Duplex Proposal, Lund Rd. Wildfire Hazard Assessment

Executive Summary

In accordance with the Town of View Royal’s Development Permit guidelines, Ash Mountain Construction retained Strathcona Forestry Consulting to conduct a wildfire hazard assessment of a development property planned for three duplexes at Thetis Vale.

Results of the assessments determined that the wildfire threat at the subject lands is presently Moderate to low High. Contributing factors include: fuel (forest vegetation) loading in the general vicinity, intermix (> 1 structure/ha), current lack of completely developed access and fireflow, and the possibility of delayed response. Under the provincial Wildfire Threat Rating system, ratings must be moderate or less to be considered acceptable.

This report contains Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) recommendations aimed at reducing fire behaviour by managing vegetation, defining land use and construction options, and enhancing local infrastructure. Wildfire Risk Reduction is integral to the FireSmart Program (FireSmartBC.ca), which provides a national framework for wildfire prevention in the interface zone. Ash Mountain Construction has modeled compliance with FireSmart strategies at other sites at Thetis Vale.

In my professional opinion, if the recommendations contained in this report are followed during development of the subject property, the risk of wildfire can be reduced to ensure the safety of the intended plans.

Fire prevention and protection in the interface zone are ongoing processes. Long-term implementation of FireSmart mitigation is essential to ensure protection for life, property, and ecological processes in the View Royal’s urban wildfire interface.

Introduction

In accordance with the Town of View Royal’s Development Permit guidelines, Ash Mountain Construction retained Strathcona Forestry Consulting to conduct a wildfire hazard assessment of a property planned for development of three duplexes on Lund Road in Thetis Vale.

The interface (wildland urban interface/wildland residential interface) describes any area where combustible wildland fuels are found adjacent to homes or other buildings. Under Section 919.1(1) (a) of the Local Government Act, development permits may be designated where protection of Natural Hazard Lands is justified. Natural hazards, including wildfires, may put life and property, and local biodiversity, at risk if development is inappropriately situated and not well planned. Areas of View Royal assigned at high or extreme risk from wildfire are designated in a Development Permit Area (DPA). The objective of the DPA is to properly manage the risks associated with the hazard (interface wildfires).

Hazard Assessment

This report describes the vegetation, terrain, and infrastructure on and around the subject property, and provides recommendations to reduce the risk of wildfire. Assessment criteria are based on Rating Interface Wildfire Threats in British Columbia (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/), FireSmart (FireSmart, Protecting Your Community From Wildfire (Second Edition. Partners in Protection Partners in Protection, 2003 (https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/), and the Home Owners FireSmart Manual (BC Edition (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and.../homeowner firesmart.pdf). Fire behavior modeling is standardized after the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS). Fuel Types listed in this assessment are customized from the CFFDRS Fuel Type list for applicability in south coastal BC. Wildfire threat assessment was conducted through an analysis of fuel threats in and adjacent to the proposed development, as described in the 2017 Wildfire Threat Assessment Guide and Worksheets (MFLNRO, 2017). This process, as used by qualified environmental professionals, employs physical and biophysical factors, combined with fuel hazards, to determine the wildfire threat (low, moderate, high, or extreme). Fire risk is based on four classes: low, moderate, high, and extreme. Recommendations in this report conform to BC Building Code standards and fire hazard planning authorized by Section 3(2) of the BC Fire Services Act.

Field Inspection: Strathcona Forestry Consulting visited the subject area several times throughout 2020. Field investigation entailed an analysis of the interface fire hazard that the lands are exposed to, from the perspective of the general area, local sites, and proposed and existing structures in the general vicinity, up to 100+ m from property boundaries, where feasible.

