C4.11: Reduce the Risk of Catastrophic Wildfire – Above Green

(4 points)

INTENT

Reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire on site and in adjacent landscapes by designing, building, and maintaining sites to manage fuels.

REQUIREMENTS

Document that the project is in a fire-prone zone (see Pre-Design P2.2: Conduct a pre-design site assessment).
Design, build, and maintain the landscape and structures according to the techniques listed in the “Firewise Landscaping Checklist,” which is Appendix E of Safer from the Start: A Guide to Firewise-Friendly Developments, www.firewise.org/~/media/Firewise/Files/Pdfs/Booklets and Brochures/BookletSaferFromtheStart.pdf.
Ensure the section of the site maintenance plan (see O+M P8.1: Plan for sustainable site maintenance) is complete and includes strategies to manage vegetative biomass and fuel loads at responsible levels and to reduce accumulation of dead plant material throughout the vegetated portions of the site. Use prescribed fires or other fuel management techniques in frequencies and intensities similar to the natural fire regime for the ecosystem.

Note: SITES encourages projects to design for scaled resiliency to other catastrophic natural events (e.g., flooding, earthquakes, drought, hurricanes, tornadoes) and encourages projects to apply for Innovation C10.1: Innovation or exemplary performance to earn innovation credit for such efforts.

RECOMMENDED STRATEGIES

Contact local fire departments or state forestry agencies for recommendations on plant spacing, fire-resistant plant species, and fuel management practices appropriate to the local area.
Use prescribed fires or other fuel management techniques in frequencies and intensities similar to the natural fire regime for the ecosystem.