INTRODUCTION DEFINITION OF THE HOME IGNITION ZONE

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1 FIREWISE COMMUNITIES/USA RECOGNITION PROGRAM COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT Lincoln Neighborhood (Merrill Circle, Roca Canyon, Quailhaven) Ashland, Oregon INTRODUCTION The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to provide an effective management approach for preserving wildland living aesthetics. The program can be tailored for adoption by any community and/or neighborhood association that is committed to ensuring its citizens maximum protection from wildland fire. The following community assessment is intended as a resource to be used by Lincoln Neighborhood residents for creating a wildfire safety action plan. The plan developed from the information in this assessment should be implemented in a collaborative manner, and updated and modified as needed. The City of Ashland is implementing a building block approach to creating cohesive Firewise Communities within the city limits. This approach capitalizes on the enthusiasm and participation of smaller neighborhoods and uses them as the basis for future expansion. While some existing Ashland neighborhoods in the Firewise program are fairly separated, the neighborhoods in this Lincoln Neighborhood assessment present the unique challenge of being small clusters dispersed throughout one area block of the City, and are surrounded by urban development without HOA organization. Over time, surrounding homeowners will be invited to join the Firewise Communities program, creating an expanding concentric circle approach to program development. For the purposes of this development, a breakout of each individual neighborhood will be presented, and can be added upon in future years as the boundaries for each group expand. A community assessment of three HOA-focused developments was conducted on May 12, These HOA-managed developments are Merrill Circle, Quailhaven, and Roca Canyon. A complete description of each individual neighborhood will be included. Attendees were board members and representatives from each community; Firewise Communities Coordinator Ali True representing Ashland Fire and Rescue; and Brian Ballou, Wildland Urban Interface Specialist from the Oregon Department of Forestry. The assessment focused on: fire-prone vegetation within Home Ignition Zones, general fire resistant landscaping characteristics, home construction, and management of commonly owned areas. Photos were taken to include in the report. DEFINITION OF THE HOME IGNITION ZONE The Lincoln Neighborhood is located in a wildfire-prone environment. Wildfires will happen--exclusion is not a choice. The Lincoln Neighborhood encompasses a large block of the

2 City, and while the upper slopes are inside the Wildfire Hazard Zone, much of the neighborhood is not. Though some of the neighborhood, and two of the developments in this assessment, are not currently zoned within the existing Ashland Wildfire Hazard Zone, the environment of Southern Oregon supports active wildfire behavior throughout the region. The entire area may, in the future, be rezoned for inclusion within the Wildfire Hazard Zone. The variables in a fire scenario are when the fire will occur, and where. This assessment addresses the wildfire-related characteristics of the developments within the Lincoln Neighborhood. It examines the area s exposure to wildfire as it relates to ignition potential. The assessment does not focus on specific homes, but examines each development as a whole. A house burns because of its interrelationship with everything in its surrounding home ignition zone----the house and its immediate surroundings. To avoid a home ignition, a homeowner must eliminate the wildfire s potential relationship with his/her house. This can be accomplished by interrupting the natural path a fire takes. Changing a fire s path by clearing a home ignition zone is an easy-to-accomplish task that can result in avoiding home loss. To accomplish this, flammable items such as dead vegetation must be removed from the area immediately around the structure to prevent flames from contacting it. Also, reducing the volume of live vegetation will affect the intensity of the wildfire as it enters the home ignition zone. Included in this assessment are observations made while visiting Lincoln Neighborhood. The assessment addresses the ease with which home ignitions can occur under severe wildfire conditions and how these ignitions might be avoided within the home ignition zones of affected residents. Lincoln Neighborhood residents can reduce their risk of destruction during a wildfire by taking actions within their home ignition zones. This zone principally determines the potential for home ignitions during a wildland fire; it includes a house and its immediate surroundings within 100 to 150 feet. The result of the assessment is that wildfire behavior will be dominated by the residential characteristics of this area. The good news is that by addressing community vulnerabilities, residents will be able to substantially reduce their exposure to loss. Relatively small investments of time and effort will reap great rewards in wildfire safety. DESCRIPTION OF WILDLAND FIRE CHARACTERISTICS THAT COULD THREATEN THE AREA Lincoln Neighborhood developments could be affected by wildfire in a variety of ways. The most likely occurrence is through multiple ignitions from a downwind fire that could shower the subdivisions with embers, or heat-carrying firebrands. Those firebrands could then start smaller fires that could then easily spread through hazardous vegetation to become larger fires that could ignite homes. Ember intrusion into a home is also a possibility. While home construction characteristics vary between developments, there is a prevalence of mature fireprone vegetation in and around each neighborhood that can produce enough embers to impact homes without sufficient protection measures in place. Once a structure is on fire, nearby homes are more vulnerable through their close proximity, creating more firebrands that could be carried throughout the neighborhood, possibly initiating more fires. A home-to-home ignition scenario is

