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Title:	Chelan County, WA -- 9 Fire District CWPPs
Type:	Community planning and CWPP's
Jurisdiction:	County
State:	Washington
Program Description:	Chelan County is located in north-central Washington. Chelan County is developing nine fire district level CWPPs, and one overall Chelan County CWPP. These regional CWPPs were developed with the assistance of the County in coordination with landowners, the local Fire District staff, representatives of the US Forest Service, Washington State Department of Wildlife, and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (WDNR). The nine fire district level CWPPs will form the basis of the Chelan County Wildfire Mitigation Plan. Updates and edits to the CWPPs will be performed annually and will be coordinated by the Cascadia Conservation District. Five District CWPPs are posted on the Cascadia Conservation District CWPP website, these include CWPPs for Leavenworth, Lake Wenatchee/Plain, Manson, Peshastin Creek Drainage, and Squilchuck Valley. Lake Chelan South Shore has its own webpage with information on their plan as it develops, and a link to the plan is http://www.southshorecwpp.com/. Format All of the CWPPs for Chelan County meet the requirements of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA). Each plan is individually researched and written, with the plans following very similar formats. The plans all begin with a signature page including the signatures of the Washington State Forester, the County Commissioner, Fire District Chief, and landowners or neighborhood association representatives who participated in the process. The plan begins with information on HFRA, the reasons for creating a CWPP, and wildfire related actions within the planning area leading up to, and including, the planning process. The CWPP planning area is then described in general terms, with an accompanying map showing land ownership patterns, major roads and the locations of residential areas. Assessment The Assessment section describes in detail the vegetation types, natural fire regimes and fire history. It analyzes potential fire behavior and the location and build-up of hazardous fuels. An assessment of the fire district�s protection capabilities, resources and structural vulnerability is included in the assessment. Maps identify vegetation types, major fires, fire starts and wildfire hazards in the landscape. Risk Evaluation The Risk Evaluation section includes a discussion of the main roads in the planning area, potential staging areas in case of a wildfire, command post locations, available water supplies, and locations of existing fuel breaks and safety zones. Current Activities The Current Activities section discusses ongoing actions for fuel reduction within the fire district. Coordinating fuel reduction activities with Forest Service lands is discussed here. Chelan County is made up of approximately 80% by Forest Service managed lands. Landowner or Steering Committees were created with the CWPPs. These committees are made up of people who are involved with fuels reduction and fire education efforts in the area. These committees are instrumental in developing the Mitigation Action Plan, prioritizing the actions within the plan, and will assist in carrying out the actions described in the plan. Plan Maintenance The CWPPs will be updated annually by the steering committees working in conjunction with the appropriate partners, and with the direction and assistance of the fire district and the Cascadia Conservation District. Mitigation Action Plan Each CWPP contains a Mitigation Action Plan. Action categories include: fuels reduction, education and outreach, and improved protection capabilities. Examples of Fuels Reduction Actions include: Implement �FireWise� recommendations within 200 feet of all private homes and essential infrastructure. Actions include the establishment of defensible space, adequate turn-around space for emergency equipment, and clear, consistent address signs. Create 200-foot wide shaded canopy fuel breaks on strategically located areas that will have the greatest benefit for the entire project area. Treat vegetation within 100 feet of roads and driveways. This can include shaded canopy defensible space on both sides of the road. Examples of Education and Outreach Actions include: Conduct risk assessments of individual structures and essential infrastructure for the entire planning area and implement identified recommendations. Utilize existing billboard on highway to provide fire-related information such as fire danger level, burn regulations, informational messages or reminders. Compile essential �FireWise� information and distribute it to landowners in and adjacent to the CWPP planning area. Some examples of Improving Protection Capabilities/ Human Safety actions include: Improve address coordination and road signs, mark escape routes, develop warning systems. Develop water sources for firefighting efforts. Reduce fuels along County roadways. Essential Components of the CWPP All of the Chelan County CWPPs go well beyond the minimum standards for a CWPP. The essential components of a CWPP are: Collaboration of stakeholders; Prioritization of fuel reduction projects; Treatment of structural ignitability. Some of the Chelan County CWPPs go into great depth describing the vegetation types and fire regimes within the planning area. Others do a more general description. Chelan County has been holding CWPP meetings since 2005 to create the fire district level CWPPs. The Chelan County CWPP, which incorporates the recommendations for all the smaller CWPPs is scheduled for completion in 2007. Contact Information For more information, contact Mike Rickel at: Cascadia Conservation District 301 Yakima Street Room 307 Wenatchee, WA 98801 Phone: 509/664-0276 ext. 0268 Email: [email protected].
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