Fire Safe Regulations
Title 14 Natural Resources
Division 1.5 Department of Forestry
Chapter 7 - Fire Protection
Subchapter 2 SRA Fire Safe Regulations
Fire Safe Regulations Booklet
Article 1 | Article 2 | Article 3 | Article 4 | Article 5 | Index
ARTICLE 4. EMERGENCY WATER STANDARDS
1275.00. Intent
1275.01. Application
1275.10. General Standards
1275.15. Hydrant/fire Valve
1275.20 Signing of Water Sources
1275.00. Intent
Emergency water for wildfire protection shall be available and accessible in quantities and locations specified in the statute and these regulations, in order to attack a wildfire or defend property from a wildfire. Such emergency water may be provided in a fire agency mobile water tender, or naturally occurring or man made containment structure, as long as the specified quantity is immediately available.
COUNTY OF EL DORADO -DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS MANUAL II (Adopted May 27, 1986 by Resolution No.136-86 and Revised 5/18/90 by Resolution No.128-90) Reference Section 6A and 6b Fire Protection Requirement (As revised 90-81). The following are considered minimum fire protection requirements and may be modified by the Planning Director with a favorable recommendation from the fire protection district. Such modification may include the increase or decrease of the minimum fire protection requirement standards dependent upon the unique needs of the servicing fire district.
A) Fire Protection Required
1) When a division of land (minor or major) is proposed and is within a fire protection district, the minimum fire protection requirements must be met, unless modified by agreement between the subdivider and structural fire protection district and wildland fire protection agencies.
2) When a major subdivision (no matter the size of the lots) is proposed, it shall be within a structural fire protection district.
3) A proposed minor land division creating parcels 9.0 acres or smaller shall be within a structural fire protection district.
4) If the proposed subdivision (major or minor) creating parcels 9.0 acres or smaller, or a commercial or industrial division is not within an existing fire protection district, one of the following shall occur:
a) annex to an existing fire protection district; or,
B) No fire Protection Required
1) When a minor land division is proposed and is creating parcels 9.0 acres or larger and is not within a fire district, but is located within the sphere of influence, minimum fire protection requirements shall not be required. However, review by the future fire protection district shall be required and comments shall be provided to the developer as comments only.
a) expand cleared rights-if-way and enlarge cul-de-sacs;
b) perform selective clearing so that fuel load 1evels are reduced; and,
c) other reasonable measures to protect structures in area where structural fire protection does not exist; i.e., if the land division is adjacent to existing water lines, it may be required to be extended for fire protection purposes.
1275.01. Application
The provisions of this article shall apply when new parcels are approved by a local jurisdiction. The emergency water system shall be available on-site prior to the completion of road construction, where a community water system is approved, or prior to the completion of building construction, where an individual system is approved.
COUNTY OF EL DORADO. DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS MANUAL II (Adopted May 27, 1986 by Reso1ution No.136-86 and Revised 5/18/90 by Resolution No.128-90) Reference Section 6A and 6B Fire Protection Requirement (As revised 9/81). The following are considered minimum fire protection requirements and may be modified by the Planning Director with a favorable recommendation from the fire protection district. Such modification may include the increase or decrease of the minimum fire protection requirement standards dependent upon the unique needs of the servicing fire district.
A) Fire Protection Required
1) When a division of land (minor or major) is proposed and is within a fire protection district, the minimum fire protection requirements must be met, unless modified by agreement between the subdivider and structural fire protection district and wildland fire protection agencies.
2) When a major subdivision (no matter the size of the lots) is proposed, it shall be within a structural fire protection district.
3) A proposed minor land division creating parcels 9.0 acres or smaller shall be within a structural fire protection district.
4) If the proposed subdivision (major or minor) creating parcels 9.0 acres or sma1ler, or a commercial or industria1 division is not within an existing fire protection district, one of the following shall occur:
a) annex to an existing fire protection district; or,
B) No fire Protection Required
1) When a minor land division is proposed and is creating parcels 9.0 acres or larger and is not within a fire district, but is located within the sphere of influence, minimum fire protection requirements shall not be required. However, review by the future fire protection district shall be required and comments shall be provided to the developer as comments only.
a) expand cleared right-of-ways and enlarge cul-de-sacs;
b) perform selective clearing so that fuel load levels are reduced; and,
c) other reasonable measures to protect structures in area where structural fire protection does not exist; i.e., if the land division is adjacent to existing water lines, it may be required to be extended for fire protection purposes.
C) Water Supply and Source Requirements for Fire Protection (Major and Minor Land Divisions, five (5) or more Parcels.) The supply system and source shall provide a minimum of 60,000 usable gallons of storage for 5 to 50 lots; 120,000 gallons for 51 to 100 lots; and 180,000 gallons for 100 or more lots. The water supply system and source shall be located at the direction of the Planning Director and based on comments received from the structural fire protection district.
1) Where water distribution systems are not available, the following will be considered by the structural fire protection district:
a) tanks;
b) reservoirs;
c) canals; and
d) other systems as may be approved by the structural fire protection district.
2) Any of the above water supplies, or combinations thereof, may be required by the Planning Director with a favorable recommendation from the structural fire protection agency having the responsibility in that area.
3) A facility for refilling fire trucks shall be provided for taking of water from the water supplies and shall conform to the standard drawings. The standard drawings may be modified by the fire protection district having the responsibility in that area where structural conditions require it.
4) Fire hydrant locations shall be approved by the Fire Chief of the district providing the service, under Article 10, Section 10.301 Uniform Fire Code.
