Wildland Fire PreventionWildland Fire Prevention

Louis Rene’ Barrera, Preserves Management CoordinatorLouis Rene’ Barrera, Preserves Management CoordinatorAustin Nature Preserves SystemAustin Nature Preserves System

Natural Resources DivisionNatural Resources DivisionParks and Recreation DepartmentParks and Recreation Department

City Of Austin, TexasCity Of Austin, Texas

PurposePurpose

Protection of high value resources from Protection of high value resources from wildfire.wildfire.

Focus fire prevention activities, cost Focus fire prevention activities, cost efficiently, in the priority areas.efficiently, in the priority areas.

Minimize losses, by effective implemenrtation Minimize losses, by effective implemenrtation of the planned actions.of the planned actions.

Fire Prevention AnalysisFire Prevention Analysis

Risk Risk HazardsHazards ValuesValues

RiskRisk

Risk are defined as the potential for a wildland Risk are defined as the potential for a wildland fire ignition.fire ignition.

HazardsHazards

Hazards-are defined as the fuel and Hazards-are defined as the fuel and topography of an area.topography of an area.

ValuesValues

Values in this process are the rankings of the Values in this process are the rankings of the differences in value of planned resource differences in value of planned resource outputs of an area before and after a fire.outputs of an area before and after a fire.

Wildland Fire Prevention AreasWildland Fire Prevention Areas

EDUCATIONEDUCATION ENGINEERINGENGINEERING ENFORCEMENTENFORCEMENT ADIMINISTRATIONADIMINISTRATION

EducationEducation

Education is aimed at changing people’s Education is aimed at changing people’s behavior by awareness and knowledgebehavior by awareness and knowledge

EngineeringEngineering

Engineering is an activity designed to shield Engineering is an activity designed to shield an ignition source ( e.g., spark arrester) or an ignition source ( e.g., spark arrester) or remove the fuel which could ignition from a remove the fuel which could ignition from a spark or fire brand ( clearance around a home)spark or fire brand ( clearance around a home)

EnforcementEnforcement

Enforcement is used to gain compliance with Enforcement is used to gain compliance with fire regulations and ordinances.fire regulations and ordinances.

AdministrationAdministration

Administration- those activities such as Administration- those activities such as planning, budgeting, and training.planning, budgeting, and training.

Urban Wildland Interface, UWIUrban Wildland Interface, UWI

““An area where structures and other human An area where structures and other human development meet and or intermingle with development meet and or intermingle with vegetative fuels in undeveloped wildlands.” vegetative fuels in undeveloped wildlands.” Colorado Colorado

State Forest ServiceState Forest Service

“ “ It’s where combustible vegetation meets It’s where combustible vegetation meets combustible homes.” combustible homes.” A Family Oriented Wildfire Preparedness Program 2003 -A Family Oriented Wildfire Preparedness Program 2003 -

Texas Forest ServiceTexas Forest Service

Model of RiskModel of Risk

Potential for ignition Potential for ignition Potential to burn and Potential to burn and Potential human consequence. Potential human consequence. Wildfire May 1, 2004, Baum, K.Wildfire May 1, 2004, Baum, K.

Types of riskTypes of risk

Small or LowSmall or Low Medium or ModerateMedium or Moderate Large or HighLarge or High

Types of FireTypes of Fire

SurfaceSurface GroundGround Crown firesCrown fires

Some examples of risks in preserves Some examples of risks in preserves and parklandsand parklands

Illegal dumping of household materialsIllegal dumping of household materials Pit fires/ brush pile fires (invasive and native) Pit fires/ brush pile fires (invasive and native) Grass firesGrass fires Ladder fuelLadder fuel Crown fires Crown fires Anderson Type 4 vegetation, Ashe juniperAnderson Type 4 vegetation, Ashe juniper 95% fires human caused95% fires human caused

Defensible SpaceDefensible Space

Defensible space is an area surrounding a home where the Defensible space is an area surrounding a home where the vegetation, and sometimes the structure itself, has been vegetation, and sometimes the structure itself, has been modified in order to separate the “ fuels” upon which a modified in order to separate the “ fuels” upon which a wildfire feeds. wildfire feeds. A Family Oriented Wildfire Preparedness Program 2003 -Texas Forest ServiceA Family Oriented Wildfire Preparedness Program 2003 -Texas Forest Service

Defensible Space*Defensible Space*

Draft guidelines for land uses Draft guidelines for land uses adjacent to Natural Areasadjacent to Natural Areas

Fire wise landscape and Fire wise landscape and building specificationsbuilding specifications

No wooden shinglesNo wooden shingles No overhanging patios in No overhanging patios in

wildland interfacewildland interface Spark arrestors for chimneysSpark arrestors for chimneys No gates or access into No gates or access into

preserves without proper preserves without proper authorizationauthorization

Fencing design specifications Fencing design specifications

No residential/ commercial No residential/ commercial brush disposal on public brush disposal on public propertyproperty

No alteration of parklands No alteration of parklands or endangered species or endangered species habitathabitat

No alteration of pre- No alteration of pre- existing environmental existing environmental conditions.conditions.

No combustible fuel sources No combustible fuel sources in or near preserves in or near preserves

Assessment sitesAssessment sites Bull Creek District Park*Bull Creek District Park* Bull Creek GreenbeltBull Creek Greenbelt Barton Creek Wilderness Barton Creek Wilderness

Park*Park* Stillhouse HollowStillhouse Hollow Barrow Preserve*Barrow Preserve* Mt. Bonnell*Mt. Bonnell* Steck Valley GreenbeltSteck Valley Greenbelt Cow Fork/ Coldwater*Cow Fork/ Coldwater* Cortana*Cortana* Upper Bull Creek*Upper Bull Creek*

St Edwards Park*St Edwards Park* Commons Ford Commons Ford

Metropolitan Park*Metropolitan Park* Emma Long Metropolitan Emma Long Metropolitan

Park*Park* Vireo Research Vireo Research

Management Area*Management Area* Friesenhahn*Friesenhahn* Barton Creek Greenbelt*Barton Creek Greenbelt* Cat Mountain GreenbeltCat Mountain Greenbelt * denotes BCP guidelines* denotes BCP guidelines

Stillhouse Hollow Nature PreserveStillhouse Hollow Nature Preserve

Barton Creek Wilderness ParkBarton Creek Wilderness Park

Land Management StrategiesLand Management Strategies

Maintain 70% canopy cover for Golden Cheeked-WarblerMaintain 70% canopy cover for Golden Cheeked-Warbler Mitigate illegal activities caused by humansMitigate illegal activities caused by humans Inventory gates, roads, topography accessibility factors, and firefighting Inventory gates, roads, topography accessibility factors, and firefighting

staging areasstaging areas Critical no burn, Let burn, and back fire area(s)Critical no burn, Let burn, and back fire area(s) Fire management, prescribed burns, fire breaks, native grass plantingsFire management, prescribed burns, fire breaks, native grass plantings Patrols, mitigate human pertubatations, transient campsPatrols, mitigate human pertubatations, transient camps EnforcementEnforcement Revise Land Development CodeRevise Land Development Code Multi agency education programMulti agency education program Community based education programCommunity based education program Inter- jurisdictional coordination and cooperationInter- jurisdictional coordination and cooperation

Lessons learnedLessons learned

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