3 a possibility because of the close proximity of homes and the predominance of hazardous vegetation that can transmit fire easily between structures. Another scenario is a grass or brush fire on the edge of the subdivision that produces intense enough fire activity to directly impact flammable vegetation lining the subdivision, surrounding wood fences, or structures directly. SITE DESCRIPTION Lincoln Neighborhood is an area located in the south and central block of Ashland, Oregon. Ashland is a community bordered by the Siskiyou National Forest, rural farmlands of Jackson County, and forested areas managed by private property owners. Lincoln Neighborhood is bordered by Siskiyou Boulevard, a main thoroughfare through the City to the north, urban residential development (Briscoe and Terra Neighborhood blocks) to the west and east. To the south, a combination of city, federal, and privately owned lands comprising the Ashland watershed to the south leads directly upslope to the Rogue/Siskiyou National Forest. Much of the Lincoln Neighborhood consists of hillside areas with varying degrees of slope, and a combination of zoning and building codes present the situation of mixed age and construction material residential development, the existence of some wood shake roofs intermixed throughout the area, and a prevalence of mature fire-prone vegetation throughout the area. Thus, the potential exists for significant fire spread and behavior in an urban setting that can impact these initial Firewise developments, and is beyond their scope of control. For the purposes of this assessment, the observations and recommendations will focus on participating residents, with the expectation of increased involvement with neighbors over time to provide more cohesive protection. Fire is influenced by three factors: topography, weather, and fuel. Topography: Lincoln Neighborhood is located at an elevation between 2000 and 2500 feet. The neighborhood consists of 0-25% slope. While some building has occurred on natural terraces, many of the developments can be considered hillside. Weather: During fire season, June through October, temperatures range on average between 80 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Average wind speed is generally 5 to 15 miles per hour, with regular gusts exceeding 25 mph. Humidity ranges between 5 to 35%. General Fuels: General fuels consist of primarily managed ornamental landscaping surrounding residences. The neighborhood at large has some open space and vacant lots, but is primarily composed of dense residential development on lots smaller than ¼ acre. IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS The Firewise Communities/USA program seeks to create a sustainable balance that will allow communities to live safely while maintaining environmental harmony in a WUI setting. Homeowners already balance their decisions about fire protection measures against their desire

4 for certain flammable components on their properties. It is important for them to understand the implications of the choices they are making. These choices directly relate to the ignitability of their home ignition zones during a wildfire. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: MERRILL CIRCLE (All recommendations are based on specific observations and will be listed in bold.) Description: Merrill Circle is a development of 8 houses nestled in the slopes of Ashland s neighborhoods above Siskiyou Boulevard. The development is less than 25 years old, and features many fire-resistant construction materials such as asphalt composition roofs, double pane windows and boxed eaves. The development encompasses two streets, with a small vehicle turnaround and a common park-like area that borders four of the homes. There are currently 8 houses on approximately.25 acres lots, two vacant lots, and common space of 0.4 acres. The subdivision is located less than ¼ mile downhill from the existing Wildfire Hazard Zone, and could be encompassed into the boundary in future years. Mixed age development surrounding this neighborhood presents challenges such as unassociated neighbors not in regular contact with each other, and a prevalence of fire-prone vegetation and building material characteristics. However, the enthusiasm and participation of the Merrill Circle residents should not go unrecognized, as the location of this subdivision can have impact on the growth of Firewise Communities in Ashland in the future. Using Merrill Circle as a starting point from which to expand, this community can serve as a model of neighbors working together to provide motivation and encouragement for future participants. An observation made during the assessment is the opportunity and importance of individual participation in the Firewise program. Because all the lots have at least one other home in their Home Ignition Zone, only by working together to manage ignition risks can the community achieve wildfire preparedness. There are some examples of fire-prone landscaping located on privately owned lots that can only be mitigated by the individual homeowners. Annual maintenance must also be completed by each and every homeowner to achieve program goals of preparedness. The recommendation is that each homeowner completes a free Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire & Rescue, and then follows the recommendations made in the assessment report. This way, each homeowner is educated on risks and mitigations possible for their own property, how to alter landscaping, maintain their property annually, or replace materials to achieve wildfire preparedness. Some of the more-fire prone vegetation, like pampas grass, arborvitae and juniper do present considerable risk to the neighborhood if ignited. Because many of the homes feature primarily fire-resistant landscaping, the essential character of the neighborhood will not be altered by these suggested improvements.