Location and Description of Proposal: The subject property occupies 0.275 ha on the north side of Lund Road (see survey & site plans, and map following pgs.). The northern tip of the property joins a small piece of parkland that stretches to the TransCanada Highway. Ash Mountain Construction has dedicated the section of land running along the highway to View Royal. The subject piece is in the southeast, where one new lot is proposed. Recently built townhomes are located to the east on Casey Place. New home construction is taking place to the south. Undeveloped forest lands that rise sharply uphill to the northwest have been dedicated as parkland. Mill Hill Regional Park is situated further upslope to the northwest.

Ash Mountain Construction plans to develop three duplexes at the lot. The new homes will be sprinklered. Due to the dimensions of the property, a 6 m setback is designated along the western boundary; this will be compensated by fire resistive exterior construction and interior sprinkling.

Proposed access is from Lund Road.

Survey Plan.

Proposed Development

Subject property is proposed for development of three duplexes.

Aerial View

Google Earth view of subject development property.

Wildfire Hazard and Risk

Wildfire hazard is a process, a phenomenon or a human activity that may cause loss of life, injury, or other health impacts, property damage, social and economic disruption or environmental degradation. Wildfire hazard can be described qualitatively as a fire environment—fuel, weather, topography, and ignitions.

Risk assessment for wildfire and its impacts to communities considers both the likelihood of a wildfire and the potential consequence associated with that likelihood. For example, if the fuel (i.e. the hazard) ignites and the fire spreads towards the community (probability), the wildfire can become a threat to life and property (consequence) with an associated risk of loss.

Determination of the wildfire hazard and risk involves a detailed assessment of potential fire behaviour, field reviewed fuel characteristics, proximity of fuel to the community, local fire spread patterns, topographical considerations and local factors.

Fire Behaviour. Fire behaviour has three components: weather, topography, and fuel. Fire behavior predicts how forest and wildland vegetation (fuel) will burn under different conditions. Weather and topography cannot be changed; alteration of fuels across the landscape is the only way to lower fire intensity and change fire behaviour.

Biogeoclimatic Classification. The Biogeoclimatic Ecosystem Classification is a system used to classify BC ecosystems based on plant communities and their associated topography, soil, and climate (Green & Klinka, 1994). The subject lands are classified in the Coastal Douglas Fir Moist Maritime Subzone (CDFmm). The CDFmm lies in the rainshadow of the Vancouver Island and Olympic mountains resulting in warm, dry summers and mild, wet winters. On Vancouver Island, the CDFmm is restricted to low elevations along the southeast rim of the island. Growing seasons are long, and often feature pronounced water deficits on zonal (average) and drier sites. Fire Danger Ratings (i.e., the risk of a fire starting) often reach High and Extreme during consecutive days in summer. Prevailing winds in the local area are generally southeast (to southwest / northwest).

Topography.

Physical site characteristics impact fire behavior by affecting ignition potential and the rate of fire spread. Fires typically spread faster uphill. Hilly terrain increases the potential for wildfire behaviour. Warm south- and west-facing aspects are conducive to hotter fires. The subject property is located on moderately sloping terrain with an east-northeast (cooler) aspect. As the subject property is situated at the base of a hillside, there is a probably a greater risk of fire spreading to lands upslope.

Vegetation.

The subject property is characterized by human disturbance (historical logging, land development of surrounding area for transportation and residential construction). Vegetative cover consists mainly of mature second growth forest, dominated by Douglas-fir.

There is minor encroachment from invasive plants (i.e., broom, Himalayan blackberry, and daphne) in the general area. It will be important during landclearing and construction to promptly re-vegetate any areas of recent soil disturbance in order to minimize encroachment/spread of invasive (combustible) weed plants.

Fuel Types.

Fire behavior predicts how forest and wildland fuels (vegetation) will burn under different conditions. Fuel hazard means the potential fire behaviour, without regard to the state of weather or topography, based on the physical fuel characteristics, including fuel arrangement, fuel load, condition of herbaceous vegetation and the presence of ladder fuels.

The Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System – Fire Behaviour Prediction (FBP) classifies fuels into five major groups and 16 benchmark fuel types to forecast how a wildfire will react ((cwfis.cfs.nrcan.gc.ca ›) (Appendix 2). Fuel Types are classified according to stand structure, species composition, surface and ladder fuels and the organic (duff) layer. Each fuel type represents a different fire behaviour pattern. Ongoing work is being done to apply fuel type categories to the diverse forests of British Columbia based on observed fire behaviour (Perrakis & Eade, 2015). Fuel types at the subject site were determined using field reconnaissance (see next pg.)

Major Fuel Types at subject property and surrounding area on Lund Road:

Risk of Ignition. Risk of ignition represents the potential for fire starts. Risk of ignition could come from current and future property owners, construction activities, visitors to the area, and from highway vehicles (discarded cigarettes, vehicle fires). Risk of ignition is currently rated moderate.

Fire Spread and Intensity. Head fire intensity is a numerical ranking of difficulty of control for specific fuel types. Flame length is a main visual manifestation. Head fire intensity is a major determinant of certain fire effects and difficulty of control. Numerically, it is equal to the product of the net heat of combustion, quantity of fuel consumed in the flaming front, and the linear rate of spread. Under warm, dry conditions, there is currently sufficient continuity of surface and ladder fuels at the subject property to enable a fire to spread relatively quickly. Dry, windy conditions would increase the rate of spread. A goal of Wildfire Risk Reduction (WRR) is to reduce HeadFire Intensity from current estimates of 4 or 5 (under High to Extreme Fire Danger Ratings) to less than 2000 kW/m (< 3, HFI column Moderate).

Clearing (removal/reduction of forest fuels) at the subject property will contribute to a local reduction of the HeadFire Intensity to less than 2000 kW/m.

Fire Weather Indices

Spotting Potential. Spotting is a fire behavior characteristic in which sparks or embers are carried up by the wind and/or convective column and fall into other downwind fuels to ignite additional fires beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire (Firewise.org). During the process of combustion in a wildland fire, vegetative fuels are reduced to flammable vapors, soot, and ash. During the decomposition of the fuel, and before complete consumption, particles of varying size (firebrands) break away from the main fuel source and are lofted upwards by the fire's convection column.

The danger of spotting in wildland fires is that when conditions exist to loft firebrands into the air, the probability exists for multiple subsequent ignitions over a wide area depending on the intensity of the convection and the wind speed and direction. Multiple ignitions can overwhelm any firefighting force.

Fire spotting is one of the major ways that fires spread and homes are ignited and destroyed in wildland/urban interface fires. Firebrands can come down on and ignite combustible roofs, combustible items stored adjacent to homes, and other nearby combustible fuels. The resulting spot fires may go unnoticed and thus unsuppressed when an area has been evacuated of residents, when firefighters are spread too thin, or when spot fires are too numerous.

Fire spotting is related to fire danger ratings. The maximum spotting distance in a particular fire varies according to several factors, including overall fire intensity, wind speed, fuel type, initial size of the ember when lofted up, and how rapidly it is burning (Firewise.org). Many embers burn up completely before landing, but larger embers of slow-burning fuels can keep burning for up to six minutes and travel for several kilometres.

If a fire start occurred during very warm dry, weather (High/Extreme Fire Danger Ratings), the probability of spotting in the area is Moderate to High.

Fire Protection The subject property lies within the service area of View Royal Fire Rescue (VRFR), a composite (partially paid/partially volunteer) fire department which operates from one hall on the Island Highway. The subject property is approximately 2.5 km from View Royal fire hall. Response time to the site could be delayed, depending on the time of day.

Fire department response time is the elapsed time, in minutes, from when the first firefighting unit is dispatched to when the first fire fighting unit arrives at the emergency scene. Fire department intervention time is crucial in determining the consequences of a fire in terms of deaths, injuries, and loss of property and damage to the environment. An early aggressive and offensive primary interior attack on a working fire is usually the most effective strategy to reduce the loss of lives and property damage.

