17.1 Risk and Hazard Assessment

The community of Mogul is located near the western boundary of Washoe County, east of Verdi, north of Interstate 80, and at the south end of Peavine Peak. The community boundary is shown in Figure 17-1. The community hazard assessment resulted in classifying Mogul in the Moderate Hazard Category (54 points). A summary of factors that contributed to the hazard rating is included in Table 17-3. Primary factors that determined the hazard rating in Mogul included the potential fire behavior related to topography and vegetative fuels, and limited fire suppression resources.

17.1.1 Community Design

The wildland-urban interface area in Mogul is characterized as the classic interface condition. There is a clear line of demarcation between wildland fuels and the residential structures in the community. Most of the residences are located on lots less than one acre in size.

• Access: West 4^th Street and Interstate 80 are the primary transportation routes providing access to the community. The roads are greater than 24 feet wide, which provides adequate space for two-way vehicular travel and for fire suppression equipment to maneuver.
• Signage: All street signs are easily visible, and 99 percent of residential addresses are easily visible from the road. Clear and visible street signs and residential addresses are important in locating homes during low visibility conditions that occur during a wildfire.
• Utilities: All utilities are above ground. Power lines have been properly maintained minimizing the possibility that arcing may start fires in nearby vegetation. In some cases the recommended ten feet of vegetation clearance does not exist around propane tanks.

17.1.2 Construction Materials

Most of the homes in the interface are built with non-combustible or ignition resistant siding such as medium density fiberboard, stucco, or brick. Almost all of the homes have roofs of non-combustible material such as tile, metal, or composition. Approximately twenty percent of the homes observed have unenclosed balconies, porches, decks, or other architectural features that can create drafty areas where sparks and embers can be trapped, smolder, ignite, and rapidly spread fire to the house.

17.1.3 Defensible Space

Approximately 99 percent of the homes surveyed in Mogul have landscaping that meets defensible space guidelines to protect the home from damage or loss during a wildfire.

17.1.4 Suppression Capabilities

Wildfire Protection Resources

Nevada Division of Forestry provides fire protection for Mogul from Station 5 in Verdi. The NDF Verdi Station has 24-hour coverage and is staffed by four career firefighters daily and three additional seasonal firefighters during fire season. Fire suppression coverage is also provided from the Verdi Volunteer Fire Department, which reported having 22 volunteers at the time that interviews were conducted for this project. The closest resources available to respond to a reported wildland fire near Mogul are summarized in Table 17-1.

Table 17-1. Mogul Initial Attack Wildfire Suppression Resources

Type of Resource	Amount of Equipment	Cooperating Partner (Resource Location)
Engine Type 3 Water Tender Type 1	2 1	Nevada Division of Forestry (Station 5 - Verdi)
Engine Type 3 Engine Type 4 Water Tender Type 1	2 1 1	Verdi Volunteer Fire Department (Station 51 - Verdi)
Source: Brent Harper, Chief Verdi VFD, Joe Reinhardt ,BC, Nevada Division of Forestry; Marty Scheuerman DC, Reno Fire Department; Roy Slate Volunteer Coordinator Reno Fire Department.

Reno Fire Department responds with additional resources from the closest available career staffed station according to their standard wildland fire dispatch. Other local, state, and federal resources are available upon request through mutual agreements as described in Section 4.1.1.

Water Sources and Infrastructure

• Water available for fire suppression in Mogul includes fire hydrants with a minimum flow capacity of 1,000 gallons per minute within 1,000 feet of structures. The water system operates on gravity and electric pumps with emergency generators for backup in case of a power outage. The water system includes several storage tanks.

Detection and Communication

Fires are reported in Washoe County through the 911 system, which connects the call with the Washoe County 911 Center. Washoe County 911 notifies the Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center of wildland fires. The Sierra Front Interagency Dispatch Center notifies the Volunteer Fire Departments, the Nevada Division of Forestry, the Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service of fires through the use of pagers and radios.

Communication frequencies are currently compatible between agencies. Verdi VFD has the Reno Fire Department 800 meg radios in some of their engines. When the federal agencies go to narrow band digital radios, the volunteers will no longer be able to communicate with the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service.