5 Photos of individual homes in Merrill Circle indicate proximity to each other, minimal amounts of fire-prone vegetation, and abundant fire-resistant landscaping that can serve as a model for surrounding neighborhood. In the cases where fire-prone vegetation has been planted and maintained as an alternative to fencing and to provide privacy, individual recommendations can be made that offer greater fire safety and still provide privacy or screening between houses. Recommendations can be made on a site by site basis and will include fire-resistant vegetation and alternatives that offer greater protection from home-to-home ignition than the current arrangements. Another observation made during the assessment considers the common area s maintenance and design. The common area, as a well-maintained length of grass with border plantings and a few trees offers a significant opportunity as a defensible space for the neighborhood. Because the grass is watered and kept short, with well-maintained plantings near the edge, it provides a place where a fire can be safely attacked or extinguished, a safety zone for residents, and a resource for the neighborhood as a place where fire behavior can decrease, rather than increase. Thus maintaining the common area in Firewise condition is important to the fire safety of Merrill Circle residents and the Lincoln neighborhood in general.

6 Park-like common area should be maintained in a Firewise condition, utilizing fire-resistant plants in healthy condition. The recommendation for management of the common area is to continue to select and maintain fire-resistant plantings. This would include the removal of decadent old-growth woody shrubs such as lavender that could easily ignite and nurture combustion should they be exposed to embers. As the group of conifer trees grows, it is recommended that the lower limbs be removed and either fire-resistant ground cover or mulch/grass be installed underneath. The density of conifer trees may require thinning of the trees to provide each remaining tree with enough resources to grow into maturity without increasing fire risk. The deciduous trees near the edge of the common area are in good condition, and removal and management of those trees is not required. The deciduous trees are a beneficial resource, though management of the dead leaves once fallen is an issue for both the HOA and the individual residents. Pressure from deer is recognized in this assessment as a limiting factor in replacing plants with more fire-resistant varieties. With that condition in mind, the use of fire prone plants that prove deer resistant can be used if kept small, well-spaced and maintained over time to not spread fire to or between structures.

7 Decadent plantings require removal of dead material, or replacement with shrubs that generates less woody material over time. Dense conifers have adequate spacing now, but will require management in the future, like limbing up lower branches and thinning density. An additional observation and recommendation concerning Merrill Circle addresses the opportunities for education and awareness throughout the community. Because this community has relatively little fuels management to complete, enduring participation in the Firewise program will depend on educational awareness and annual events that support fire preparedness and education. It is the recommendation that the HOA develop a Firewise plan that incorporates educational events, recognition for participation, and support for annual maintenance tasks that increase fire safety (e.g. Leaf Cleanup Day, etc). These kinds of annual events will support Firewise Communities USA annual recognition process, as well as an enduring culture of wildfire preparedness in the neighborhood. The final observation concerns the surrounding neighborhood. Because Merrill Circle does not sit in isolation, and there are homes bordering the development that are within Merrill Circle s residents HIZ, it is recommended that neighbors be invited and encouraged to adopt the Firewise Program standards in the future. It is by expanding the boundaries of the Firewise program past the Merrill Circle boundaries that true fire protection will be achieved for the community.

8 Map indicating common space of Merrill Circle HOA, surrounded by homes and unassociated residential development within City of Ashland. SUCCESSFUL FIREWISE MODIFICATIONS When adequately prepared, a house can likely withstand a wildfire without the intervention of the fire service. Further, a house and its surrounding community can be both Firewise and compatible with the area s ecosystem. The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to enable communities to achieve a high level of protection against WUI fire loss even as a sustainable ecosystem balance is maintained. A homeowner and community must focus attention on the home ignition zone and eliminate the fire s potential relationship with the house. This can be accomplished by disconnecting the house from high and/or low-intensity fire that could occur around it. The following photographs were taken in Merrill Circle and are examples of good Firewise practices.

