Ferry County, Washington
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Ferry County, Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan Approved by the Ferry County Commissioners 2014 This plan was developed by the Ferry County Community Wildfire Protection Plan steering committee. Acknowledgements This Community Wildfire Protection Plan represents the efforts and cooperation of a number of organizations and agencies working together to improve preparedness for wildfire events while reducing factors of risk. Ferry/Okanogan County Fire Washington State Ferry County Extension, Protection District #13 Malo Grange, Ferry County Planning Ferry/Okanogan County Fire Department Protection District #14 & Ferry County Joint Fire Protection Local Businesses and Citizens of Ferry District #3 County Ferry County Homeland Security Coordinator Office Location Mailing Address 175 N Jefferson PO Box 1099 Republic, WA Republic, WA 99166 99166 Phone Numbers (509) 775-3132 (509) 775 3133 (509) 775-3136 Toll Free (800) 342-4344 Fax (509) 775-1076 Copies of this plan can be found at: www.ferry-county.com www.dnr.wa.gov Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................................ II FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 OVERVIEW OF THIS PLAN AND ITS DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................................... 3 GOALS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................... 3 INTEGRATION WITH OTHER LOCAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 DOCUMENTING THE PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 9 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANNING PROCESS ...................................................................................................................................... 9 THE PLANNING TEAM ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS ................................................................................................................................................ 11 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.................................................................................................................................................................. 11 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 FERRY COUNTY CHARACTERISTICS .................................................................................................................................. 17 DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................................................................................ 17 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE .......................................................................................................................................................... 17 POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS ............................................................................................................................................... 18 NATURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................................................. 20 CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 RISK AND PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 25 WILDLAND FIRE CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................................................. 25 WILDFIRE HAZARDS ..................................................................................................................................................................... 26 WILDFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................................. 32 RELATIVE THREAT LEVEL MAPPING ............................................................................................................................................. 43 OVERVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM ..................................................................................................................................... 47 FIRE PROTECTION ISSUES.............................................................................................................................................................. 57 CURRENT WILDFIRE MITIGATION ACTIVITIES .............................................................................................................................. 60 CHAPTER 5 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 63 LANDSCAPE RISK ASSESSMENTS ......................................................................................................................................... 63 STEPPE LANDSCAPE RISK ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 67 FOREST LANDSCAPE RISK ASSESSMENT ....................................................................................................................................... 69 CHAPTER 6 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 71 MITIGATION RECOMMENDATIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 71 MAINTENANCE AND MONITORING ................................................................................................................................................ 71 PRIORITIZATION OF MITIGATION ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................................ 71 CHAPTER 7 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 89 SUPPORTING INFORMATION ................................................................................................................................................. 89 LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................................................................ 89 LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................................... 89 SIGNATURE PAGES ........................................................................................................................................................................ 91 [This page intentionally left blank.] Foreword The process of developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) can help a community clarify and refine its priorities for the protection of life, property, and critical infrastructure in the wildland–urban interface on both public and private land. It also can lead community members through valuable discussions regarding management options and implications for the surrounding land base. Local fire service organizations help define issues that may place the county, communities, and/or individual homes at risk. Through the collaboration process, the CWPP steering committee discusses potential solutions, funding opportunities, and regulatory concerns and documents their resulting recommendations in the CWPP. The CWPP planning process also incorporates an element for public outreach. Public involvement in the development of the document not only facilitates public input and recommendations, but also provides an educational opportunity through interaction of local wildfire specialists and an interested public. The idea for community-based forest planning and prioritization is neither novel nor new. However, the incentive for communities to engage in comprehensive forest planning and prioritization was given new and unprecedented impetus with the enactment of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) in 2003. This landmark legislation