Fire Protection Personnel Qualifications

All volunteer firefighters are trained to the State Fire Marshal’s Entry Level Firefighter and Firefighter I standards. Wildland firefighting training is provided by Nevada Division of Forestry and meets the NWCG 310-1 standards.

Work Load

The Verdi Volunteer Fire Department responded to 114 calls in 2003, twenty of which were wildland/brush calls and seventy were emergency medical calls.

Financial Support

The financial support for the Verdi Volunteer Fire Department is provided through a contract with Sierra County, California and the Nevada Division of Forestry pay-per-call program in which the Nevada Division Forestry bills for the emergency services as they are provided as part of the Sierra Fire Protection District. NRS 473 fire districts are funded for day-to-day operations from property taxes raised within the fire district for equipment, capital improvement projects, and maintenance. For fires within an NDF Fire Protection District, the state bears the financial responsibility for all costs resulting from actions taken by NDF in suppressing fires and in minimizing damages to exposed life, property, and natural resources.

Community Preparedness

Washoe County maintains an Emergency Plan for Hazardous Materials and an All-Risk Disaster Plan through the Washoe County Local Emergency Planning Committee. The Verdi VFD does not do pre-attack planning for fires.

17.1.5 Factors Affecting Fire Behavior

The terrain in the community and surrounding homes in Mogul is variable and ranges from flat to foothills with slopes eight to twenty percent. The dominant aspect in the community is south. The prevailing wind directions are from the west and southwest. Downslope and cross slope winds are common especially during summer afternoons. Topographic features including narrow canyons and mountain slopes adjacent to the community could result in unpredictable fire behavior.

The vegetative fuel hazard in Mogul is moderate with fuel loads estimated between three and four tons per acre. The dominant species consist of big sagebrush, rabbitbrush, and bitterbrush, with cheatgrass and bottlebrush squirreltail in the understory. Vegetation concentrations are greater near the drainages and open space areas within the community.

17.1.6 Fire Behavior Worst-Case Scenario

The worst-case scenario for this community would be a dry lightning storm late on a summer afternoon, during a year with above normal precipitation and abundant cheatgrass production. Strong erratic winds, greater than twenty miles per hour, in addition to predominant west to southwest winds could push fires into the community from the west and north. Drainages with dense brush below structures have an increased risk of hazardous fire behavior. Homes with inadequate defensible space could be quickly threatened.

17.1.7 Ignition Risk Assessment

There is a high fire ignition risk in Mogul due to a tendency for summer afternoon thunderstorms and high recreational use by the public of the area west and north of the community. The area has a history of multiple ignitions and large fires.

17.2 Risk and Hazard Reduction Recommendations

The responsibility to keep a community fire safe falls not only on the local fire protection district but also on the residents of the community, businesses, and local governments. The recommendations for the Mogul area focus primarily on fuel reduction in drainages and along ditches and defensible space on private property.

17.2.1 Defensible Space Treatments

Defensible space treatments are an essential first line of defense for residential structures. The goal of the treatments is to significantly reduce or remove flammable vegetation within a prescribed distance from structures. (Refer to Appendix E for the recommended defensible space area). Defensible space reduces the fire intensity and improves firefighter and homeowner chances for successfully defending a structure against oncoming wildfire.

