Wayne County

A Program of the Georgia Forestry Commission with support from the U.S. Forest Service

Wayne County

NOVEMBER 2018

Prepared by; Derrick Duncan, Chief Ranger, Wayne County Will Fell, CWPP Specialist (initial plan 2009) Beryl Budd, Wildfire Prevention Specialist (revised plan 2018)
Georgia Forestry Commission 111 Tower Rd Jesup, GA 31545
The following report is a collaborative effort among various entities; the representatives listed below comprise the core decision-making team responsible for this report and mutually agree on the plan's contents:

Ed Jeffords County Administrator, Wayne County

Richard Johnson Fire Coordinator, EMA Director, Wayne County

David Earl Keith Mayor, City of Jesup

Mark Frye UGA Extension Service, Wayne County

Herschell Hires Commissioner, District 1, Wayne County
Kevin McCaray Commissioner, District 2, Wayne County

Derrick Duncan Chief Ranger, Wayne County Forestry Unit Georgia Forestry Commission

Mike Robert Commissioner, District 3, Wayne County

James Thomas Commissioner, District 4,Wayne County

Ralph Hickox Commissioner, District 5, Wayne County

Mike Deal Administrator, City of Jesup.

Gene Lane Fire Chief, Jesup Fire Department

Josh Huffman Assistant Fire Chief, City of Jesup

PLAN CONTENTS
I. Objectives ...............................................................................................................................1 II. Community Collaboration.......................................................................................................1 III. Community & Wildfire History..............................................................................................2 IV. Community Base Maps....................................................................................................................10 V. Community Wildfire Risk Assessment...........................................................................................14 VI. Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment & Risk Hazard Maps..........................................................16 VII. Prioritized Mitigation Recommendations........................................................................................23 VIII. Action Plan...........................................................................................................................................29 IX. Mitigation Assistance & Grant Information....................................................................................32 X. Glossary................................................................................................................................................33 XI. Sources of information........................................................................................................................35 Appended Documents:
Wayne County Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment Summary Report (SWRA) Wayne County Wildfire Pre-Suppression Plan

I. OBJECTIVES
The mission of the following report is to set clear priorities for the implementation of wildfire mitigation in Wayne County. The plan includes prioritized recommendations for the appropriate types and methods of fuel reduction and structure ignitability reduction that will protect this community and its essential infrastructure. It also includes a plan for wildfire suppression. Specifically, the plan includes community-centered actions that will:
Educate citizens on wildfire, its risks, and ways to protect lives and properties, Support fire rescue and suppression entities, Focus on collaborative decision-making and citizen participation, Develop and implement effective mitigation strategies, and Develop and implement effective community ordinances and codes.
II. COMMUNITY COLLABORATION
The core team convened in February of 2009 to assess risks and develop the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The group is comprised of representatives from local government, local fire authorities, and the state agency responsible for forest management. Below are the groups included in the task force:
Wayne County Government Volunteer Fire Departments Emergency Management Board of County Commissioners
City Of Jesup Jesup Fire Department Georgia
Forestry Commission
UGA Cooperative Extension Service
It was decided to conduct community assessments on the basis of the individual fire districts within the county. The chiefs of the nine fire departments in the county assessed their districts and reconvened in April of 2009 for the purpose of completing the following:

Risk Assessment

Assessed wildfire hazard risks and prioritized mitigation actions.

Fuels Reduction

Identified strategies for coordinating fuels treatment projects.

Structure Ignitability

Identified strategies for reducing the ignitability of structures within the Wildland interface.

Emergency Management Forged relationships among local government and fire districts and developed/refined a pre-suppression plan.

Education and Outreach Developed strategies for increasing citizen awareness and action and to conduct homeowner and community leader workshops.

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III. COMMUNITY & WILDFIRE HISTORY

Wayne County

Georgia's twenty-seventh county, Wayne County was created in 1803 in the southeast part of the state on land acquired from the Creek Indians, who ceded the land to Georgia in the Treaty of Fort Wilkinson (1802). The 645-square-mile county is named after "Mad" Anthony Wayne, a general in the Revolutionary War (1775-83).

Early History
While Georgia was still an English colony, part of the area now forming Wayne County was located in St. David's Parish. The area contained hundreds of acres of pine barrens and wiregrass country. Much of the land was undesirable for settlement by incoming whites, but some settlers arrived there as early as 1737, when records show that Jacob and Mary Musgrove set up a trading post at Fort Mount Venture. Georgia Rangers occupied the fort, which was located on the Sansavilla Bluff of the lower Altamaha River. In 1742 Yamasee Indians attacked and burned Fort Mount Venture, killing or imprisoning its occupants in what later became known as the Fort Mount Venture Massacre. Immigration by white settlers during the remainder of the eighteenth century was very slow, and by 1810 the population for the entire county was only 676. Many of the early white settlers were families who, having lost their bids to win richer land in Baldwin or Wilkinson counties in the 1805 land lottery, settled for the isolation and less desirable land offered by Wayne County.

