Black Hills Land Analysis LLC
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a community-based forest management planning process that identifies and prioritizes areas that may be at risk from wildfire due to the build up of hazardous fuels.
New incentive generated by the enactment of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) in 2003 and the National Fire Plan provides a mechanism for identified and prioritized hazardous fuels projects to be given consideration by the US Forest Service, and the Bure
au of Land Management.
For a community to take full advantage of this new opportunity it must develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This plan must be developed by local government, local fire authorities, and the state agencies responsible for forest management. Collaboration with federal agencies and other interested parties is also important to develop a sound comprehensive mitigation plan.
Another aspect of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan must address ideas that homeowners and communities can do to reduce the structural ignitability of structures and other values in the project area by utilizing FireWise practices and procedures.
Some key players may include:
- Forest management groups
- Resource Advisory Committees
- City or County Council members
- Homeowners Associations
- Division of Wildlife / Fish & Game
- Emergency Management agencies
- Real-estate Agents
- Utilities
- Recreation organizations
Some key components of a CWPP may include:
- A community base map
- Community Risk Assessment
- Fuels Hazards
- Risk of Wildfire Occurrence
- Site Specific Assessments of Values
- Other Critical Infrastructure that may be at Risk
- Prioritizing of Hazard Fuels Reduction Projects
- Recommendations to Reduce Structural Ignitability
- Development of a Community Action Plan