A. Purpose: This section is intended to provide property owners with fuel modification measures to be used to create an area around structures, property, and the community known as defensible space. Defensible space provides firefighters a working environment that allows them to protect privately held land within the community from encroaching wildfires as well as minimizing the chance that a structure fire will escape to the surrounding wildland. This section applies to any person or entity who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains any structure in, upon, or adjoining any mountainous area, forest- covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass covered lands, or any land that is covered with flammable material, and located within the Village of Angel Fire. In addition, this section is not to exclude fuel modification of vacant lots where no structure is present for the reasons of not negatively impacting a neighboring property's defensible space and to reduce the overall fire hazard in that area.
B. Definitions:
dbh: Diameter at breast height.
DEAD/DOWN: Any vegetation to include trees, shrubs, limbs that is either standing or on the ground and is no longer living. Standing dead is often referred to as "snags".
DEFENSIBLE SPACE: 1. A natural and/or landscaped area around privately held land to include structures, vacant lots, and common areas within the community that has been maintained and designed to reduce fire danger. Defensible space reduces the risk that fire will spread from one area to another, including to a structure.
2. The area within the perimeter of a parcel where basic wildfire protection practices are implemented, providing the key point of defense from an approaching wildfire or escaping structure fire.
FUEL: Vegetation and combustible man-made objects are fuel for fires. Even the structure itself is considered fuel. Research and experience have shown that fuel reduction decreases fire danger and increases the survivability of structures, surrounding vegetation and ultimately human life. Good defensible space allows firefighters to protect and save property safely without facing unacceptable risk to their lives. Fuel reduction through vegetation management is the key to creating good defensible space.
FUEL MODIFICATION: Creating defensible space through vegetation management means reducing the amount of fuel, providing separation between fuels, and/or reshaping retained fuels by trimming. Defensible space can be created by removing dead vegetation, separating fuels, and pruning lower limbs. By arranging trees, shrubs, and other fuels in a way that makes it difficult for fire to transfer from one fuel source to another does not mean cutting down all trees and shrubs, or creating a bare ring of earth across the property.
GROUND FUELS: Loose surface litter on the soil surface, normally consisting of fallen leaves or needles, twigs, bark, cones, and small branches that have not yet decayed enough to lose their identity; also grasses, forbs, low and medium shrubs, tree seedlings, heavier branches and downed logs.
INTERMIX: Where structures and vegetation intermingle.
LADDER FUELS: Flammable materials between the ground and the tree canopy (a single tree or stand of trees) that can carry a fire vertically between or within a fuel type. Ladder fuels are typically composed of immature trees, shrubs, or branches.
STRUCTURE: Any structure used for support or shelter of any use or occupancy.
WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE (WUI): The zone of transition between unoccupied land and human development.
C. General: The wildland fire risk in the Village of Angel Fire requires and recommends various degrees of fuel modification which have been established into four (4) separate zones and pertain specifically to properties with structures. Together these zones range from zero feet (0') to one hundred plus feet (100'+) and have mandatory requirements and recommendations listed in subsection I of this section. Vacant lot requirements and recommendations are in subsection H of this section.
D. Treatment: Fuels are all combustible materials within the wildland urban interface or intermix including, but not limited to, vegetation and structures. Treatment includes limbing, lopping, pruning or cutting. Specific treatments will be determined by the Angel Fire Chief of Fire/EMS, or his/her designee on a case by case basis and upon request.
1. Ground and ladder fuels within specific fuel modification zones shall be treated or removed.
2. Dead material within sixty feet (60') of the structure shall be removed and live vegetation shall be thinned and pruned.
3. Dead and/or downed fuels within the first two (2) fuel modification zones shall be removed in order to maintain the fuel modification area. More detailed information regarding standing dead specifications are outlined in subsection I of this section.
4. Vegetation and/or shrubs under trees within fuel modification Zones 1 and 2 shall be maintained at a height not to exceed three feet (3').
E. Combustible Materials: Other combustible material shall be removed from Zone 1 or stored in a suitable area as approved by the Angel Fire Chief of Fire/EMS, or his/her designee. Examples of combustible materials are: woodpiles, brush piles, grass mulching, and tree debris.
F. Existing Structure(s): All existing structures may be subject to an inspection based on the community assessments of the community wildfire protection plan.
G. New Structures: All new structures shall comply with this section.
H. Vacant Lot; Requirements: Vacant lots, a lot without any structure, shall be maintained free of dead vegetation; shrubs beneath trees shall be no greater than three feet (3') in height; ladder fuels shall be removed (up to 6 feet from ground); and all dead/down trees shall be removed, except lots greater than or equal to one acre are granted an allowance up to three (3) snags (greater than 12 inches dbh and 30 feet in height per acre) for wildlife habitat, if such snags or any one of them are more than one hundred feet (100') from any neighboring structures. (It is recommended to remove trees from vacant lots that are less than 12 inches dbh in order to maintain a healthy 15 foot spacing between tree stems that are greater than 12 inches dbh. Additional fuel reduction recommendation: Ponderosa pine should have 14 feet - 16 feet tree spacing and mixed conifer should have 16 feet - 18 feet tree spacing.)
