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Walker Range

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Quarterly Update #1

 

Watershed Research and Training Center

Walker Range Forest Protection Association

USDA Forest Service-Crescent Ranger District

Crescent Fire Department

Bureau of Land Management Prineville District

 

 

August 19, 2004

Project Overview

In recent years Central Oregon has been hit with several large and destructive wildland fires including the Davis Lake, B & B Complex, Cache Mountain, Link, and Eyerly fires. These fires have highlighted the need to address wildfire risk in and around local communities.  The Walker Range Forest Protection Association, local fire departments, and state and federal agencies have teamed up with a non-profit organization, the Watershed Research and Training Center, to coordinate a community wildfire protection plan.  The plan includes the communities within the Walker Range Forest Protection Association, as well as other nearby neighborhoods. 

 

The goals of the plan are to reduce wildfire risk around communities, increase the community’s ability to respond to wildfires when they do happen, and increase the community’s ability to apply for and compete for grants.  The plan works in conjunction with Senate Bill 360 to create defensible space around private homes, but takes a broader view to include all public and private lands within the planning area.

 

This project recognizes that wildfires will continue to occur, and aims to reduce the severity of impact to affected communities by prioritizing fuel reduction and building community capacity to deal with wildfire.

Why a Plan?

The plan will prioritize the areas of highest risk for wildland fire, identify additional community values-at-risk, and develop action plans to reduce that risk. It will help guide on-the-ground fuel reduction efforts and infrastructure improvements to ensure that scarce resources are directed to the most pressing areas.

 

Community wildfire protection plans are a key component of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA), passed by Congress in November of 2003.  The HFRA authorizes the Forest Service and the Bureau of Land Management to fast-track fuel reduction projects around communities when they have been identified as priorities in a community plan.  The plan can also help the communities become more competitive for funding programs like the National Fire Plan, FEMA’s Pre-Disaster Mitigation Program, and funds from the County Resource Advisory Councils.

 

The project began in April 2004 and will be completed by April of 2005.

 

Citizen Involvement

Local citizen involvement is an important part of the community wildfire protection plan. One role for local citizens is to ensure that the plan identifies community protection priorities beyond homes and businesses. The project team is working directly with local fire protection districts as one way to involve local residents. In addition, we plan to reach out to homeowners associations, road districts, community organizations, watershed councils, and would welcome further involvement by community members.  

How to Learn More and Get Involved

If you would like to learn more or get involved in the effort to develop a community wildfire protection plan for the Walker Range area please contact any of the people listed below or visit the Walker Range Fire website at: http://www.odf.state.or.us/AREAS/eastern/walkerrange.