TO: Board of Supervisors
FROM: Steven Lederer - Director of Public Works
REPORT BY: Steven Lederer - Director and Graham Wadsworth - Supervising Engineer
SUBJECT: Request for Qualifications For Companies Providing Early Fire Detection Monitoring
RECOMMENDATION
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Director of Public Works requests direction to release a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for an early fire sensing technology system.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On August 24, 2021, the Board provided direction to enter into a short term contract with Illumination Technologies California (ITC) to install and activate 3 Fire IQ cameras which would provide early fire detection capabilities for a portion of the County. The Board requested staff investigate the possibility of contracting for a larger system, one that would provide coverage over 90% of the County. Staff has drafted an RFQ, which would invite proposals from firms that provide this service. The RFQ is intentionally “technologically neutral” to allow the marketplace to tell us what might be available.
Staff requests Board discussion and input on the RFQ process. Staff also notes that a source of funding to pay for the system has not yet been identified.
PROCEDURAL REQUIREMENTS
1. Staff Report
2. Public comments
3. Discussion, questions and Board direction
FISCAL & STRATEGIC PLAN IMPACT
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Is there a Fiscal Impact? |
No |
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Future fiscal impact: |
If the Board ultimately approves an agreement to purchase an early detection system, the County could be responsible for paying the capital cost to purchase equipment and the cost for operating and maintaining the system. |
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County Strategic Plan pillar addressed: |
Healthy, Safe, and Welcoming Place to Live, Work, and Visit |
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINATION: Not a project at this time. If contracts/agreements ultimately result from this agenda item, CEQA will be considered when those documents are returned to the Board for Board approval.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
Since 2014, there have been nine declared disasters for wildfires in Napa County. During 2020, the LNU Lightning Complex Fire killed six people, burned 363,220 acres, destroyed 1,491 structures, and caused $47 million in damage. The Glass Fire burned 67,480 acres, destroyed 1,555 structures and caused $750 million in damage. In 2018, the County Fire burned 89,831 acres. In 2017, the Tubbs, Nuns and Atlas Fires killed 48 people, burned 144,125 acres and destroyed over 5,756 structures. The “Napa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan” states that 36 percent of the population, 38 percent of the parcels and $2.36 Billion of improvements in Napa County are within “Moderate” to “Very High” Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones.
On August 13, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the “Napa County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2020 Update”. In December 2020, the Board of Supervisors approved an updated “Napa County Operational Area Emergency Operations Plan”. In May 2021, the Napa Community Firewise Foundation completed a county-wide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) <https://napafirewise.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/CWPP-Signed-May-4-2021.pdf> to help Agencies, Fire Safe Councils, Communities, and local homeowners define, plan and prioritize actions to limit damage from the inevitability of wildland fire. It was funded in large part by a CAL FIRE Climate Change Investment Fund Fire Prevention Grant.
There are several ALERT Wildfire cameras throughout the San Francisco North Bay Area that public safety staff and the public can use to observe Napa County. CalFire uses the pan-tilt-zoom cameras monitor wildfires; however, there is not software available to detect fire starts (ignition) nor alert first responders. On February 3, 2020, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) granted $2 million to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) and Sonoma County for long-range, fire detection cameras. Mounted high on towers, the cameras will alert emergency officials of potential wildfires by constantly surveying Sonoma County and portions of Mendocino, Lake, Napa, and Marin counties for smoke and fire in order to prevent the loss of life, property, and economic damage. (<https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20210318/fema-grants-cal-oes-and-sonoma-county-2m-wildfire-detection-system> ) With $300,000 of the funding, Sonoma County hired Alchera to provide software for the ALERT Wildfire cameras.
After the 2020 fires, Napa County pursued options for detecting wildfire starts and giving firefighters a chance to extinguish a fire before it grows out of control. In 2020, Illumination Technologies California (ITC) worked with the City of Calistoga and Napa County to construct two cellular towers (monopoles) with sirens, install an IQ FireWatch fire sensor on an existing communications tower at the Clover Flat Landfill (CFL), and construct a new tower with an IQ FireWatch sensor on private property on Diamond Mountain (DM). The monopoles are on Petrified Forest Road west of the City and Rosedale Lane east of the City. The CFL is east of Calistoga and DM is south of Calistoga.
On August 24, 2021, the Board rejected the original proposal and directed staff towards a short term maintenance agreement with ITC for the three IQ FireWatch sensors, including the two existing cameras at CFL and on Diamond Mountain Rd. In September 2021, ITC plans to install a third IQ sensor on the County’s existing communications tower on Atlas Peak, which is northeast of Yountville.
The Board of Supervisors approved entering into a maintenance agreement with ITC for the 2021 fire season, but voiced a desire to explore other options for a more permanent, long term fire detection system. In Napa County, most wildfires are reported by the general public, commercial airline flights, and dedicated aerial reconnaissance during periods of high fire risk. The County is interested in other long-term options to detect wildfire ignitions and notify first responders of the location of the fire, especially at night. All forms of technology will be considered so long as they meet the County’s need for early detection and notification at a reasonable price.
If so, staff recommends the Board authorize a Request for Proposal (RFP) process to seek a system that covers approximately 90% of the county, and in more depth than the camera system can offer. The rough costs of this proposal, should the Board approve a contract, would likely be about $1,500,000 in capital cost for the purchase of 10 camera system, and then roughly $750,000/year in maintenance and monitoring costs, though we could be pleasantly surprised by what the market has to offer. As mentioned earlier, there is not currently an identified source of funds for this project. Options include the General Fund, Grants (for capital purchases, but not for annual operating costs), the potential “fire preparedness tax”, or some other source.
At the recommendation of Supervisor Ramos, staff also reached out to PG&E to determine if PG&E was developing an adequate fire sensing technology similar to what is being launched in southern California. PG&E does not yet have such a system, but discussions are ongoing as to whether there might be a partnership opportunity between us and them.
A draft RFQ is attached for the Board’s information. The RFQ contains a schedule, but that schedule would be dependent on finding a source of funds to pay for the system.
Staff welcomes input from the Public and the Board.
Attachments:
1. RFQ for Wildfire Detection Services
2. Sensors review of Forest Fire Detection Systems