Wildland Fire Management Plan Update

December 10, 2012

U.S. Naval Base CoronadoU.S. Naval Base CoronadoSan Clemente IslandSan Clemente Island

Sound Fire Management = Sustainable RangesSound Fire Management = Sustainable Ranges Military readiness - unconstrained, year round, live fire

Protect personnel

Protect facilities

Legally compliant

Fiscally responsible

Scientifically defensible

Ecologically sustainable

Protect listed species

2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

DoD Fire Policy (DoDI 6055.6 December 21, 2006)

Sikes Act Improvement Act and INRMP goals

DoD 4715.03 (2011) Natural Res. Conservation Program All DoD Components shall manage fuel loads, provide adequate planning for wildland fire management and implement prescribed burn programs where appropriate. This management shall reduce the potential for wildfires, function as an ecosystem-based management tool, integrate applicable State and local permit and reporting requirements, and be consistent with DoDI 6055.06 and the current Environmental Protection Agency Memorandum (“Interim Air Quality Policy on Wildland and Prescribed Fires,” April 23, 1998).

Legal context for fire planning…Legal context for fire planning…

Naval Operations Instruction (OPNAVINST) 11320.23F “Fire Bill” establishes policies, standards, guidance, and responsibilities focusing on structural fire protection and other emergency response.

Intraservice Support Agreement between Naval Air Station North Island and Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island and Commander, Naval Base San Diego to provide a Federal Fire Department at SCI, Naval Air Station North Island, Outlying Landing Field Imperial Beach, and Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape School, Warner Springs.

Letter of Agreement between the Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station North Island, and Commander, Helicopter Wing Reserve regarding scheduling and procedures to support airborne firefighting requirements of SCI.

Legal context for fire planning…Legal context for fire planning…

Interagency Fire Agreement (IA-5-92-02-005) and Operating Plan between Commander, Naval Base San Diego for the Federal Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service Cleveland National Forest for mutual aid.

Naval Auxiliary Landing Field San Clemente Island INST3502.1A (19 November 1991) Brush/Grass Firefighter Training for SCI Personnel. This Instruction established a program for training personnel to be placed on a roster to augment Fire Department capability to fight grass and brush fires on SCI.

Draft of Commander, NSWG-1 INST 3550.5 (5 January 2001) for Littoral Warfare Training Facility Fire Management Plan.

NBC Memo – CAPT Mayes and use of aerial assets for water dropping outside of Impact Areas and RAAs.

Legal context for fire planning…Legal context for fire planning…

Maximum flexibility for training....no restrictions

Avoid Take of T/E species

Protect values within framework of INRMP and SoCal EIS

5-year planning horizon

Sound risk management means expending money at levels appropriate to values at risk

Pre-suppression Costs + Actual Suppression Cost <= Resource Value Lost

Avoid unsustainable natural resource condition

Fire Plan Design Principles…

Worse-than-average fire scenario but not a worst case

3-minute notification of first fire observation

15-minute getaway for ground assets from first notification

30-minute on-site response for ignitions that leave Impact Area fuelbreaks

SHOBA unsafe for ground suppression.

Commitment to baseline habitat conditions and management focus species for long-term sustainability

Planning AssumptionsPlanning Assumptions

Core StrategyCore StrategyAssign values to what is at risk: military readiness and natural resources

• Resources at Risk: military training capability, schedule, tempo.

• Resources at Risk: Natural resources vulnerability assessment – ranking of what to protect and how

Develop ecosystemand historical context to set management objectives

Core Strategy…Core Strategy…

Core StrategyCore StrategyTarget level of ecosystem and habitat condition and

protection of sensitive species

Fire sizeFire return intervalFire severity

Objective (desired future condition):grassland

Desired future Desired future condition:condition:boxthornboxthorn

Fire Scenario DevelopmentFire Scenario Development

Core StrategyCore StrategyEstablish land management units

Prevention means aligning fire ignition risk with fuel hazard condition…this is the implementation of fire season protocols and the fire danger rating system

Core Strategy – Prevention Core Strategy – Prevention

Determination of Fire Season

•Current: live fuel moisture collection by NRO contractor. 3 fuel species, 200% threshold

•Consider for WFMP Update: 150% threshold

Core Strategy – Prevention Core Strategy – Prevention

Wildfire Fire Management Systems1. National Fire Danger Rating System

2. Wildland Fire Behavior Systems

1. National Fire Danger Rating System Fire Danger Ratings are based upon large (1,000

acres plus) areas and predict what a wildfire will do if one should happen to start.