Towns and Communities
The county seat, Jesup, was incorporated in 1870. Previously, the seat of government was located in the towns of Tuckersville and Waynesville, in turns. The historical record is indefinite about exactly when each of the two served as county seat between 1803 and 1856; maps and legislative reports often provide conflicting information. In 1856 the county's residents voted for Waynesville as their seat of government, and it remained the seat until after the Civil War (186165), when the growth of Jesup led the state legislature to call for elections in 1873 to designate it as county seat.
The first recorded courthouse was built in the woods northwest of Waynesville in 1860. The current courthouse, built in Jesup between 1902 and 1903, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Jesup sprang up around a station serving the Macon and Brunswick Railroad (later Norfolk Southern) and the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad (later CSX). Its name came from Thomas Jesup, a U.S. Army general famous for his exploits during the Creek Indian War of 1836. Jesup has often been referred to as "the town that trains built" because of the prominence of railroads in its history.
Two other incorporated towns are Odum and Screven. Odum, incorporated in 1907, was originally the site of a large sawmill. The town was first named Satilla. Screven, incorporated in 1907, was formerly known as Station Seven on the Atlantic and Gulf Railroad line.

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Unincorporated communities include Broadhurst, Doctortown, Gardi, Grangerville, Madray Springs, McKinnon, and Mount Pleasant. Doctortown was established on the site of a former Indian settlement where a chief, Captain Aleck, had lived. (Aleck means "doctor" in the Creek language.) A post-Revolutionary stockade, Fort Defense, was the first white establishment in Doctortown. Before the Civil War, the town was a steamboat and railroad center with a sawmill. In 1864 Union general William T. Sherman, on his march to the sea, tried unsuccessfully to destroy the railroad trestle in Doctortown and retreated to the town of Midway. The trestle is still in use. Gardi (pronounced "gar-dye") is named after the Gardi Swamp. Two explanations have been put forth for the swamp's name. One holds that it was for the Gardner family, whose signpost had broken off at the "n," leaving what looked liked an "i," while the other, more colorful account, claims that it was so named because adventurers to the swamp had to guard their eyes while penetrating the thickets. McKinnon began as a Finnish settlement in 1921.
Economy and Recreation Wayne County has always relied heavily on forest products as an economic foundation. Early settlers tied logs into rafts, which they floated down the Altamaha River to the Georgia coast for processing. Later, railroads hauled the timber to its destination. Jesup, formed around a train station, is still a very active railroad town, and passenger trains continue to stop in town daily.
The Wayne County Historical Society's Heritage Center is located in a restored railroad section house. Logs that are not sent away very often end up in local pulpwood processing mills. In recent decades several new home developments, with a number of subdivisions designed to appeal to retirees, have been built in the area's forests. A large proportion of the county's manufacturing jobs are related to the forest industry. Wayne County offers plenty of opportunity for outdoor activity. The Altamaha River provides facilities for water sports, fishing, and camping, as does Lake Lindsay Grace, in western Wayne County. Three wildlife management areas, Little Satilla Wildlife Management Area, Rayonier Wildlife Management Area (shared with Brantley County), and Tyler Tract Wildlife Management Area, cover 105,000 acres of wilderness in the county. According to the 2000 U.S. census, the population of Wayne County is 26,565 (76.7 percent white, 20.3 percent black, and 3.8 percent Hispanic), an 18.8 percent increase since 1990. (Courtesy New Georgia Encyclopedia)
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Wildfire History
While Wayne County has a significant agricultural presence, particularly in the southwest portion of the county, over 78% of the county is still forested. Large unbroken tracts of timberland cover the eastern and northwestern portions of the county. Much of the large forested tracts occupy vast stretches of Atlantic Coast flatwoods with dense pine plantations interspersed with numerous wetlands and impenetrable bays with heavy fuel loadings. Many small old communities are spread throughout increasing the hazards of the wildland urban interface. There is also significant growth along the river and the eastern edge of the county from second home and retirement homes. The rest of the county is slightly rolling with forested land interspersed with cultivated fields. Major landowners include paper companies, investment holdings and many non-industrial timberland owners. The state owns and controls through lease several WMAs throughout the county. The county is crossed by U.S. Highways 84, 301 & 341.
Wayne County is protected by the Jesup Fire Department covering the area around Jesup along with nine rural fire departments well spaced throughout the county. The city of Jesup is protected by the Jesup Fire Department. The Georgia Forestry Commission maintains a county protection unit located just west of Jesup to respond to wildland fires within the county. The city of Jesup is serviced with a modern pressurized water system with hydrants throughout the city and in the industrial area just north of the city.
Over the past fifty years, Wayne County has averaged around 100 reported wildfires a year with over 62% of these occurring during January through May. These fires have burned an average of 567 acres a year over the same period. Though generally there has been a significant decrease in the numbers since the advent of burning permits the past 30 years. During the last 10 years, FY2008 FY2017, there has been an average of 67 wildfires annually. These wildfires have burned an average of 521 acres annually. The number of fires has decreased by about 33% annually, however the average annual acreage burned has only slightly decreased by about 8%
The leading cause of fires during the last 10 years in Wayne County has been debris burning accounting for 40% and about 17% of the acres burned. The second leading cause of fires was incendiary or arson accounting for over 20% of the fires reported and 9% of the acres burned. Lightning was the third leading cause accounting for 17% of the fires and 60% of the acres burned.
Georgia Forestry Commission Wildfire Records show that in the past five years, FY2014 FY2018, 15 Homes have been lost or damaged by wildfire in Wayne County resulting in estimated losses of $2,845,000 along with 8 outbuildings valued at $29,800. According to reports during this period 1087 homes have been directly or indirectly threatened by these fires. Additionally 8 vehicles valued at $162,500 and 20 pieces of other mechanized equipment suffered damages estimated at $649.100. This is a substantial loss of non-timber property attributed to wildfires in Wayne County.
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Fire data from fiscal year 2018, July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018. This data includes fire causes, acres burned, and five year averages.

