Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09112012 - C.11RECOMMENDATION(S): APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Fire Chief, or his designee, to execute a right to enter agreement for fire training and hazard abatement on lands owned by Davidon Homes in the City of Antioch. FISCAL IMPACT: None. BACKGROUND: Davidon Homes owns a large parcel of undeveloped land in the City of Antioch, located just west of the Hwy 4 bypass. This parcel has a long history of unwanted fires casued by trespassers, causing increased risk to the community and Fire District personnel. In cooperation with the landowner, the Fire District will be using the parcel for wildland fire training with live fire exercises to increase the effectiveness and safety of our personnel. In addition, the training exercise will also remove the hazard of dry grass from the parcel, thereby reducing the risk to the community. The landowner requires an agreement, or right to enter, be completed in order for the Fire District to complete the training and hazard abatement. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: Community risk will remain, unwarranted responses will continue to the area for nuisance fires, and Fire District staff will not receive the benefit of training. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 09/11/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: 925-941-3520 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: September 11, 2012 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: STACEY M. BOYD, Deputy cc: C. 11 To:Board of Supervisors From:Daryl L. Louder, Contra Costa Fire Protection Dist. Date:September 11, 2012 Contra Costa County Subject:Right to Enter Agreement, lands owned by Davidon Homes, Antioch CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: None. ATTACHMENTS Right to Enter for VMP Exhibit A - VMP Incident Action Plan Canada Valley Vegetation Management Plan 2012 [Incident Action Plan] Executive Summary Inside the City of Antioch sits a parcel of undeveloped land situated along Canada Valley Rd near the Intersection of Vista Grande on the west. The east side of the parcel is bordered by Highway 4. The West, Northwest and South of the property are bordered by single family housing developments. The size of the property is approximately 200 acres. Over the past several years, trespassers have torn down fencing and gates to gain access to the property. The activities of the trespassers range from off road driving to illegal dumping of trash, appliances, and vehicles. During the summer months, the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District responds to numerous fires that occur on the property from illegal activities. The CCCFPD Fire Prevention Bureau has recommended that the property owners complete 100% abatement this year due to various factors that pose a risk to the community. In the past the landowners have done an excellent job of creating fire breaks by disking the property into smaller units. Although this tends to assist with suppression efforts under the proper conditions, the potential for risk to the community still exists when burning conditions are favorable. In addition, East Contra Costa County has seen a reduction in available fire companies. Nuisance fires like the ones that occur on the Canada Valley property require multiple resources sometimes committed for extended periods of time. This creates further impacts to the community as the District must shift fire companies from other parts of the county to backfill empty stations. The following lists the 3 main stakeholders and some of the impacts from this situation. 1. The property owners: Negative impacts include costly clean up from trespass and illegal dumping. Land owners may also face larger costs associated with 100% weed abatement. The illegal use of this property has created ruts and soil erosion due to use in inclement weather. 2. City of Antioch: The City has faced increased community risk from the arson fires occurring on the open space. This may cause a threat to the homes in the interface area. The potential draw down of fire resources may create longer response times for medical emergencies. 3. Fire District: The Fire District will experience a drain on resources as these fires occur forcing emergency suppression activities. There is an overall impact to the County due to having to pull resources (if available) from Central County to cover the City during these emergency operations. Extra work load is created for the Investigations Unit as well as the Fire Prevention Bureau when these incidents occur. This document outlines a plan to address the fire risk by utilizing controlled fire to mitigate the annual grasses. By creating a partnership with the above listed entities, the impacts can be greatly reduced and benefits can be derived for all. By allowing the Fire District to use controlled fire to eliminate the threat, the property owners could potentially save thousands of dollars in weed abatement costs. It is recommended that in turn the financial savings from not having to perform 100% abatement will allow the property owners to work with the City to install gates and barriers to control access to the property. The Fire District can benefit by utilizing the opportunity in a training environment to better prepare if workforce by instituting this Vegetation Management Plan. Anytime we can conduct fire operations on our terms and timeline is much safer than in an emergency situation. This also allows the Fire District to plan our resource management so as not to negatively impact the community. The result of these activities will produce many positive benefits to the City of Antioch. These include the cleanup of the Canada Valley Rd property. Secured open space, reduction of wildfire threat and