|
|
- Info
Land-use planning may reduce fire damage in the urban-wildland intermix
| Author: |
Rice, Carol L.; Davis, J.B. |
| Date: |
1991 |
| Periodical: |
Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-127. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station |
| Abstract: |
The risk of wildfire associated with development in the urban-wildland intermix is nationwide. To wildland fire agencies, providing fire protection for wildland residential development can be an exercise in frustration. Much of the problem is that few convincing ties have been made between community planning and wildfire. For three counties in California, the following were investigated in each: fire damage due to a recent wildfire, general plans, local planning regulations, and the teal estate development process. General observations support the idea that good fire-safe planning protects homes threatened by fire, and that loss occurs in the absence of good planning. The damage observed in all three counties appears to be related to one of four problems: inadequate consideration o' protection factors; disadvantages of small fire departments in dealing with real estate developers and other units of local government; variety in residential developments and in their susceptibility to control through planning: and conflicting interests among homeowners, developers, and local governments. The existing tools available for fire managers and planners to use in providing protection from wildland fires are environmental review, codes and regulations, the judicial process, and new legislation. Specific actions to minimize fire damage in the urban-wildland intermix are recommended: (1) convince community planners to accept fire protection factors; (2) increase the role of fire protection entities in community planning; (3) strengthen siting and building regulations; (4) educate and change attitudes of planners and the public; and (5) work toward an equitable sharing of costs and protection responsibility by developers, local governments, and fire protection agencies and departments. |
|