County = Wayne

Cause

Fires

Campfire

Campfire

1

Children

Children

1

Debris: Ag Fields, Pastures, Orchards, Etc

Debris: Ag Fields, Pastures, Orchards, Etc

1

Debris: Construction Land Clearing

Debris: Construction Land Clearing

0

Debris: Escaped Prescribed Burn

Debris: Escaped Prescribed Burn

2

Debris: Household Garbage Debris: Household Garbage

2

Debris: Other

Debris: Other

2

Debris: Residential, Leafpiles, Debris: Residential, Leafpiles, Yard,

Yard, Etc

Etc

14

Debris: Site Prep - Forestry Related

Debris: Site Prep - Forestry Related

7

Incendiary

Incendiary

0

Lightning

Lightning

7

Machine Use

Machine Use

2

Miscellaneous: Other

Miscellaneous: Other

0

Miscellaneous: Power lines/Electric fences

Miscellaneous: Power lines/Electric fences

4

Miscellaneous: Structure/Vehicle Fires

Miscellaneous: Structure/Vehicle Fires

1

Miscellaneous: Woodstove Ashes

Miscellaneous: Woodstove Ashes

1

Railroad

Railroad

0

Undetermined

Undetermined

4

Totals for County: Wayne Year: 2018

49

Acres
6.40 0.30 0.10

Fires 5 Yr Avg
2.20
1.60

Acres 5 Yr Avg
9.27
1.02

2.00 12.42

0.00 0.60 0.98

3.60 3.80 0.30 25.66

4.20 6.40 2.00 3.34 0.80 0.26 9.20 19.02

19.41
0.00 35.75 2.20 0.00
13.65

3.60 17.02
4.40 19.47 8.00 72.01 4.00 1.61 0.60 0.50
1.40 3.35

0.72 0.40 0.52

2.50 0.20 0.50 0.00 1.80 4.12 2.39 1.60 1.16 116.78 48.60 172.97

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Year
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Acreage Burned /Number of Fires For Wayne County For FY 2008-2017