I. Fuel Modification Requirements And Recommendations:
Fuel Modification | Requirements | Recommendations | Comments | ||
Fuel Modification | Requirements | Recommendations | Comments | ||
Zone 1: Immediate: | |||||
0 - 10' | Remove all pine needles and flammable ground materials within 2' of the base of the structure during times of high fire danger Minimum of 10 - 12' between stems of trees <12" dbh Firewood: Up to 1 cord may be stacked on your deck for immediate use during the cold weather months; storage of firewood less than 2 cords shall be no closer than 10' from any structure Remove all ladder fuels up to 6' Prune trees extending over eave of roof or 25%, whichever is less Remove branches within 10' of chimney Remove all dead/down Keep roofs and gutters free of dead leaves and pine needles | Removal of trees <12" dbh in order to maintain 15' spacing between tree stems that are >12" dbh Maintain noncombustible ground material 10' around structure (planting beds, rock gardens, gravel or bare soil) Bedding plants (<18" high) Prune native tree limbs overhanging roof Consider nonflammable landscape material (example: do not use railroad ties, wood fencing, etc.) | Zone 1 will constitute the minimum requirements in the immediate area around a structure regardless of lot size | ||
Zone 2: Intermediate: | |||||
10 - 60' | Minimum of 10 - 12' between stems of trees <12" dbh Remove all ladder fuels up to 6' Remove all dead/down Firewood: Storage of firewood greater than 2 cords shall be no closer than 30' to a structure | Removal of trees <12" dbh in order to maintain 15' spacing between tree stems that are >12" dbh Minimum 10' between stems of trees in "clumps" (maximum 5 trees/clump) Crowns of trees should not touch Maintain low combustible ground covers Keep lawns watered and mowed (as conditions allow) Consider planting beds, rock gardens and fire resistant plants. 10 - 15' between planting islands and groups of shrubs Bedding plants (<18" high) Consider nonflammable landscape material | Zones 1 and 2 have much to do with the ignitability of a structure and individual protection | ||
Zone 3: Extended: | |||||
60 - 100' | Remove all standing dead | Removal of trees <12" dbh in order to maintain 15' spacing between tree stems that are >12" dbh | |||
Additional fuel reduction: | |||||
Ponderosa pine: 14 - 16' tree spacing Mixed conifer: 16 - 18' tree spacing 10 - 15' between stems of trees in "clumps" (maximum 5 trees/clump) 10 - 15' between planting islands Remove all dead/down Prune tree limbs minimum of 6' from ground or 25% of tree height, whichever is less | |||||
Zone 4: Extended/property perimeter buffer: | |||||
100'+ | No more than 3 snags (greater than 12" dbh and 30' in height per acre beyond the initial 100') for wildlife habitat, and are no closer than 100' to any neighboring structures | Removal of trees <12" dbh in order to maintain 15' spacing between tree stems that are >12" dbh | Treatment in this zone addresses wildfire rate of spread and intensity. Consistent application of these recommended treatments will create conditions where a fire's rate of spread could slow down and create opportunity for fire resources to safely respond | ||
Additional fuels reduction: | |||||
Ponderosa pine - 14' plus tree spacing Mixed conifer - 16' plus tree spacing Prune tree limbs minimum of 6' from ground or 25% of tree height, whichever is less Consider coordination with neighboring properties Recommend treatment of entire property Remove dead/down | |||||
J. Implementation And Exclusions:
1. Compliance: Effective June 1, 2019 any person or entity who owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains any structure in, upon, or adjoining any mountainous area, forest-covered lands, brush-covered lands, grass covered lands, or any land that is covered with flammable material, and located within the Village of Angel Fire shall fully comply with this section within the designated timeframe based upon the amount of property the person or entity owns, leases, controls, operates, or maintains as described in table A of this subsection. Compliance with this section shall be accomplished in the percentage stages set forth below.
TABLE A
0.25 - 1 acre | 1 year | 100% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 1st year |
1.1 - 5 acres | 3 years | 30% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 1st year; 60% by the end of the 2nd year; and 100% by the end of the 3rd year |
5.1 - 10 acres | 5 years | 30% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 2nd year; 60% by the end of the 4th year; and 100% by the end of the 5th year |
10.1 - 15 acres | 7 years | 30% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 3rd year; 60% by the end of the 5th year; and 100% by the end of the 7th year |
15.1 - 20 acres | 9 years | 30% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 3rd year; 60% by the end of the 6th year; and 100% by the end of the 9th year |
20.1 - 50 acres | 10 years | 35% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 3rd year; 70% by the end of the 6th year; and 100% by the end of the 10th year |
50.1 - 100 acres | 15 years | 35% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 5th year; 70% by the end of the 10th year; and 100% by the end of the 15th year |
>100 acres | 25 years | 20% of the acreage shall be in compliance with this section by the end of the 5th year; 40% by the end of the 10th year; 60% by the end of the 15th year; 80% by the end of the 20th year; and 100% by the end of the 25th year |
2. Exclusions: Any vacant land that is not readily accessible by a Village of Angel Fire maintained roadway is excluded from this section. This includes areas known and designated as Chalets 3, 3A, 3B, 5, and 6 of the Village of Angel Fire Subdivision Map, October 1989.
K. Penalties: The penalty for non-compliance with a violation of this section shall be in accordance with subsection 9-6-1E of this title. (Ord. 2019-07, 5-14-2019)