Mill Creek Canyon Community Wildfire Protection Plan January 2006 Prepared by: Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction page 3 1.1 Executive Summary 1.2 Location of WUI and Unincorporated Communities 2.0 Problem Overview page 5 3.0 Demographics page 5 4.0 Current Fire Environment page 6 4.1 Target Zones of this plan 4.2 Environment 4.3 Open Space Issues 4.3.1 Recreation and Parks 4.4 Infrastructure Issues 5.0 Introduction to MCCFSC – Background, History of page 13 Accomplishments 5.1 Mitigation Strategy, the Action Plan 5.2 MCCFSC CWPP Goals 5.3 Objectives 6.0 Methodology page 17 6.1 Specific Recommendation to Grant Funding Organizations 6.2 Planning Area Boundaries 3 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Executive Summary This Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) represents a collaborative and cooperative effort between the Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council, San Bernardino County Fire, and San Bernardino National Forest officials. The purpose of the plan is to provide a long-range concept of projects and goals that will benefit the residents of communities located within the Wildland Urban Intermix (WUI) of Mill Creek Canyon within the San Bernardino National Forest. The areas covered by this CWPP are broken down into two specific zones. WUI Zone 1 is the immediate area including and surrounding the communities of Forest Falls, and Mountain Home Village that lie within Mill Creek Canyon. WUI Zone 2 expands beyond the immediate area, to include project concerns and cooperative agreements by and between other Fire Safe Councils and agencies to achieve fire safety and fuel reduction in neighboring communities. This CWPP includes four specific goals of MCCFSC to achieve; strategic fire breaks and fuel removal, improved residential defensible space around structures, expanded educational programs and information outreach, , and infrastructure improvements to faulty components within portions of the areas water distribution system . While this CWPP includes conceptual goals and initiatives, specific details of certain projects are intentionally not included in the document since they will be provided in each project plan and grant requested by MCCFSC as project funding opportunities arise. Review and monitoring of this plan will take place on a bi-monthly basis with annual revisions to the CWPP. Revisions will be filed with signatory agencies and with the County of San Bernardino Office of Emergency Services when the revisions are filed with the California Fire Safe Council. Included within the appendix of this document are several references and plans prepared by agencies and entities concerned with, or responsible for, the ecosystem and land management of the San Bernardino National Forest. With the cooperation and collaboration of all agencies involved in contributing to this CWPP, substantial reduction in forest fuels will be achieved over the next five years and MCCFSC will achieve its stated Mission and Strategic Objectives for the benefit and safety of all mountain residents and visitors while substantially reducing financial costs related to fire suppression and insurance losses. 1. 2 Location of WUI and Unincorporated Communities In cooperation with the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, California Fire Alliance, and the California Fire Safe Council, Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council (MCCFSC) is dedicated to the development of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) in collaboration with the 4 USDA Forest Service (USFS), County of San Bernardino Fire Department and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF). This CWPP pertains to the communities of Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls, located in Mill Creek Canyon, within the San Bernardino National Forest. This strategic local fire plan is designed in a manner to blend with or compliment the USDA Forest Service Plan, CDF Unit Plan, County of San Bernardino Fire Department Plan, National Fire Plan, State of California Fire Plans, the Western Governor’s Ten Year Comprehensive Strategy, and FEMA Disaster Mitigation Act 2000. MCCFSC presents a community-based planning effort involving residents and stakeholders in coordination with all agencies committed to reducing wildfire risks in the Wildland Urban Intermix (WUI) through improved fire safe planning by the community and in cooperation with fire protection agencies. MCCFSC sponsors and supports improved forest management, expanded public safety, and related responsibilities necessary to achieve community wildfire protection planning. Multi-agency cooperation in project identification, prioritization, planning and funding, includes assessment of past and existing fire planning efforts, documents, and experiences. The CWPP developed by MCCFSC includes significant contributions from local residents of each affected community