National Fire Danger Rating System Fire Danger Ratings are based upon large

(1,000 acres plus) areas and predict what a wildfire will do if one should happen to start.

Fire weather recordings are taken daily during the fire season at 1300 hours from established Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS)

Fire Danger Ratings expressed as adjective ratings or color codes.

Five color codes are usually the norm; however, three color codes could be used at San Clemente Island.

2. Wildland Fire Behavior SystemsPredicts the anticipated minute by minute fire

behavior of an existing fire burning in a predetermined fuel model (grass, shrubs or trees).

Wildland Fire Behavior SystemsPredicts the anticipated minute by

minute fire behavior of an existing fire burning in a predetermined fuel model (grass, shrubs or trees).

Fire behavior increases or decreases with changes of wind speed, fuel model, live and dead fuel moistures, slope, temperature and relative humidity.

Fire Behavior System Modeling should not be used to determine Fire Danger Rating.

Firebreaks vs FuelbreaksFirebreaks are those areas scraped to bare

mineral soil.

Firebreaks vs FuelbreaksFirebreaks are those areas scraped to bare

mineral soil.

Paved or dirt roads, tank access roads and other mechanical means at least 10-foot wide.

Firebreaks vs FuelbreaksFuelbreaks are areas where the vegetative fuels

have been modified by cutting, weed whipping, mowing or use of fire retardant chemicals.

They are usually 30 to 100 feet in width (depending on fuel model) and applied around structures, along roads and inaccessible areas to personnel and equipment.

Daily or Hourly FDRS via internet based on humidity (fine fuel moisture), wind speed

FFD can call the daily FDRS and distribute over web

FDRS weekly forecasts

Fire season declared by OIC at 200% live fuel moisture as determined by FFD

In all cases, the initial response will be to take immediate action to suppress the fire (if deemed safe) and call the Fire Department. Federal Fire and the Range Safety Officer will jointly decide if it is safe for the exercise to continue or be postponed until after an incident.

Core Strategy – fuels management and Core Strategy – fuels management and fuelbreaksfuelbreaks

1. High-intensity safety corridors or buffers where fuels are reduced

2. Defensible space around structures

3. Low-intensity landscape modification with prescribed fire that also meets ecological restoration objectives

Ridge Road firebreak 20.6 miles

Existing roads to be maintained in drivable condition

32 miles

Strip burns Up to 5 miles/year, rotated along roads or fuelbreaks over a 10-year period (18.2 acres)

Prescribed burns in patches Up to 300 acres/year for strategic resource protection or habitat enhancement

Herbicide treatment as needed Up to 5 miles over 5 years (12.1 acres)

Fire retardant application Up to 7.1 miles (25.8 acres)

Project Footprint – fuels managementProject Footprint – fuels management

Electronic communications capable of rapid notification of any fire or any life & safety incident on SCI.

Road network…certain roads must remain passable for firefighting and also function as a firebreak.

Future use of an airfield at VC-3

Water staging during fire season

Core Strategy…improved firefighting Core Strategy…improved firefighting infrastructureinfrastructure

Core Strategy – rapid attack suppressionCore Strategy – rapid attack suppressionAerial assets - Private helicopter or HC-85

Ground assets - Enhanced ground response asset- Access to seasonal Strike Team

Annual risk analysis

Off-Island Firefighting ResourcesNavy Helicopter Sea Combat squadrons HSC-21

and HSC-3

MCBCP and San Diego FedFire Engines

Navy LCAC at MCBCP (transportation only)

Navy HSC-21 & HSC-3Already have working agreements and training for

mainland fires by CalFire.

Are they available for SCI?

Core Strategy…Success TargetsCore Strategy…Success Targets

A change in management is expected when it is clear success targets are not achieved.

They relate to desired future conditions. Possible adjustments:

– Add fuelbreaks or use retardant

– Pre-position a fire truck or helicopter– Fuels management by prescribed burning– Restrict incendiary activities

Core Strategy – conservation agreement Core Strategy – conservation agreement with a “resource bank” approachwith a “resource bank” approach

•As conditions improve for the land and species which are the focus of natural resource management, the risk of harming them from a fire incident or regime change lessens. Therefore, fire management can be adjusted accordingly.