Acreage Burned

Number of Fires

Average Size

1,553.27

84

18.49

212.30

70

3.03

261.10

73

3.58

1,582.71

128

12.36

459.86

78

5.90

393.88

51

7.72

102.23

30

3.41

225.39

53

4.25

148.59

40

3.71

271.85

71

3.83

Statewide Average Size 4.56 3.90 3.93 17.56 5.08 4.53 5.02 4.42 6.29 11.60

Acreage Burned /Number of Fires by Fire Cause For Wayne County For FY 2008-2017

Fire Cause

Acreage Burned Number of Fires

Campfire

148.00

23

Children

13.30

19

Debris Burning

869.13

239

Incendiary

479.64

126

Lightning

3,057.88

108

MachineUse

301.36

88

Miscellaneous

222.97

24

Railroad

0.00

0

Smoking

17.90

15

Undetermined

3.40

4

Total

5,113.58

646

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IV. COMMUNITY BASE MAPS
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V. COMMUNITY WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENT
The Wildland-Urban Interface
There are many definitions of the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), however from a fire management perspective it is commonly defined as an area where structures and other human development meet or intermingles with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels. As fire is dependent on a certain set of conditions, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group has defined the wildland-urban interface as a set of conditions that exists in or near areas of wildland fuels, regardless of ownership. This set of conditions includes type of vegetation, building construction, accessibility, lot size, topography and other factors such as weather and humidity. When these conditions are present in certain combinations, they make some communities more vulnerable to wildfire damage than others. This "set of conditions" method is perhaps the best way to define wildland-urban interface areas when planning for wildfire prevention, mitigation, and protection activities.
There are three major categories of wildland-urban interface. Depending on the set of conditions present, any of these areas may be at risk from wildfire. A wildfire risk assessment can determine the level of risk.
1. "Boundary" wildland-urban interface is characterized by areas of development where homes, especially new subdivisions, press against public and private wildlands, such as private or commercial forest land or public forests or parks. This is the classic type of wildland-urban interface, with a clearly defined boundary between the suburban fringe and the rural countryside.
2. "Intermix" wildland-urban interface areas are places where improved property and/or structures are scattered and interspersed in wildland areas. These may be isolated rural homes or an area that is just beginning to go through the transition from rural to urban land use.
3. "Island" wildland-urban interface, also called occluded interface, are areas of wildland within predominately urban or suburban areas. As cities or subdivisions grow, islands of undeveloped land may remain, creating remnant forests. Sometimes these remnants exist as parks, or as land that cannot be developed due to site limitations, such as wetlands. (courtesy Fire Ecology and Wildfire Mitigation in Florida 2004)
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The wildland fire risk assessments conducted in 2009 by the Wayne County and Jesup Fire Departments returned an average score of 129, placing Wayne County in the "high" moderate range. The risk assessment instrument used to evaluate wildfire hazards to Wayne County's WUI was the Woodland Community Wildfire Hazard Risk Assessment Checklist. The instrument takes into consideration accessibility, vegetation (based on fuel models), topography, roofing assembly, building construction, and availability of fire protection resources, placement of gas and electric utilities, and additional rating factors. The following factors contributed to the wildfire hazard score for Wayne County:
Dead end roads with inadequate turn arounds. Narrow roads without drivable shoulders. Long, narrow, and poorly labeled driveways. Thick, highly flammable vegetation surrounding many homes. Minimal defensible space around structures. Homes with wooden siding and roofs with heavy accumulations of vegetative debris. No pressurized or non-pressurized water systems available. Lack of maintenance on dry hydrants. Above ground utilities. Large, surrounding areas of forest or wildlands. Undeveloped lots comprising half the total lots in many rural communities. High occurrence of wildfires in the several locations. Heavy fuel loading in forested areas. Lack of uniform address signage on residences.

Summary of Wayne County Assessment Rating

Community/VFD District Eastside of Jesup / Jesup FD Westside of Jesup / Jesup FD City of Screven / Screven VFD
Odum VFD
Anderson Drive VFD
Gardi / Little Creek VFD
Mt Pleasant VFD
Madray Springs VFD
O'Quinn/ Empire VFD

Access
21
19
11 14 13 16 16 15 7

Site Hazard
53
49
64 50 36 65 66 56 34

BLDG Hazard
15
15
25 15 18 20 15 15 10

Wayne County Average

15

53

16

Add. Hazard

total score

21 120

38 121

55 155

56 135

29

96

58 159

67 164

53 139

22

73

44

129

Hazard Rating
Moderate Risk
Moderate Risk
Extreme Risk High Risk Moderate Risk Extreme Risk Extreme Risk High Risk Low Risk
"High" Moderate Risk