and business stakeholders along with fire and land management plans of local agencies. Fire history data covering 1900 – 2004 1 substantiates that large fires have never occurred in the easternmost plan areas of Mill Creek Canyon, while numerous fires have repeatedly occurred in the western areas.. Data contained within this plan is provided through the courtesy of the multi- agency members within the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (MAST). Data represented in this report is the most current data available, but like all data is subject to change and may include multi-jurisdictional disparities or variations on terms unique to each source. Sources of data reports and maps are identified by footnote reference. The intent of this plan is to respond to overwhelming evidence of wildfire risks associated with urbanized population and structures located in a wildland forest. For the purpose of this document, the communities located within dense forested areas are referred to as being with the Wildland Urban Intermix (WUI-Mix) rather than Wildland Urban Interface because of the distinct nature of a populated forest lacking a clear demarcation between wildland and urban communities. Another view of the community intermix is the term “urban clusters” with structure density counts ranging from few to many in scattered areas of forested communities. This plan is designed to educate community members about fire risks, stimulate cooperation between agencies to reduce fire risk to the communities, and create various means for residents to reduce environmental conditions leading to fire disasters. Reduced risk of wildfire will be a direct result of improved education and recognition by residents understanding forest management principles utilized to decrease fire potential while stimulating action of every citizen to manage private land areas more responsibly. This plan includes local grassroots’ community buy-in and expanded stakeholder commitment to achieve desired outcomes commonly referred to as “fire safe practices”. 5 2.0 PROBLEM OVERVIEW Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council (MCCFSC) represents residential and business interests located in Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls, which are in the Mill Creek Canyon wildland urban intermix (WUI-Mix, a canyon along State Highway 38. Located within the 110 square mile area of the San Bernardino National Forest at the base of Mt. San Gorgonio. With increasing full time residency and limited existing infrastructure, MCCFSC recognizes a significant potential for complex problems associated with the mission of achieving fire safety throughout the canyon communities, healthy forest management initiatives, and a need to balance these imperatives with environmental concerns. Overstocked forest continues to plague the area in which MCCFSC operates. New residents of the canyon and visitors have little or no understanding of what makes up a “healthy forest”. Consequently, this CWPP includes provisions to provide ongoing education and information outreach about proper forest management, fuels management techniques, and fire safe practices necessary to achieve desired results and secure local cooperation with fire and forest agencies. Access and Egress are of concern because there is only one road out of Forest Falls connecting to State Highway 38. A key component to this CWPP is fuel reduction projects “on-the-ground” chipping and vegetation management within specific areas of the two communities. MCCFSC, working with all partner agencies, seeks to obtain grant funding and other contributions to support ongoing thinning of the forest and land management practices consistent with the Healthy Forest Initiative which states in part: • Requires collaboration between Federal agencies and local communities, particularly when Community Wildfire Protection Plans are prepared 3 3.0 DEMOGRAPHICS Realtor data indicates a recent annual turnover of home ownership in the range of 20-25%, thus new homeowners arrive in the community and educational needs continually recycle to reach uninformed residents or new home buyers arriving in the mountain communities. The number of full-time residents, compared to seasonal residents, has more than tripled in the last 20 years from 350 to over 1100 residents, At the time of this writing full time residency is about 65% occupancy in Forest Falls, and 90% in Mountain Home Village. Projections indicate that the population of Mill Creek Canyon area will not increase significantly, except through the conversion of seasonally occupied dwellings to full time residency. This is one of the reasons for concern to improve and add to the infrastructure. The density of residential structures within the area known as Mill Creek Canyon consists of 778 residential homes, with 390 undeveloped, often wooded, properties, as of summer 2005. Of the developed properties, full time occupancy is estimated to be 505. 