Staff Report with Attachment
PREPARED BY: Arn Andrews
Assistant Town Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Director of Parks and Public Works, Chief of Police and Town Attorney
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 10/15/2019
ITEM NO: 7
DATE: October 9, 2019
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Accept Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Accept Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment Report.
BACKGROUND:
Los Gatos is identified as a Community at Risk from wildfires on the Federal and the California
Fire Alliance list of Communities at Risk in Santa Clara County. The Los Gatos Wildland Urban
Interface (WUI) planning area includes primarily Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone areas on
the southern side of Los Gatos. The WUI area is best described as an area that transitions from
a natural condition (wildland) to human settlements. Homes and other development in the
WUI are at risk of catastrophic wildfire due to the presence of vegetation that could fuel a
wildfire. The WUI encompasses a wide variety of terrain, ranging from flat topography at the
edge of the valley floor to densely wooded hillsides. While the sharp contrast between the
valley floor and the hillsides is what makes the Town so picturesque, it also creates an
extremely difficult operational area in the event of a wildfire.
The intent of the Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment is to create a common point
of reference for Town residents, public safety officials, Town Council and staff, and other
regional emergency preparedness partners. The Assessment will help inform future regulatory
recommendations, advance the wildfire preparedness education of our hillside residents,
inform fuel reduction priorities, facilitate grant opportunities, and provide a baseline for the
ultimate development of an evacuation plan.
PAGE 2 OF 2
SUBJECT: Accept Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment
DATE: October 10, 2019
DISCUSSION:
Safe and proper evacuation of people (residents, workers, and visitors), pets, and livestock is
often a very critical component of WUI fires. Confusing hillside road networks, narrow roads
that could inhibit two-way traffic, and dead-end roads all contribute to the complexities faced
by the public and responders during WUI fires. In addition, WUI fires often require immediate
“No Notice” evacuations, meaning little or no warning time exists between fire origin and the
need for evacuation. The situational awareness associated with the Wildland Urban Interface
Evacuation Assessment will help illustrate the critical shared responsibility of successful wildfire
mitigation and response. The Assessment reaffirmed the critical importance of enhanced
vegetation management along major ingress/egress road networks and Town-owned open
spaces, and the maintenance of defensible space around residences and other buildings.
CONCLUSION:
The Assessment will help inform future regulatory recommendations, advance the wildf ire
preparedness education of our hillside residents, inform fuel reduction priorities, facilitate
grant opportunities, and provide a baseline for future Town emergency preparedness and
response activities.
COORDINATION:
This report has been coordinated with the County Office of Emergency Management, County
Fire, Town Attorney, Director of Parks and Public Works, Chief of Police, and other Town
Offices.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact with this item.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
This is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required.
Attachment:
1. Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment
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Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation
Assessment
October 10, 2019
Town of Los Gatos
110 East Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
Prepared by
Town Managers Office
Coordinated with
Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department
Santa Clara County Fire Department
Santa Clara County Office of Emergency Management
ATTACHMENT 1
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Table of Contents
Topic Page
Title Page 1
Table of Contents 2
Introduction 3
Los Gatos Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) 3
Los Gatos WUI Fuel Characteristics 4
Roadway Network within the WUI 5
Residence and Population Density within the WUI 7
Existing Public Safety Delineations within the WUI 8
Almond Grove/Downtown CERT Zone 9
Civic Center CERT Zone 11
Vista Del Monte CERT Zone 13
Kennedy North CERT Zone 15
Kennedy East CERT Zone 17
Blossom Hill/Shannon CERT Zone 19
Santa Rosa/Hicks CERT Zone 21
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Introduction
Los Gatos is listed as a Community at Risk from wildfires on the Federal and/or
California Fire Alliance list of Communities at Risk in Santa Clara County. Wildfires
occur in the vicinity of Los Gatos and present a danger to people and propert y within the
Town. Recognizing that there could be a need to conduct an emergency evacuatio n of
Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) portion of the Town of Los Gatos, the following Wildfire
Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment has been assembled to better understand the
opportunities and challenges associated with being a Wildland Urban Interface
community.
Every potential evacuation response will be different based on the nature of the incident
at that time, and this assessment and subsequent actions are intended to provide the
greatest good for the greatest number of residents. Nothing in this assessment should
be interpreted as an obstacle to any potential experience but rather an opportunity for
our community and first responders to have the same shared understanding of the
unique environment we live in.
