BROOKHAVEN ESTATES FIREWISE PLAN

August 3, 2009 The Brookhaven Estates Community is located in the town of Grand Rapids, Wood County, Wisconsin. This plan is based on the findings and recommendations of a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Firewise assessment of both the commonly-held and privately-owned properties in the Brookhaven Estates subdivision and Brookhaven Estates Property Owners Association (BEPOA). This plan incorporates input from BEPOA members, the BEPOA Board of Directors, the BEPOA Firewise Committee, and Wisconsin DNR Firewise experts, and the Grand Rapids Fire Department. The focal point of the Firewise Plan is to make the commonly-held and privately-owned properties of the Brookhaven Estates subdivision community as safe from wildfire as possible. The specific objectives are:

• EducatEducatEducatEducateeee BEPOA members, surrounding neighbors, friends, and guests about the risks of fire, and how to mitigate damage and destruction resulting from poor house-grooming/landscaping choices, and neglect.

• EvaluateEvaluateEvaluateEvaluate current and foreseeable fire risk to existing properties, homes, and other structures in the vicinity of Brookhaven Estates.

• ExecuteExecuteExecuteExecute plans to reduce fire risks using organized volunteer labor, and contracted/rented equipment, as required.

The objectives of the Plan will be fulfilled as follows:

A. EDUCATIONEDUCATIONEDUCATIONEDUCATION: The goal of this Plan is to educate as many members of the BEPOA as possible of the risks of fire to both commonly-owned and individually-owned properties. This includes educating members to how they can evaluate and reduce fire risks on their own properties. To this end, a Firewise specific educational program was presented at our last Annual Meeting (held on February 17, 2009), and will be an integrated, ongoing occurrence, minimally, at each future Annual Meeting of the Association. Other educational measures may include distributed flyers, additional fire related presentations, and the use of the BEPOA website (http://brookhavenestates.org) to promote important information regarding Firewise, fire prevention, and important information made available from local and surrounding Firefighting Authorities.

B. EVALUATIONEVALUATIONEVALUATIONEVALUATION: Around one-fifth of the Brookhaven Residents have

already participated in a free home ignition zone assessment provided

by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). All parties will continue to work to assess as many homes and properties in the vicinity as possible to make people aware of the state of the surroundings and what needs to be done to reduce or mitigate risk. In June 2009, a survey team of WDNR representatives, local Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) specialists, a representative of the Grand Rapids Fire Department, and members of the Brookhaven Estates Home Owners Association Firewise Committee conducted a comprehensive fire risk assessment of the Brookhaven Estates community while outlining private and common property boundaries. The results of this assessment are included as an appendix. This assessment provides the Association necessary information to develop this operational Firewise Plan.

C. EXECUTIONEXECUTIONEXECUTIONEXECUTION: The BEPOA Board of Directors established a Firewise

Committee, comprised of BEPOA Directors, Members, and residents to fully discuss and develop procedures for operating a Community Firewise Program in our vicinity. As a result of the detailed analysis of the 2009 Firewise assessment, this committee is developing procedures for operating and administering this Firewise Plan. This Committee has determined the most effective and efficient manner of conducting Firewise projects on commonly-held property, and determined initial procedures for becoming recognized as an official Firewise community. Our website continues to post all timely information about Firewise, fire prevention, and fire related public interest links and documents on an ongoing basis. Firewise presentation(s) will occur at each Annual meeting (typically scheduled for the Third Tuesday of each February), distributing information about WDNR/Firewise issues, Firewise Committee plans for the upcoming year, Firewise project spending, and any other fire related issues.

