WILDFIRE RISKS AND DRIVERS ASSOCIATED WITH DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE
Due to VMUS's distribution system being 100% underground, the primary risk drivers for wildfire within VMUS's service territory are the following:
Earthquake profile - There are two major faults/fault zones that directly affect VMUS. They are the San Andreas Fault and the Helendale Fault zones. The City of Victorville sits in the middle of both faults. The San Andreas Fault is the longest fault in California and is known to cause powerful earthquakes, as big as a magnitude eight (8.0).4 This fault is located south-west of Victorville. The Helendale Fault creates smaller, yet more frequent earthquakes and is located northeast of the city. The most recent major earthquake to affect the City of Victorville was the Ridgecrest earthquake, approximately 82 miles north of the city. This earthquake struck July 5, 2019 and had a magnitude of 7.1.
Large earthquakes occurring in many parts of the Southern California region could affect the City of Victorville. However, the degree to which the earthquakes are felt, and the damages associated with them may vary. At risk from earthquake damage are critical facilities, buildings, bridges, highways and roads; hazardous materials facilities; sewer, water, natural gas pipelines; earth dams; petroleum pipelines; and private property located in the city. The relative or secondary earthquake hazards, which are liquefaction, ground shaking, amplification, and earthquake-induced landslides, can be just as devastating as the earthquake.
Flooding profile - There are four types flooding conditions that exist within the City of Victorville area; flooding in defined watercourses; ponding; sheet flow; and dam inundation. Flooding within defined watercourses occurs within drainage channels and immediately adjacent floodplains. Ponding occurs when water flow is obstructed due to manmade obstacles and other roadways, where they cross-defined watercourses. Sheet flow occurs when capacities of defined watercourses are exceeded and water flows over broad areas.
Known flood-prone areas noted in the General Plan as well as recorded in city maintenance files, include:
| DIR | STREET | DISTANCE | DIRECTION | CROSS STREET | DIR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N/S | Rancho Rd | Manning St | W/B | ||
| S/S | Rancho Rd | 100 | E/O | EL Evado Rd | E/B |
| W/S | Enramada Rd | 100 | N/O | Cahuenga Rd | S/B |
| E/S | Enramada Rd | 150 | S/O | Cahuenga Rd | S/B |
| E/S | Cahuenga Rd | 150 | N/O | Hopland St | N/B |
| /S | El Evado | Figueroa Rd | S/B | ||
| E/S | El Evado | 100 | N/O | Tawney Ridge Ln | N/B |
4 https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/California-Earthquake-Risk/Faults-By-County
VMUS Wildfire Mitigation Plan
June 15, 2021