Wildfire Response Plan for Gambrill Park Road Comm : Wildland Fire Protection Analysis

A. Access

The Gambrill Park Road Community can be accessed from the North by Tower Road and Mink Farm Road; from the South by Gambrill Park Road; from the East by Hamburg Road or by taking Mountaindale Road to Delauter Road or Fishing Creek Road; and from the West by Coxey Brown Road, Highland School Road, Rum Springs Road and Middlepoint Road. Many of these roads are winding, narrow, steep, or unpaved, and may be difficult to negotiate in an engine or other large apparatus. For this reason, a list of the status of each road in the community at the time this plan was prepared has been included below:

Coxey Brown Road – Tar and chip surface, winding, steep, 1 1/2 lanes
Delauter Road – Gravel surface, winding; steep grade on the west side of the mountain, moderately steep grade on the east side of the mountain; 1 – 1 1/2 lanes
Fishing Creek Road – North end is paved, steep, winding, 1 1/2 lanes; south end is gravel, moderate grade, fairly straight, 1 1/2 lanes.
Gambrill Park Road – Paved from Rt. 40 to Hamburg Road, tar and chip from Hamburg Road to Tower Road, gravel north and east of Tower Road; fairly straight; fairly steep grade from Rt. 40 to Gambrill SP Office, fairly level north from Gambrill SP Office; 2 lanes.
Hamburg Road – Paved; west end is fairly level, fairly straight, 2 lanes; east end is steep, winding, rough, 1 lane.
Hawbottom Road – Dirt surface, fairly level, very winding and rough with tight curves, 1 lane, poor overhead and side clearance; not recommended for large equipment
Highland School Road – Paved, winding, fairly steep, 1 1/2 lanes
Middlepoint Road – Gravel surface, fairly winding, moderately steep, 1 1/2 - 2 lanes
Mink Farm Road – Gravel surface, winding, fairly level, 1 1/2 - 2 lanes
Rum Springs Road – Gravel surface, winding and rough, fairly steep, 1 – 1 1/2 lanes
Tower Road – Tar and Chip Surface, straight, moderate grade, 2 lanes

Most of the houses in this community have a mailbox or some other sign at the end of the driveway that is labeled with the house number. Many of the numbers, however, may be difficult to see at night or in inclement weather. To aid in locating houses, a House Number Map has been included on page 15 of this plan. This shows the location of each house and the corresponding house number.

B. Firefighter Safety

The topography of this area ranges from relatively level to very steep, and the terrain in some place can be quite rough and difficult to navigate. While most of the fuels are either leaf litter or heavy downed logs, there are areas of dense Mountain Laurel and/or Blueberry bushes. If ignited, these areas could burn very hot with long flame lengths and rapid fire spread. Areas containing snags should also be approached with caution. These snags are a serious hazard because they may be a source of falling, flaming debris, and pose the risk of falling over entirely and injuring or killing firefighters. Caution should be taken and "watch-out" situations kept in mind when fighting fire in these areas.

Safety zones and escape routes should be established before any action is taken and explicit instructions should be given to firefighters. The existing roads can be effectively used as escape routes as long as vehicle traffic is directed and kept in order. The "10 Standard Fire Fighting Orders" should be strictly adhered to at all times. For ease of reference, the fire orders and 18 "watch out" situations are listed below:

The 10 Standard Fire Fighting Orders:
Fight fire aggressively, but provide for safety first
Initiate all action based on current & expected fire behavior
Recognize current weather conditions and obtain forecasts
Ensure instructions are given and understood
Obtain current information on fire status
Remain in communication with crewmembers, supervisor & adjoining forces
Determine safety zones and escape routes
Establish lookouts in potentially hazardous situations
Retain control at all times
Stay alert, keep calm, think clearly, act decisively

Watch Out Situations:
1. Fire not secured and sized up
2. In country not seen in daylight
3. Safety zones and escape routes not identified
4. Unfamiliar with weather & local factors influencing fire behavior
5. Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards
6. Instructions and assignments not clear
7. No communication link with crewmembers or supervisors
8. Constructing line without safe anchor points
9. Building fire line downhill with fire below
10. Attempting frontal assault on fire
11. Unburned fuel between you and the fire
12. Cannot see main fire, not in contact with anyone who can
13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below
14. Weather is getting hotter and drier
15. Wind increases and/or changes direction
16. Getting frequent spot fires across fire line
17. Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult
18. Taking a nap near the fire line

C. Fuel Conditions and Fire Behavior

The predominate fuel type in this area is Upland Hardwood Litter. In most areas there is a large amount of heavy fuels on the ground and a thick layer of leaf litter and duff. These heavy fuels are quite large and will burn for long periods of time, be difficult to extinguish, and cause rekindling. There are also abundant standing and leaning snags, which are easily ignitable and can burn with substantial flame lengths and heights. Burning snags can also fall across a fireline, allowing the fire to escape. For this reason and safety considerations, all snags near the fireline or any that are deemed dangerous should be felled as soon as possible. Crowning and/or torching in this fuel type is unlikely, however, there are areas of dense Mountain Laurel and/or Blueberry bushes in which the fire may burn hot with long flame lengths and rapid fire spread.

Fires are most likely to be slow to moderately moving ground fires, except in areas of dense Mountain Laurel and/or Blueberry bushes, where fire behavior will be more intense and difficult to predict. Fires will also have a tendency to move upslope. Under the influence of wind, fires will tend to move in the direction of the wind, and higher fire spread rates should be anticipated.

Containment of the fire with a fireline down to bare mineral soil is the most effective means of fighting fires in this fuel type. Because of the tendency for fire to smolder in the thick duff layer and heavy fuels, water use by itself is only minimally effective at controlling or containing a fire and will not likely prevent rekindling and fire spread. Water can be used effectively for mop-up once the fire is contained with a mineral soil fireline. Hand tool use should accompany water use on hot spots to dig down into the duff and ensure that adequate water penetrates into the duff to extinguish all embers completely. Wise water use is suggested, including the use of class-A foam to enhance the penetration, absorption, and smothering ability of the water. A 0.1% - 0.3% foam mixture is ideal for wildland applications.

Defensible space ranges from none to extensive within the community, although the majority of the houses do have adequate green space. Despite good defensible space, many houses have evergreen shrubs growing against them. The prevalence of wood construction materials and open decks present a possible hazard of structure ignitions. Airborne sparks may be trapped on or under these wooden surfaces and may, in turn, ignite the structure. The evergreen shrubs may also provide areas for firebrands to be trapped and ignite. This should be kept in mind when preparing or defending a threatened structure.

Most wildland fires in this region occur in early spring and late autumn, when foliage is minimal (allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor), winds are high, and fuel moisture is low. The most active time of day for wildfires is during the afternoon hours when the day is warmest, the winds are strongest, and the humidity is lowest. Wildfires will be most aggressive at these times.

D. Structure Protection

Each of the 108 homes within the Gambrill Park Road Community has been assessed as to its overall fire danger. This assessment is based on slope, topography, fuels, defensible space, and other dangers related to the structure (such as building/roof material, wooden decks, etc.). The houses have been rated as having a very low, low, moderate, high, or very high fire risk. The assessment for each house can be seen on the attached map labeled Gambrill Park Road Community Structure Assessment and House Number Map.

Almost all of the houses in the Gambrill Park Road Community have a moderate or high fire risk. In most cases this is because of flammable vegetation growing against the house, proximity to steep slopes and dangerous fuel types, decks or outbuildings that are susceptible to fire, and/or construction of flammable building material. Wooden decks on the down-slope side of houses are common and present an easy place for firebrand entrapment and ignition.

In the event of a wildland fire within or adjacent to the Gambrill Park Road Community, the need for structure protection should be anticipated and structure resource assignments should be ready for dispatching. If a structure requires protection, firefighters should attempt to create defensible space around the structure by removing excess flammable vegetation and debris. Fireline should be constructed around the structure and monitored. An engine assignment should be dispatched to any structure that is threatened and not deemed "hopeless" during structure triage. Class-A foam is recommended for use in the preparation of structures for an approaching flame front.

