HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020.08.19 Wildfire Safety Commission Minutes AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th, 2020 11:00AM to 1:00PM Zoom
As the August 19th Wildfire Safety Commission(WSC)will be held electronically, any public forum testimony is to be
submitted in writing by members of the public by 10AM the day before the scheduled meeting. Staff will compile all
written testimony into one document and send the document to the Commission members and post the testimony on the
agenda the day before the meeting after 10AM. The written testimony will also be included in the minutes.
Members of the public are welcome to listen or view the Wildfire Safety Commission meeting live. Please contact
katie. ig bblekashland.or.us if you would like to listen to this meeting live.
Meeting protocol via Zoom: raise hand to chime in and Stephen or Katie will facilitate when you can begin speaking
I. CALL TO ORDER
A. Stephen Gagne, Bruce Moats, Dan Dawson, Steve Asher, Charisse Sydoriak,Paul Behrhorst, Tonya
Graham, Chris Chambers, Katie Gibble, Public: Paul Collins
II. INTRODUCTIONS
III. APPROVAL OF MINUTES
A. July 15 Minutes, approved by all. Posted to WSC webpage
IV. PUBLIC AND GUEST FORUM
A. Katie read question from Craig McDonald,requesting update on Evacuation Plan deadline. See bottom of
minutes for Mr. McDonald's public testimony.
B. After last month's Wildfire Safety Commission meeting,the Fire Department met with KLD Engineering
(the contractor completing the evacuation study)to review the plan for completing the study. COVID-related
issues delayed the start of this study, and we were unable to start as early as hoped. The new timeline provided by
KLD shows a completion by the end of the year.
V. ADJUSTMENTS TO AGENDA
VI. CITY COUNCIL CHECK-IN
A. Council is currently focusing on the shortfall in the budget. Will know more in September once we have
first two quarters of budget in.
B. Strategic planning—new City Council will have a lot of serious financial challenges to face. The current
Council is trying to get as much in place for the next Council as possible to create an easier transition.
Understanding the City's priorities before a new budget cycle will be very important. Council plans to get as
many people engaged in the strategic planning process as possible.
C. Stephen, regarding common complaints from Ashland residents about the budget: with city elections
coming up, is City going to report back on complaints about budget?
1. Adam is working on research elements to counter claims. Additionally,the Finance Department
is short on staff,which adds complication to addressing budget complaints. In next week or two,
responses may start taking place.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
A. Working Group Check-ins *action items will be marked in bold
1. Real Estate Engagement Program(SG, KG)
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th,2020 11:00AM to 1:00PM Zoom
a) Rogue Valley Association of Realtors, in partnership with Ashland Fire&Rescue,
received grant from National Association of Realtors.
b) 2-hour class for real estate agents will likely be at end of September, and the two-day
NFPA Home Ignition Zone course for inspectors will likely take place end of October or early
November.
(1) Katie offered for WSC members to sit in on the first run-through of the two day
course if interested,to provide feedback. Katie will provide WSC with date of when that
run-though will occur.
2. Nuisance Ordinance Expansion(DD, CS, CC, KG)
a) Charisse is learning about nuisance ordinance in a class hosted by COCO and Fire
Adapted Colorado, learning what works and what doesn't work and can share out lessons learned
with WSC once the course is complete.
b) Chris: we would like to have expanded ordinance as a tool in our toolbox.
c) Tonya suggests that there may be some education needed to provide to councilors, and
suggested slotting in for a vote by Council next spring.
d) Dan describes that the Nuisance Ordinance Expansion would not be a large code rewrite,
but minor edits and additions to the current ordinance to broaden the scope of current ordinance
for egregious situations
e) Next steps, get draft together,pass on to Commission for review,then to Council for
approval.
fl Stephen: suggests that timing of when this gets brought to council would be best when
there is fire and smoke in the air and asks if it would be possible to bring to council this Fall?
(1) Tonya: if it is small changes instead of large changes that can be made soon.
What we will run into is 3 council seats turning over. We are coming into a time where
the council will be sensitive to doing anything significant: the current council may ask if
this could be brought up by the new council if we get close to November when this is
coming up.
(a) Tonya suggests gauging how significant the changes need to be before
deciding when to bring to council
(b) Tonya offers to educate new councilors/orientation on this ordinance.
3. Home Inspector Capacity-building(Kent)
a) Check in with Chris,who is reaching out to city attorney about liability issues of working
with volunteers to advise the public on wildfire risk
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th,2020 11:00AM to 1:00PM Zoom
(1) By the time we meet next time, we should have answer from attorney. Chris
distinguished between CERT volunteers and other volunteers. CERT volunteers already
have background checks.
b) Chris: another wrinkle in trying to plan coordination with volunteers. Once we receive
FEMA grant,we will have a full-time employee to be doing assessments. There may still be gaps
to fill in since this full-time hire will be focusing on top 2000 at risk homes but this person will be
able to increase our capacity.
4. FAC Expansion/integration(KG, KR, CS, DK)
a) Charisse: Taking class on wildfire mitigation. She will present on key findings of the
group. Katie, Chris, Stephen and Charisse will plan to meet after the class is complete to prepare
a presentation. She will also be contacting Katie and Chris for individual questions needed for a
final assignment.
5. Spring Wildfire Preparedness Campaign(KG, KR, CS,DK)
a) Katie suggests re-initiating this working group in January to begin planning for next
year's campaign.