9 Use of fire-resistant landscaping in common area 2. Individual homeowners are embracing removal of fire prone species and replacement of fire-resistant landscaping. Many residents within Merrill Circle have received a Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire and Rescue, and then performed the recommended work of Firewise construction and landscaping improvements. In addition, many of the homes within the community are built with fire resistant materials, and have fire-resistant vegetation within their lots. It is by increasing the number of these Firewise homes, and performing Firewise practices on common areas, that Merrill Circle will truly function as a Firewise Community. In addition, emergency access and evacuation routes within the community are good, due to a paved through-road and side street. While one road is a dead-end road, it is relatively short, with an adequate cul-de-sac for turnaround at the end. Water availability is good due to city hydrants, and wildfire evacuation routes are signed and lead downhill to Siskiyou Boulevard. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: QUAILHAVEN (All recommendations are based on specific observations and will be listed in bold.) Description: Quailhaven is a medium density residential development of 7 houses plus common areas near the top of Ashland s developed hillside. While the Wildfire Hazard Zone does not include the neighborhood, it does surround three sides of Quailhaven, as if a line was drawn to purposefully exclude Quailhaven. The development is however, just as much at risk from ember fallout or downhill fire activity as its neighbors across the street and directly uphill. It is likely that if the Wildfire Hazard Zone is expanded in the future that it will encompass Quailhaven and the area immediately downhill. The homes ages range from years, and were purposefully built with an aesthetic that embraced the natural environment in the wooded hillside environment. All the homes were built with wood shake roofs at the time of construction; many have wood siding and attached wooden decks. The development sits between two streets with a driveway for public access in the middle of the development that provides access to the common area. There are currently 7 houses on approximately.25 acres lots, and common space of 0.5 acres. Mixed age development surrounding this neighborhood presents challenges such as unassociated neighbors not in regular contact with each other, and a prevalence of fire-prone vegetation and building material characteristics. However, the enthusiasm and participation of

10 the Quailhaven residents should not go unrecognized, as the location of this subdivision can have impact on the growth of Firewise Communities in Ashland in the future. Using Quailhaven as a starting point from which to expand, this community can serve as a model of neighbors working together to provide motivation and encouragement for future participants. An observation made during the assessment is the opportunity and importance of individual participation in the Firewise program. Because all the lots have at least one other home in their Home Ignition Zone, only by working together to manage ignition risks can the community achieve wildfire preparedness. There are some examples of fire-prone landscaping located on privately owned lots that can only be mitigated by the individual homeowners. Annual maintenance must also be completed by each and every homeowner to achieve program goals of preparedness. The recommendation is that each homeowner completes a free Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire & Rescue, and then follows the recommendations made in the assessment report. This way, each homeowner is educated on risks and mitigations possible for their own property, how to alter landscaping, maintain their property annually, or replace materials to achieve wildfire preparedness. Some of the more-fire prone vegetation, like scotch broom, manzanita and juniper do present considerable risk to the neighborhood if ignited. Because modification of some conifers and manzanita is acceptable, not all vegetation must be removed. In addition, plenty of native fire-resistant species such as oak and oregon grape are present, so it is not expected that the essential character of the neighborhood will be altered by these suggested improvements. Photos of home landscaping in Quailhaven indicate the presence of fire-prone vegetation like juniper and scotch broom. In the cases where fire-prone vegetation has been allowed to grow as an alternative to fencing and to provide privacy, individual recommendations can be made that offer greater fire safety and still provide privacy or screening between houses. Primarily, recommendations will focus on removing ladder fuels such as lower limbs of trees and shrubs, and seek to preserve mature trees. Recommendations can be made on a site by site basis and will include fire-resistant vegetation and alternatives that offer greater protection from home-to-home ignition than the current arrangements. Another observation made during the assessment considers the Quailhaven common area. The common area, as an open space between the homes, shares property lines and Home Ignition Zones with several individual residences. The area offers a significant opportunity as a potential defensible space for the neighborhood, but only if it is cleared of fire-prone vegetation. In its

