Unit Strategic Fire Plan Template

1. Unit Strategic Fire Plan Template On Behalf of: Fire Plan Template Committee

2. Unit Strategic Fire Plan(Unit Plan)Overview The Unit Plan: • Is in response to “The 2010 STRATEGIC FIRE PLAN FOR CALIFORNIA”. • Meets the standards of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003 as a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. • Has easy step by step instructions. • Tracks accomplishments. • Was developed so that the entire document does not have to be updated every year.

4. The 2010 Strategic Fire Plan For California was collaboratively written by the Board of Forestry & Fire Protection, CAL FIRE and a steering committee made up of several experts. All with one vision in mind! “A natural environment that is more resilient, and man-made assets which are more resistant to the occurrence and effects of wildland fire through local, state, federal and private partnerships.”

5. This vision is accomplished by seven goals. • Identify and evaluate wildland fire hazards and recognize life, property and natural resource assets at risk, including watershed, habitat, social and other values of functioning ecosystems. Facilitate the sharing of all analyses and data collection across all ownerships for consistency in type and kind. • Articulate and promote the concept of land use planning as it relates to fire risk and individual landowner objectives and responsibilities. • Support and participate in the collaborative development and implementation of wildland fire protection plans and other local, county and regional plans that address fire protection and landowner objectives.

6. Increase awareness, knowledge and actions implemented by individuals and communities to reduce human loss and property damage from wildland fires, such as defensible space and other fuels reduction activities, fire prevention and fire safe building standards. • Develop a method to integrate fire and fuels management practices with landowner priorities and multiple jurisdictional efforts within local, state and federal responsibility areas. • Determine the level of fire suppression resources necessary to protect the values and assets at risk identified during planning processes. • Address post-fire responsibilities for natural resource recovery, including watershed protection, reforestation and ecosystem restoration.

7. For each of the identified goals, this Plan lays out a number of objectives to be accomplished. The identified objectives are not meant to be all‑inclusive. There may be additional objectives that the Board, CAL FIRE or other cooperative partners identify and could utilize in reaching the primary goals. Each goal is meant to build upon the previous one (e.g., Goal 3 builds upon the accomplishments in Goals 1 and 2). Although full attainment of a goal is ultimately dependent upon the success of previous goals, any of the goals can be worked on at any given time based on available funding and other opportunities.

8. CAL FIRE Units were asked to identify two or more priority objectives under each goal in the 2010 Strategic Fire Plan for California. These objectives were gathered by Sacramento staff and given measurement criteria. (Appendix A: Priority Objectives for 2010-2012) “Appendix A” has been reorganized by who is responsible for completing each objective and will be inserted into appendix (C) of the Unit Plan Priority goals and objectives will be updated and posted by Sacramento staff every August for the following year. The Unit will insert the new document into appendix (C) as an amendment. Units may identify other specific goals and objectives to be placed in the Unit Plan.

9. Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003(HFRA)

10. Goal 3: Objective (b)“Emphasize coordination of Unit fire plans with community wildfire protection plans to encourage and support one consistent approach. Develop county or regional fire plans by bringing together community-based groups, such as fire safe councils and affected fire and land management agencies.” The Healthy Forest Restoration Act has several requirements that need to be addressed before a document can be called a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The Unit Strategic Fire Plan has incorporated these requirements to encourage and support a consistent approach to pre fire planning.

11. The HFRA requires that three entities must mutually agree to the final contents of a CWPP. • The applicable local government (e.g. counties or cities); • The local fire department's); • The state agency responsible for forest management. (CAL FIRE) (California Fire Alliance Briefing Paper 2005)

12. While plans do not have to be overly complicated they should effectively address local forest and range conditions, values-at-risk, and priorities for action. (California Fire Alliance Briefing Paper 2005) This is also covered under goal 1 of the 2010 Strategic Fire Plan for California. “Identify and evaluate wildland fire hazards and recognize life, property and natural resource assets at risk, including watershed, habitat, social and other values of functioning ecosystems. Facilitate the sharing of all analyses and data collection across all ownerships for consistency in type and kind.” Values At Risk are covered under Section III of the Unit Plan. Values At Risk is broken down into two categories. Assets At Risk and Communities At Risk.