Safe and proper evacuation of people (residents, workers, and visitors), pets, and
livestock is often a very critical component of WUI fires. Confusing hillside road
networks, narrow roads that could inhibit two-way traffic, and dead-end roads all
contribute to the complexities faced by the public and responders during WUI fires.
In addition, WUI fires often require immediate “No Notice” evacuations, meaning little or
no warning time exists between fire origin and the need for evacuation . The situational
awareness associated with the Wildland Urban Interface Evacuation Assessment will
help illustrate the critical shared responsibility of a successful “No Notice” emergency
evacuation.
Los Gatos Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
The Los Gatos WUI planning area includes primarily Very High Fire Hazard Severity
Zone areas on the southern side of Los Gatos (Exhibit 1). The WUI is composed of
both interface and intermix communities and is defined as areas where human
habitation and development meet at the edge of, or are inserted in the interior of areas
dominated by, wildland fuels (U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of
Agriculture 2001:752–753).
The WUI creates an environment in which fire can move readily between structural and
vegetative fuels, increasing the potential for wildland fire ignitions and the corresponding
potential loss of life and property. Human encroachment upon wildland ecosystems
within recent decades is increasing the extent of the WUI in Santa Clara County and
therefor increasing the potential risk of wildfire.
Exhibit 1
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Los Gatos WUI Fuel Characteristics
The Los Gatos planning area comprises a range of vegetation communities that differ
depending upon elevation, precipitation, and slope. Chaparral vegetation is often found
on south facing slopes, where winter precipitation is relatively high, but dry summers are
common. The chaparral will have long flame lengths under either moderate or extreme
weather scenarios. The nature of these fuels is to burn quickly and intensely. Oak
woodlands comprised of a variety of oak species are also interspersed throughout as
well as mixed conifer comprising knob cone pine and grey pine. A fire in either the
mixed conifer or hardwood would likely be a surface fire with patches of active behavior
and fairly low rates of spread. However, active fire behavior is possible in this
vegetation type under extreme weather conditions, especially where there is high
surface loading. Coastal coniferous forest communities such as redwoods and Douglas
fir are located at lower elevations where precipitation is high, fog is common, and
temperatures are moderate. Fire spread is generally limited in this fuel type; however,
given the right combination of weather conditions, surface fire can be expected to bu rn
uphill. Areas with increased fuel loading from dead and down materials may experience
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crowning under the right conditions. The varied vegetation composition result in the Los
Gatos WUI comprising a range of wildfire hazard.
Roadway Network within the WUI
In Los Gatos, the local street system is organized into a hierarchy of six roadway types
according to the existing Los Gatos Street Design Standards and the draft 2040 Los
Gatos General Plan. The Los Gatos Street Design Standards classify all stree ts within
the Town according to their functional classification. Functional classifications of
roadway networks categorize streets by purpose, location, and typical land uses to
which they provide access. The functional roadway classifications for Los Gatos
include arterial streets, collector streets, neighborhood collector streets, hillside collector
streets, local streets, and special design streets. The hierarchy is based on the degree
of mobility and amount of local access provided by each roadway.
Exhibit 2
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The majority of the Town’s WUI neighborhoods are served by Hillside Collector Streets
as illustrated by the green roads in Exhibit 3. Hillside collector streets serve properties
located in hillside areas, carrying traffic to either arterial streets, collectors, or
neighborhood collectors. Many of the hillside collector and local roadways are one-way
in and one-way out designs potentially complicating any evacuation. During wildfire
events, the routes emergency responders take to the fire are often the same routes
being used by residents who may be attempting to flee from the fire. Due to the critical
importance of roads for providing ingress for firefighting apparatuses while
simultaneously evacuating the public, certain factors such as width, grade, and turning
radius need to be considered in an evacuation. Often roads may be too narrow to
accommodate two-way traffic of responders and evacuees simultaneously. Roads are
generally maintained to primarily serve the transportation needs of the public, however
roadsides are frequently the site of ignition for wildfires, and evacuees may need to use
the roadways to leave the area even if the vegetation on both sides of the road is on
fire. Routes may also be blocked due to consequences associated with an incident
including; fallen trees, spot fires, smoke, intense heat, long flame lengths, downed
power lines, or vehicle accidents.
Exhibit 3
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Residence and Population Density within the WUI
Approximately a quarter of the Town’s total residences are located within the WUI. Of
an estimated 2018 Town total of 13,299 residences the WUI contains approximately
3091. In addition, at an estimated 2.2 residents per household the WUI is home to
approximately 6,800 residents out of a Town total of 30,250.