11 current state, fire-prone vegetation exists very close to homes that could fuel a wildfire and significantly increase fire potential within the neighborhood. Because many of these species were planted for privacy, the primary fuel loading is close to the ground, and the shrubs and lower tree branches exist as ideal ladder fuels that can take ground fire up to the canopy level, which is extensive in Quailhaven due to the number of mature trees. The topography of the common area is important, because the natural drainage that occurs can amplify fire behavior due to the slope and natural chimney effect. Because homes are right at the top of the slope, managing the fuel in the draw is very important in protecting the upslope and adjacent homes. It is the recommendation that the common area be maintained as a defensible space by following Firewise recommendations for landscape design and maintenance. Specifically, all grass should be cut short and maintained to 4 inches or less throughout fire season, meeting the City of Ashland s weed abatement requirements. This effort is already a part of Quailhaven s management plan. In addition, fire-prone shrubs should be modified through removal, trimming, or thinning so as not to provide a continuous chain of fuel that leads directly to homes. Considering the vulnerable building design of Quailhaven s homes, managing this kind of vegetation is very important in reducing home ignition. The Firewise recommendations to remove lower tree limbs, reduce clumps of fire-prone vegetation, and thin direct chains of vegetation, will have a significant impact on the community level of preparedness. It is by managing this area that each home will achieve full protection within the 200 foot diameter HIZ. By removing ladder fuels, safety is increased for the canopy of mature trees, as well as the homes of Quailhaven. Where replacement plants are desired for privacy, this report recommends the use of fire-resistant plants, with annual maintenance that removes all dead material and debris. Maintaining the common area in Firewise condition is important to the fire safety of Quailhaven residents and the Lincoln neighborhood in general.

12 Quailhaven common area should be maintained in a Firewise condition, removing ladder fuels that could ignite easily from embers or ground fire and intensify fire behavior adjacent to homes. Another observation regarding Quailhaven concerns the building materials used in the homes. The homes were constructed of primarily wood siding, with wood shake roofs and wood attachments. It is recommended that individual homeowners embrace Firewise fortifications wherever possible to increase their homes resistance to ignition from embers. Many of the wood shake roofs have been recently replaced with Class A materials. Wooden decks, especially located uphill, are a particular vulnerability because annual debris like leaves and pine needles tend to collect and accumulate. In fire conditions, embers also accumulate there and can ignite debris, then the deck supports and decking, spreading fire directly to the home. All areas under decks need to be protected by thorough annual cleaning down to bare dirt or gravel, or cleaned and then screened off with 1/8 inch metal mesh to prevent debris and ember intrusion. Using fire-resistant materials wherever possible for future home improvements will also greatly increase fire protection. Fire-resistant siding materials, Class A roofs, composite decking material, double pane windows, metal fencing material and rock edging and borders surrounding homes can have a significant impact on home ignitability and fire spread throughout the community. An additional observation and recommendation concerning Quailhaven addresses the opportunities for education and awareness throughout the community. Because this community has fuels management that can be completed within a few years, enduring participation in the Firewise program will depend on educational awareness and annual events that support fire preparedness and education. It is the recommendation that the HOA develop a Firewise plan that incorporates educational events, recognition for participation, and support for annual

13 maintenance tasks that increase fire safety (e.g. Needle Cleanup Day, etc). These kinds of annual events will support Firewise Communities USA annual recognition process, as well as an enduring culture of wildfire preparedness in the neighborhood. The final observation concerns the surrounding neighborhood. Because Quailhaven does not sit in isolation, it is recommended that neighbors be invited and encouraged to adopt the Firewise Program standards in the future. It is by expanding the boundaries of the Firewise program past the Quailhaven boundaries that true fire protection will be achieved for the community. Some neighbors have already undergone significant work and have volunteered to be included in future Firewise events, such as two homeowners on Emma Street. In addition, another newly formed Firewise Community is located just two blocks away. By eventually involving residents located between these communities, contiguous and much more meaningful neighborhood protection will be achieved for the residents of Quailhaven and the Lincoln Neighborhood. Map indicating common space of Quailhaven HOA (red inside yellow block), surrounded by homes and unassociated residential development within City of Ashland, and one block away from another new Firewise development (blue). SUCCESSFUL FIREWISE MODIFICATIONS When adequately prepared, a house can likely withstand a wildfire without the intervention of the fire service. Further, a house and its surrounding community can be both Firewise and compatible with the area s ecosystem. The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to enable communities to achieve a high level of protection against WUI fire loss even as a sustainable ecosystem balance is maintained. A homeowner and community must focus attention on the home ignition zone and eliminate the fire s potential relationship with the house. This can be accomplished by

