attacking first large areas of trees of relatively high hazard and finishing with small groves. Resources of doing this are under investigation. COST OF TREE AND GROUND FUEL REMOVAL This phase of the University plan involves tree and fuel removal from approximately 124 acres. Total costs are estimated at $496,000, based on experience in carrying out the emergency measures above. If commercial and volunteer resources now being investigated become available, this estimate may be altered significantly. LONG RANGE FIRE PREVENTION A continuous and progressive program has been developed for reducing and controlling fire hazards by prescribed burning of excessive ground fuel loads. Experimental burns were made in 1971 and 1972, a programmed burn was made this month. Professor Harold Biswell, School of Forestry and Conservation, is the consultant to this program, which is supported by help from the L.B.L., Berkeley and Oakland Fire Departments. This program will be continued indefinitely with adjustments in scheduled burns as experience dictates. COST OF FIRE PREVENTION Direct, annual cost of the continuing program is estimated at $1,000 to $2,000 annually. The University gratefully acknowledges the invaluable help of the L.B.L., Berkeley and Oakland Fire Departments, and the School of Forestry and Conservation in this endeavor. VEGETATION MANAGEMENT The objectives of managing the vegetation on University land are to (a) keep fire hazards at acceptably low levels, (b) preserve the sylvan character of Strawberry Canyon, and (c) augment the value of Strawberry Canyon as an academic study area. No definite plans have been developed to renovate the areas where trees are removed, although several proposals have been outlined. Long range definitive plans will be developed by several University resources including the School of Forestry and Conservation, the Campus Committee on Conservation and Environmental Quality, the Agriculture Extension Service. The nebulous state of plans does not permit even the grossest estimate of costs. EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, April 26, 1973. To: William H. Hildebrand. Subject: Supplemental report on the district's eucalyptus program. Attached is an additional copy of my report to you dated March 8, 1973. I am also forwarding a copy of my memo to Mr. Trudeau and members of the Board of Directors dated April 17, 1973. These two reports will provide you with some background information. As you know, on March 6, 1973 the Board of Directors allocated $55,000 for the first phase emergency work in the priority areas. The staff is now requesting an additional $303,000 for the first year budget, April 1, 1973 to March 30, 1974. An itemized breakdown for this amount is attached, which includes funding for additional employees, equipment and pre-suppression measures. We are anticipating at least a five year Eucalyptus program and a long term vegetation management program to maintain the "fuel break" and manage other plant communities. The District is preparing a plan to close Tilden, Sibley, Redwood and Chabot Regional Parks during extreme fire weather conditions. Letters have already been written to Contra Costa County, Alameda County and the City of Berkeley requesting their assistance in closing namely Wildcat Canyon Road in Tilden Park. We are also going to install one or more fire weather stations along the Oakland-Berkeley hills and are obtaining technical assistance from personnel from the California Division of Forestry, U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Weather Service. An early warning and alert plan for the Regional Park District will be coordinated with other agencies through the Inter-Agency Advisory Committee. 95-978-73-7 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, To: Richard C. Trudeau and Members of the Board of Directors Subject: Eucalyptus Progress Report on April 9-16, 1973 April 17, 1973. Monday, April 9, 1973 two crews of the California Ecology Corp. began construction of a proposed 10 mile long "fuel break" mainly along the crest of the Oakland-Berkeley hills. The two Ecology crews, consisting of 20-25 men, worked at Sibley Park (the intersection of Skyline and Grizzly Peak) during the week cutting an estimated 500 large trees and piling slash in preparation for on-site burning. Ecology crew personnel are receiving on-the-job training and a full level staffing of five crews (70-75 men) is expected by Wednesday, April 18, 1973. The District crews are continuing to cut, prune and trim mainly smaller diameter Eucalyptus trees in 7 different areas within Tilden, Sibley and Redwood in a program of fire hazard reduction. During the weekend of April 14-15, personnel of the 820th Engineering Battalion, USAR, worked in Tilden Park and provided trucks and manpower for piling and loading slash, while the 91st Support Battalion, USAR, worked at Sibley. Both efforts were augmented by approximately two dozen volunteers plus individuals from the CC County Juvenile Authority. The military/citizen volunteer effort was most successful. We also had an excellent turnout of about 200 residents who obtained a permit to cut firewood during the weekend. Student volunteers during the Easter vacation are being utilized. Pile burning was done on Thursday, April 12 and on Monday, April 16 under low cloud cover. All piled slash was burned and, to my knowledge, no complaints were received. With the State Ecology Corp working on the 10 mile "fuel break", District crews will be working in other priority areas outside those areas handled by the state (i.e. North of Summit Reservoir along Wildcat Canyon Road and Spruce Gate and high use areas). I feel it is important that the Board have a short one-hour field trip to view the Eucalyptus