13. Assets At Risk • At a minimum the Unit will describe the priority assists at risk in section III – A. • In section V (Division / Battalion / Program Plans) will need to identify how they will protect the assets at risk in there area. • Assessments are available to assist with identifying assets at risk within the Unit. • Units will need to verify assets data especially at the project level.

14. Communities At Risk • At a minimum Units will need to list the number of communities at risk for each County in the Unit. • A list of Communities at Risk can be found at the California Fire Alliance web site. (http://www.cafirealliance.org/communities_at_risk/communities_at_risk_list) • A list of these communities for each County can be quarried at the site. • Units will want to validate that all the Communities at Risk within there Unit are listed. If a Community at Risk is not listed it should be identified in the Unit Plan as well.

15. CollaborationThis is the first of three minimum requirements designated by HFRA.(California Fire Alliance Briefing Paper 2005) Collaboration is a major theme through out the 2010 Strategic Fire Plan for California. Goal 3: “Support and participate in the collaborative development and implementation of wildland fire protection plans and other local, county and regional plans that address fire protection and landowner objectives.” Collaboration is found under Section II of the Unit plan.

16. All collaborators will need to be documented in the Unit plan.NOTE: It is important that you document actual, verifiable collaborations with people and agencies; do not list names or agencies in your area unless you have actively met/consulted with them.

17. Prioritize Fuels Projects This is the second of three minimum requirements designated by HFRA.(California Fire Alliance Briefing Paper 2005) The Unit plan has several areas where projects can be prioritized. • The first place is the Unit Overview Section I A5. You can list the priority fuel projects here, or refer to appendix A. • In Section V: Pre Fire Management Tactics under sub title (A) Division / Battalion / Program Plans you will list the priorities for each specific area. • Appendix A: Pre Fire Projects. Insert all Pre Fire projects. (Fuel modification projects, community outreach and education programs, etc.) See sample provided in your notebook.

18. Treatment of Structure Ignitability This is the third of three minimum requirements designated by HFRA.(California Fire Alliance Briefing Paper 2005) • This is found in the Unit Plan under Section IV Pre Fire Management Strategies: sub section A1: Engineering and Structure Ignitability. • The Unit will use this section to outline unit programs like LE 100’s that helps create defensible space around structures. • The bulleted points in the Unit plan step by step guide are only minimum suggestions in filling out the document, The Unit will need to determine what other programs will be effective in this area.

19. 2010 Strategic Fire PlanUnit Fire Plan Template Step by Step Guide This document is a systematic guide for using the Unit Fire Plan (Unit Plan) Template to create Unit Plans. The Unit Plan is laid out in sections and sub sections. The step by step guide follows the Unit Plan Template to explain what information should be inserted into each section. NOTE: Bulleted points within the guide are there to indicate what information should be inserted as a minimum into each section.

20. As we look at the Step by Step guide please note that some of the sections have already been covered, or will be covered later in this training. The Executive Summary: In this section, the Unit Chief will identify how the Unit Plan will be developed and implemented in the Unit. The Unit Chief may identify Unit specific goals and objectives; however, this will require periodic updates to this section. Note: You can point to (appendix A) as your Unit specific goals and objectives. This way you won’t have to update this section as often. The Unit Chief will identify key objectives for the Unit based on the seven goals of the Strategic Plan

21. Section I: Unit Overview Unit Overview: Section I of the Unit Plan and it is broken into two subsections. • Unit Description: Here is where the fuels, weather, topography, fire history & basic lay of the land within the Unit is described. • Unit Preparedness and Fire Fighting Capability: Insert a list of the following. The Units Cal Fire facilities and initial attack resources and local agreements / contracts (i.e. schedule A, dispatch contracts, wildland fire contracts and mutual threat zone response areas.)