14 disconnecting the house from high and/or low-intensity fire that could occur around it. The following photographs were taken in Quailhaven and are examples of good Firewise practices Recent replacement of wood shake roof with asphalt shingles. 2. Individual homeowners are embracing thinning of fire prone species. The common area adjacent to S. Mountain Ave has already undergone a significant thinning and fuel reduction. By removing much of the overgrowth of vegetation in this area and removing dead material, fire potential in this area has been greatly reduced. The residents of Quailhaven should be commended for taking this preemptive action and plan on maintaining this area in fuel-managed condition for years to come. Common area adjacent to S. Mountain Ave has had fuels reduction work completed to remove thick understory and brush, favoring fire resistant oaks and oregon grape, and carefully spacing Douglas fir. Many residents within Quailhaven have received a Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire and Rescue, and then performed the recommended work of Firewise construction and landscaping improvements. In addition, many of the homes within the community have existing fire-resistant vegetation within their lots. It is by increasing the number of these Firewise homes, and performing Firewise practices on common areas, that Quailhaven will truly function as a Firewise Community. In addition, emergency access and evacuation routes within the community are good, due to a paved common area access and paved streets on either side of the development. Water

15 availability is good due to city hydrants, and wildfire evacuation routes are signed and lead downhill to Siskiyou Boulevard. OBSERVATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: ROCA CANYON HOA (All recommendations are based on specific observations and will be listed in bold.) Description: Roca Canyon HOA is a high density residential development located along a major drainage in central Ashland. Roca Canyon is a major geological corridor filled with primarily natural fuels that runs directly south and uphill to the forested hillsides above Ashland. All of the Roca Canyon development is located inside the Wildfire Hazard Zone due to its potential for fire activity in the canyon that could impact a significant portion of Ashland and the uphill Ashland watershed, the city s sole source of drinking water. With one exception, the homes are around 15 years old, and built with fairly robust fire resistant building materials. The development stretches along one central portion of a paved street that connects to uphill neighborhoods to the south and Southern Oregon University downhill to the north. There are currently 6 houses on approximately.18 acres lots, with 2 empty lots and a long narrow common space of 2.25 acres behind, and parallel, to the houses. Limited access to the interior common area may prove to be a challenge for access and response during a wildfire. An older irrigation system on the slope is not likely to be an asset during a fire unless it is regularly tested and maintained to provide adequate water coverage during real fire conditions. Mixed age development surrounding this neighborhood presents challenges such as unassociated neighbors not in regular contact with each other, and a prevalence of fire-prone vegetation and building material characteristics. However, the enthusiasm and participation of the Roca Canyon residents should not go unrecognized, as the location of this subdivision can have impact on the growth of Firewise Communities in Ashland in the future. Using Roca Canyon as a starting point from which to expand, this community can serve as a model of neighbors working together to provide motivation and encouragement for future participants.

16 Photo of Roca Canyon HOA common space with forested Ashland watershed in background. The first observation made during the assessment is the opportunity and importance of individual participation in the Firewise program. Because all the lots have at least one other home in their Home Ignition Zone, only by working together to manage ignition risks can the community achieve wildfire preparedness. There are some examples of fire-prone landscaping located on privately owned lots that can only be mitigated by the individual homeowners. Annual maintenance must also be completed by each and every homeowner to achieve program goals of preparedness. The recommendation is that each homeowner completes a free Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire & Rescue, and then follows the recommendations made in the assessment report. This way, each homeowner is educated on risks and mitigations possible for their own property, how to alter landscaping, maintain their property annually, or replace materials to achieve wildfire preparedness. Some of the more-fire prone vegetation, like arborvitae, cypress and other conifers do present considerable risk to the neighborhood if ignited. Because modification of some conifers is acceptable if clearance standards are met, not all vegetation must be removed. In addition, plenty of fire-resistant species are in place throughout the common area and many home landscapes, so it is not expected that the essential character of the neighborhood will be altered by these suggested improvements. In the cases where fire-prone vegetation has been planted as an alternative to fencing and to provide privacy, individual recommendations can be made that offer greater fire safety and still provide privacy or screening between houses. Primarily, recommendations will focus on removing ladder fuels such as lower limbs of trees and shrubs, and seek to preserve mature trees. Recommendations can be made on a site by site basis and will include fire-resistant vegetation and alternatives that offer greater protection from home-to-home ignition than the current arrangements. In addition, use of fire-resistant construction materials for future building improvements would increase fire safety in the neighborhood. Metal fences and gates, composite

