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CHAPTER 15. WILDFIRE <br />15-12 <br />Zoning <br />0-35 <br />Year <br />Interval <br />Area <br />(acres) <br />% of <br />total <br />36-100 <br />Years <br />Interval <br />Area <br />(acres) <br />% of <br />total <br />101- <br />1000 <br />Years <br />Interval <br />Area <br />(acres) <br />% of <br />total <br />>1000 <br />Years <br />Interval <br />Area <br />(acres) <br />% of <br />total <br />Other <br />Interval <br />Area <br />(acres) <br />% of <br />total <br />Planned Unit <br />Development 806 0.35% 493 0.06% 156 0.08% 422 0.29% 39 0.08% <br />Residential 6,190 2.65% 13,900 1.58% 3,689 1.99% 1,210 0.84% 1,192 2.45% <br />Urban <br />Growth Area 2,790 1.20% 11,026 1.25% 1,043 0.56% 47 0.03% 295 0.60% <br />Total 233,434 15.64% 880,082 58.98% 185,296 12.42% 144,751 9.70% 48,721 3.26% <br /> <br />15.5.3 Critical Facilities and Infrastructure <br />Table 15-9 identifies critical facilities exposed to the wildfire hazard in the county. In the event of wildfire, <br />there would likely be little damage to the majority of infrastructure. Most road and railroads would be <br />without damage except in the worst scenarios. Power lines are the most at risk to wildfire because most are <br />made of wood and susceptible to burning. In the event of a wildfire, pipelines could provide a source of <br />fuel and lead to a catastrophic explosion. <br />Table 15-9. Critical Facilities Exposed to Wildfire Hazard Areas <br />Jurisdiction Fire Station Hospital Emergency <br />Facility School Total <br />Cle Elum 0 0 0 0 0 <br />Ellensburg 0 0 0 0 0 <br />Kittitas 0 0 0 0 0 <br />Roslyn 0 0 0 0 0 <br />South Cle Elum 0 0 0 0 0 <br />Unincorporated Kittitas County 5 0 0 0 5 <br />Total 5 0 0 0 5 <br />15.5.4 Environment <br />Fire is a natural and critical ecosystem process in most terrestrial ecosystems, dictating in part the types, <br />structure, and spatial extent of native vegetation. However, wildfires can cause severe environmental <br />impacts: <br />• Damaged Fisheries—Critical fisheries can suffer from increased water temperatures, <br />sedimentation, and changes in water quality. <br />• Soil Erosion—The protective covering provided by foliage and dead organic matter is <br />removed, leaving the soil fully exposed to wind and water erosion. Accelerated soil erosion <br />occurs, causing landslides and threatening aquatic habitats. <br />• Spread of Invasive Plant Species—Non-native woody plant species frequently invade burned <br />areas. When weeds become established, they can dominate the plant cover over broad <br />landscapes, and become difficult and costly to control.