6. Intterra/WiRe Program rollout(DD,BM, KG, KR)
a) 1200 unique views to website. Research team is still studying the response of residents to
this dataset.
b) Tonya,there are two components to the data for an individual home—what you can
change, what you can't change. May be worth while in the future to provide residents information
about what components of their risk they can vs. cannot change
7. Nursery/Landscaper Education(CS, KG)
a) Discussed how class for nurseries and landscapers have occurred in the past and their
names are listed on our website. Possibly offer a zoom course in the fall.
8. Fire-Safe Business License Program for Landscapers and Contractors (KG, SG)
a) No update to report
9. New Building Code Adoption advocacy(KG, SG)
a) Commission needs to make a recommendation to Council that they request that the
community development takes up the adoption of the new code. Fire Marshal can't take up
change in code. As a commission,we can get involved in community engagement,but initiating
the process needs to come from Community Development.
b) Make a recommendation to council. Stephen: our commission needs to draft a request
and send to City Council. Chris: entertaining a motion to the chair.
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th,2020 11:OOAM to 1:OOPM Zoom
c) Dan moves that the Wildfire Safety Commission requests that Council direct the
Community Development Department to begin the adoption process of the Wildfire chapter of
Oregon's Residential Structural Specialty Code. Unanimous approval.
d) Tonya requests that we send her this request in email to her
10. Consistent messaging by all departments (CS,KR)
a) Charisse—what is status of communications director?
b) Tonya- communications director would be funded through Central Services and from the
General Fund. We are synching down the General Fund to account for shortfall in food in
beverage tax,though states that the City badly needs this position. While emergency
communications during COVID have been handled very well,there is still lots of difficulty
getting information out to public. Working on strategic plan for communications to fill in gaps for
community engagement. More details should be coming out during next council meeting so we
can begin taking action on components of the strategic plan
11. Identify Alternative Funding Sources(KR, KG)
a) No update to report
12. City Finances(SG)
a) Previously discussed
13. Electric Utility Risk Assessment(SA)
a) Lorelei(Pacific Power)will begin working on this again in the next months or two. Will
finalize procedures on maintenance of lines that can be sent out to homeowners. Steve will reach
out to see if offering a Continuing Education Credit course on building code and wildfire safety
ordinance for builders.
14. Illegal Camping Ignition Sources (KG, CC)
a) Chris: currently flying drone for 3 days a week. There have been a couple detections.
Person was camping and told to move. People are realizing drone flights are happening. We have
been experiencing less camping since drone program has been implemented.
b) Stephen: is there feedback mechanism for council so that we do not have to be constantly
requesting funds for this program? Chris confirms that funding should not be issue in future.
B. Farmer's Market
1. No
VIIL NEW BUSINESS
A. Ember Storm Awareness
1. Dr. Daniel Leavell is an associate professor and extension forester at OSU. He was recently hired
into his position and may be a new resource for wildfire mitigation education in the region. He made an
hour-long presentation on preparing to protect your property as one of six online classes in the OSU
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th,2020 11:00AM to 1:00PM Zoom
Extension course titled"Maintaining a Healthy Forest in an Uncertain Climate."All classes are available
at the following webpage: blog.oregonstate.edu/healthvforestclimate/class-resources/
2. Insurance Institute Business and Home Safety(IBHS) is an independent,nonprofit, scientific
research and communication organization.
a) IBHS has studied how embers cause a home to catch fire. Also produces research and
fact sheets and other resources
b) Visit ibhs•org and disastersafetv.org to learn more
3. Charisse also recommends viewing Jack Cohen(USFS Research Scientist)to learn about radient
heat vs. ember ignitions
a) https://www.voutube.com/watch?time_continue=3&v=Dg6wX tffpg&feature=emb_logo
B. Updates from Oregon Shakespeare Festival(Paul)
1. Working on how can we make our season more adapted to fire season. There will be no festival
activity until social distancing measures are lifted. Multiple air quality issues to think of: adapting air
quality for times of smoke and now adapting air quality for times of COVID
C. DEQ Grant(Katie)
1. Katie provides update on distribution of air purifiers to smoke vulnerable residents.Nearly all
500 have been distributed
D. Homeland Security Grant for evacuation planning (Katie)
1. Katie provided update during public testimony
E. Award for Commissioners—continued conversation(Tonya)
1. Suggested to give award when we come in front of council in annual report/update.
2. Charisse: Public forum is most appropriate location to give public commendation.
F. Fuse update
1. Our electric dept are starting to replace the expulsion style fuses now located on power lines
(usually adjacent to pole transformers). The new fuses are basically silent and do not cause the shower of
sparks that so often cause fires. They will begin replacing fuses closest to the watershed and work their
way towards town. Review time stamp 4:15-4:45 on the video below so that you can see what an
"activated"fuse looks like.
a) https://www.voutube.com/watch?v=UQ3b6pdUmdQ
IX. REPORTS AS TIME ALLOWS
A. Forest Lands Commission Report(Charisse)
1. No report
B. Tree Commission(Katie)
1. Meeting Sept 3rd, first time since COVID
C. Chamber Wildfire Task Force(Katie)
AGENDA FOR A MEETING OF THE WILDFIRE SAFETY COMMISSION
Wednesday,August 19th, 2020 11:OOAM to 1:OOPM Zoom
1. New videos produced with the Chamber Task Force
a) https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=17823
b) https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=17814
c) https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=17821
d) https://www.ashland.or.us/Page.asp?NavID=17811
X. NEXT MEETING
A. Wednesday, September 16', 11:OOAM-I PM,Zoom
XI. ADJOURN
Public Testimony
Craig McDonald
Can Fire Chief Shepherd confirm that the deadline for completion of the Evacuation Plan remains the end of
September?" As we all know, we are in the midst of EXTREME FIRE DANGER. Thanks for your continued
assistance. Stay safe. Craig McDonald