Property Owner Recommendations

• Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation to create defensible space around homes according to the guidelines in Appendix E. This area should be kept:
  • Lean: There are only small amount of flammable vegetation.
  • Clean: There is no accumulation of dead vegetation or other flammable debris.
  • Green: Existing plants are healthy and green during the fire season.
• Store firewood a minimum distance of thirty feet from structures.
• Clear all dead plant material and combustible materials a minimum of five feet from the exterior of all structures.
• Mow or remove brush growing against fences in the community. The minimum distance for clearance should be ten feet in grass and 25 feet in brush.
• Enclose areas under wood decks and porches when possible or maintain these areas to be free of weeds and other flammable debris. Box in eves and cover ventilation openings with very fine metal wire mesh to prevent embers from entering the attic and crawl spaces.
• Clear all vegetation and combustible materials around propane tanks for a minimum of ten feet.
• Clear weeds and brush to a width of ten feet along both sides of the driveways.
• Maintain a minimum clearance of thirty feet from the crown of trees that remain within the defensible space zone. Keep this area free of smaller trees, shrubs, and other ladder fuels.
• Trim and remove tree branches a minimum of four feet from the ground to reduce ladder fuels on all deciduous and coniferous trees within the defensible space zone. Prune all dead and diseased branches.
• Prune all tree branches to a minimum distance of fifteen feet from buildings, paying special attention around chimneys.
• Mow grass within the defensible space zone to maintain a maximum height of four inches.
• Thin sagebrush and other shrubs to a spacing between shrubs that is equal to twice the shrub height.
• Immediately dispose of cleared vegetation when implementing defensible space treatments. This material dries quickly and poses a fire hazard if left on site.
• Where possible, irrigate all trees and large shrubs that remain in close proximity to structures to increase their fire resiliency. This is especially important during drought conditions.
• Install spark arrestors on chimneys.
• Replace ornamental Junipers with fire resistant species
• Where cheatgrass has become dominant within the defensible space zone, areas should be mowed prior to seed maturity or treated with an application of a pre-emergent herbicide. Treatments may need to be repeated for several years to ensure that the seed bank of unwanted annual grass seeds has been depleted. Refer to Appendix E for a recommended seed mixture and planting guidelines that can be used in conjunction with cheatgrass removal.
• Maintain the defensible space as needed.

17.2.2 Fuels Reduction Treatments

Fuel reduction treatments are applied on a larger scale than defensible space treatments. Permanently changing the fuel characteristics over large blocks of land to one of a lower volume and altered distribution reduces the risk of a catastrophic wildfire in the treated area. Reducing vegetation along roadways and driveways could reduce the likelihood of blocking access and escape routes, help contain the fire perimeter, and improve firefighter access and safety for protecting homes.

Utility Company Recommendations

• Reduce and remove vegetation to maintain clearance around power lines. Clear vegetation within fifteen feet of utility poles near the community. Remove all trees from beneath power lines. Reduce and remove vegetation to maintain a minimum clearance of thirty feet from fences around power substations.

Property Owner Recommendation

• Reduce and remove dense brush in drainages and open spaces within the interior of the community to lower the fuel loading and break up the fuel bed continuity. Treat and revegetate if necessary to control cheatgrass and noxious weeds as recommended in Appendix E.

US Forest Service Recommendation

• Reduce and remove brush on the Forest Service parcel in the northwest part of the community as shown in Figure 17-1 by mowing all vegetation to a height not to exceed four inches. Reseed treated areas with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

Washoe County Roads Department and Nevada Department of Transportation Recommendation

• Reduce vegetation and maintain roads by mowing all vegetation to a height no more than four inches for a distance of twenty feet from the edge of the pavement on both sides of the road. Remove biomass and dispose at an appropriate site. Reseed treated areas with fire resistant species such as recommended in Appendix E to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion.

Union Pacific Railroad Recommendation

• Mow or reduce vegetation within a minimum distance of twenty feet on both sides of the railroad tracks. Reseed according to the recommendations in Appendix E if necessary to prevent cheatgrass or other noxious weed invasion. Maintain low growing, low-density fuel volumes within the railroad corridors to reduce the wildfire ignition risk and hazard.

17.2.3 Fire Suppression Resources and Training

Verdi Volunteer Fire Department and Nevada Division of Forestry Recommendations

• Meet annually with the US Forest Service, Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Management to review pre-attack plans and to coordinate firefighting resources and response procedures including testing radio compatibility and coverage. Upgrade radios to new narrowband/digital technologies as needed to maintain communications with the federal agencies.

17.2.4 Community Coordination

Property Owner Recommendation

• Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council. The Nevada Fire Safe Council facilitates solutions to reduce the loss of lives and property from wildfire in Nevada’s communities. Through the establishment of a local Chapter, local communities will become part of a large network for sharing information including notification of programs and funding opportunities for fire mitigation projects such as those listed in this report. The Nevada Fire Safe Council will accept and manage grants and contracts on the Chapter’s behalf through its non-profit status. The Nevada Fire Safe Council will provide assistance and support to communities to complete fire safe plans, set priorities, educate and train community members, and promote success stories of its members. To form a local Chapter or for more information contact the:
  

