Having a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) in place for each community is crucial for access to mitigation resources and identification of local needs, strengths, and weaknesses as they relate to wildfire. It is best practice that local community members play an active role in the creation of their CWPP. These plans are developed collaboratively by local citizens, fire departments, government agencies, and other stakeholders, ensuring the plan addresses the specific risks and needs of each community. This allows communities to:
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- Define their WUI: Communities can establish a localized definition and boundary for the wildland-urban interface that meets their specific needs.
- Prioritize projects: The plan identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and other risk reduction measures based on community values and risk assessments.
- Recommend actions: CWPPs recommend actions that homeowners and communities can take to reduce the ignitability of structures.
- Enhanced Collaboration and Communication: The development process fosters collaboration and communication between residents, emergency response agencies, and land management agencies. This strengthens relationships and improves coordination in fire response.
- Increased Community Resilience: CWPPs help communities become more resilient to wildfire by promoting understanding of risks, facilitating planning, and encouraging proactive measures.
- Prioritized Funding: An approved CWPP can prioritize a community’s eligibility for funding for hazardous fuel reduction projects on federal lands. It demonstrates the community’s commitment to wildfire preparedness, which can enhance their competitive advantage in securing grant funding.
- Reduced Risk and Impacts: By identifying and implementing projects to reduce fuels and harden structures, CWPPs aim to decrease the risk and impacts of wildfire on lives, property, and infrastructure.
- Improved Structural Ignitability: CWPPs emphasize measures to reduce the ignitability of structures within the community, making homes and businesses more resistant to wildfire ignition.
- Enhanced Evacuation Planning: CWPPs include thorough evacuation plans, considering worst-case scenarios and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations. They may also address improving ingress and egress routes.
In essence, CWPPs are essential because they empower communities to take an active role in protecting themselves from the increasing threat of wildfire. They provide a roadmap for collaborative action, risk reduction, and resilience building.
For an example, check out Okanogan County’s CWPP, completed and published in 2024.