The British Columbia Building Code addresses situations where the firefighter response time ‘exceeds 10 minutes in 10% or more of all calls’ by requiring higher levels of non-combustible construction and reductions on allowable areas of unprotected openings. The Building Code should address Fire Department concerns.

Mutual Aid Fire Departments within the Capital Regional District operate under a mutual aid agreement with other fire departments within (and outside) the region. In the case of a serious fire, mutual aid from adjoining fire departments can benefit fire suppression by pooling manpower and resources (water supply, water tenders, etc.,). Mutual aid, however, may not always available.

Wildfires View Royal Fire Rescue automatically responds to structure fires and small, easily accessible bush fires inside the fire service protection area (FPA). The Wildfire Management Branch generally responds to forested areas outside a FPA.

Water Supply An adequate and reliable water supply for firefighting is an essential part of a community’s fire protection system. The Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) Guidelines outline water specifications for fire protection. The BC Building Code governs the minimum water requirements for buildings. In fire protection areas served by a community water system, water supply for fire protection generally consists of a piped system in common with domestic potable water.

The proposed development will be serviced by community water and hydrants.

Access FireSmart infrastructure and access increase the resident and firefighter safety, and facilitate quick response by firefighters. Developments should have sufficient access for emergency vehicles, including 2-way road access in and out of any site, and safe driveway accesses. FireSmart infrastructure and access increase the resident and firefighter safety, and facilitate quick response by firefighters. Local government standards for public roads generally follow the BC Building Code and Geometric Design Guide for Canadian Roads (www.tac-atc).

Access to the duplexes will be from Lund Road.

Wildfire Threat Assessment Results

Site level scoring of field data resulted in a CURRENT Fuel Assessment rating of Moderate to High (see chart next page) and an overall moderately High Wildfire Threat Rating. CURRENT factors contributing to the elevated threat score include: extent and continuity of fuel loading currently at the site; current lack of fully developed access and fireflow; possibility of delayed response; and intermix >1 structure/ha. Threat ratings must be low or moderate to ensure an area and/or structure(s) are safe.

WILDFIRE THREAT RATING SUMMARY: Development property, Lund Road

*Projected ratings conditional upon compliance with recommendations contained in this report.

Wildfire Risk: Wildfire risk is the product of the likelihood of a fire occurring (likelihood), the associated fire behavior when a fire occurs (intensity), and the effects of the fire (susceptibility) on highly valued resources and assets (HVRA) (Scott, J., Thompson M. & Calkin D, USDA, USFS. 2013). Wildfire risk is currently rated HIGH (Refer to Appendix 3). Wildfire risk mitigation is achieved when any of the three aspects are reduced.

Generalized Descriptions of the “Fuel Assessment Rating” classes:

FMC (Fuel Moisture Content) 95% value based on 90th percentile drought conditions.

Fuel reduction targets should be sufficient to be effective to meet treatment objectives of reduced fire behaviour under 90th Percentile Fire Weather Index (FWI) Conditions (FFMC, ISI, BUI) from the BCWS weather network.

At build-out, the projected rating is Moderate.

Recommendations

Wildfires are a natural process in the forest ecosystems of southeastern Vancouver Island. Development in a fire-prone ecosystem involves taking the necessary steps to protect life and land from wildfire. The BC FireSmart program supports wildfire preparedness, prevention and mitigation to increase resilience to wildfire. FireSmart principles have proven effective at reducing the risk related to losses in the most extreme wildfire conditions. These principles connect to planning at three levels: land use and infrastructure development; vegetation management / landscaping; and design standards / building construction.

Due to the dimensions of the subject property, the recommended FireSmart Priority Zone 1 buffer is being reduced to 6m along the northwest perimeter. Compliance with the other FireSmart recommendations outlined below, including fire resistant exterior construction and interior sprinkling, will ensure Ash Mountain Construction’s subject proposal at Lund Road is resilient to wildfire.