273 residential structures are estimated to be occupied on a seasonal basis, especially holidays. 6 Commercial Structures number 22, and there are 161 structures associated with the two faith based conference centers at Forest Home and Loch Levin. Although the full-time resident population is about 1100, Visitors to Forest Home Christian Conference Center, Loch Levin Conference Center, the two USFS Picnic areas, and the San Gorgonio Wilderness Area, often increases the population to over 4000 people on weekends, and holidays. This additional influx results in substantial challenges to fire fighting agencies and other resources dealing with evacuation planning and execution, if needed. 4.0 CURRENT FIRE ENVIRONMENT MILL CREEK CANYON AREA & TREE Mortality Estimates Following is a map (figure 1) of the San Bernardino National Forest areas with Dead Tree counts reported by MAST. The arrow points to Mill Creek Canyon nestled deeply within a large area of dead trees as reported by MAST. Since the Governor’s Order of June 2003 issued, MAST has dedicated substantial resources toward removal of dead, dying and diseased trees within the area of Mill Creek Canyon. However, hundreds of thousands of dead or dying trees remain within private and public land areas within and surrounding Mill Creek Canyon following the California Wildfire Siege of 2003. Thousands of dead trees remain standing in the vicinity of Highway 38, which is the only ingress and egress route for canyon residents. Overstocked conditions remain a challenge within the communities and throughout the national forest itself. Stimulated by unprecedented rainfall in early 2005, underbrush and ladder fuels abound throughout the area and have created a flashy fuel fire condition of significant magnitude throughout Mill Creek Canyon. In addition, the current winter season has been extremely dry so far, and if this situation persists, it will only exacerbate the fire danger during the coming summer months. Community character: For the purpose of this CWPP, Mill Creek Canyon is described as an “Intermix” (WUI-Mix) rather than an “Interface” due to hundreds of homes situated within dense forest conditions while surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. Location: Mill Creek Canyon is located approximately 85 miles east of the City of Los Angeles and 20 west of the city of Redlands. The altitude of the WUI-MIX ranges from 2000 to 11500 feet above sea level, and from 3500 feet to 6100 feet in the populated Mill Creek Canyon plan area. The area generally experiences a mild climate with four distinct seasons. Average temperatures range from as low as 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter months to mid 90’s in the summer months. Precipitation averages 20 to 50 inches per year. Precipitation occurs both as snow and rain, but snowfalls may yield up to 3 to 4 feet at one time. (Refer to Appendix 1 “Mill Creek Fireshed Assessment Plan – Draft Summary report 8/02/05”) 7 Figure 1Mortality Map 8 4.1 Target Zones of this plan: WUI Zone 1: Represents the communities of Forest Falls and Mountain Home Village within Mill Creek Canyon and their immediate surroundings, and are comprised of WUI-Mix communities located within a densely forested area. WUI Zone 2: Represents extended areas, largely uninhabited, within the WUI-Mix, ranging from Garnet Street (Green Spot) in Mentone and Highway 38 on the west, to Mt. San Bernardino ridge and San Gorgonio peak on the north, Yucaipa Ridge on the south and Mill Creek Jump-off on the east. These zones are depicted on figures 2-4 below. Both communities are listed as high-hazard communities within the Federal Register and the California Fire Alliance. The CWPP planning areas range from heavily wooded mountainous terrain with steep slopes and numerous ravines descending to the rugged foothills at the eastern edge of the San Bernardino Valley. Residential and commercial structures are located in two primary areas within Mill Creek Canyon: Mountain Home Village and Forest Falls. Mountain Home Village contains structures surrounded by brushy “privacy screens” that lack fuel breaks from chaparral and other brushy fuels. Forest Falls has a terrain with a dense forest canopy throughout, spreading over many areas containing structures. Soil types range from rocky outcropping and decomposing granites to alluvial deposits on the valley floors. The east-west Mill Creek Fault (also called the North Branch of the San Andreas Fault) bisects Mill Creek Canyon. The main San Andreas fault parallels the canyon about 3 miles to the south. 