•The expense of fire management can be adjusted for changing vulnerabilities.

Core Strategy…reporting/monitoring to adaptCore Strategy…reporting/monitoring to adapt• Fire perimeter• Ignition source• Fire intensity• Effects on listed species• Annual review• 5-year update

Improved human resource capacityImproved human resource capacity

Wildland Fire Coordinator position at Federal Fire Department.

WFC to train military and civilian personnel for Rapid Fire Response Team, including manning of quick-attack asset

Training needed for WFC

Backup support crew for prescribed fire.

Implementation MechanismsImplementation Mechanisms

Implementation MechanismsImplementation MechanismsRecommended an Island-wide Fire Management

Instruction to augment SCORE range users manual

SCI Wildland Fire Coordinating Group

Department of Navy Wildland Fire Coordinating Group

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

Public Safety - communications system upgrade

PWC - road maintenance

Federal Fire - WFC, support crew, seasonal rapid-response team, WFCG, computer system upgrade, Fire Instruction update, post-fire reporting; Education, training of WFC and support staff; RAWS weather station maintenance

Federal Fire (or individual military units, as appropriate) - quick-attack asset

Responsibilities, cont.Responsibilities, cont.

NRO - Prescribed fire program, WFMP review and updates; education; private helicopter; fire perimeter mapping; effects monitoring

SCI OIC - SCI WFCG, staffing needs review, fire season announcement, sign burn plans, annual fire plan review

SCORE - fire ignition source reporting, report impacts to schedule, SHOBA fuelbreak installation, RAWS weather station support

SOCAL Range Complex EIS and Biological Opinion. New locations and types of ordnance use, such as central island ranges for SPECWAR.

Policy on restricting aerial suppression needs considering in Restricted Access Areas (RAAs) (those locations requiring an escort for unexploded ordnance) or Impact Areas. The potential to use a fixed-wing aircraft on standby on the mainland is an option currently being discussed.

Not all roads meet the standards described in the current WFMP to function for firefighting access, such as staging for backburning, or as a component of a fuelbreak system. A reevaluation of road standards and maintenance, best practice avoidance and minimization measures for impacts, and NEPA compliance is needed.

As vegetation recovery occurs, the acreages of certain habitats important to listed species may expand into previously unused areas. The updated WFMP should quantify habitat take in terms of a percentage of habitat instead of a fixed number of acres. Reward better natural resource conditions.

The current Fire Plan is in need of a revision…

The best means of installing fuelbreaks with retardant needs cost-benefit analysis.

The ideal time to install fuel retardant needs review. Based on conditions of previous years, installation is preferred between 5/1-5/21. Precautions are necessary because the retardant becomes ineffective after about one inch of rain. Fuelbreak installation should occur before or after fire season is declared, as long as conditions at the time of installation are acceptable.

Reporting procedures need to be revisited. Adaptive management has been hampered by inadequate post-fire reporting. Declaring fire season start/end. FDRS announcements.

The revised WFMP should prioritize buildings to be saved in case of a fire. Salty Crab. Arizone cages.

There has been an increase in canyon fires since the WFMP was written.

The current Fire Plan is in need of a revision…

The Fire Danger Rating System should be updated. Adjustments are needed in how the FDRS is implemented. Adjust by island zones. Incorporation of 10-hour fuels.

The placement of Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) needs to be reviewed, and the protocols for recording data and applying it to fire danger prediction.

The Blow-In-Place method of removing UXO has been known to spark fires and should be evaluated for reducing this potential.

The current Fire Plan is in need of a revision…

Alternative aircraft for suppression and prescribed fire use. LCAC possibilities for backup.

Short staffing at FedFire. Use of military vs. civilian. Training in wildland fire response, wildland fire coordination. Mutual aid support.

Fire history/ignitions update

Progress made on communications

Difficulties with implementation – expected versus on-the-ground. Integration with Range Control.

Difficulties with funding some WFMP requirements.

Question all underlying assumptions.

The current Fire Plan is in need of a revision…

Pre-Draft Fire Plan February 4, 2013

Pre-Draft Fire Plan Review Meeting TBD

Draft Fire Plan June 17, 2013

Draft Fire Plan Document Review Meeting TBD

Final Fire Plan September 30, 2013

Collaborative Planning ScheduleCollaborative Planning Schedule

•Website to support comments and status updates