17 decking, gravel edging near homes, and fire-resistant siding can all make a difference in decreasing home ignitability. Another observation made during the assessment considers the Roca Canyon HOA common area. The common area, as an open space behind the homes, shares property lines and Home Ignition Zones with several individual residences. The lower portion is along the drainage bottom, and supports year round water flow and an irrigated, park-like space with wellmaintained fire-resistant plantings and cut grass. The upper portion however, presents a fire management opportunity. The open grassy slope has been planted with several conifer saplings, meant to provide visual screening from potential future development across the drainage. From a fire perspective, the young trees present a fire risk. The trees are too young to limb up lower branches without harming tree health, and they are also surrounded by high grass. If the grass were to ignite, it would surely ignite the trees and intensify fire behavior, torching and lofting significant firebrands into the air that could ignite additional fires where they land. Depending on wind patterns, the embers could land uphill or downhill from the development, as well as on the houses and vegetation in the Roca Canyon HOA. While the lower portion of the common area is not likely to sustain or increase fire behavior, the upper common area is full of fuel that could easily ignite from ember fallout and presents a risk to the community in its ability to generate significant firebrands from trees. The topography of the common area throughout Roca Canyon is important, because the slope and natural chimney effect can amplify fire behavior. Because homes are right at the top of the slope, managing the fuel in the upper drainage is very important in protecting the adjacent homes beyond this development. It is the recommendation that homeowners in Roca Canyon HOA manage the common area to be as fire-resistant as possible. This type of management will have significant benefits to both the residents of Roca Canyon HOA and the neighboring areas of Ashland due to the potential for the Canyon to act either as a managed fuel break, or to increase the intensity of wildfire behavior as a fire moves upcanyon. There are some management choices to be made by the group that could favor tree health and forestry decisions that are outside the scope of this assessment. For future recommendations regarding the health and management of the conifers planted by the HOA, it is suggested that professional forestry advice be sought and followed regarding tree spacing and limbing up of lower branches. All recommendations in this report concern fire safety. This report recommends managing the grass perimeter of the common area to meet or exceed the City of Ashland s weed abatement requirements of 4 inches or less throughout fire season. The ordinance requires a 15 foot mowed buffer around the perimeter of the property. This effort is already a part of Roca Canyon HOA management plan. In addition, the recommendation for mature trees along the lower edge of the grassy slope is to be limbed up to prevent spread of fire from ground fuels into lower tree branches and then into the canopy of the trees. The branches should be removed to provide 6-10 feet of ground clearance, with the uphill slope taken into account. The large growth of blackberries in the common area is recommended for removal. Though significant berry removal was completed in the past, the remaining growth presents a significant fire risk due to its mid-slope location, amount of decadent woody material inside, and ability to produce firebrands. A thorough removal of all berry growth is recommended, as well as the ongoing maintenance of the slope so that future berry growth is prohibited.

18 Clump of blackberries surrounded by high grass that offers source for wildfire fuel. As for the immature trees, this report recommends protecting trees from wildfire by mowing/cutting grass at base of trees in a large enough area to minimize flame exposure to the lower branches. This could be achieved by a 6-10 foot circle around each tree s base. This grass management would minimize the chance for flame lengths of fire in the tall grass to reach the lower branches of the trees. Even this modification may not protect all of these trees under severe fire conditions, because of the inherent flammability of young conifers. Thus, the HOA assumes the risk of losing all these trees in fire conditions, and the resulting increase of fire behavior due to the fuel loading these young trees present. As the trees age, and become taller, they will be able to sustain limbing up of lower branches. Risk to the overhead canopy will decrease, as long as ladder fuels are consistently removed. This situation, however, will not occur for another years or longer. The immature trees will also need to be thinned and spaced. The recommendation is to follow Firewise spacing standards for fire-prone trees, which provides feet between canopies at maturity. Thinning the trees in their current small state will be much less expensive, as well as resulting in a decrease in fuel loading in the canyon, and an immediate increase in fire safety. It should be noted that some of the young conifers have been limbed up. However, because of the height of the grass (2-3 feet) and degree of slope, a fire moving through the grass below those trees could still ignite the lower branches. The trees are too small to safely remove any more branches, and thus, it is the grass that is the fuel that should be removed for fire protection purposes.

