Yakima County, Washington Community Wildfire Protection Plan Cottonwood 2 Fire – June 2014 Approved by: Yakima County Board of Commissioners July 2015 This plan was developed by the Yakima County CWPP 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. Fire District #1 South Yakima Fire District #6 Fire District #2 Conservation Fire District #7 Fire District #3 District Wapato Fire Fire District #9 Dept NORTH YAKIMA CONSERVATION DISTRICT To obtain copies of this plan contact: Yakima County Fire Marshal’s Office 128 North 2nd Street Yakima, Washington 98901 509-574-2300 Or by accessing the Washington Department of Natural Resources webpage at: http://www.dnr.wa.gov/RecreationEducation/Topics/PreventionInformation/Pages/rp_burn_countymiti gation_plans.aspx Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................................................................................ II FOREWORD .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 3 OVERVIEW OF THIS PLAN AND ITS DEVELOPMENT ....................................................................................................... 3 GOALS AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Planning Philosophy and Goals ........................................................................................................................................................... 4 National Cohesive Strategy ................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Additional State and Federal CWPP Guidelines.................................................................................................................................. 6 INTEGRATION WITH OTHER LOCAL PLANNING DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER 2 ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 DOCUMENTING THE PLANNING PROCESS .......................................................................................................................... 9 DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANNING PROCESS ...................................................................................................................................... 9 THE PLANNING TEAM ..................................................................................................................................................................... 9 STEERING COMMITTEE MEETINGS ................................................................................................................................................ 11 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT.................................................................................................................................................................. 12 News Releases ....................................................................................................................................................................................12 Public Meetings ..................................................................................................................................................................................13 Documented Review Process .............................................................................................................................................................13 Public Comment Period ......................................................................................................................................................................13 Continued Public Involvement ...........................................................................................................................................................14 CHAPTER 3 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 YAKIMA COUNTY CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................................... 15 DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................................................................................ 16 GEOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE .......................................................................................................................................................... 16 POPULATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS ............................................................................................................................................... 17 Land Ownership .................................................................................................................................................................................18 Development Trends ..........................................................................................................................................................................19 NATURAL RESOURCES .................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Fish and Wildlife ................................................................................................................................................................................21 Vegetation ..........................................................................................................................................................................................22 Hydrology...........................................................................................................................................................................................23 Air Quality..........................................................................................................................................................................................24 CHAPTER 4 ................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 RISK AND PREPAREDNESS ASSESSMENTS ........................................................................................................................ 26 WILDLAND FIRE CHARACTERISTICS ............................................................................................................................................. 26 Weather ..............................................................................................................................................................................................26 Topography ........................................................................................................................................................................................26 Fuels ...................................................................................................................................................................................................27 WILDFIRE HAZARD ASSESSMENT ................................................................................................................................................. 27 Past Fires ............................................................................................................................................................................................28 Wildfire Ignition and Extent Profile ...................................................................................................................................................30 RISK MODELS ............................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Historic Fire Regime ..........................................................................................................................................................................33 Vegetation Condition Class ................................................................................................................................................................35 Yakima County’s Wildland-Urban Interface ......................................................................................................................................37 Relative Threat Level Mapping ..........................................................................................................................................................42 OVERVIEW OF FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM 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