Vegetation Management

General Precautions During Land Clearing and Construction

• Ensure any land clearing activities are conducted in compliance with BC’s Wildfire Act local bylaws.
• Avoid tree felling during the bird nesting season (mid March to mid July).
• As per the BC Wildfire Act, if a high risk activity (i.e., land clearing) is taking place between 1 April and 31 October, the operator must keep at the activity site fire fighting hand tools, in a combination and type to properly equip each person who works at the site with a minimum of one fire fighting hand tool, and an adequate fire suppression system (onsite portable water tanker and fire fighting tools – shovels, pulaskis, portable water backpacks). In addition, efforts must be made to maintain an adequate fire break between any high risk activity and areas of continuous forest to ensure a fire originating at the site does not escape the site.
• During landclearing, develop an Emergency Plan of Action, listing key contact information in case of fire and/or other emergency at the site.
• Hazard abatement (removal of slash/disposal of debris piles) must take place in compliance with Town of View Royal bylaws.
• Ensure construction workers are made aware of the risk of fire in the interface zone, especially during dry summer weather.

Hazardous Tree Assessment/Treatment

• Prior to commencement of construction, an ocular survey should take place to identify Danger Trees within and immediately surrounding the workplace. Appropriate treatment must be implemented prior to clearing/construction in order to ensure the site is safe for the uses intended.
• Should any trees be designated as Danger Trees that require falling, a qualified tree service must be employed for tree felling and removal.

FireSmart Zones

Priority Zone 1a: 0-1.5 m

Zone 1a - The structure itself is sometimes considered as the Home Ignition Zone (1A). A noncombustible surface should extend for 1.5 m around structures and any attachments, such as decks. Avoid storing flammable outdoor items, such as wicker or wooden patio furniture, cushions, doormats, window boxes and planters, garbage cans without lids and BBQ propane tanks, which are all places where embers can land and start a fire, in this critical area adjacent to homes.

• Landscape with noncombustible landscaping materials, such as gravel, brick, or concrete
• Avoid woody shrubs, trees, or tree branches in this zone
• Create a noncombustible zone underneath and for 1.5 m around any trailers/vehicles
• Mitigate any auxiliary structures to same standards as those of main structures

FireSmart Priority Zone 1: 0-10 m

Zone 1 –In this area directly surrounding a structure out to 10m, people and structures are at risk from radiant heat associated with a wildfire. Analysis of recent large-scale wildfire events (i.e., 2016 Fort McMurray fire) indicate that critical factors protecting structures are exterior construction materials and landscaping immediately surrounding the structures (Westhaver, 2016).

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The FireSmart recommendation for PZ 1 is 10 m. Due to limitations in the dimensions of the subject proposal, there is a 6 m setback along the northwest property perimeter. In this case, focus should be on fuel removal within the setback zone – in addition to long term maintenance of the setback zone – to ensure it is kept fuel free.

Establish and maintain an environment around homes and other structures that will not support fire. Focus on fuel removal, conversion, and reduction.

• Plan on landscaping with a low density of fire resistant plants and shrubs. Avoid the use of cedar hedging.
• Maintain landscapes with regular irrigation, mowing, pruning, raking, weeding and dead plant removal.
• Create non-flammable hardscapes, such as rock, gravel, and water features, which, function as firebreaks by breaking up areas of fuel. Rock can provide a natural looking, low-maintenance and water-efficient mulch and as well as a fire-resistant buffer zone.
• Group fire resistant plant materials in islands. Group plants in islands surrounded by nonflammable materials, such as rock; employ landscape elements together to create breaks between fuels.
• Limb (prune) trees 1.5 to 2m from the ground. Create space between trees and shrubs – a general rule is twice the height of what the plant will be at maturity. Remove tree limbs closer than 5m from power lines and any touching the house or other structures.
• Avoid using woody debris, including bark mulch, as it provides potential places for fires to start. Instead, use fire-resistant landscaping materials (i.e., rock).