19 Roca Canyon HOA common area photos indicate grassy slope planted with many young conifers. Some mature conifers grow closer to the creek bottom offer easier management solutions such as limbing up of lower limbs. An additional observation and recommendation concerning Roca Canyon addresses the opportunities for education and awareness throughout the community. Because this community has fuels management that can be completed within a few years, enduring participation in the Firewise program will depend on educational awareness and annual events that support fire preparedness and education. It is the recommendation that the HOA develop a Firewise plan that incorporates educational events, recognition for participation, and support for annual maintenance tasks that increase fire safety (e.g. Grass Mowing Day, etc). These kinds of annual events will support Firewise Communities USA annual recognition process, as well as an enduring culture of wildfire preparedness in the neighborhood. The final observation concerns the surrounding neighborhood. Because Roca Canyon does not sit in isolation, it is recommended that neighbors be invited and encouraged to adopt the Firewise Program standards in the future. It is by expanding the boundaries of the Firewise program past the Roca Canyon boundaries that true fire protection will be achieved for the community. Several neighborhoods within ½ mile are undergoing Firewise Community work. By eventually involving residents located between these communities, contiguous and much more meaningful neighborhood protection will be achieved for the residents of Roca Canyon and the Lincoln Neighborhood.

20 Map indicating common space of Roca Canyon HOA (red inside yellow block), surrounded by homes and unassociated residential development within City of Ashland. SUCCESSFUL FIREWISE MODIFICATIONS When adequately prepared, a house can likely withstand a wildfire without the intervention of the fire service. Further, a house and its surrounding community can be both Firewise and compatible with the area s ecosystem. The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to enable communities to achieve a high level of protection against WUI fire loss even as a sustainable ecosystem balance is maintained. A homeowner and community must focus attention on the home ignition zone and eliminate the fire s potential relationship with the house. This can be accomplished by disconnecting the house from high and/or low-intensity fire that could occur around it. The following photographs were taken in Roca Canyon and are examples of good Firewise practices.

21 Well-maintained park-like lower common area. 2. Mix of deciduous and conifer trees in common area and limbing up of mature pine tree to remove ladder fuels. The lower common area has already undergone a significant blackberry removal. By removing much of the berry growth in this area fire potential in this area has been greatly reduced. The residents of Roca Canyon should be commended for taking this preemptive action and should plan on maintaining this area in fuel-managed condition for years to come. Photos of lower common area indicate where berries have been removed and maintained over time to provide an excellent fire break between the grassy canyon and the homes on the other side of the creek. Some residents within Roca Canyon have received a Wildfire Safety Home Assessment from Ashland Fire and Rescue, and then performed the recommended work of Firewise construction and landscaping improvements. In addition, many of the homes within the community have existing fire-resistant vegetation within their lots. It is by increasing the number of these Firewise homes, and performing Firewise practices on common areas, that Roca Canyon will truly function as a Firewise Community. In addition, emergency access and evacuation routes to the developed side of the community are good, due to paved streets on one side of the development. Water availability near houses is good due to city hydrants, and wildfire evacuation routes are signed and lead downhill to Siskiyou Boulevard.

22 NEXT STEPS After reviewing the contents of this assessment and its recommendations, each of the three developments Firewise Board representatives in cooperation with Ashland Fire and Rescue will determine whether or not it wishes to continue seeking Firewise Communities/USA recognition. The Firewise Communities/USA representative will contact the Firewise Board representative by June 1 st, 2011 to receive its decision. If the site assessment and recommendations are accepted and recognition will be sought, the individual Firewise Boards will create agreed-upon, area-specific solutions to the Firewise recommendations and create an action plan in cooperation with Ashland Fire and Rescue. Assuming the assessment area seeks to achieve national Firewise Communities/USA recognition status, it will integrate the following standards into its plan of action: Sponsor a local Firewise board, task force, committee, commission or department that maintains the Firewise Community program and status. Enlist a WUI specialist to complete an assessment and create a plan from which it identifies agreed-upon, achievable local solutions. Invest a minimum of $2.00 annually per capita in its Firewise Communities/USA program. (Work done by municipal employees or volunteers, using municipal or other equipment, can be included, as can state/federal grants dedicated to that purpose.) Observe a Firewise Communities/USA Day each spring that is dedicated to a local Firewise project.* Submit an annual report to Firewise Communities/USA. This report documents continuing participation in the program. In moving forward with the Firewise Communities Program, the residents and Homeowners Association of Merrill Circle, Quailhaven, and Roca Canyon are acknowledging their partnership with Ashland Fire and Rescue in the mission of reducing home loss to wildfire. These developments within the larger Lincoln Neighborhood will function as an integral part of Ashland Firewise Communities, demonstrating the individual and collective will to enact change in their community and share the responsibility for wildfire preparedness. Congratulations! *Note: There are a variety of ways to implement Firewise projects, and it is not limited to a single day of recognition. If one of the action items is an on-going or seasonal removal of trees, that is acceptable, as long as it is part of the action plan and can be documented as such, as well as accounting for the per capita investment.