increased public safety are more likely to occur from a partnership engaged in a proactive vegetation management plan. The Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) A VMP exists to provide mutual resource benefit from the parties engaged in the plan. In the case of Canada Valley, we will reduce community risk, reduce land owner cost, and increase the preparedness of the Fire District through the use of this VMP. The following Incident Command System Documents are the framework of any fire operations be it emergency or planned action. An IAP or Incident Action Plan is the crucial part of the Fire Districts operating plan when conduction any live fire event. The following is an explanation of the contents of an IAP so it can be better understood by non fire personnel. The first document (ICS 202) lists the Management Objectives of the overall project. These are the core drivers for the actual fire managers that will be on the ground conducting the controlled fires. This document also serves as a guide for the Governance (City of Antioch) to ensure that the operations are consistent their interests. The next document is the ICS 203. This is the Incident Organization. This outlines who is who and what responsibility each has to the operation. The 203 in this plan may be adjusted each day we conduct a live fire operation. Each and every day we conduct a burn a Fire Weather Forecast will be created and placed after the 203. This will define the when and if we can safely conduct our operations. Next is the ICS 204. This is a tactical document that will be created custom to each day we burn. It will outline who is going to be doing what during the actual fire. It will also identify what communications channel we will be using that particular day. Last will be a Safety Message with an ICS 206 (medical plan) attached. This will list any specific concerns for the operational period. It is to be reviewed and signed by a qualified safety officer who will be on site for the duration of the fire operations. This person usually writes the safety message and is highly trained in the risk management process for live fire operations. This IAP will be published and each person that is involved in any fire operations will be briefed and made aware of its entire contents prior to engaging in any live fire operations. The Fire Mangers conducting the fire operations will have in their possession the IAP for the operations they are responsible for each day. IAP COVER SHEET ICS Form 202 INCIDENT OBJECTIVES 1. INCIDENT NAME Canada Valley VMP 2. DATE 7/6/12 3. TIME 1000 4. OPERATIONAL PERIOD (DATE/TIME) July 23rd 2012 thru August 31st 2012. 0930 hrs to 1500 hrs. 5. GENERAL CONTROL OBJECTIVES FOR THE INCIDENT (INCLUDE ALTERNATIVES) Management Objectives : Reduce Community Risk by eliminating vegetation through the controlled use o f fire. Significantly reduce the cost associated with weed abatement to the property owners. Leverage the partnership with the City of Antioch and Land Owners to create training opportunities for the Fire District. Reduce or eliminate nuisance fires created by trespassers on the property resulting in more availability of Fire District resources. Operational Objectives : Provide for the Safety of Firefighters and the community at all times. Ensure all burns conducted in accordance with dialy IAP for e ach individual operation. Employ smoke management when burning in close proximity to the adjoining sub divisions or Highway 4. Keep the community informed when conducting burning operations. 6. WEATHER FORECAST FOR OPERATIONAL PERIOD A Detailed Fire Weather Forecast will be included in each daily IAP for every burn period. 7. GENERAL SAFETY MESSAGE Each daily IAP for burn operations will include both a Safety Message and an ICS 206 reviewed and signed by the Safety Officer of each burn. The 206 shall include detailed instructions in the event of a firefighter injury. 8. Attachments ( if attached Organization List (ICS 203) Medical Plan (ICS 206)  Weather Forecast Assignment List (ICS 204) Incident Map  Safety Message  Communications Plan (ICS 205)  Traffic Plan  9. PREPARED BY (PLANNING SECTION CHIEF) 10. APPROVED BY (INCIDENT COMMANDER) R. Sonsteng Organization Assignment List, ICS Form 203 ORGANIZATION ASSIGMENT LIST 1. INCIDENT NAME 2. DATE PREPARED 3. TIME PREPARED Canada Valley VMP TBD TBD POSITION NAME 4. OPERATIONAL PERIOD (DATE/TIME) 5. INCIDENT COMMAND AND STAFF 9. OPERATIONS SECTION INCIDENT COMMANDER CHIEF DEPUTY DEPUTY SAFETY OFFICER a. BRANCH I- DIVISION/GROUPS INFORMATION OFFICER BRANCH DIRECTOR LIAISON OFFICER DEPUTY DIVISION/GROUP 6. AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES DIVISION/ GROUP AGENCY NAME DIVISION/ GROUP City Antioch TBD DIVISION/GROUP BAAQM TBD DIVISION /GROUP APD TBD b. BRANCH II- DIVISIONS/GROUPS BRANCH DIRECTOR DEPUTY DIVISION/GROUP 7. PLANNING SECTION DIVISION/GROUP CHIEF DIVISION/GROUP DEPUTY DIVISION/GROUP RESOURCES UNIT SITUATION UNIT c. BRANCH III- DIVISIONS/GROUPS DOCUMENTATION UNIT BRANCH DIRECTOR DEMOBILIZATION UNIT DEPUTY TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS DIVISION/GROUP DIVISION/GROUP DIVISION/GROUP 8. LOGISTICS SECTION d. AIR OPERATIONS BRANCH CHIEF AIR OPERATIONS BR. DIR. DEPUTY AIR TACTICAL GROUP SUP. AIR SUPPORT GROUP SUP. HELICOPTER COORDINATOR a. SUPPORT BRANCH AIR TANKER/FIXED WING CRD. DIRECTOR SUPPLY UNIT FACILITIES UNIT GROUND SUPPORT UNIT 10. FINANCE/ADMINISTRATION SECTION CHIEF DEPUTY b. SERVICE BRANCH TIME UNIT DIRECTOR PROCUREMENT UNIT COMMUNICATIONS UNIT COMPENSATION/CLAIMS UNIT MEDICAL UNIT COST UNIT FOOD UNIT PREPARED BY (RESOURCES UNIT) Fire Weather Forecast 204 Division Assignments Map of Operational Area Safety Message To be created specifically for the operation period that day. Signed by the Safety Officer of record on the 203. 206 Medical Plan