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VI. SOUTHERN WILDFIRE RISK ASSESSMENT & RISK HAZARD MAPS
The Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment tool, developed by the Southern Group of State Foresters, was released to the public in July 2014. This tool allows users of the Professional Viewer application of the Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment (SWRA) web Portal (SouthWRAP) to define a specific project area and summarize wildfire related information for this area. A detailed risk summary report is generated using a set of predefined map products developed by the Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment project which have been summarized explicitly for the user defined project area. A risk assessment summary was generated for Wayne County. The SouthWRAP (SWRA) products included in this report are designed to provide the information needed to support the following key priorities:
Identify areas that are most prone to wildfire.
Identify areas that may require additional tactical planning, specifically related to mitigation projects and Community Wildfire Protection Planning.
Provide the information necessary to justify resource, budget and funding requests.
Allow agencies to work together to better define priorities and improve emergency response, particularly across jurisdictional boundaries.
Define wildland communities and identify the risk to those communities.
Increase communication and outreach with local residents and the public to create awareness and address community priorities and needs.
Plan for response and suppression resource needs.
Plan and prioritize hazardous fuel treatment.
Community Protection Zones map from the Wayne County SWRA
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Above: Wildland urban Interface (WUI) Risk map Below: WUI Risk Index - Acres
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Above: Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) map Below: WUI Population (left) WUI acres (right)
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Above: Burn Probability map Below: Burn Probability Acres
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Above: Fire Intensity Scale map Below: Fire Intensity Scale Acres
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Above: Rate of Spread map Below: Flame Length map
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Surface Fire A fire that spreads through surface fuel without consuming any overlying canopy fuel. Surface fuels include grass, timber litter, shrub/brush, slash and other dead or live vegetation within about 6 feet of the ground. Passive Canopy Fire A type of crown fire in which the crowns of individual trees or small groups of trees burn, but solid flaming in the canopy cannot be maintained except for short periods (Scott & Reinhardt, 2001). Active Canopy Fire A crown fire in which the entire fuel complex (canopy) is involved in flame, but the crowning phase remains dependent on heat released from surface fuel for continued spread (Scott & Reinhardt, 2001).
Above: Wayne County Fire Type map
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VII. PRIORITIZED MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS
Executive Summary
As Southeast Georgia continues to see increased growth from other areas seeking less crowded and warmer climes, new development will occur more frequently on forest and wildland areas. McIntosh County will have an opportunity to significantly influence the wildland fire safety of new developments. It is important that new development be planned and constructed to provide for public safety in the event of a wildland fire emergency.
Over the past 30 years, much has been learned about how and why homes burn during wildland fire emergencies. Perhaps most importantly, case histories and research have shown that even in the most severe circumstances, wildland fire disasters can be avoided. Homes can be designed, built and maintained to withstand a wildfire even in the absence of fire services on the scene. The National Firewise Communities program is a national awareness initiative to help people understand that they don't have to be victims in a wildfire emergency. The National Fire Protection Association has produced two standards for reference: NFPA 1144 Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire. 2008 Edition and NFPA 1141 Standard for Fire Protection Infrastructure for Land Development in Suburban and Rural Areas.
When new developments are built in the Wildland/Urban Interface, a number of public safety challenges may be created for the local fire services: (1) the water supply in the immediate areas may be inadequate for fire suppression; (2) if the Development is in an outlying area, there may be a longer response time for emergency services; (3) in a wildfire emergency, the access road(s) may need to simultaneously support evacuation of residents and the arrival of emergency vehicles; and (4) when wildland fire disasters strike, many structures may be involved simultaneously, quickly exceeding the capability of even the best equipped fire departments.
In 2012 the International Code Council developed the International Wildland Urban Interface Code (IWUIC). This code was adopted by the Georgia Legislature in 2014 for Counties to use when developing building and zoning codes in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) to help reduce risk and minimize structure loss.
The following recommendations were developed by the McIntosh County CWPP Core team as a result of surveying and assessing fuels and structures and by conducting meetings and interviews with county and city officials. A priority order was determined based on which mitigation projects would best reduce the hazard of wildfire in the assessment area.
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Proposed Community Hazard and Structural Ignitability Reduction Priorities

Primary Protection for Community and Its Essential Infrastructure

Treatment Area

Treatment Types

Treatment Method(s)

1. All Structures

Create minimum of 30- feet of defensible space**

2. Applicable Structures

Reduce structural ignitability**

3. Community Clean-up Day Cutting, mowing,

National Wildfire

pruning**

Preparedness Day

4. Firewise Communities

Increase community awareness of WUI hazards.

5. Codes and Ordinances

Examine existing codes and ordinances.

International Wildland Urban Interface Code (IWUIC)

6. Road Signage

At replacement

Trim shrubs and vines to 30 feet from structures, trim overhanging limbs, replace flammable plants near homes with less flammable varieties, remove vegetation around chimneys.
Clean flammable vegetative material from roofs and gutters, store firewood appropriately, install skirting around raised structures, store water hoses for ready access, and replace pine straw and mulch around plantings with less flammable landscaping materials.
Cut, prune, and mow vegetation in shared community spaces.
Work with communities such as Manningtown, Paradise Park and Oak Island Estates to achieve firewise status.
Amend and enforce existing building codes as they relate to skirting, propane tank locations, public nuisances (trash/debris on property), Property address marking standards and other relevant concerns.
Include requirement for water systems and hydrants in subdivision ordinances.
New road signage with minimum 4 inch reflective lettering on non flammable poles. Dead end (no outlet or turn- around) should be prominently tagged.

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7. Road Access 8. Subdivision Access

Identify needed road improvements
Alternate exits

As roads are upgraded, widen to minimum standards with at least 50 foot diameter cul de sacs.
Work with developers to identify and create alternate access and exits routes to subdivisions and communities with only one way in and out.

Proposed Community Wildland Fuel Reduction Priorities

Treatment Area

Treatment Types

Treatment Method(s)

1. Adjacent WUI Lands

Encourage prescribed burning

Reduce hazardous fuels

for private landowners and industrial timberlands

particularly adjacent to

residential areas

2. Adjacent WMA Lands

Work with DNR land management

Reduce hazardous fuels

to incorporate regular prescribed burning on Wayne County WMA

managed lands adjacent to

identified WUI areas.

