Community Planning to Reduce Wildfire Risks Forest and Rangeland Assessment Steering Committee Meeting (FRASC ) for the California 2015 Forest and Rangeland Assessment Report We will be starting the meeting at 9:00 November 20, 2014

Agenda 9:00 – 9:30: Introduction and Subject Overview Introductions of all meeting participants FRAP, and the FRASC process Meeting Topic and Goals 2015 Assessment criteria and indicators project update Community Wildfire issues covered in the 2010 Assessment 10:45 – 10:55: Break 10:55 – 11:50: Further Group Discussion 11:50 – 12:00: Recap and Next Steps 9:30 – 10:45: Panel Speaker Remarks, Group Discussion of Framing Questions Christina Carroll – Attorney, California Department of Insurance Edith Hannigan – Planning Consultant, State Board of Forestry Nicole Mahrt Ganley – Media Consultant, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Alexandra Syphard – Senior Research Scientist, Conservation Biology Institute Planning for Wildfires

FRASC Process Public outreach for the next Assessment of California Forests and Rangelands, due in 2015 A number of FRASC meetings/webinars have been held thus far, on core issues related to California forest and rangelands We want your views! Planning for Wildfires

Planning for Wildfires

FRASC Agency Partners Fire and Resource Assessment Program (CAL FIRE) USFS Pacific Southwest Region State and Private Forestry USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Planning for Wildfires

Introductions Around the (virtual) table Please tell us your name and any group affiliation(s) Planning for Wildfires

Ground Rules for Courtesy All are welcome to freely share ideas  Listen to understand  Speak to be understood Respectful comments and interactions Encourage participation Keep phones muted in the room Webinar participants, please keep phone muted unless you want to speak to the group Planning for Wildfires

Planning for and Reducing Wildfire Risks to Communities Highlights from chapter in California 2010 Forest and Rangeland Assessment Jim Spero and Dave Sapsis

2010 Assessment 2010 Highlights

Communities and the Priority Landscape  High wildfire threat and human infrastructure assets Planning for Wildfires

2010 Assessment - Communities  Polygons: Incorporated cities, Census Places  Points: GNIS, Communities at Risk Priority: At least 500 people or 1,000 ac in Medium or High Priority Landscapes N=1,272 Planning for Wildfires

2010 Assessment  404 priority communities representing about 2.6 million people living on about 1.1 million acres in high or medium priority landscapes.  More than half have CWPP  Priority communities were present in all bioregions, with 62 percent occurring in the South Coast and Sierra. Planning for Wildfires

2010 Assessment – CWPP  Community Wildfire Protection Plans Planning for Wildfires

2010 Assessment - Firewise  As of 2010 there were 48 active Firewise Communities  As of 2014, total is 86 (up 80%!) Planning for Wildfires

2010 Assessment – FSC’s  Fire Safe Councils  About 170 community FSC’s Continually forming… Planning for Wildfires

2015 – Focus on the future  Articulate and promote the concept of land use planning (Departmental goal)  SB 1241 – the Wildfire Hazard Legislation Safety Element Planning and Zoning Law  Requires local general plan safety elements to address risk of wildfire in SRA and VHFHSZ, informed by the OPR “Fire Hazard Planning” document.  2013 Budget Act -Fire Severity, Treatment, Education, Prevention and Planning (FireSTEPP)  New staff to assist local governments Planning for Wildfires

2015 – How can we help?  Many years ago it was just about  Smokey the bear (Prevent)  Government agencies (Suppress, Defend)  Now we look forward to living more sensibly in fire-prone environments  Individuals  Existing communities  Evolving communities… Planning for Wildfires

Panel Speaker Planning for Wildfires  Christina Carroll Attorney, CA State Department of Insurance

Panel Speaker  Edith Hannigan Urban Planner, Consultant, State Board of Forestry Planning for Wildfires

Panel Speaker  Nicole Mahrt Ganley Media Relations, Property Casualty Insurers Association of America Planning for Wildfires

Panel Speaker  Alexandra (Alex) Syphard, Ph.D. Ecologist, Senior Research Scientist, Conservation Biology Institute, La Mesa, CA Planning for Wildfires

Framing Questions  HOW CAN DEVELOPMENT LOWER RISK?  HOW TO PLAN FOR SAFER COMMUNITIES?  WHAT ARE EFFECTIVE INCENTIVES FOR ADOPTION OF BEST PRACTICES?  HOW CAN WE KEEP THE “WILD” IN THE WILDLANDS? Planning for Wildfires

Framing Questions  RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT : How can we change the conventional wisdom that development in wildland always increases risk from wildfire, to a new vision that development can be done in such a way as to prevent additional fire risk? Are there any existing "model" communities we can point to as examples of how to plan it "right", versus any that show us clearly what to avoid? Planning for Wildfires

Framing Questions  PLANNING TO REDUCE RISK: How is planning for new housing developments in areas with high potential wildfire hazards different from other non-wildfire hazard areas? What plan elements are most essential for mitigating risk and hazards from wildland fire to life and property in fire-prone areas? What tools are being used to assess risk? Planning for Wildfires

Old WUI and New WUI  Is it enough to say it’s WUI? Is it all the same?  Can housing age structure and parcel size tell us something about current land use and wildfire threat? Planning for Wildfires

Framing Questions  ADOPTION OF BEST PRACTICES: What things can homeowners in moderate to high wildfire hazard WUI areas do to reduce their risks and lower their fire insurance premiums? What other incentives might help such homeowners "do the right things" for wildfire risk reduction? Planning for Wildfires

Framing Questions  KEEPING THE WILD IN THE WILDLANDS: How can we best balance the needs of wildlife flora and fauna, with those of homeowners with a need for fire-resistant buffers in fire-prone areas? Planning for Wildfires

BREAK Back in 15 minutes! Planning for Wildfires

GROUP DISCUSSION Planning for Wildfires

RECAP and NEXT STEPS We need your help to: Identify new data Evaluate Priorities Evaluate Methods Provide information Planning for Wildfires

Thank You Our 2015 Assessment will benefit from your input. Thank you for taking the time to participate in this process! If you have any further comments, questions, or suggestions, please let us know. You can visit our website here: Planning for Wildfires