situation, possibly before the Board meeting May 15. Although it has been reported that 2 to 3 million Eucalyptus were frost-killed, no accurate count has been done. Based on the District's survey, I estimated 1 to 2 million damaged Eucalyptus (i.e. varying degrees of canopy damage) and under 1 million actual killed Eucalyptus trees (i.e. killed up from the base of the tree). It has been over 4 months since the December freeze and many of the trees that will "recover" are now sprouting. The Board will have an opportunity to view the firebreak cutting program, the magnitude of the problem and live, dead, sprouting and half and half trees which all have long-term Vegetative Management implications. EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, To: William H. Hildebrand Subject: Report on Action Taken to date by EBRPD I. Fact Finding. During early February, Park District field personnel conducted a systematic survey of park areas to determine the extent of eucalyptus damage The US Forest Service has provided technical assistance and a complete set of color, aerial photographs taken February 16, 1973, which visually indicate, at least, the widespread extent of canopy damaged eucalyptus in the Oakland Berkeley hills From these photos, affected areas have been mapped and cor related with field data. II. Planning. The Park District has been developing and coordinating its planning effort with other affected agencies through the Regional Task Force (Intergovernmental Advisory Committee). The problem has been evaluated and priorities established for immediate remedial and preventive action. The capacity and resource of the Park District and other local affected agencies are inadequate to correct the emergency condition that now exists in the Oakland-Berkeley hills III. Park District Action: A. Declaration of Local Emergency adopted February 27, 1973 by Park Board. Resolution No. 4241-copy attached. B. Board approval on March 6, 1973 of first-phase emergency budget for $54,397. For immediate tree removal and ground fuel reduction. Funds are being used for hiring personnel (2-6 men crews), the purchase of field equipment and for professional services. C. Park crews are performing the following function on Park District land: (1) Cutting damaged trees and reducing ground fuel in priority areas. (2) Coordinating and working with community volunteers and individuals. (3) Supervising woodcutting operators. (4) Supervising tree removal by professional tree service companies. EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT, To Richard Trudeau and Members of the Board of Directors From: Gary A. Tate Subject: 13-94 Vegatative Management-Proposed Budget 1st year Budget request to reduce fire hazard and remove dead or damaged Eucalyptus trees in medium and high priority areas supplemented by state Ecology crews in the 10 mile "fuel break" area. 17 men-initial crew (9 months-June 1, 1973-Mar. 30, 1974). 10 additional temps (6 months-Apr. 1, 1973-Oct. 15, 1973). Equipment $130,000 42,000 23, 000 Professional services (tree and other) – Subtotal 35, 000 230,000 10. Pickup pump units (4 at $825 each). Presuppression Measures (Based on a 10 day park closure): 1. Fire/weather stations (2 at $1000 each)_ 2. Fire status entrance signs (10 at $300 each). 3. Precaution signs (50 at $10 each). 4. Gate for Tilden (7 at $200 each). 5. Barricades and miscellaneous equipment (20 at $50 each) 6. Radio communications (4 at $700 each). 7. Special fire training for all EBRPD field temps/nonfire 8. Overtime salaries for fire/Rangers____ 9. Special fire watch/response crews, 2 temps (May 1, 1973– 2,000 3,000 500 1,400 1,000 2,800 1,000 16, 000 9,000 3, 300 Subtotal Miscellaneous costs: 40, 000 Extra services-News bureau (staffing, photos, etc.). Contingencies (10 percent) (signs, added overtime, added equipment, longer fire season) –– 27, 000 5, 000 303, 000 Budget request_-_. Intangible costs (not charged to Budget) Staff time to date from- Previously budgeted (Mar. 1, 1973-May 30, 1973). Total 25, 000 55, 000 383,000 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT RESOLUTION No. 4241 FEBRUARY 27, 1973. DECLARATION OF LOCAL EMERGENCY Whereas, by Resolution No. 4278 adopted January 23, 1973, the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District authorized and directed the General Manager and staff to confer with local, state and federal agencies to determine, promote and cooperate in joint action programs to reduce the potential fire hazard under eucalyptus in the Oakland-Berkeley hills area, and Whereas, the staff of the East Bay Regional Park District, working with other agencies concerned, have determined that the December 1972 freeze has frostkilled in excess of one million eucalyptus trees in the Oakland-Berkeley hills area, which has resulted in severe damage to watershed and creates serious soil conservation and potential fire hazards if preventive and remedial measures are not taken before the Fall of 1973, and Whereas, the capacity and resources of the East Bay Regional Park District and other local agencies appear to be grossly inadequate to eliminate such dangers; now, therefore, be it Resolved that the Board of Directors finds that the foregoing facts constitute an emergency throughout the District of an extreme peril to the safety of persons and property and hereby urgently requests the Counties of Alameda and Contra Costa and the State Forester, California State Division of Forestry, to take all appropriate and necessary action within their respective powers to assist the concerned local agencies in the resolution of such emergency; be it further Resolved That the General Manager be and is hereby authorized and directed to pursue all actions within his legal authority to combat the foregoing