3. Railroad Corridors 4. Existing Fire Lines

Encourage railroads to better

Reduce hazardous fuels

maintain their ROW eliminating brush and grass through herbicide

and mowing.

Maintain firebreaks along

ROW adjacent to residential

areas.

Reduce hazardous fuels Encourage private landowners to clean and re-harrow existing fire lines.

Proposed Improved Community Wildland Fire Response Priorities

1. Water Sources

Dry Hydrants

Inspect, maintain and improve access to existing dry hydrants. Identify locations for additional dry hydrants. Add signage along road to mark the hydrants

2. Fire Stations

Brush Trucks

Investigate need for Brush Trucks at selected stations

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3. Fire Stations

Equipment

Wildland hand tools. Lightweight Wildland PPE Gear. Obtain drafting pumps for each rural station.

4. Fire Stations

Water Sources

Investigate need for additional tankers. Add drop tank for Little Creek station.

5. Emergency infrastructure Equipment

Obtain mobile generator to provide backup power where needed.

6. Personnel

Training

Obtain Wildland Fire Suppression training for Fire Personnel.

Ready Set Go Training

**Actions to be taken by homeowners and community stakeholders

Prescribed Burning, pictured above, is a best management practice in reducing fuel to reduce risk from a wildfire. The Georgia Forestry Commission can assist with developing a prescribed burning plan, installation of firebreaks, and can provide equipment standby and burning assistance when personnel are available. Private forestry contractors can also provide this service.
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Proposed Education and Outreach Priorities
1. Conduct "How to Have a Firewise Home" Workshop for Wayne County Residents Set up and conduct a workshop for homeowners that teach the principles of making homes and properties safe from wildfire. Topics for discussion include defensible space, landscaping, building construction, etc. Workshop will be scheduled for evenings or weekends when most homeowners are available and advertised through local media outlets. Distribute materials promoting firewise practices and planning through local community and governmental meetings.
2. Conduct "Firewise" Workshop for Community Leaders Arrange for GFC Firewise program gutters to work with local community leaders and governmental officials on the importance of "Firewise Planning" in developing ordinances and codes as the county as the need arises. Identify "Communities at Risk" within the county for possible firewise community recognition.
3. Spring Clean-up Event (National Wildfire Preparedness Day 1st Saturday in May) Conduct clean-up event every spring involving the Georgia Forestry Commission, Wayne County and Jesup Fire Departments and community residents. Set up information table with educational materials and refreshments. Initiate the event with a morning briefing by GFC Firewise coordinator and local fire officials detailing plans for the day and safety precautions. Activities to include the following:
Clean flammable vegetative material from roofs and gutters Trim shrubs and vines to 30 feet away from structures Trim overhanging limbs Clean hazardous or flammable debris from adjacent properties Celebrate the work with a community cookout, with Community officials, GFC and Wayne County and Jesup Fire Departments and discussing and commending the work accomplished.
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4. Informational Packets Develop and distribute informational packets to be distributed by realtors and insurance agents. Included in the packets are the following:
Be Firewise Around Your Home Firewise Guide to Landscape and Construction Firewise Communities USA Brochures Ready Set Go materials Fire Adapted Community information 5. Wildfire Protection Display Create and exhibit a display for the general public during the Dogwood Festival in Jesup and Old Farm Festival in Screven. The display can be independent or combined with the Georgia Forestry Commission display.
6. Media Invite the Jesup, Brunswick and Savannah News Media and area TV and Radio to community "Firewise" functions for news coverage and regularly submit press releases documenting wildfire risk improvements in Wayne County. Utilize social media to reach new audiences.
Forestry mastication equipment and brush cutters, such as pictured above, can be very effective in reducing understory fuels in areas where prescribed fire is not practical. Private contractors can provide this service. This practice is effective where homes border on the wildland urban interface.
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VIII. ACTION PLAN

Roles and Responsibilities The following roles and responsibilities have been developed to implement the action plan:

Role

Responsibility

Hazardous Fuels and Structural Ignitability Reduction

Wayne County WUI Fire Council

Create this informal team or council comprised of residents, GFC officials, Wayne County and Jesup fire officials, a representative from the city and county governments and the EMA Director for Wayne county. Meet periodically to review progress towards mitigation goals, appoint and delegate special activities, work with federal, state, and local officials to assess progress and develop future goals and action plans. Work with residents to implement projects and firewise activities.

Key Messages to focus on

1 Defensible Space and Firewise Landscaping 2 Debris Burning Safety 3 Firewise information for homeowners 4 Prescribed burning benefits

Communications objectives

1 Create public awareness for fire danger and defensible space issues
2 Identify most significant human cause fire issues 3 Enlist public support to help prevent these causes
4 Encourage people to employ fire prevention and defensible spaces in their communities.