9 Figure 2 Overview Community Map 10 Figure 3 Forest Falls Community Map 11 Figure 4 Mountain Home Village Community Map 4.2 Environment An extract of the County of San Bernardino General Plan is included at the back of this CWPP document and the entire General Plan applying to the Mill Creek Canyon area is included in the Appendix CD that accompanies this document. Consistent with the County General Plan, MCCFSC is equally concerned with environment issues and protection of the natural resources and habitats within the WUI-Mix relative to any fire protection activity and fuels management planning. Protections: Emphasis on protection of sensitive resources, integration of natural vegetation in open space watershed preservation is critical to the long-term benefit of the community and forest. For this reason, all project plans are reviewed for application of CEQA and NEPA criteria necessary to properly flag or protect sensitive species of plant, animal or archeological sites. MCCFSC projects agree with three concepts stated in the County of San Bernardino General Plan draft: 12 A. Preservation of the natural environment ambiance unique to communities in a forest setting. B. Collaborative and cooperative partnership in achieving land management and fuels reduction within a 2 mile fuel-break (buffer zone) at the national forest boundary interface to private land holdings containing homes, commercial property and other structures. C. Conservation of natural resources and scenic beauty. 4.3 Open Space Issues The natural setting, which includes open space, recreational areas, and natural resources, is the contributing factor to the mountain character of Mill Creek Canyon and this CWPP. The area’s natural features including the highest waterfall in Southern California, streams, vegetation, wildlife, topography and hiking trails are regional assets that are highly valued by residents of the area and by visitors. Much of the local economy is based on the attraction of these natural resources. Preservation of the area’s natural resources and enhancement of the area’s recreational resources are important issues articulated by residents of the Mill Creek Canyon communities, and will be increasingly important as population growth increases the amount of development and recreational demands in the area. 4.3.1 Recreation and Parks The Mill Creek Canyon communities are completely surrounded by the San Bernardino National Forest. Approximately 85 percent of the land within the zones of concern outlined within this CWPP is National Forest owned. The area contains picnic grounds at Thurman Flats and at Big Falls Recreation Area, two Conference Centers (with thousands of visitors each year), hiking trails, and creeks all of which draw tourism to the area year round. Residents are highly protective of their forest environment and are concerned with management of forest service lands in and around their communities. Residents are most concerned with preserving the current National Forest boundary and would only consider changes where additional lands could be acquired by USFS for open space preservation. Even with the hundreds of acres of national forest lands within the Mill Creek Canyon Plan area, retention of a “Forest Environment” is a key element of the culture and perspective held by residents. Therefore, fuels management through tree removal remains a highly sensitive issue requiring substantial emphasis on education and forestry information combined with wildfire risk factors and other issues unique to fire fighting concerns. As the permanent population continues to increase there will be a greater demand for recreation opportunities and services within a dense forested area and a corresponding increase in fire ignition sources. MCCFSC recognizes the responsibility of open space preservation and management of recreation areas within the plan area is unique in that it requires coordination and cooperation between the County, the United States Forest Service and the community. 4.4 Community Fire Protection Infrastructure Issues The Mill Creek Canyon communities are serviced by several Mutual Water Companies each with their own service area. In the event of a fire emergency, the ability of each Water Company to provide sufficient quantities of water, at acceptable pressure levels is at risk, based on several factors such as; volume of water available to the provider, water throughput capability, and the 13 age and condition of each distribution system. For one water company in particular this risk appears to be large, and a mitigation plan is presented in the Section 5.2 below. Another issue, that could severely impact community response and evacuation during a fire emergency, is the general lack of cellular phone coverage within the deep canyon. There is a large risk, that if a fire were to sever the canyon’s conventional phone lines, it would render TENS (Telephone Emergency Notification System) inoperable leaving the Communities with no means of outside communication during the emergency. The installation of one or two cell towers within the canyon would dramatically enhance the communications infrastructure capacity, and greatly reduce risk. The final Infrastructure issue is related to the limited transportation options that residents, Firefighting and Emergence