TheabilitytoreachNFPAstandardsisalreadydifficultduringanemergencyonthehill.With <br />theincreasedtrafficduetoover30newhomesinanareathatDeputyFireMarshalDahl <br />describesashaving“minimalaccess,”duringawildlandorhousefiretheabilityofemergency <br />personneltorespondwouldbegreatlydiminished. <br />AsOregonsawinthesummerof2017,wildlandfiresareverycommoninourregion,andthe <br />proposedCHPUDwouldputan34-38homesnextto78acresofforestedHendricksParkonthe <br />north,alongtheRibbonTrailontheeast,andextendingintotheexistingheavilyforested <br />neighborhoodonthewestandsouth.Giventheextremelylimitedemergencyvehicleaccess,the <br />proposedCHPUDwouldcreateagravethreatanddangertopublichealthandsafety, <br />exacerbatingawildland-suburbaninterfaceinafiredangerarea. <br />Iftheworstweretohappen,itcouldcreateascenariosimilartotheOaklandFirestormof1991 <br />inwhich25peopledied,150morewereseriouslyinjured,andanestimated$1.5billionin <br />damageswereincurred.Itoccurredinawildland-residentialinterfaceverysimilartothe <br />proposedCHPUDsite,bothinhillyareasthatbackuptoextensivewildlands.Theybothhave <br />longnarrowwindingroadsdifficultforemergencyaccess.Inaseriousfireemergencythis <br />createdaverydangeroussituation.Thegeneralsituationwasoneofchaosandpanicamong <br />residentsinthearea.Thisledtowrecksandtrafficimpedimentswhichbothslowedandattimes <br />preventedemergencyresponseandwasalargecontributingfactortotheextensivelossoflife, <br />injuriesandpropertyloss. <br />Foravarietyofreasons,thefirefightingteamswereinitiallyoverwhelmedbythefirestorm.The <br />windsweregustingattimesinexcessof70mph(110km/h),creatingerraticandextremefire <br />behavior.FlamestookoutpowerlinestoseventeenpumpingstationsintheOaklandwater <br />system.(ThisisarealdangerintheCHPUDareawithanewpumpstationthatisneededtomeet <br />theneedsoftheproposedresidenceswithfiresprinklersandfirehydrants.)Inadditiontothe <br />windsandtheheat,animportantfactorintherapidspreadofthefirewasthatitstartedinanarea <br />80 <br /> <br />