Target Audiences

1 Homeowners 2 Forest Landowners and users 3 Civic Groups 4 School Groups

Methods

1 News Releases 2 Personal Contacts 3 Key messages and prevention tips 4 Visuals such as signs, brochures and posters

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Spring Clean-up Day Event Coordinator Event Treasurer Publicity Coordinator
Work Supervisor

Coordinate day's events and schedule, catering for cookout, guest attendance, and moderate activities the day of the day of the event.
Collect funds from residents to cover food, equipment rentals, and supplies.
Advertise event through neighborhood newsletter, letters to officials, and public service announcements (PSAs) for local media outlets. Publicize post-event through local paper and radio PSAs.
Develop volunteer labor force of community residents; develop labor/advisory force from Georgia Forestry Commission, Wayne County and Jesup Fire Departments and Wayne County Emergency Management Agency. Procure needed equipment and supplies. In cooperation with local city and county officials, develop safety protocol. Supervise work and monitor activities for safety the day of the event.

Funding Needs The following funding is needed to implement the action plan:

Project

Estimated Cost Potential Funding Source(s)

1. Create a minimum of 30 feet of defensible space around structures

Varies

Residents will supply labor and fund required work on their own properties.

2. Reduce structural ignitability by cleaning flammable vegetation from roofs and gutters, appropriately storing firewood, installing skirting around raised structures, storing water hoses for ready access, replacing pine needles and mulch around plantings with less flammable material.

Varies

3. Amend codes and ordinances to provide better driveway access, increased visibility of house numbers, properly stored firewood, minimum defensible space brush clearance, required Class A roofing materials and skirting around raised structures, planned maintenance of community lots.

No Cost

Residents will supply labor and fund required work on their own properties.
To be adopted by city and county government.

4. Spring Cleanup Day

Varies

Community Donations.

