Agenda Packets - 2012/08/13 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Section 4 4-28 Ramsey County Multijurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan | July 2012  Firestorms: Events of such an extreme intensity that effective suppression is virtually impossible. Occur during extreme weather and generally burn until conditions change or the available fuel is exhausted.  Prescribed Fires and Prescribed Natural Fires: Fires that are intentionally set or selected natural fires that are allowed to burn for beneficial purposes. Wildfires can be a result of naturally occurring influences such as lightning, extreme drought, and heat as well as human influences such as a discarded cigarette butt, improperly extinguished campfire, or a stray spark from nearby railroad tracks. The potential for threat of wildfires is dependent upon topography and slope, surface fuel characteristics, recent climate conditions, current meteorological conditions, and fire behavior. Once a wildfire threatens a community, it is often too late to protect nearby structures, and populations have to be evacuated for their own safety. These fires have damaged structures and utilities as well as hundreds of acres of woodlands. Hazard Profile From 1999 to 2010, there were 1,389 wildfires in the state of Minnesota. In Ramsey County, the primary months of occurrence are March through October, when high temperatures, possible drought conditions, and high winds increase the likelihood of wildfires. The National Climactic Data Center does not have record of any wildfires occurring in Ramsey County for the period of 1950 through 2011. However, local fire departments have provided data that shows that small grass and wild fires occur regularly in the area. Since 2005, the Vandais Heights Fire Department has responded to 25 different wildfire incidents. Mounds View Fire Department recorded 18 grass fire responses. Lake Johanna Fire Department, whose jurisdiction includes Shoreview, Arden Hills, and North Oaks, has responded to 47 grass and brush fires in the last five years. Vulnerability Assessment All assets within Ramsey County are susceptible to being affected by a wildfire. The county is urbanized, but smoke from wildfires in more rural parts of the state may affect the breathing quality, as well as travel on highways and roads, throughout the County. The potential for wildfires in the year 2012 is above average for the state of Minnesota. As such, this could be a significant hazard and vulnerability facing the community in the coming year.