Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain: A Planner’s Perspective

Rick Brady, AICP

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

Hazard Mitigation Response

Case Studies

Sustainability Considerations

A Planner’s Perspective

Overview

History of Suburbanization

Building Suburbia: Greenfields and Urban Growth, 1820-2000 (Dolores Hayden)

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

Sprawl: A Compact History (Robert Bruegmann)

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

CA Population:

15 million in 1960

30 million in 1990

33 million in 2008

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

Result: Expansion of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)

Place where “the leaves meet the eaves.”

Protecting life and property major challenge

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

Unintended Consequence: Catastrophic Loss from Wildfire

California

1960s: 2,000+ homes burned

Large wildfires in 1970, 1980, 1981, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994 through 1999, 2003, and 2007

Suburbanization of the Fire Terrain

Unintended Consequence: Catastrophic Loss from Wildfire San Diego County

2003 Cedar Fire: 16 dead, 383,000 acres burned, 2,722 homes lost, ~$1 billion damage

2007 Fires : 10 dead, 369,000 acres burned, 1,600 homes lost, ~$1.5 billion damage

Hazard Mitigation Planning

General Plan Safety Elements

Hazard Mitigation Response

Defensible Space Codes

Requirement increased 30-ft to 100-ft

Urban-Wildland Interface Codes

FEMA funded / State administration

City applied post Cedar Fire (2003)

$2.3 mil supplement for $3.9 mil from City General Fund

679 acres, 6,400 at-risk homes

Awarded, but not funded to date

City of San Diego Brush Management

Shelter In Place Strategies

Origins in Australia

Safe to stay in home, if evacuation is not a safe option.

Setting bar for newer sprawling subdivisions in the WUI.

Shelter In Place Critics

False sense of security

Exposure to smoke unavoidable

Rationalizes further expansion into the WUI

Case Studies

Case Studies

Fanita Ranch

130-ft Defensible Space

Wildland Access

Emergency Access

Ignition Resistant Construction

Sprinklers

Fire Station

Sustainability Considerations

Environment Direct Impacts: More defensible space = more habitat take

Indirect Impacts: Suburbanization = VMT = GHG = Climate Change & Drought = Increased Fire Hazards

Economy Damages in the billions $$.

WUI expansion stresses under-funded local and state agencies.

Equity De-facto income segregation

Tax payer burden

A Planner’s Perspective

Increased exposure to wildfire hazards is an unintended consequence of suburbanization of the fire terrain

Comprehensive regional approach to planning and the WUI that emphasizes sustainability is ideal

Suburbanization of the fire terrain continues

If inevitable, safer building practices should be encouraged