Response personnel will have to contend with during a fire emergency as follows: • The Community of Forest Falls is located on Valley of the Falls drive, which is a dead end road. There is a strong possibility that the residents could be cut off from evacuation if this road was surrounded by a fire. • Many residential roads in both Communities are constricted. Substandard road width, dense vegetation and parked vehicles along the roads could limit Fire Fighting vehicle access during an emergency. The addition of “No Parking” at strategic locations, and the removal of some vegetation would alleviate this issue somewhat. • Heavily traveled SR 38 traverses the plan area, and is a strong potential source of ignition from various motorist activities including accidents, and tossed burning cigarettes. In 2005 alone, two significant fires within the plan area were caused by vehicles traveling on SH38. Proper vegetation clearance, along SR 38 needs to be constantly monitored and maintained to mitigate this risk. 5.0 INTRODUCTION TO MCCFSC – BACKGROUND AND HISTORY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS Following several devastating fires in the San Bernardino Mountains, community members joined together as a concerned citizens group in order to interface and communicate specific issues and concerns to fire agency personnel. In early 2001 the Fire Safe Council program was introduced to the Mill Creek Canyon communities during a community meeting with the Mountain Area Safety Taskforce (M.A.S.T). Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council was formed to offer local agency representatives and residents the opportunity to come together to discuss and plan mutual fire safe activities. Currently, the MCCFSC is an extension of Mountain Citizens Acting to Restore the Earth (Mtn. C.A.R.E.), a California 501(c)3 Corporation. The head of the MCCFSC is a Vice-President of Mtn. C.A.R.E. MCCFSC exists to serve the communities within Mill Creek Canyon. The MCCFSC website provides additional information and links to key organizations: http://www.Mill Creek Canyonfsc.net . While the website is in the infant stages, at this time, the tool is a significant source of communications to residents on and off the mountain. Operating without much in the 14 way of funding, MCCFSC does not have a specific office at this time. MCCFSC relies on volunteers and utilizes private homes with private donations, contributions and some grant funds to achieve the many accomplishments to its credit already. Recent accomplishments include: • Hosting continuing M.A.S.T. Community Meetings • Promoting Fire Safe Practices through The Bear Facts Newsletter to 1000 residents and visitors • The creation of a strategic CWPP • Distribute fire safe information and literature at Forest Falls Annual 4th of July Celebration • MCCFSC sponsors and facilitates “Chipper Day” projects within and around the Communities to decrease the fire fuel buildup and overstocked forest conditions in the WUI-Mix. Thousands of tons of fuels have been processed and the cultural bias against cutting trees continues to dwindle as residents regain visibility of their forest and recognize the inherent value of a properly managed forest. 5.1 Mitigation Strategy, the Action Plan Periodically convene decision makers, involve federal agencies and engage interested parties. MCCFSC general business meetings provide monthly updates on design and development of the CWPP process and plan. Community members and agency stakeholders, collaborators and partners attend each meeting. All are invited to contribute to strategic fire planning and concepts consistent with the intent of a CWPP and in concert with agency plans. In addition, the USFS holds community meetings regarding draft content to the Southern California Land Management Plan Revisions, including opportunity for written comments by the general public. This CWPP incorporates the USDA Forest Service plans pertaining to surrounding national forest areas and collaborative WUI-Mix management strategies. (Refer to Appendix 1 “Mill Creek Fireshed Assessment Plan – Draft Summary report 8/02/05”) 5.2 MCCFSC CWPP Goals Goal 1: Coordinate fuel reduction projects in strategic areas nearest to San Bernardino National Forest land, where possible, to supplement WUI-mix fuel reduction. Achieve specific fuel reduction in areas listed below to maximize protection of community residential areas and isolate fire spread appurtenant to small, isolated community assets: (Refer to Appendix 1 “Mill Creek Fireshed Assessment Plan – Draft Summary report 8/02/05” 15 Goal 2: Provide continual education and information presentation on the many ways residents should and can prevent wildfires. Weekend Chipper Days, Door to door delivery of educational flyers, making and delivering CD's, and DVD's by Fire Safe Council and Boy Scout volunteers, hosting Community meetings are several ways the we have already informed the