The Brookhaven Estates community has a long history of assembling together volunteer action within the subdivision, minimally twice annually, to remove dry leaves, dead/downed wood, debris, and enhance the aesthetics of the neighborhood while actively reducing fire risk. The main thoroughfare of the subdivision and areas directly adjacent to the Tennis Courts (on one of the commonly owned property lots) are routinely processed to assess problematic situations and ensure fire risk in these particular areas are reduced. There are a total of five (5) areas designated as commonly owned properties in the subdivision. The Brookhaven Firewise Committee has decided that the basic structure of the five year Firewise Plan

revolves around the combination of continuing common area volunteer clean up projects, while actively removing as much fire risk as possible for each of these five commonly owned areas on a rotating basis. That is, each year, the work of volunteers (minimally twice) acting to remove flammable and unsightly natural debris in highly visible common areas is additionally accompanied by selection of one of the five designated common areas to be completely assessed and rid of dead wood/underbrush in an attempt to minimize fire risk in that particular common area region. After all five common properties are remedied in this way, the commonly owned properties will be reassessed to determine the order in which the properties will be addressed for the next five years.

The Brookhaven Firewise Committee plans on applying for financial reimbursement for expenditures while executing these projects, since removal of dead combustibles (wood and underbrush) from the more isolated/hard-to-access common areas is costly and time consuming. Further, this is not typically something which can be handled by volunteers, so contracted help will be necessary. Brookhaven Estates and the Brookhaven Estates Property Owners Association is dedicated to mitigating risk to minimize damage from fire to homes, people, animals, and our natural surroundings. Using education and action, the BEPOA Firewise Committee acts to make people aware of the dangers, concerns, and tactics for prevention shown to be highly effective against spreading fires, while actively addressing the physical needs of our community to actively minimize potential threats and damage due to fires in our community. Attached: BROOKHAVEN ESTATES COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT (2009)

BROOKHAVEN ESTATES

COMMUNITY ASSESSMENT

Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program

Prepared for: Brookhaven Estates

and Grand Rapids Fire Department

By

WDNR - Division of Forestry

July 3, 2009

FIREWISE COMMUNITIES/USA RECOGNITION PROGRAM The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to provide an effective management approach for preserving wildland living aesthetics. Participating in this educational program gives communities like Brookhaven Estates means

to balance sustainable ecological lifestyles with effective wildland fire protection. The Firewise Communities/USA program can be tailored for adoption by any community and/or neighborhood association that is committed to ensuring its citizens maximum wildfire protection. This community assessment is intended as a resource that can be used by Brookhaven Estates’ Firewise Committee in the creation of a Firewise Program Plan. It was prepared by a Wildland-Urban Interface team that included Brian Luebke, WDNR Forester Ranger, Jolene Ackerman, WDNR Wildland-Urban Interface Specialist, Amy Luebke, Wildland-Urban Interface Specialist for the West Central Region and Scott Bernette, Chief of the Grand Rapids Fire Department.

ASSESSMENT PROCESS An overview of the process to become a recognized Firewise Community was presented on April 6, 2009 to a group of Brookhaven Estates homeowners that included Marc Thompson (President), Trina Higgins (Vice President) and Evelyn Wilson. The community assessment was conducted on June 4, 2009. Parties involved in the assessment included Brian Luebke, Amy Luebke, and Jolene Ackerman from the Wisconsin DNR; Chief Scott Bernette from the Grand Rapids Fire Department; and Marc Thompson and Trina Higgins from Brookhaven Estates Property Owners’ Association. The assessment began at Marc Thompson’s house with a review of background information on the Association. The group then drove through the subdivision to observe overall construction and landscaping of the homes and to identify issues of concern.

Brookhaven Estates is in a wildfire environment. This means that fire can occur there, as a natural or human-caused phenomenon. This community assessment addresses the wildfire-related characteristics of Brookhaven Estates and the community’s ignition potential. The assessment does not focus on specific homes, but examines the community as a whole. SITE DESCRIPTION Brookhaven Estates is off of 48th Street South within the Town of Grand Rapids, Wood County. The original development platted 64 lots. Currently, there are 64 lots in Brookhaven Estates; 45 with homes and 19 vacant lots. Most of the vacant lots are

owned by people who live within the subdivision. There are also five commonly owned outlots. There are 48 families that belong to the Association. All homeowners are full-time residents. Home construction began in Brookhaven Estates in 1974. Two of the original property owners still live there. Each home has a private well. Brookhaven Trace, a dead end street, is the only road into the subdivision with access off of 48th Street South. The other streets within Brookhaven Estates are dead end streets that end in cul-du-sacs off Brookhaven Trace. They include: Mapledale Court, Oak Brook Court, Woodhaven Lane, Woodhaven Court, Woodside Circle and Brookside Circle. The roads and driveways are paved. Most driveways are short and provide adequate access to the property for emergency services. There are a couple houses where hose would need to be dragged from the end of the driveway to the home, reducing the speed of protection.