1275.10. General Standards
Water systems that meet or exceed the standards specified in Public Utilities Commission of California (PUC) revised General Order #103, Adopted June 12, 1956 (Corrected September 7, 1983, Decision 83-09-001), Section VIII Fire Protection Standards and other applicable sections relating to fire protection water delivery systems, static water systems equaling or exceeding the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1231, "Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting", 1989 Edition, or mobile water systems that meet the Insurance Services Office (IS0) Rural Class 8, 2nd Edition 3-80, standard shall be accepted as meeting the requirements of this article. These documents are available at CDF Ranger Unit Headquarters.
Nothing in this article prohibits the combined storage of emergency wildfire and structural firefighting water supplies unless so prohibited by local ordinance or specified by the local fire agency.
Where freeze protection is required by local jurisdictions, such protection measures shall be provided. .
COUNTY OF EL DORADO -DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS MANUAL II (Adopted May 27, 1986 by Resolution No.136-86 and Revised 5/18/90 by Resolution No.128-90) Reference Section 6A, 6B and 6C Fire Protection Requirement (As revised 9/81)
The following are considered minimum fire protection requirements and may be modified by the Planning Director with a favorable recommendation from the fire protection district. Such modification may include the increase or decrease of the minimum fire protection requirement standards dependent upon the unique needs of the servicing fire district.
A) Fire Protection Required
1) When a division of land (minor or major) is proposed and is within a fire protection district, the minimum fire protection requirements. must be met, unless modified by agreement between the subdivider and structural fire protection district and wild1and fire protection agencies.
2) When a major subdivision (no matter the size of the lot) is proposed, it shall be within a structura1 fire protection district.
3) A proposed minor land division creating parcels 9.0 acres or smaller shall be within a structura1 fire protection district.
4) If the proposed subdivision (major or minor) creating parcels 9.0 acres or smaller, ora commercia1 or industrial division is not within an existing fire protection district, one of the following shall occur:
a) annex to an existing fire protection district: or,
B) No Fire Protection Required
1) When a minor land division is proposed and is creating parcels 9.0 acres or larger and is not within a fire district, but is located within the sphere of influence, minimum fire protection requirements shall not be required. However, review by the future fire protection district shall be required and comments shall be provided to the developer as comments only.
a) expand cleared right-of-ways and enlarge cul-de-sacs;
b) perform selective clearing so that fuel load levels are reduced; and,
c) other reasonable measures to protect structures in area where structural fire protection does not exist; i.e., if the land division is adjacent to existing water lines, it may be required to be extended for fire protection purposes.
1275.15. Hydrant/fire Valve
(a) The hydrant or fire valve shall be 18 inches above grade, 8 feet from flammable vegetation, no closer than 4 feet nor farther than 12 feet from a roadway, and in a location were fire apparatus using it will not block the roadway.
The hydrant serving any building shall:
(1) be not less than 50 feet nor more than 1/2 mile by road from the building it is to serve, and
(2) be located at a turnout or turnaround, along the driveway to that building or along the road that intersects with that driveway.
(b) The hydrant head shall be brass with 2 1/2 inch National Hose male thread with cap for pressure and gravity flow systems and 4 1/2 inch draft systems. Such hydrants shall be wet or dry barrel as required by the delivery system. They shall have suitable crash protection as required by the local jurisdiction.
COUNTY OF EL DORADO -DESIGN AND IMPROVEMENT STANDARDS MANUAL II (Adopted May 27, 1986 by Resolution No.136-86 and Revised 5/18/90 by Resolution No.128-90) Reference Section 6C Fire Protection Requirement (As revised 9/81)
C) Water Supply and Source Requirements for Fire Protection (Major and Minor Land Division, Five (5) or more parcels.) The supply system and source shall provide a minimum of 60,000 usable gallons of storage for 5 to 50 lots; 120,000 gallons for 51 to 100 lots; and 180,000 gallons for 100 or more lots. The water supply system and source shall be located at the direction of the Planning Director and based on comments received from the structural fire protection district.
1) Where water distribution systems are not available, the following will be considered by the structural fire protection district:
a) tanks;
b) reservoirs;
c) canals; and
d) other systems as may be approved by the structural fire protection district.
2) Any of the above water supplies, or combinations thereof, may be required by the Planning Director with a favorable recommendation from the structural fire protection agency having the responsibility in that area.
3) A facility for refilling fire trucks shall be provided for taking of water from the water supplies and shall conform to the standard drawings. The standard drawings may be modified by the fire protection district having the responsibility in that area where structural conditions require it.
4) Fire hydrant locations shall be approved by the Fire Chief of the district providing the service, under Article 10,Section 10.301 Uniform Fire Code. Reference to Standard Plan Design #106
1275.20 Signing of Water Sources
Each hydrant/fire valve or access to water shall be identified as follows:
(a) If located along a driveway, a reflectorized blue marker, with a minimum dimension of 3 inches shall be located on the driveway address sign and mounted on a fire retardant post, or
(b) if located along a street or road,
(1) a reflectorized blue marker, with a minimum dimension of 3 inches, shall be mounted on a fire retardant post. The sign post shall be within 3 feet of said hydrant/fire valve, with the sign no less than 3 feet nor greater that 5 feet above ground, in a horizontal position and visible from the driveway, or
(2) as specified in the State Fire Marshal's Guidelines for Fire Hydrant Markings Along State Highways and Freeways, May 1988.