22. Section IV: Pre Fire Management Strategies Pre fire management Strategies: Section IV of the fire plan and is broken into two sub categories. • Fire Prevention • Vegetation Management Under Fire Prevention are two sub categories • Engineering & Structure Ignitability • Information & Education Under section four, the UnitsFire Plan Strategic Team(Designated by the Unit Chief) will need to look at the Units ignition analysis and the state wide priority goals and objectives to set the framework of Unit priorities that will determine the Pre Fire Management Tactics in the next section.

23. Section V: Pre Fire Management Tactics Pre fire management Tactics: is Section V of the fire plan and is where a Units Divisions, Battalions and Programs will insert there tactical plans that outline how there specific area will handle the Units priorities that were set forth by the UnitsFire Plan Strategic Team in Section IV: Pre Fire Management Strategies This Section may need to be updated annually. Each plans accomplishments will need to be reported in the Annual Addendum. Accomplishments will be sent to Sacramento and compiled into a annual Statewide report that will be presented to the CAL FIRE Director and Board of Forestry and Fire Protection. Note: Remember to document any collaboration with outside agencies or stakeholders.

24. Appendices The first three appendices in the fire plan • Appendix A: Pre Fire Projects • Appendix B: Amendments Table • Appendix C: Annual Priority Goals and Objectives The information within the document will change annually, but the headings and format will need to stay the same. Appendices D and on will depend on what the Unit wants to add to the plan. (i.e. ignition plans, lightning response plan, etc.)

25. Appendix A: Pre Fire Projects Units will inserts a list of all pre fire projects within the Unit. The project list should include at a minimum. • Project name. • A general description of the project. • The community the project is in. • Project Priority. • Project collaborators. Note: a sample project list is included in your notebook. Note: Projects from other stakeholder groups and agencies may be included in your Plan.

26. CEQA Guidelines Important Note:It is the responsibility of planners and those implementing projects to ensure that all environmental compliances and permitting processes are met as per the California Environmental Quality Act, PRC, § 21000 and 14 CCR §15000 (CEQA Guidelines). It is very important to work with public agencies to determine whether CWPP projects necessitate environmental review. Do not incorporate language in your CWPP that states you intend to undertake projects that may necessitate environmental review. It is very important to work with proper agencies to determine whether CWPP projects necessitate environmental review.

27. Appendix B: Amendment Table The amendment table is a running log of any changes made to the Unit plan. This sheet will also be sent in as the cover sheet with the Units annual updates. Any part of the document that has been updated will need to be archived with the original plan at the Unit.

28. Appendix C: Annual Priority Goals and Objectives. The Priority goals and objectives will be updated and posted by Sacramento staff every August for the following year. Then the Unit will insert the new document into appendix (C) as an update. These priority goals and objectives are only the minimum. Units may identify other specific goals and objectives to be placed in the Unit Plan. The Priority Goals and Objectives have already been inserted for the 2011 unit plan.

29. Exhibits: Maps There are only two maps required by the Fire Plan template. • Unit Boundary • Include Major Highways, Cities, SRA, FRA, and LRA • Individual Battalion Maps • Can be more than one map • Include Highways and Major roads, Major Lakes and Rivers, SRA, FRA, LRA, DPA, Facilities and Major Communities. • You may include specific maps that will fit your Units needs.

30. Annual Addendum The addendum is where the Unit provides a short report on the accomplishments of the priority goals and objectives. The first addendum will be required in 2012. the report will be on the accomplishments of the 2011 fire plan. Accomplishments should be collected from all the Divisions, Battalions or Programs that have a plan in (Section V) and placed in the Addendum. The Addendums are due to Sacramento by June 15th along with any updates to the Units Plan.

31. Last but not least!Annual updating Because the document is formatted in sections, Only the sections that have new information will need to be updated each year! The Unit will need to submit on an annual basis • Appendix B: Updated Amendments Table (use as cover page). • The yearly Addendum. • A new Table of Contents with updated page numbers. • Any Main Heading or Section in the template that has been updated. • And any updated appendix or exhibits. Note: All updated documents will need to have the date inserted in the lower right hand corner to distinguish when it was updated.