E. Water Availability

The Gambrill Park Road Community is a large community with no pressurized hydrant system. In the event of a fire, the only readily available water is what is carried to the fire in the engines, tankers, and brush trucks. While water can be obtained from residents’ houses (wells, pools, etc.), these sources are not reliable and should not be anticipated as a sole water supply. When these supplies run out, the only alternative is a tanker shuttle. For this reason, a tanker shuttle should be anticipated in the event of a large fire and initiated as soon as possible to prevent a loss of water to the fire. Due to the size of the community, the best source of water for a tanker shuttle will depend on the location of the fire, although it may be worth driving farther to a source that is dependable and accessible. There are two water sources in or near the community that are fairly reliable and accessible by large equipment.

The first water source is the dry hydrant at Hamburg Pond. It is usable for most if not all of the year, except during periods of prolonged drought when the pond level may be too low. As long as the aluminum deflector on top of the strainer is a few inches under water the hydrant should be usable, although at lower levels it may need to be wet-primed. During periods of drought, the apparatus hooking up to the hydrant should arrive at the hydrant with at least _ tank of water. The apparatus should also come prepared with the necessary adaptors needed to hook up to the hydrant, which has 6-inch NST male threads.

The second reliable and accessible water source is the pond at the foot of Gambrill Mountain near where Shookstown Road and Gambrill Park Road meet, within the Rock Run Area of Gambrill State Park. This pond almost always has water in it and an engine/pumper can get close enough to draft water. Grass surrounds the pond, however, and during periods of inclement weather a brush truck may be needed to gain access without getting stuck.

There are four other ponds that are not as reliable as those listed above. Some of these ponds maintain adequate levels year round, however, access to all of them is difficult. During periods of prolonged drought, these ponds may be the only alternative. Most of the roads back to these ponds are narrow, dirt roads with poor side and overhead clearance. Brush trucks are needed to access these ponds, and some minor tree removal may be needed. Some of the roads are also gated and, if the lock cannot be cut, a path will have to be cut around it.

The first pond is located at Sand Flat and is an old fire pond. A gravel parking lot is at the entrance to the pond on the east side of Gambrill Park Road, 0.2 miles south of the junction with Tower Road. The pond is located approximately 300 feet from Gambrill Park Road along a road that is narrow and gated at the entrance. The level of this pond will often drop significantly during drought periods. This is the only realistically usable water source within the north half of the community.

If the pond at Hamburg Road is too low to use the hydrant, there is another water source nearby, located off of Fishing Creek Road. This pond is along the Catoctin Trail, approximately 700 feet northwest of Fishing Creek Road, 1/3 mile from the junction with Hamburg Road. The road leading back to it is gated and locked, although at the time this plan was prepared, the gate was broken.

Further south is another pond, the entrance to which is 0.16 miles south along Gambrill Park Road from the intersection with Hamburg Road. The entrance is on the east side of the road and is gated, although the gate is often unlocked. The pond sets back 550 feet off the road along a driveway that is narrow with poor overhead clearance. The level of this pond usually drops during periods of drought, and may not be depended on.

The final water source is a pond located off of Coxey Brown Road, 0.4 miles east of the junction with Hawbottom Road. This pond is owned by the Byrd family who live at house number 4534, but sets approximately 250 feet south of Coxey Brown Road. There is a farm road leading back to the pond from the east side of the house, however, a better and less invasive access point may be through the farm gate on the left, approximately 0.3 miles from Hawbottom Road. From there, brush trucks can drive through the field to the pond. Access to the pond may be difficult during inclement weather and the pond is not completely reliable during drought periods.

All of the ponds mentioned above are highlighted in blue on the map labeled:
Gambrill Park Road Community Water Supply and First Due Area Map.

F. Evacuation

If an evacuation is called for, it will probably be the evacuation of only a few houses that are at serious risk. A complete evacuation will most likely not be needed. In the event that a complete evacuation is needed, it should be started as soon as possible. The evacuation of the Gambrill Park Road Community should be planned and overseen by the incident commander or the local Fire Police, in conjunction with the local law enforcement agency. Evacuation will be difficult due to the size of the community and condition of the roads, so traffic control will be necessary.
See "Evacuation Plan" for more details

G. Staging Areas

The incident commander will determine the location of the staging area at the time of the second alarm. This staging area location will depend on the location, magnitude, and behavior of the fire. The incident commander will designate the staging area manager.