Exhibit 4
The majority of the northern perimiter of the WUI tends be flatter terrain with higher
concentrations of the WUI residences. To illustrate th e residential concentration Exhibit
4 represents a quarter mile band along the northern boundry of the WUI. Of the 3091
residences in the WUI, 1784 of them are concentrated within a quarter mile of the
northern boundry. In the event of a mass, or systematic, evacuation over half of the
WUI residents will be navigating flatter terrain with greater access to egress options.
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Existing Public Safety Geographic Delineations in the WUI
To better understand the unique geographic and infrastructure aspects of the WUI
neighborhoods, the Evacuation Assessment parses the WUI into specific boundaries.
The Town currently utilizes preestablished areas for the maintenance and execution of
its Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program (Exhibit 5). For purposes
of this assessment the CERT zones will be used as the basis of neighborhood review.
Exhibit 5
The following CERT maps are intended to illustrate the main routes of ingress/egress
within the zone boundaries and some of the specific characteristics unique to those
boundaries. In addition, challenges associated with those areas will be highlighted as
well as any identified temporary refuge areas (TRA) and critical sites.
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ALMOND GROVE/DOWNTOWN CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The Almond Grove CERT Zone is a densely populated residential neighborhood
abutting the downtown commercial core. The topography consists of a flat valley floor
in the eastern portion of the zone with increasing upward slopes as you move west
through the zone. Portions of the zone are heavily wooded. The existing roadway
network is comprised primarily of a traditional grid road layout with multiple points of
ingress/egress with the exception listed in “Special Concerns”.
Special Concerns:
In the event residents in the western reaches of the zone require a western evacuation
route, Ridgecrest Avenue is the single none dead-end egress option. Some of the
same routes that allow access to the area for responders are the same routes that could
be needed for evacuation. In addition, many routes in the area are susceptible to
closure due to the potential impact of fire in the area and the encroachm ent of
vegetation into the area.
In the event an evacuation became necessary concurrently with a high-volume summer
weekend traffic episode significant additional vehicles could be on the egress routes.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• 120 Laurel Avenue – Water Facility
• La Mirado Rd – Water Facility
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Overlook Road • Bachman Avenue
• Hernandez Avenue • Glenridge Avenue
• Pennsylvania Avenue • Tait Avenue
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site location(s) could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• Non identified at this time
Residence Density: 635 residences total, 607 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
ALMOND GROVE/DOWNTOWN CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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CIVIC CENTER CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The Civic Center CERT Zone is a densely populated residential neighborhood that is
heavily wooded. The topography consists of a flat valley floor along the southern
portion of the zone with increasing upward slopes as you move south. The zone is
further punctuated by several valleys which segment the zone into distinct sections.
The Central Avenue/Oak Hill Way/Jackson Street section is comprised of only local
streets.
Special Concerns:
The existing roadway network throughout the zone is entirely comprised of one-way-in
and one-way-out ingress/egress options. Some of the same routes that allow access to
the area for responders are the same routes that could be needed for evacuation. In
addition, many routes in the area are susceptible to closure due to the potential impact
of fire in the area and the encroachment of vegetation into the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• Sacred Heart Jesuit Center
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• College Avenue • Foster Road
• Prospect Avenue • Tourney Road & Loop
• Reservoir Road • Sund Avenue
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified at this time
Residence Density: 537 residences total, 203 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
CIVIC CENTER CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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VISTA DEL MONTE CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The Vista Del Monte CERT Zone is a densely populated residential neighborhood along
its northwestern boundaries. The southeastern portions of the zone tend to be less
densely populated and more wooded. The topography consists of a flat and gently
sloping valley floor in the northwestern portions of the zone with increasing upward
slopes as you move east and south through the zone. The zone does have instances of
one-way in and one-way out roadways but is predominately comprised of multiple
looping roadway options which span the zone.
Special Concerns:
Some of the same routes that allow access to the area for responders are the same
routes that could be needed for evacuation. In addition, many routes in the area are
susceptible to closure due to the potential impact of fire in the area and the
encroachment of vegetation into the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• 17465 Phillips Avenue – water facility
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Loma Alma Avenue • Harding Avenue
• Johnson Avenue • Cypress Way
• Vista Del Mar • Phillips Avenue
• Vista Del Monte • South Kennedy Road
• Teresita Way • Kennedy Road
• Ravina Way • Blackberry Hill
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified to date
Residence Density: 756 total residences, 436 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
VISTA DEL MONTE CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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KENNEDY NORTH CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The southeastern portion of the Kennedy North CERT Zone is located within the WUI.