There are five common areas totaling 9.5 acres. They are characterized by a considerable amount of down, woody material. Hardwoods consist of mainly oaks from the red oak group but also include silver and sugar maple, aspen, cherry, basswood, aspen and ash. Evergreens include primarily white pine but also jack pine and white spruce. Various forest health issues have led to a considerable amount of downed woody debris in common areas and

standing dead trees are common in vacant lots and yards as well. The soil is sand and loamy sand. The topography is flat to rolling hills with a steep slope south of the tennis court area. In the event of a wildfire, the Grand Rapids Fire Department and the Wisconsin DNR would provide wildfire suppression. Brookhaven Estates falls within the DNR’s Nekoosa Fire Response Unit (FRU) stationed at the Wisconsin Rapids Service Center located approximately 3.25 miles away from the entrance to Brookhaven Estates. The Grand Rapids Fire Department is located at 48th Street South and County Trunk Highway W, approximately 1.0 mile away. There are no hydrants within the subdivision. The Fire Department would likely set up at the boat landing on Lake Wazeecha to get water for suppression purposes. Since 1975, an average of four to seven wildfires has occurred each year in the Town of Grand Rapids. In general, the main causes of these fires have been debris burning (40%), equipment (14%), and fireworks (12%). The remaining 34% of fires had various causes, some of which are railroads, campfires, smoking, ash disposal and arson. Through June 2009, four wildfires have occurred in the Town of Grand Rapids for the year. Although wildfires occur in the Town regularly, most are relatively small.

Eastern tent caterpillar causes defoliation

Brookhaven Estates Subdivision

Generally speaking, people do not seem to burn brush in Brookhaven Estates. This is positive because the most common cause of wildfires in Wisconsin is debris burning. In this case, a greater concern for fire starts is debris burning to the south of the subdivision within Grand Rapids or the Towns of Saratoga and Rome which are dominated by high hazard pine fuels. A wildfire could start to the south and burn into the Town of Grand Rapids. During typical spring fire conditions and/or summer droughts, the wildland fuels around and throughout Brookhaven Estates would readily burn. DESCRIPTION OF THE WILDFIRE CHARACTERISTICS THAT COULD THREATEN THE AREA Fuels, weather, topography, and human behavior influence the likelihood of a wildfire starting, as well as its speed, direction, intensity, and the ability to control and extinguish the wildfire. Weather cannot be changed. Topography generally remains the same. Fuels and human behavior can be altered. Fuels Fire quickly moves through “light” fuels like grass, fallen leaves, pine needles, and mulch. Fire lingers and burns more intensely in “heavier” fuels like wood decks and fences, firewood stacks, and lawn furniture. Very heavy fuels like trees and buildings can burn for long periods and spread fire by producing radiant heat and flying embers. How these fuels are connected around a home can determine the chances of a structure surviving a wildfire. Unmowed grass, unraked leaves, and dead branches can be a continuous fuel supply right up to a home’s siding. Breaking the chain of continuous fuels up to and around a home can serve as a “fuel break,” slowing a fire and bringing it to the ground where firefighters have a better chance to stop it. Weather Temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed are three significant weather factors affecting wildfire behavior. Higher temperatures pre-heat fuels by driving off moisture, which allows fuels to burn more readily. Lower relative humidity and a lack of precipitation lowers fuel moisture; dry fuels burn more readily than fuels with higher moisture content. Wind is the most important weather factor since it dries fuel and increases the supply of oxygen. Wind has the greatest influence on the rate and direction of fire spread. Topography Topography plays a big role in how a fire will behave. Fire travels faster uphill, and afternoon winds travel upslope as hot air rises, pushing fire even faster. Aspect, or the direction a slope faces, is also a factor. North-facing slopes tend to be more shaded and wetter with heavier fuels such as trees. South-facing slopes tend to be sunnier and drier, with more light fuels such as grasses.