residents of Forest Falls and Mountain Home Village. The grant provision will allow us to continue and expand our efforts locally as new residents move to these communities. As part of this community outreach effort, we also hope to provide new batteries for home smoke detectors, and support the installation of new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors by volunteers from the Forest Falls Fire Department. Another initiative we are interested in is acquiring battery powered electronic flares available at less than $12.00 each to eliminate the need for dangerous burning flares now in use by emergency responders throughout the forested mountains. The newer electronic flares would allow residents to alert emergency responders even in rain or fog, from a longer distance, of the exact location of the emergency. Promote wildfire preparedness and public safety, including immediate communication to the 1300+ residents and the 477 non-resident property owners on how to create defensible space around their homes. GOAL 3: Update and improve the community infrastructure as it relates to fire suppression. Household fires have a serious potential to ignite wildfires in the area if not quickly contained. Substandard infrastructure in the community has hindered the containment of these fires, and may again allow them to spread to devastating proportions. Of specific concern are narrow roads that limit emergency vehicle access, and an old, unreliable hydrant system. Grant funds are being sought to update the most serious areas of concern (see 3a below). Goal 3a) OSHA requires the neighborhood of Big Pine Tract within the community of Forest Falls to maintain domestic hydrant system service to their customers. Big Pine Tract is a community association,that has recently spent over $450,000 removing dead and dying trees. There are little funds left to replace the current fire hydrant system. Big Pine Tract’s current fire hydrant system includes 8000 feet of pipe, supplying water to 12 hydrants. It is an antiquated system which is separate from the consumer water distribution system. Since the system is separate from the potable water distribution system, it is very difficult to detect system problems, because when an outage occurs the only way to know if there is a problem, is to open and test the hydrant valves. The association spends much time and effort performing tests and repairs on the system which is quite often out of service due to ongoing repairs. The existing system needs to be replaced The goal of the grant provision is to replace the existing 8000 feet of 1-4 inch pipe with 6 inch pipe, Mueller dry barrel fire hydrants spaced every 600 feet, as well as correct pressure fittings. Goal 3b) Support a joint effort between the four primary water distribution companies to improve the water systems' reliability and capacity, including a community consortium of elected Water Board Officers to perform oversight of fire hydrants and other suppression such as in-home sprinklers. -Goal 3c) Facilitate and Support creating improved road access for larger fire department vehicles during fire emergencies, including trimming and removal of encroaching vegetation, and the acquisition and installation of no parking signs in tight areas. 16 GOAL 4: Encourage a local cellular/wireless telephone communications provider to erect and operate one or two cellular towers at appropriate locations within Mill Creek Canyon, that will provide maximum service coverage within the two communities. 5.3 Objectives Following is a list of detailed CWPP objectives: • Establish a full time paid position for a Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council Administrator for two years. • Provide continuing information and education to the residents and non resident property owners of Forest Falls and Mountain Home Village on how to create defensible space around their homes. • Provide "Chipper Days" to assist the removal of hazardous brush and tree debris on private property. • Initiate and support a joint effort between the four larger water companies, including a community committee oversight of the hydrants on private property. • Support county in improving road access for the larger fire department vehicles in case of an emergency on certain very narrow roads in Forest Falls and Mountain Home Village. • Fund Community Fuel Load Assement Programs where feasible. • Assist the Big Pine Tract Association with funds to replace 8000+ ft of leaky pipes and valves supplying their 12 fire hydrants. When the hydrant system is out of service, the entire canyon is at much greater risk. Also, improve the system's fire suppression capabilities (water capacity and pressure) with a new, appropriately sized storage tank. The 136 property owners have recently spent $465K to remove dead pines. Waiting for the Association to fund this upgrade is an immediate hazard. Month 1-3: Updating bids and procurment of new 6" pipes and