Historically, wildland fires have shaped the forests valued by residents and visitors. Forests and other wildlands surrounding Fountaingrove II however, are now significantly altered due to fire prevention efforts, modern suppression activities and a general lack of large scale fires, resulting in overgrown forests with closed canopies and decadent fuels that burn more intensely than in the past. In addition, the recent explosion in population has led to increased residential development in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) of Fountaingrove II. To address these issues, members of fire agencies, organizations and individuals collaborated with the Open Space Maintenance Association (OSMA) to develop a Fountaingrove II Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
A significant concern regarding open space management involves managing the fire hazard associated with the residential development/open space interface. The site’s vegetation types are all capable of carrying a fire. The woodland and chaparral areas in particular are capable of carrying a significant fire due to their fuel loading structure. Additionally, topography contributes to the potential fire hazard. The open space areas include steep slopes which can assist in rapidly spreading a fire uphill. The goal with respect to fire and fuel management is to provide a reasonably fire-safe environment along the residential development/open space interface to insure that residential structures can be protected from a fire originating in the open space area.