Human Behavior When people live in fire-prone areas, their behavior becomes an important factor in potential wildfire starts. The risk increases when people burn trash and yard debris or light campfires. A free burning permit is required by the Wisconsin DNR for outdoor burning any time of the year the ground is not completely snow covered. Once a person has obtained a burning permit, it is their responsibility to check the burning permit restrictions after 11:00 a.m. on any day they wish to burn. Burning restrictions can be checked over the internet at http://dnr.wi.gov/forestry/fire or by phone at 1-888-WIS-BURN (947-2876). The state burning laws and regulations typically allow burning from 6:00 p.m. to midnight but prohibit burning on Sundays and legal holidays. The Town of Grand Rapids has a town ordinance that is more restrictive. Even with a DNR burning permit, the Town prohibits the burning of leaves, grass and pine needles within the Town of Grand Rapids any time of the year. Burning brush, small amounts of paper and clean wood is allowed. Campfires used solely for cooking or warming do not require a burning permit. Lighting off fireworks, smoking, arson, improper ash disposal, and properly-maintained equipment also increase the risk. OBSERVATIONS Brookhaven Estates is a wooded subdivision. The lots themselves are wooded and the common areas which surround the private lots are also wooded and are characterized by a significant amount of dead, down, trees, branches, leaves and brush. This dead woody material will readily burn under the right conditions, increasing the intensity of a wildland fire as it approaches the homes in Brookhaven Estates. Wildfires would mainly consist of surface fire with more potential on vacant lots for group torching and spotting. The slope south of the tennis courts also represents a higher possibility for a crown fire as the fire would increase in intensity going up the hill. There could also be some increased potential on the slopes behind the five homes positioned uphill from Fourmile Creek. (These homes are not in the subdivision but they are in the Association.) Construction Home construction in Brookhaven Estates is mainly of non-combustible material including exterior walls of brick, wood, vinyl, and stucco. Roofs are mainly asphalt with at least one roof of tile and one of metal; all of which are non-combustible.

Dead trees and brush in common areas

Brick siding Tile roof Steel siding

Landscaping For the most part, 30 feet of defensible space is provided around homes; homes have green, well-watered lawns. Some recommendations to keep in mind are to minimize the number of evergreen trees and shrubs within the immediate vicinity of the home. Pruning the lower branches of trees, especially evergreens, within 30 feet of the home is recommended to prevent lower branches from igniting and causing the tree to torch. Maintenance Even if construction and landscaping are ideal, homes are still vulnerable to windblown embers, which can travel on wind currents over a mile from a fire. It is recommended that homeowners pay careful attention to maintenance. Anywhere you notice leaves and pine needles accumulating, like gutters and on or under decks, are places where windblown embers will likely accumulate in the event of a fire. Regular maintenance will reduce these risks.

SUCCESSFUL FIREWISE MODIFICATIONS When adequately prepared, a house can withstand a wildfire without the intervention of the fire service. Further, a house and its surrounding community can be both Firewise and compatible with the area’s ecosystem. The Firewise Communities/USA program is designed to enable communities to achieve a high level of protection against wildland-urban interface fire loss even as a sustainable ecosystem balance is maintained. A homeowner must focus attention on the home ignition zone, the area defined as the home and surrounding vegetation to a distance of 100-200 feet from the home, and

Ladder fuels Evergreen shrubs near wood walls

Accumulation of flammable leaves,

needles or moss on roof Dry oak leaves next to shed and

firewood stack

eliminate the fire’s potential relationship with the house. This can be accomplished by disconnecting the house from high and/or low-intensity fires that may occur around it. There is more than one way to apply Firewise principles. The following photographs were taken in Brookhaven Estates at the initiation of the project, and are examples of good Firewise practices.

RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that Brookhaven Estates:

� Reduce the accumulation of dead, downed woody debris in the common areas.

Removing dead and downed woody material (trees, branches, brush) is recommended for the nearly 10 acres of common areas which surround the homes in the development to improve both forest health and mitigate wildfire hazards. Not only will it mitigate the fire hazard, it can be accomplished in a way that will reflect an interest in improving the aesthetic appeal of the property.

Rock mulch, deciduous, well-maintained shrubs next to brick

wall with nice, green lawn

Wood siding but with rock mulch and a sidewalk to serve as a

firebreak

Bottom branches of evergreen trees

pruned up

Landscape “island” surrounded by

green lawn.

� Promote the reduction of hazardous fuels on privately owned property (yards and undeveloped lots) through homeowner education on recommendations for the home ignition zone.

A house burns because of its interrelationship with everything in the home ignition zone---the house and its immediate surroundings. The condition of the home ignition zone is the determining factor regarding its ignition potential during a wildfire, and includes the house and those things surrounding it within 100 to 200 feet. To avoid a home ignition, a homeowner must eliminate the fire’s potential relationship with the house. This can be accomplished by interrupting the natural path a fire takes. Changing a fire’s path by improving a home ignition zone is an easy-to-accomplish task that can result in avoiding home loss. Here are some examples:

� Homeowners should strive to maintain a 30 foot zone around their residences where vegetation is widely spaced and includes more hardwoods than conifers. Dead trees and branches should be removed. Branches should be pruned at least 6 feet up from the ground.

� The area 3 to 5 feet on all sides of the structure should be fuel free. Ideally there will be no vegetation or flammable materials in this area at all. If shrubs are planted in this zone, it is best if they are deciduous, small, and kept free of dead branches and dry leaf accumulation below.

� Firewood should not be stored within 30 feet of the home. � Homeowners should remove all dead leaves, pine needles, and other

flammables underneath, on, or near wood decks. � Homeowners will want to consider the choices they make in their yard as

well as on wooded portions of the property including neighboring undeveloped lots.

NEXT STEPS After reviewing the contents of this assessment and its recommendations, the Brookhaven Estates Property Owners’ Association should determine whether or not it wishes to continue with the Firewise Communities/USA recognition program. Amy Luebke, Wildland-Urban Interface Specialist will contact Marc Thompson, President of Brookhaven Estates Property Owners’ Association, to learn of Brookhaven Estates’ decision by July 24, 2009. If the community assessment and recommendations are accepted and the project continues, a Brookhaven Estates Firewise Committee should create agreed-upon, area-specific solutions to the Firewise recommendations. The local Wildland-Urban Interface Specialist is available to assist during this process as needed. The Brookhaven Estates Firewise Program Plan should be completed by August 14, 2009. The Firewise Communities/USA Program Plan should be implemented in a collaborative manner, and be updated and modified as needed.

Should Brookhaven Estates seek to achieve national Firewise Communities/USA status and recognition, it will integrate the following standards into its plan:

• Create a local Firewise Committee which maintains the Firewise Community program and status.

• Create a plan that identifies agreed-upon, achievable local solutions.

• Invest a minimum of $2.00 annually per capita in its Firewise Communities/USA program. (Work done by municipal employees or volunteers using municipal or other equipment can be included, as well as state/federal grants dedicated to that purpose.)

• Observe a Firewise Communities/USA Day that is dedicated to a local Firewise project.

• Submit an annual report to Firewise Communities/USA. This report documents continuing participation in the program and progress made.

IN SUMMARY The Firewise Communities/USA program seeks to create a sustainable balance that will allow communities to live safely while maintaining an aesthetically pleasing environment in a wildland-urban interface setting. Homeowners already balance their decisions about fire protection measures against their desire for certain flammable components on their properties. It is important for them to understand the implications of the choices they are making. These choices directly relate to the ignitability of the home ignition zone, which includes their home, during a wildfire.

Brookhaven Estates with aerial photo background.

(Common areas are green. Lot lines are blue.)