Draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan – Public Comment Period

How best to fight fire? Comments accepted until July 6 on county website

From the Department of Emergency Management

San Juan County is seeking public input on its draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), which will be released to the public on June 20, 2012.

The draft plan will be available for viewing (from June 20 until July 6) at public libraries located on San Juan Island, Orcas Island, and Lopez Island or online at www.sanjuandem.net/CWPP.

Public comments may be submitted until 5 p.m. on July 6, 2012. The San Juan County CWPP will help San Juan County:<

• Reduce wildfire risk for San Juan County residents, landowners, businesses, communities, local governments, and state and federal agencies;

• Identify high fire risk areas and develop strategies to reduce risk;

• Improve awareness of wildland fire issues locally;

• Provide opportunities for discussions among community members and agencies regarding priorities for fire protection and natural resource management;

• Maintain appropriate wildfire response capabilities; and

• Improve access to funding to achieve wildfire mitigation goals.

The draft CWPP recommends various actions be taken by fire districts, property owners, local government and others, but does not impose regulations on private properties. The CWPP Steering Committee – comprising representatives from local fire districts, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Land Management, private land managers, various San Juan County departments, and others – is coordinating the effort.

Comments can be submitted to the attention of Brad Tucker, Northwest Management, Inc., PO Box 9748, Moscow, Idaho 83843 or tucker@nmi2.com.  For more information on the Community Wildfire Protection Plan project, contact Kevin O’Brien, CWPP Planning Committee Chair at 360-376-2331.