valves, to take advantage of bulk purchase. Month 4: Begin digging to verify correctness of maps of pipe trails. Month 5-17: Replace old pipes on a schedule to provide adequate fire suppression for Big Pine Tract Association in the interem, and add water storage tank. Big Pine Tract Association: Will provide matching funds for water system upgrade • County Fire: Provide crews to support Chipper days • San Bernardino National Forest: In process of removing dead trees on the perimeter of Forest Falls 17 • Mountain C.A.R.E.: Bear Facts, provide matching funds for communication & education, 200+ hours of voluntary time Fire Safe Council members Council management and oversight • Forest Home: Host Community Meetings • NRCS: Funding for fuel removal for several large parcels 6.0 METHODOLOGY MCCFSC is a group of local community volunteers working together to foster a fire safe community through collaboration, cooperation, and education among members of the community, agencies, and others. To achieve intended goals, MCCFSC seeks funding through grants, donations, and fund raising events. 6.1 Specific Recommendation to Grant Funding Organizations: Administration and Cost Funding: To enable the achievement of our goals, MCCFSC is seeking funding through grants, which will include a portion set aside to meet cost for administration, materials and record keeping. Studies prove an absence of funding for administration and operational costs erodes volunteer inertia, diminishes organizational effectiveness, and places extreme demands upon volunteers without any form of compensation or reimbursement. Grant funding needs to include a portion of funds to meet the needs of the organization and staff when substantial time demands are placed on the organization and/or travel related expenses are necessitated to remain current. Experience sharing is critical to Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council’s performance and creativity. However, many fire safe council meetings are held in Northern California become unreasonably expensive for Southern California Council participation in the absence of grant funding. Volunteers have not yet found it too burdensome to absorb some personal costs themselves. Next Steps: Once grant funding is secured to address and plan each project necessitated to meet the goals set forth above, MCCFSC recognizes the next step is maintenance of organizational inertia to achieve each goal. Project completion sends a strong message to residents and business that Fire Safe Council projects and this CWPP are meaningful contributions to the safety and well being of the community. Further, projects that are revealed to the public through press releases, pictures, and other means available through Fire Safe Council networking is an excellent way for agencies to achieve community buy-in and amass incredible public support. As projects demonstrate environmental sensitivity in the process of planning and completion, each agency will find less resistance and obstruction to project plans. Annual review of project completions, updates, and future project planning is critical to maintaining a current CWPP with community input. 18 6.2 Planning Area Boundaries Area boundaries are designed to represent specific zones of concern relative to the Mill Creek Canyon communities affected by work of the Mill Creek Canyon Communities Fire Safe Council. These areas are depicted on figures 2-4 above. Zone One Primary Area Description: The Communities of Mountain Home Village, and Forest Falls. Zone Two area description: The non-urban chaparral and forested areas surrounding the communities. PLANNING PROCESS: Through consultation, collaboration and cooperation, MCCFSC and all agencies involved with fire protection and forestry processes will develop project plans consistent with sound principles of land management and efficient, effective and sensible fuel reduction, with due regard to environmental concerns. STAKEHOLDERS (partial list of agencies given below) AGENCIES: USDA/USFS San Bernardino National Forest 1824 S Commerce Center Circle, San Bernardino, CA 92408 Telephone: 909-382-2600 County of San Bernardino Board of Supervisors County of San Bernardino Fire Department County Fire Marshal & Hazard Tree Abatement Office of Emergency Services San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department County of San Bernardino Public Works Department San Bernardino County Fire Department, Forest Falls Fire Protection District. Provides the primary Fire and Rescue services within the MCCFSC sphere of influence including: Forest Falls, and Mountain Home Village. State of California Office of Emergency Services Department of Transportation – Caltrans California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection State Board of Forestry Department of Fish and Game Bureau of Land Management and National Resource Conservation District Mill Creek Canyon Fire Safe Council Mountain C.A.R.E.