This WUI portion of the zone is a densely populated residential neighborhood abutting
wooded terrain. The topography consists of a flat and sloping valley floor in the
northwestern portions of the WUI boundary with increasing upward slopes as you move
east and south through the WUI portion. The existing roadway network throughout the
WUI portion of the zone is primarily comprised of one-way-in/one-way-out
ingress/egress options feeding into Kennedy Road.
Special Concerns:
High concentration of one-way in and one-way out ingress/egress options. Some of the
same routes that allow access to the area for responders are the same routes that could
be needed for evacuation. In addition, many routes in the area are susceptible to
closure due to the potential impact of fire in the area and the encroachment of
vegetation into the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• Hillbrook School
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Kennedy Road • Cardinal Lane
• Hilow Road • Shannon Road
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified at this time
Residence Density: 230 total residences, 202 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
KENNEDY NORTH CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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BLOSSOM HILL/SHANNON CERT ZONE KENNEDY EAST CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The Kennedy East CERT Zone is a sparsely populated residential neighborhood that is
surrounded by rolling hills, vegetation and heavily wooded areas. The area is accessed
through a single road, Kennedy Road. The topography consists of varied wooded and
higher elevation terrain.
Special Concerns:
Kennedy Road is the single ingress/egress option. The same route that allows access
to the area for responders is the same route that could be needed for evacuation. In
addition, routes in the area are susceptible to closure due to the potential impact of fire
in the area and the encroachment of vegetation into the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• None identified to date
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Kennedy Road • Top Of The Hill Road
• Forrester Road
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified to date
Residence Density: 94 total residences, 0 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
KENNEDY EAST CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS KENNEDY EAST CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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BLOSSOM HILL/SHANNON CERT ZONE MAP
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Description:
The Blossom Hill/Shannon CERT Zone is a moderately populated residential zone
comprised of rolling hills, vegetation and wooded areas. The topography consists of flat
valley floor area along the northern and western portions of the zone with increasing
upward slopes as you move south through the zone. The existing roadway network is
comprised primarily of one-way in and one-way out ingress/egress options except for
Shannon Road which traverses the southern portion of the zone.
Special Concerns:
High concentration of one-way in and one-way out egress options. Some of the same
routes that allow access to the area for responders are the same routes that could be
needed for evacuation. In addition, many routes in the area are susceptible to closure
due to the potential impact of fire in the area and the encroachment of vegetation into
the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• None identified to date
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Shannon Road • Suview Drive
• Happy Acres Road • Short Road
• Wooded View Drive • Blossom Hill Road
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified to date
Residence Density: 309 total residences, 102 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
BLOSSOM HILL/SHANNON CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS
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SANTA ROSA/HICKS CERT ZONE
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Description:
The Santa Rosa/Hicks CERT Zone is a sparsely populated residential neighborhood
dominated by the Santa Rosa Drive ridgetop community. The topography consists of
rolling hills, vegetation and heavily wooded areas. The existing roadway network is
comprised primarily of one-way in and one-way out ingress/egress options except for
Shannon Road which traverses the southern portion of the zone and Hicks Road which
borders the eastern portion.
Special Concerns:
High concentration of one-way in and one-way out egress options. Some of the same
routes that allow access to the area for responders are the same routes that could be
needed for evacuation. In addition, many routes in the area are susceptible to closure
due to the potential impact of fire in the area and the encroachment of vegetation into
the area.
Critical Sites: The following critical sites are located in this zone:
• 175 Sierra Azule Drive – water tank
• 118 Harwood Court – water tank
• 16845 Hicks Road – Venture Christian Church
• water tanks Belgatos Park
Hillside and Neighborhood Collectors:
• Sierra Azule Drive • Hicks Road
• Santa Rosa Drive • Shannon Road
• Sky Lane •
Temporary Refuge Areas: The following site locations could be considered as
evacuation sites under extreme circumstances when sheltering-in-place and total
evacuation are not options.
• None identified at this time
Residence Density: 155 total residences, 33 within a ¼ mile of the boundary.
SANTA ROSA/HICKS CERT ZONE SANTA ROSA/HICKS CERT ZONE CHARACTERISTICS