrophic
losses to their homes and properties. The list is compiled from tips and suggestions from
the FireFree and Firewise programs, which promote homeowner responsibility for
or west ijescnutes county Community Wildfire Protection Plan 37
(FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Homeowner education
Lack of defensible space around
structures
(FireFree, Firewise, SB 360)
Establish additional routes,
Roads with only one road in/out
sign and maintain
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Lack of surfaced roads
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Roads of insufficient width
Improve & maintain
Poor fire service access
Identify, sign & maintain
Lack of street signage
Flammable roofing
Homeowner education
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Lack of defensible space around
Homeowner education
structures
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Roads with only one road in/out
Establish additional routes,
Paulina & East Lakes
sign and maintain
Lack of surfaced roads
Identify, u grade & maintain
Roads of insufficient width
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Poor fire service access
Improve & maintain
Lack of street signage
Identify, sin & maintain
Flammable roofing
Homeowner education
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Lack of defensible space around
Homeowner education
structures
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Roads with only one road in/out
Establish additional routes,
Alfalfa
sign and maintain
Lack of surfaced roads
Identify, u rade & maintain
Roads of insufficient width
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Poor fire service access
Improve & maintain
Lack of street signage
Identify, sign & maintain
Flammable roofing
Homeowner education
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Lack of defensible space around
Homeowner education
structures
FireFree, Firewise, SB 360
Roads with only one road in/out
Establish additional routes,
Brothers/Hampton
sign and maintain
Lack of surfaced roads
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Roads of insufficient width
Identify, upgrade & maintain
Poor fire service access
Improve & maintain
Lack of street signage
Identify, sign & maintain
Table 12 provides a checklist for residents seeking to reduce the risk of catastrophic
losses to their homes and properties. The list is compiled from tips and suggestions from
the FireFree and Firewise programs, which promote homeowner responsibility for
or west ijescnutes county Community Wildfire Protection Plan 37
reducing fire hazards on their property. The Steering Committee approves this combined
checklist. More information about these programs can be found at www.firefree.org and
www.firewise.or .
Table 12 — Defensible Space Checklist
2 What can I do to help prevent losses to my property and my neighborhood?
❑ Post easy -to -read address signs so emergency crews can find your home.
❑ Reduce the density of nearby trees.
❑ Clear wood piles and building materials at least 20 feet away from your home.
❑ Remove low tree branches and shrubs. Trim up juniper and other trees at least 4 feet from
the ground. Remove "ladder fuels" among trees.
❑ Keep grass and weeds cut low.
❑ Remove all branches and limbs that overhang roofs.
❑ Remove leaves & needles from gutters, roofs and decks.
❑ Remove dead plants and brush.
❑ Maintain a minimum of 30 feet of defensible space around your home.
❑ Screen vents and areas under decks with 1/8" metal mesh or fire resistant siding.
❑ Keep decks free of flammable lawn furniture, toys, doormats, etc.
❑ Choose fire-resistant roofing materials like metal, tile or composition shingles.
❑ Trim vegetation along driveways a minimum distance of 14' wide x 14' high for fire trucks.
❑ Choose fire resistive plants. Visit www.extension.orcconstzite.edu/deschutes to view
Fire -Resistant Plants for the Home Landscape.
❑ Use alternatives to burning debris like composting or chipping.
❑ If burning debris - do not burn building materials.
0 Other Recommendations
Education
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 38
As stated in the Purpose of the East & West Deschutes County CWPP, three of the goals
for this planning effort are to:
• Instill a sense of personal responsibility for taking preventative actions regarding
wildland fire,
Increase public understanding of living in a fire -adapted ecosystem, and
Increase the community's ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from
wildland fires.
With these goals in mind, education and outreach are top priorities. The rapid influx of
new residents is just one reason the Steering Committees place high value on the
education of area residents and landowners. Many new residents are unfamiliar with
wildland fire and have limited experience with issues like defensible space. Residents
and visitors will continue to benefit from clear examples of what a fire resilient forest and
community look like as well as easy access to resources that help them take action.
There are several opportunities to enhance educational efforts in the four project areas.
Oregon Department of Forestry, the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Cooperative and
Project Wildfire all provide wildland fire prevention programs through a variety of
individual and collaborative efforts.
Some homeowners in the Alfalfa and Brothers/Hampton areas are well organized through
homeowners associations, rangeland fire associations and other groups. These groups
provide valuable ongoing education to their populations about the risks of catastrophic
wildland fire and ways to improve their protection. The Steering Committees support
these groups and encourages their formation in each project area to address the
educational needs of current and incoming residents and visitors about living in a fire
adapted environment and increasing personal responsibility for creating defensible space.
The Steering Committee also recommends support for projects that enhance a
community's ability to communicate necessary information in the event of a wildfire.
Programs that develop and maintain neighborhood phone trees or communication lists
that identify neighbors who may need additional assistance during an evacuation are
encouraged.
Utilizing the information in Tables 11 and 12, property owners are strongly encouraged
to learn more about how they can reduce the hazards on their own property. Local
residents are encouraged to contact Project Wildfire at (541) 382-1675 for information.