emergency, including, without limit, the generation of financial and in-kind assistance from State, private and other public agency sources and the formulation of appropriate joint agency and/or mutual assistance programs and specific practicable procedures and programs within the legal capacity of this District all for consideration by this Board to the end that the East Bay Regional Park District take and continue to take all feasible actions towardd reducing the foregoing hazards, keeping this Board fully informed at all times. Adopted this 27th day of February 1973 by the following vote: For Directors Paul J. Badger, Fred C. Blumberg, Howard L. Cogswell, Marlin W. Haley, Mary Lee Jefferds, John J. Leavitt and Clyde R. Woolridge. Against Directors none. Absent Directors none. MARLIN W. HALEY, President. CITY OF OAKLAND PROGRESS REPORT FIRE HAZARD ACTION PLAN, (HILL AREA), APRIL 24, 1973 Introduction City forces have made significant progress in implementing provisions of the Fire Hazard Action Plan and in developing additional programs and procedures necessary to the abatement effort. With the initial tasks of organization, definition of objectives, assignment of priorities and contingency planning now accomplished, the stage has been reached where actual abatement operations in public and private sectors are of primary concern. By virtue of its continuous state of emergency preparedness, the City has taken the lead in such operations. This report will summarize the various programs now in operation, and where possible, will indicate what progress and programs have made toward their objectives. It is divided into three parts: (1) Fire Prevention, (2) Fire Suppression, and (3) Disaster Planning. Some parts of this report may be incomplete due to the rapid progress being made in certain areas and the continuous day-to-day development of new techniques. PART I: FIRE PREVENTION I. Removal of Hazardous Trees and Ground Fuel from Public Lands A. City Park Properties The Office of Parks and Recreation has removed approximately 30,000 trees, primarily in Joaquin Miller Park and along Skyline Boulevard northerly of Park Boulevard. A fuel break behind houses on Castle Drive is approximately 70% complete. The fuel break is located at the northerly edge of Joaquin Miller Park. Park Department officials have been working with four contractors who have been removing trees in Joaquin Miller Park without charge to the City. One contractor has felled more than 300 of the very largest trees. Some have been made available for pilings at the Port of Oakland, and others have been delivered to The Fibreboard Company in Antioch. Three contractors have cut appproximately 100 cords of wood and will eventually take an additional 200 cords. In addition to commercial woodcutters, the Joaquin Miller Park Ranger Station has issued more than 1000 permits to amateur woodcutters who continue to remove most of the trees that are felled. New permits are being issued at the rate of 15/20 per day. Because of the increasing number of trees being felled, we are encouraging additional firewood removal by interested citizens. A fire trail has been cut through Cinderella Canyon (easterly of Castle Drive) to accommodate vehicles as large as hill fire trucks. Several spurs have been cut into side ravines for access. Old fire trails are being renovated to increase the City's ability to fight fires in Joaquin Miller Park. Tree and debris removal in Joaquin Miller Park has been aided by various groups: (a) Court assignees have provided 670 hours of work. (b) Probation Department youth have worked 310 hours on seven weekends. (c) Boy Scout groups, a Young Life Club, and workers from Synanon have provided 80 hours of volunteer assistance. (d) In recent weeks two Girl Scouts have assisted Ranger Station personnel, every Saturday and Sunday, by issuing permits and doing other necessary clerical work. (e) Park Rangers have been supervising the disposal area behind the Ranger Station at the Woodminster Amphitheater parking lot. B. East Bay Regional Park Properties Working with limited facilities and a current hazard abatement budget of $54.000, East Bay Regional Park officials have assigned two five-man crews to work in East Bay Regional Park priority areas. To date, the crews have felled approximately 8,000 trees. Approximately $250,000 to $300,000 will be allocated for tree removal operations in the fiscal year beginning May 1. C. East Bay Municipal Utility District Properties East Bay Municipal Utility District officials estimate that 200 acres of E.B.M.U.D. watershed land are located in hazardous areas. A pilot project under private contract is now underway to clear five acres in Contra Costa County (near Pinchills Court in Oakland). The project will feature the use of a portable smokeless incinerator to dispose of debris. E.B.M.U.D. officials estimate that hazard clearance around reservoirs in Oakland is 50% complete. It is expected that construction of three additional E.B.M.U.D. storage tanks in the hill area will be completed by August 15, 1973. The tanks will increase hill area capacity by 1,000,000 gallons. D. Pacific Gas and Electric Properties Pacific Gas and Electric Co. expects its transmission line right-of-way in hazard areas to be cleared by April 30. In addition, PG&E crews are clearing flammable material from an area ten feet in diameter at the base of all local distribution poles which have transformers or other electrical gear capable of generating sparks. Clearance around distribution poles is expected to be completed by June 1. E. University of California-Berkeley University of California-Berkeley officials have designated 118 acres of University land in Oakland as a first priority hazard area. The area is bounded |