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3. Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment <br />San Leandro 2021 Climate Action Plan Page 43 <br />Increased Rate of Wildfires <br />Wildfires are a regular feature of the landscape in much of California. They can be sparked by <br />lightning, malfunctioning equipment, vehicle crashes, or many other causes. Warmer temperatures, <br />an increase in drought conditions, and extreme wind events are likely to create more fuel for fires <br />in natural and rural areas, leading to a greater chance that a spark will grow into a potentially <br />dangerous blaze. Climate change is also expected to extend the fire season throughout much (or <br />even all) of the year. <br />The City of San Leandro is adjacent to thousands of acres of potentially flammable coastal scrub <br />and forested space. Figure 8 shows the fire hazard severity zones in San Leandro, which include <br />very high fire hazard severity zones along the eastern edges of the Bay-O-Vista neighborhood and <br />the Daniels Drive area. Because wildfires burn the trees and other vegetation that help stabilize a <br />hillside and absorb water, more areas burned by fire may also lead to an increase in landslides and <br />debris flows. According to Cal-Adapt, the annual average area burned by wildfire in the region is <br />projected to experience a modest increase. Historically, the annual average area burned in <br />Alameda County was approximately 4,020 acres. According to Cal-Adapt, under the higher <br />emissions scenario, this could increase to an average annual burn area of approximately 4,600 <br />acres. Although most of this increased wildfire activity is unlikely to occur in San Leandro itself, San <br />Leandro residents will still be impacted by smoke from wildfires in other parts of the county or the <br />state. <br />Wildfires expose people and property to flames, increasing the risk of injury, death, and property <br />damage or destruction. <br />The smoke from wildfires increases air pollution levels and creates a significant health risk in the <br />region, particularly under weather conditions that prevent smoke from clearing, such as those <br />during the Lightning Complex fires in 2020. Most of the populations within San Leandro are highly <br />or severely vulnerable to wildfire and heavy smoke scenarios, which can aggravate asthma and <br />respiratory conditions as well as cause long-term health issues. Planned PSPS events to prevent <br />wildfires have already impacted persons who depend on electricity for air conditioning, medically <br />necessary equipment, or mobility, as well as destabilized low-income households unable to change <br />routines. <br />Essential roadways, such as evacuation routes and single-access roads, can be blocked by wildfire <br />flames or debris, making it difficult for residents to evacuate and emergency personnel to reach <br />certain areas of the City. I-580, which is located within the wildland urban interface, is especially <br />vulnerable to wildfire. <br />Some of the electrical transmission lines that run through San Leandro are within very high fire <br />severity zones. 52 Electrical transmission lines and the poles that support them can be damaged or <br />destroyed by the flames and high temperatures created by wildfires. These transmission lines may <br />also be shut off during wildfire weather conditions, creating hardships for residents and businesses <br />within the city. <br />87