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Community Wildfire Assessments & PlansWildfire is the number one threat to many rural communities in the western United States. This is a result of increasing development in forest environments coupled with overly dense forests due to past management practices. Increasingly severe wildfires in recent years prompted the development of the National Fire Plan and passage of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act to address this serious issue. A key element in this effort is the development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans with an emphasis on the wildland-urban interface. SEC has applied their extensive forest management and land planning experience to provide communities with comprehensive plans that are economically and ecologically sound. Typical elements incorporated into our community wildfire plans are: Wildfire Hazard Assessment - Identification, quantification and mapping of wildfire hazard. This can range from a home-by-home defensible space evaluation to a broader assessment for large areas. Collaboration - Work closely with government agencies and interested parties to identify priorities. Recommendations and Priorities - This is the heart of the plan - combining SEC's experience with the community goals and objectives, and the wildfire hazard assessment to provide realistic treatment recommendations and priorities. This can range from just developing a treatment matrix to incorporating fire behavior models to quantify the treatment effects. Land Use Planning - Recommend actions that would increase and encourage coordination between planning departments and emergency response organizations. For example, building and zoning ordinances incorporating "Firewise" recommendations. Emergency Management - Development of evacuation routes and safe zones have been important in plans for communities with limited access and a potential for wildfire trapping people. Grant Assistance - Implementation of wildfire plans is expensive and it is important to know funding sources. For more information, please contact Ray Wrobley (info on our contact information page). |
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