Angora Wildfire and Backlash Against TRPA
In June 2007, the Angora wildfire burned 3,100 acres (13 km2) and destroyed 254 residences and many other structures in South Lake Tahoe. Developers’ rights groups and local real estate lobbyists immediately charged that the structures burned because of TRPA’s strict environmental regulations, which allegedly prohibit property owners from clearing defensible space around their homes. TRPA countered that defensible space has always been a significant agency concern, and has always been encouraged by the agency, citing published TRPA regulations, public documents, and previous public hearings.
Prompted by local newspaper articles quoting allegations of TRPA staff forcing homeowners to pile dry pine needles and other flammable materials around their homes, and even up against the structures, creating dangerous fire hazards, state and local politicians reacted swiftly by calling for investigations into TRPA policies and staff misconduct. In July 2007, California and Nevada governors Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Gibbons signed a bi-state "Blue Ribbon Fire Commission" agreement, to investigate fire issues in the Lake Tahoe Basin, including TRPA regulations that purportedly caused problems that led to the loss of hundreds of structures.
Contrary to the allegations of staff misconduct and detrimental agency policies, the U.S. Forest Service fire investigations in the Angora fire Investigations confirmed that most of the structures caught fire from “firebrands” -- pieces of burning wood—carried in the smoke column either from neighboring structures or from nearby burning vegetation. The investigations found that some homes had highly flammable wooden shake roofs and inadequate fire clearance around the structures. In many cases, winter fire wood and kindling supplies were piled too close to homes. The study did state that dead and dying vegetation along Angora Creek "likely contributed" to the fire's rapid spread. Native riparian vegetation in “stream environment zones” (such as Angora Creek) in the Tahoe Region are protected as sensitive resources, and removal of vegetation from these areas is typically restricted by TRPA to protect damage to soils, habitat, and water quality.
While fire investigators have concluded that several factors contributed to the disastrous fire, including unburned piles from previous forest thinning projects, lack of defensible space, stockpiling of flammable materials near structures, and thick ground covers, Investigators found that several structures actually burned the surrounding vegetation - not the reverse.
There is continuing disagreement regarding ground cover within 30 feet (9.1 m) of structures. In certain cases, TRPA regulations require ground cover to provide protection from soil erosion on disturbed soil. Ground cover may often be lawn or other landscaping, however site-specific native vegetation, or naturally occurring forest litter such as a thin layer of pine needles or wood chips is generally the environmentally preferable alternative, and is more cost-effective and easier to maintain. While some groups argue that utilizing pine needles and wood chips as ground cover up to the 30 foot perimeter of a structure is a violation of California Public Resources Code 4291 requiring defensible space in California, a ½ to 1-inch (25 mm) covering of forest litter (duff layer) is not sufficient to carry a flame intense enough to burn structures from a distance of 30 feet (9.1 m) away. Regardless, TRPA staff and local fire groups are investigating possible non-flammable or flame-retardant alternatives to provide both soil protection and fire prevention. In addition, TRPA staff and Board members are working with the local fire protection districts to simplify procedures for homeowners to implement defensible space requirements around their homes, and eliminate confusion and possible conflicts regarding TRPA erosion control requirements and defensible space requirements, and to ease restrictions on use of heavy machinery in sensitive areas near communities.
While investigations into the causes and affects on the Angora Fire show that allegations of staff misconduct were unfounded, and resource protection policies were not the cause of the disaster, anti-TRPA sentiment remains high among many residents and development interests, who feel the agency has infringed on constitutional private property rights, and impeded economic development in the Lake Tahoe Region. The Angora fire has reinvigorated a publicity campaign by Real Estate, Gaming, and Development interests to introduce legislation to reorganize the Agency and Governing Board to open up further expansion of development in the Tahoe Region
Read more about this topic: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency