Improving Wildfire Resilience
Stanford University is committed to improving the wildfire resilience of the Portola Terrace property and is investing in protective wildfire prevention efforts that will improve the safety of the entire community.
Wildfire Resilience
Portola Terrace Vegetation Management Plan (VMP)
The VMP proposed for Portola Terrace was created by a team of leading fire experts in partnership with the Woodside Fire Protection District (WFPD) to address wildfire resilience needs. The strategy includes:
- Reduced sources of ignition
- Creation of defensible space
- Wildfire resilient design
The VMP is based on the results of two fire-behavior modeling programs used to assess the probability and intensity of fire on the property and identify ways to minimize the possibility of wildfires. The modeling indicates that wildfire resilience across the property significantly improves with the treatments specified in the VMP, all of which is included in the development application for the Portola Terrace project.
These images show the integrated hazard level on the property under current conditions and after implementation of the comprehensive treatments described in the VMP. As seen in the maps below, the entire property is re-characterized as only having areas of Lowest and Low Hazard after treatment.
Figure 1: Modeled Integrated Hazard - Condition as of [Year]
Figure 2: Modeled Integrated Hazard - After Treatment
Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve
After months of coordination with the Town of Portola Valley, CAL FIRE, and the Woodside Fire Protection District, Stanford conducted a pile burn at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ‘Ootchamin ‘Ooyakma in early March. In addition to the primary goal of improving wildfire resilience in and around the preserve, this project offered a unique living lab for wildfire management research and an opportunity to model the burning techniques used by Indigenous communities to manage vegetation.
Researchers hoped that exploring the methods of fuel reduction and vegetation management used in these areas would contribute to a better understanding of effective wildfire management, both at the preserve and regionally.
Defensible Space
- The Portola Terrace residences have been designed as a cluster development to maximize use of defensible space. Cluster developments are easier to defend from fire and help achieve goals for climate resiliency.
- The housing is limited to six acres (8 percent) of the 75-acre property, which allows for sufficient defensible space around the homes.
- The remaining 69 acres of the property will be maintained as oak woodland to reduce fire hazards under the guidance of the VMP.
- Environmental protection measures are being implemented to include protection of significant trees, nesting birds, San Francisco dusky-footed woodrats, California red-legged frogs, and archaeological resources.
State Guidance: Best Practices and Mitigation of Wildfire Impacts
The California Attorney General has issued a “best practices” document that provides guidance to local agencies when considering projects in wildfire-prone areas. These best practices provide the Town of Portola Valley with a framework to use when evaluating a project’s wildfire risk.
We are proud that the proposed design for the Portola Terrace faculty and community residences currently meets the above best practices outlined by the California Attorney General. We will continue to coordinate with the Town and provide updates throughout the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process.
The document provides guidance in these key areas:
Project Density
Dense, compact neighborhoods are less vulnerable to wildfires and easier to defend.
Portola Terrace has been designed as a clustered development. When implemented with stringent fire-resistant building codes, cluster developments are easier to defend with a smaller fire-fighting force and help achieve goals for climate resiliency. They often have lower amounts of flammable vegetation, making them generally less flammable than larger homes on large lots with more vegetation.
Project Placement
The placement of a development in the landscape relative to fire history, topography, and wind patterns also influences wildfire risk.
The proposed residences will be located at the base of the hills and close to Alpine Road. This location provides safety from potential uphill flow of heat and flames, as developments located on or at the top of steep slopes can be at particular risk from wildfire because fire and heat generally flow faster uphill.
Water Supply and Infrastructure
It is critical to have appropriate water supply and infrastructure to address firefighting within the project site. Local governments should also consider undergrounding utilities and having on-site water supply or storage to augment ordinary supplies that may be lost during a wildfire.
The California Water Company has stated that they have adequate water supply to serve the Portola Terrace residences. Stanford will be extending a water line approximately 1,700 feet south along Alpine Road from the Alpine Road/Westridge Drive intersection to the residences and create a dual connection from the two water main sources, providing an abundant source of water to the residences and surrounding area. Several new fire hydrants will be installed on the property and in the Alpine Road right-of-way to provide additional wildfire resilience for Portola Terrace, nearby undeveloped areas, and immediate neighbors.
Evacuation and Emergency Access
The Portola Terrace residences are located immediately adjacent to Alpine Road in keeping with the recommendation that projects be in “proximity to existing road and evacuation infrastructure.” The site design proposes an internal loop road with two points of access to/from Alpine Road.
Fire Hardening Structures and Homes
Portola Terrace will be constructed with building materials and installation techniques that increase the development’s resistance to heat, flames, and embers beyond what is required in applicable building codes.
The homes in Portola Terrace will meet or exceed the Town’s Wildfire Preparedness Building Code. The project architectural firm, Seigel and Strain, has prepared a detailed analysis of the proposed project’s conformance with the Town’s Wildfire Preparedness Building Code amendments adopted on December 8, 2021.