Wildfire Planning
Planning for wildfire at the edge of development
IS YOUR COMMUNITY PREPARED?
Idaho Department of Lands, University of Idaho and Idaho Smart Growth teamed up to conduct one-day community workshops to review and assess level of wildfire preparedness, identify additional strategies to pursue and create an action plan.
For the selected communities, Idaho Smart Growth reviewed existing wildfire preparedness plans asking the questions: were all stakeholders involved with developing the community’s wildfire protection plan? If multiple wildfire planning efforts are these connected? Are all agencies collaborating on wildfire planning?
Have opportunities for improvements been identified if a fire does come to their community? Is additional planning needed/wanted to improve wildfire preparedness and resiliency? Who needs to be needs to be further engaged?
Wildfire is no longer something that happens only in wildlands. City planners, fire and police, mayors and citizens all have role to play in making their community ready in the event of a wildfire.
Wildfire planning resources:
- Planning for Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI): A Resource Guide for Idaho Communities
- Idaho Firewise, Inc.
- Headwaters Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire (CPAW)
- National Community Mitigation Assistance Teams (CMAT)
Articles:
- Barrett, Kimiko. “Communities Utilize Land Use Planning to Reduce Wildfire Risks and Costs.” Headwaters Economics. 2018.
- Kolden, Crystal. “What the Dutch Can Teach Us About Wildfires.” The New York Times. 2018.
- Miller, Stephen. “West must develop wildfire ethic to survive.” San Francisco Chronicle. 2018.
- Pohl, Kelly. “Building a Wildfire-Resistant Home: Codes and Costs.” Headwaters Economics. 2018.
Workshop Presentation Materials:
- Elizabeth Allen, University of Idaho – presentation
- Tyre Holfeltz, Idaho Department of Lands – presentation
- Brett Van Paepeghem, Idaho Firewise – presentation
- Michael Pellant, BLM – presentation
- Jaap Vos, University of Idaho – presentation