  Nevada Fire Safe Council
  1187 Charles Drive
  Reno, Nevada 89509
  www.nvfsc.org

Washoe County Recommendations

• Continue to require all future development in the County to meet the National Fire Codes with regard to community design, building construction and spacing, road construction and design, water supply, and emergency access. Refer to Appendix F for an example of fire safe recommendations for planning new developments.
• Develop and enforce ordinances regarding fuel reduction and defensible space requirements for wildland-urban interface areas. Require defensible space implementation and maintenance on all developed lots and fuel reduction on all vacant lots within the interface area. Require approval by the appropriate fire agency of completed fuel reduction treatments prior to issuance of building permits for new wildland-urban interface developments.
• Facilitate coordinated and collaborative efforts at the County and State levels for consistency in fire safe community planning and enforcement of fire safe ordinances in a unified manner.
• Construct a turn-around area for fire apparatus at the end of Mule Deer Drive.

17.2.5 Public Education

A public education program that explains fire safe measures in clear and emphatic terms will have an impact on residents of the wildland-urban interface. Informed community members will be more inclined to make efforts to effectively reduce wildfire hazards around their homes and neighborhoods.

Verdi Volunteer Fire Department and Nevada Division of Forestry Recommendations

• Distribute copies of the publication “Living with Fire” to all property owners. This publication is free of charge. Copies can be requested from the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.
• Prepare an evacuation plan and post or otherwise distribute this plan to residents. This plan should include information regarding evacuation routes, evacuation procedures, designated fire safe zones, and procedures for sheltering in place in case evacuation becomes infeasible during a fast moving firestorm.

Property Owner Recommendation

• As an evacuation plan becomes available, citizens should read and become fully knowledgeable of evacuation procedures, fire safety zones, and safety procedures for sheltering in place in the event that evacuation is not possible.

17.3 Summary of Recommendations

Table 17-2. Mogul Priority Recommendations to Reduce Wildfire Risks and Hazards

Involved Party	Recommended Treatment	Recommendation Description
Property Owners	Defensible Space	Remove, reduce, and replace vegetation around homes according to the defensible space guidelines in Appendix E.
	Fuels Reduction	Clear brush in drainage ditches and open spaces.
	Community Coordination	Form a local chapter of the Nevada Fire Safe Council
	Public Education	Participate in public education opportunities and become knowledgeable of emergency evacuation procedures.
Utility Company	Fuels Reduction	Remove trees and thin shrubs beneath power lines and utility poles. Maintain fifteen feet of clearance around utility poles.
Washoe County	Community Coordination	Continue to require all future development in the County to meet the National Fire Codes with regard to community design, building construction and spacing, road construction, water supply, and emergency access. Develop and/or enforce county laws, regulations, and ordinances for defensible space and fuels reduction that include absentee homeowners, vacant lots, and new subdivisions. Facilitate coordinated and collaborative efforts at the County and State levels for consistency in fire safe community planning and enforcement of fire safe ordinances in a unified manner. Construct a turn-around area for fire apparatus at the end of Mule Deer Drive.
US Forest Service	Fuels Reduction	Reduce brush to a height not to exceed four inches in the northwest parcel within the community as shown in Figure 17-1. Revegetate with fire resistant species if necessary to control cheatgrass and noxious weeds as recommended in Appendix E.
Washoe County and Nevada Department of Transportation	Fuels Reduction	Reduce and remove vegetation in county road right-of-ways to maintain an average four-inch vegetation height. Reseed treated areas to minimize cheatgrass and noxious weed invasion where necessary.
Union Pacific Railroad	Fuels Reduction	Reduce and remove vegetation twenty feet on both sides of railroad tracks.
Verdi Volunteer Fire Department and Nevada Division of Forestry	Resources and Training	Meet annually with the Reno/Truckee Meadows Fire Protection District and the Bureau of Land Management to discuss and update pre-attack plans for the community and test radio coverage and compatibility.
	Public Education	Develop an emergency evacuation plan for Mogul area. Distribute copies of the publication “Living with Fire” to all property owners.

Table 17-3 Mogul Wildfire Hazard Rating Summary

Figure 17-1 Mogul Fire History, Suppression Resources, and Proposed Mitigation Treatments small | large | x-large