FireSmart Priority Zone 2: 10-30 m (not applicable to the NW boundary of the subject proposal)

Zone 2 includes the area from 10 m to 30 m from a structure. There is a still a risk from radiant heat but there is also risk associated with flying embers. In order to prevent a crown fire from establishing in this area, fuels need to be treated aggressively. Conduct FireSmart thinning, lift pruning, and removal of ground fuels in this zone to reduce fuel loading.

• Thin and prune evergreen trees to reduce hazard in this area
• Within 30 m of structures, selectively remove evergreen trees to create at least 3 m of horizontal space between the single or grouped tree crowns, and remove all branches to a height of at least 2.5 m from the ground on the remaining evergreen trees. (For smaller evergreen trees; general rule of thumb is prune branches up to a third the height of the tree)
• Regularly clean up accumulations of fallen branches, dry grass, dried arbutus leaves, and conifer needles from the ground to eliminate potential surface fires

FireSmart Priority Zone 3: 30-100 m (not applicable to the NW boundary of the subject proposal)

Zone 3 - is the area from 30m out to around 100m. People and structures are at risk from ember transport associated with a wildfire in this area. Where fuel modification in Zone 1 and Zone 2 is insufficient to protect structures and/or property, and where property boundaries permit, thinning to reduce stand densities is advised in order to create an environment that will not support high-intensity crown fires.

• Look for opportunities to create a fire break by creating spaces between trees and other potentially flammable vegetation
• If possible, prune the trees located up to 100 m from the structures
• Thin and prune overgrown trees to reduce hazard
• Regularly clean up accumulations of fallen branches, dry grass, and needles from the ground to eliminate potential surface fires

General Principles of FireSmart Landscaping

• Incorporate FireSmart landscaping by using fire-resistive, widely spaced trees, native shrubs and groundcover in combination with stone and/or water features and/or maintained lawn areas. See FireSmart Guide to Landscaping. https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/resources-library/firesmart-guide-to-landscaping

Invasive Weed Plants

• Promptly re-vegetate any areas of soil disturbed during clearing and construction with approved landscaping materials and/or native plant species to prevent encroachment from invasive plant species. This is important to minimize introduction and spread of weed species. Weed species currently on site include: broom, thistle, Himalayan blackberry, and daphne. Broom is highly combustible.

Construction

Use fire-retardant roof covering assemblies rated Class A, B, or C (i.e., metal, tile, ULC- rated asphalt) and feature non-combustible siding materials (i.e., stucco, metal siding, brick, cement shingles or cementitious materials, poured concrete, or ULC-rated wood siding) on new structures. Metal, clay tile, and rated asphalt shingles are the most fire resistant roofing materials. Siding materials such as stucco, metal siding, brick and concrete offer superior fire resistance to wildfire. Logs and heavy timbers are less effective, while wood and vinyl siding offer very little protection.

• Follow FireSmart guidelines for design, construction, and maintenance of window and door glazing, eaves and vents, and decking https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/
• Ensure structures are equipped with working smoke alarm(s).
• Do not allow wood burning fire pits.
• Sheath in the base of decks, balconies and structures with fire-resistant material to reduce the risk of sparks and embers igniting structures.
• As is planned by Ash Mountain Construction, install interior sprinkling in new residences.

Infrastructure - Water Supply / Fire Protection

• The developer is responsible for all connections and upgrades to services and sanitary systems needed to accommodate the proposed development.

Access

• Ensure new roads and driveways meet BC Building Code and local Engineering requirements.
• Ensure address signage is clearly evident during the construction phase and at build-out. Letters, numbers, and symbols should be at least 10 cm high, with a 12 mm stroke, contrast with the background colour of the sign, and be reflective.
• Ensure new structures are mapped on fire department “pre-org” (fire planning) maps.