5. Fuel Reduction Activities

$15 / acre

FEMA & USFS Grants

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Assessment Strategy To accurately assess progress and effectiveness for the action plan, the Wayne County WUI Fire Council will implement the following:
Annual wildfire risk assessment will be conducted to re-assess wildfire hazards and prioritize needed actions. Mitigation efforts that are recurring (such as mowing, burning, and clearing of defensible space) will be incorporated into an annual renewal of the original action plan. Mitigation efforts that could not be funded in the requested year will be incorporated into the annual renewal of the original action plan. Continuing educational and outreach programs will be conducted and assessed for effectiveness. Workshops will be evaluated based on attendance and post surveys that are distributed by mail 1 month and 6 months following workshop date. The Wayne County WUIFC will publish an annual report detailing mitigation projects initiated and completed, progress for ongoing actions, funds received, funds spent, and in-kind services utilized. The report will include a "state of the community" section that critically evaluates mitigation progress and identifies areas for improvement. Recommendations will be incorporated into the annual renewal of the action plan. An annual survey will be distributed to residents soliciting information on individual mitigation efforts on their own property (e.g., defensible space). Responses will be tallied and reviewed at the next Wayne County WUIFC meeting. Needed actions will be discussed and delegated.
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IX. MITIGATION ASSISTANCE & GRANT FUNDING
Community Protection Grant: US Forest Service sponsored prescribed fire program. Communities with "at-risk" properties that lie within ten miles of a National Forest, National Park Service or Bureau of Land Management tracts may apply with the Georgia Forestry Commission to have their land prescribe burned free-of-charge. Forest mastication, where it is practical with Georgia Forestry Commission equipment, is also available under this grant program.
FEMA Mitigation Policy MRR-2-08-01: through GEMA Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) and Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program (PDM).
1. To provide technical and financial assistance to local governments to assist in the implementation of long term, cost effective hazard mitigation accomplishments.
2. This policy addresses wildfire mitigation for the purpose of reducing the threat to all-risk structures through creating defensible space, structural protection through the application of ignition resistant construction and limited hazardous fuel reduction to protect life and property.
3. With a completed registered plan (addendum to the State Plan) counties can apply for pre-mitigation funding. They will also be eligible for HMGP funding if the county is declared under a wildfire disaster.
Georgia Forestry Commission: Plowing and prescribed burning assistance, as well as forest mastication, can be obtained from the GFC as a low-cost option for mitigation efforts.
The Georgia Forestry Commission Firewise Community Mitigation Assistance Grants Nationally recognized Firewise Communities can receive up to $5000 grants to help address potential wildfire risk reduction projects. Grant submission can be made through local Georgia Forestry Commission offices or your Regional Wildfire Prevention Specialist.
The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and American International Group, Inc. (AIG) offer grants to assist local fire departments in establishing or enhancing their community fuels mitigation programs while educating members of the community about community wildfire readiness and encouraging personal action.
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X. GLOSSARY
Community-At-Risk A group of two or more structures whose proximity to forested or wildland areas places homes and residents at some degree of risk.
Critical Facilities Buildings, structures or other parts of the community infrastructure that require special protection from an approaching wildfire.
CWPP The Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
Defensible Space The immediate landscaped area around a structure (usually a minimum of 30 ft.) kept "lean, clean and green" to prevent an approaching wildfire from igniting the structure.
Dry Hydrant - A non-pressurized pipe system permanently installed in existing lakes, ponds and streams that provides a suction supply of water to a fire department tank truck.
FEMA The Federal Emergency Management Agency whose mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.
Fire Adapted Community A community fully prepared for its wildfire risk by taking actions to address safety, homes, neighborhoods, businesses and infrastructure, forest, parks, open spaces, and other community assets.
Firewise Program A national initiative with a purpose to reduce structural losses from wildland fires.
Firewise Community/USA A national recognition program for communities that take action to protect themselves from wildland fire. To qualify a community must have a wildfire risk assessment by the Georgia Forestry Commission, develop a mitigation action plan, have an annual firewise mitigation/education event, have dedicated firewise leadership, and complete the certification application.
Fuels All combustible materials within the wildland/urban interface or intermix including, but not limited to, vegetation and structures.
Fuel Modification Any manipulation or removal of fuels to reduce the likelihood of ignition or the resistance to fire control.
Hazard & Wildfire Risk Assessment An evaluation to determine an area's (community's) potential to be impacted by an approaching wildland fire.
Healthy Forests Initiative - Launched in August 2002 by President Bush (following passage of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act by Congress) with the intent to reduce the risks severe wildfires pose to people, communities, and the environment.
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Home Ignition Zone (Structure Ignition Zone) - Treatment area for wildfire protection. The "zone" includes the structure(s) and their immediate surroundings from 0-200 ft. Mitigation An action that moderates the severity of a fire hazard or risk.
National Fire Plan National initiative, passed by Congress in the year 2000, following a landmark wildland fire season, with the intent of actively responding to severe wildland fires and their impacts to communities while ensuring sufficient firefighting capacity for the future.
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - An international nonprofit organization established in 1896, whose mission is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.
National Wildfire Preparedness Day Started in 2014 by the National Fire Protection Association as a day for communities to work together to prepare for the approaching wildfire season. It is held annually on the first Saturday in May.
Prescribed Burning (prescribed fire) The use of planned fire that is deliberately set under specific fuel and weather condition to accomplish a variety of management objectives and is under control until it burns out or is extinguished.
Ready, Set, Go - A program fire services use to help homeowners understand wildfire preparedness, awareness, and planning procedures for evacuation.
Southern Group of State Foresters Organization whose members are the agency heads of the forestry agencies of the 13 southern states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Stakeholders Individuals, groups, organizations, businesses or others who have an interest in wildland fire protection and may wish to review and/or contribute to the CWPP content.
Wildfire or Wildland Fire An unplanned and uncontrolled fire spreading through vegetative fuels.
Wildland/Urban Interface - The presence of structures in locations in which the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) determines that topographical features, vegetation, fuel types, local weather conditions and prevailing winds result in the potential for ignition of the structures within the area from flames and firebrands from a wildland fire (NFPA 1144, 2008).
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XI. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Publications/Brochures/Websites: FIREWISE materials can be ordered at www.firewise.org
Georgia Forestry Commission www.georgiafirewise.org
Examples of successful wildfire mitigation programs can be viewed at the website for National Database of State and Local wildfire Hazard Mitigation Programs sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service and the Southern Group of State Foresters www.wildfireprograms.com
Information about a variety of interface issues (including wildfire) can be found at the USFS website for Interface South: www.interfacesouth.org
Information on codes and standards for emergency services including wildfire can be found at www.nfpa.org
Information on FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG) can be found at www.firegrantsupport.com
Information on National Fire Plan grants can be found at http://www.federalgrantswire.com/national-fire-plan--rural-fire-assistance.html
Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment website SouthWRAP www.SouthernWildfireRisk.com
Fire Adapted Communities www.fireadapted.org
Ready, Set, Go www.wildlandfirersg.org
National Wildfire Preparedness Day www.wildfireprepday.org
Appended Documents: Wayne County Southern Wildfire Risk Assessment Summary Report (SWRA) Wayne County Wildfire assessment scoresheets All files that make up this plan are available in an electronic format from the Georgia Forestry Commission.
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Georgia Forestry Commission 5645 Riggins Mill Rd. Dry Branch, GA 31020 1-800-GA-TREES ` GaTrees.org
The Georgia Forestry Commission provides leadership, service, and education in the protection and conservation of Georgia's forest resources. An Equal Opportunity Employer and Service Provider
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W I L D F I R E P R O T E C T I O N P L A N : A N A C T I O N P L A N F O R W I L D F I R E M I T I G A T I O N P a g e 21