Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update Blue Creek Fire 2015 Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2017 Update [This page intentionally left blank] ii Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2017 Update Acknowledgments Thank you to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Steering Committee who dedicated their time and effort to every aspect of this project. This Community Wildfire Protection Plan represents the efforts and cooperation of many working together to improve preparedness for wildfire and reduce community risk factors. Walla Walla County Walla Walla County Fire District #1 Fire District #5 Unincorporated Communities Walla Walla County Walla Walla County & Fire District #2 Fire District #6 Walla Walla County Walla Walla County The Local Businesses and Fire District #3 Citizens of Walla Walla Fire District #7 Walla Walla County Walla Walla County County Fire District #4 Fire District #8 To obtain copies of this plan contact: Walla Walla County Emergency Management Liz Jessee, Emergency Management Director 27 North 2nd Ave. Walla Walla, Washington 99362 Office: 509-524-2900 Desk: 509-524-2902 Fax: 509-524-2910 iii Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2017 Update [This page intentionally left blank] iv Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2017 Update Table of Contents Signature Pages ................................................................................................... 1 Walla Walla County Commissioners & City of Walla Walla ....................................................................... 1 Signatures of Participation by Walla Walla County Fire Protection Districts and Departments .............. 2 Signatures of Participation by other Walla Walla County CWPP Steering Committee Entities ................ 4 Chapter 1 ............................................................................................................ 5 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 5 Plan Overview and Development .................................................................................................................... 5 State and Federal Compliance ......................................................................................................................... 7 Wildfire and the U.S. Government Accountability Office .............................................................................. 8 Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 2 .......................................................................................................... 10 Mission, Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................ 10 Mission Statement ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Goals and Objectives ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Chapter 3 .......................................................................................................... 13 Wildland Urban Interface Planning ......................................................................................................... 13 Wildfire Preparedness Resources ............................................................................................................ 19 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 36 Chapter 4 .......................................................................................................... 40 Walla Walla County Characteristics ........................................................................................................ 40 Land Use ....................................................................................................................................................... 40 Climate .......................................................................................................................................................... 41 Population and Demographics ....................................................................................................................... 41 Fire History ................................................................................................................................................... 42 The Mill Creek Watershed ...................................................................................................................... 43 Summary ................................................................................................................................................. 45 Chapter 5 .......................................................................................................... 46 Community Outreach and Participation ................................................................................................. 46 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 46 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 6 .......................................................................................................... 54 Wildfire Risk Assessments ....................................................................................................................... 54 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 54 Fire Behavior Factors ..................................................................................................................................... 55 Fuels .............................................................................................................................................................. 56 Wildfire Hazard Assessment ................................................................................................................... 58 v Mill Creek and Walla Walla County Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2017 Update Historic Fire Occurrence ............................................................................................................................... 58 Risk Categories .............................................................................................................................................. 60 Summary ....................................................................................................................................................... 61 Chapter 7 .......................................................................................................... 64 Community at Risk Analysis and WUI-Zone Ratings ................................................................................ 64 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 64 Mill Creek WUIZ ...................................................................................................................................... 65 Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 66 Eureka Flat .............................................................................................................................................. 68 Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 68 Walla Walla Valley ................................................................................................................................... 70 Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 71 Touchet ................................................................................................................................................... 72 Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 73 Waitsburg ............................................................................................................................................... 74 Mitigation Activities ...................................................................................................................................... 74 County Wide Mitigation Plans ................................................................................................................ 76 Chapter 8 .......................................................................................................... 79 Mitigation Items and Plan Maintenance ................................................................................................