Public Education / FireSmart Community Resilience

• In liaison with the Town of View Royal, encourage the Lund Road neighbourhood to develop a local level FireSmart plan. Communities can make application to FireSmart Canada and receive resources and support for the FireSmart Neighbourhood Recognition Program https://www.firesmartcanada.ca/firesmart-communities/community-recognition-program/

Regulatory Provisions

• Conduct follow-up assessment (at building permit) to ensure appropriate mitigation measures have been implemented.

Appendix 1. FireSmart Interface Priority Zones

In interface areas, FireSmart advocates the establishment and maintenance of Fuel Management Zones* extending outward from structures and along access routes: Zone 1 a (0-1.5m) Zone 1 (0-10 m). Zone 2 (10-30 m). Zone 3 (30-100 m).

Zone 1a (0-1.5 m): This is the noncombustible zone, where it is very important not to have any combustibles next to buildings. Zone 1 (0-10 m): The main objective of vegetation management is to create an environment that will not support fire. Vegetation management focuses on fuel removal, conversion, and reduction. Zone 2 (10-30 m): Where treatment in PZ 1 is not sufficient to significantly reduce the fire hazard due to fuel loading, extend the fuel modified area with a variety of thinning and pruning actions. Zone 3 (30-100 m): Where fuel modification in PZ1 and PZ2 is insufficient to protect structures and/or property, FireSmart advocates treatment in Priority Zone 3 with a variety of thinning and pruning actions in order to create an environment that will not support high-intensity crown fires. *Setback Zone distances may be extended depending on aspect, slope, fuel loading, etc.

Appendix 2. Generic Fuel Types (adopted from CFFDRS).

Appendix 3. Fire Risk Classes.

RELATIVE WILDFIRE RISK

Fire Risk Classes

Low (Green): The combination of the local fuel hazard, weather influences, topography, proximity to the community, fuel position in relation to fire spread patterns, and known local wildfire threat factors make it a lower potential for threatening a community. These stands will support surface fires, single tree or small groups of conifer trees could torch/ candle in extreme fire weather conditions. Fuel type spot potential is very low, low risk to any values at risk.

Moderate (Yellow): The combination of the local fuel hazard, weather influences, topography, proximity to the community, fuel position in relation to fire spread patterns and known local wildfire threat factors make it possible that a wildfire in this area would threaten the community. Areas of matted grass, slash, conifer plantations, mature conifer stands with very high crown base height, and deciduous stands with 26 to 49% conifers. These stands will support surface fires, single tree or small groups of conifer trees could torch/ candle. Rates of spread would average between 2-5 meters/ minute. Forest stands would have potential to impact values in extreme weather conditions. Fuel type spot potential is unlikely to impact values at a long distance (<400m).

High (Orange): The combination of the local fuel hazard, weather influences, topography, proximity to the community, fuel position in relation to fire spread patterns, and known local wildfire threat factors make it likely that a wildfire in this area would threaten the community. This includes stands with continuous surface/ crown fuel that will support regular torching/ candling, intermittent crown and/or continuous crown fires. Rates of spread would average 6 -10 meters/ minute. Fuel type spot potential is likely to impact values at a long distance (400 -1 000m).

Extreme (Red): The combination of the local fuel hazard, weather influences, topography, proximity to the community, fuel position in relation to fire spread patterns, and known local wildfire threat factors make it very likely that a wildfire in this area would threaten the community. Stands with continuous surface/ crown fuel and fuel characteristics that tend to support the development of intermittent or continuous crown fires. Rates of spread would average >10 meters/ minute. Fuel type spot potential is probable to impact values at a long distance (400 -1 000m or greater).These forest stands have the greater potential to produce extreme fire behaviour (long range spotting, fire whirls and other fire behaviour phenomena.

Limitations

This report provides an assessment of WUI site conditions. Evaluation is based on professional judgment. The investigation involved field observation. Recommended treatment pertains only to the particular site as disclosed at the time of inspection. The report was prepared considering site-specific circumstances and conditions. It is intended only for use by the client for the purpose for which it was commissioned and for use by local government regulating the activities to which it pertains.