Residents may also find additional information on how they can reduce hazards and
protect themselves at www.fii-efree.org and www.firewise.org.
0 Action Plan and Implementation
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 39
The Steering Committees recognize that the East & West Deschutes County CWPP is a
living tool with multiple applications. The following priority actions are intended to
assist individuals and agencies in the implementation of this CWPP.
Priorities
Reduce hazardous fuels on public lands
Immediately following the acceptance and signed approval of this plan, the Steering
Committees will make copies of the East & West Deschutes County CWPP available to
all federal and state land managers including the Deschutes National Forest, the Bureau
of Land Management, and the Oregon Department offorestry. The intention of the
Steering Committees is to engage in continued discussions with the communities in each
project area and adjacent landowners to implement the CWPP and accomplish hazardous
fuels reduction projects that address the prioritized WUI areas in the most expeditious
manner possible. The Steering Committees recognize the effectiveness and value of
maximizing treatment efforts in areas that are adjacent to federal, state, or private projects
and recommend that future projects consider these benefits when selecting areas for
treatment.
Reduce hazardous fuels on private lands
The intention of the Steering Committees is to engage in continued discussions with
landowners to facilitate fuels reduction projects on private lands utilizing the list of
prioritized WUI areas. These actions can be accomplished through education activities or
grants for specific projects on private lands.
Reduce Structural Vulnerability
The Steering Committees are charged with the task of engaging community members to
review the Structural Vulnerability Assessment in this CWPP and identify projects that
will strengthen the potential for the neighborhoods to survive a catastrophic wildland fire
within the WUI areas. Tables 11 and 12 can be utilized as a resource for homeowners to
improve the fire resistance of their homes on an individual basis and also by groups to
implement education programs in the WUI areas.
Additionally, support for county ordinances which regulate defensible space, vacant lots
and open burning will greatly afford residents a common-sense prevention tool to assist
in the mitigation of catastrophic losses to their property.
Establish Organized Fire Response in Unprotected Areas
The Steering Committees encourage local residents to work with county and state
officials to develop an organized wildland and structural response to those unprotected
areas within the CWPP boundary.
The Steering Committees also encourage local residents, special use permitees and
Deschutes County to identify and assess the water resources available for fire suppression
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 40
and protection in the WUI areas. The Steering Committees will make recommendations
for projects to improve and ensure adequate water resources.
Increase Awareness and Education
The Steering Committees will work with Project Wildfire to review the educational
programs available and identify potential projects for implementation in those
Communities at Risk that do not already participate in fire prevention education
activities.
Identify, Improve and Protect Critical Transportation Routes
The Steering Committees will work with Deschutes County, and Oregon Department of
Transportation to identify and map existing transportation and evacuation routes in each
WUI area. The Steering Committee will assist in conducting further assessments to
determine the evacuation needs of each Community at Risk and identify potential
projects to develop new routes and/or improving existing routes.
The Steering Committees encourage exploratory discussions with fire agencies and local
landowners that address the issue presented when effective evacuation from an area is not
available. Are "sheltering in place" and safe staging areas an option?
The Steering Committees will continue to encourage federal land managers to work with
local landowners to minimize closures of roads that could be used as alternate evacuation
routes from Communities at Risk.
Fund Projects
The Steering Committees will encourage and assist community groups in seeking funding
for fuels reduction, educational, and other projects to decrease overall risks of loss from
wildland fire.
H Evaluation and Monitoring
The Steering Committees faced a complex task in the development of the East & West
Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Implementing and sustaining
these efforts will require a significant commitment. Building a collaborative and
cooperative environment with residents, community-based organizations, local
government and the public land management agencies has been the first step in reducing
the risk of loss from wildland fire. The Steering Committees pledge to maintain this
cooperation with the public over the long-term with the commitment of all the partners
involved.
At a minimum, the Steering Committee shall include: the Program Coordinator from
Project Wildfire; a representative from Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF); a
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 41
representative from Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMS), and Deschutes
County along with members of the public.
The Steering Committee agrees that the East & West Deschutes County Community
Wildfire Protection Plan will be a living document, intended to promote fuels reduction,
educational, and other projects to decrease overall risks of loss from wildland fire;
updated and revisited at least semi-annually to address its Purpose.
Project Wildfire will convene the Steering Committees at least twice per year, or as often
as the Steering Committees deem necessary to implement and review the East & West
Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. Topics for discussion can
include:
• Identification and assessment of new or treated risks.
• Evaluation and tracking of progress toward goals.
• Updating of maps.
• Adoption of new and/or revised priorities.
• Identification of specific projects.
• Discussion of grant opportunities and determination of projects
eligible for funding.
• Writing of grants.
• Identification of appropriate projects to address additional items as
outlined in the Action Plan for Structural Vulnerability, Education
and Critical Transportation Routes.
• Coordination of additional items, projects and assessments.
Project Wildfire will ensure that the evaluation and monitoring activities listed above are
addressed by a Steering Committee each year. As members of the Steering Committees
change, Project Wildfire will ensure that it maintains a balanced representation of agency
and public members, with a continued focus on inviting interested parties to participate in
the review and planning process.
East & West Deschutes County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 42