A Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Insert signature Block
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan
A Simplified Template

Objectives of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan:
•	Comprehensive Forest planning and prioritization
•	Mechanism for federal agencies to give meaningful considerations to community priorities
•	Open community debate regarding management options
•	Provide maximum flexibility for communities to determine the substance and detail of their plans
•	Merge the goals and objectives of the landowners with the needs and expectations of the community regarding fire risk reduction
•	Coordinate fire protection strategies across property boundaries
•	Coordinate the grant funding and federal program budgets to achieve the most effective results with limited funding 

Resource Materials:
Available at the California Fire Alliance website (insert hotlink)
•	Healthy Forest Restoration Act of 2003
•	Preparing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, A Handbook for Wildland-Urban Interface Communities, (NACo, NASF, SAF, WGA) March 2004.
•	Field Guidance by National Association of State Foresters, June 27, 2003
•	Leaders Guide Supplement, International Association of Fire Chiefs
•	Fire Planning and Mapping Tools

This document shall be known as the (name, for example: ABC county or XYZ communities) Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

Step1 – Convene Decisionmakers

The decisionmakers for this Community Wildfire Protection Plan are:

•	Local Government: (names of Board of Supervisors or city leaders) 	
•	Local Fire Chief: (names of local fire chiefs)
•	CDF Unit Chief: (name of local CDF unit chief)

These decisionmakers were notified on (date) and invited to participate in the development of this plan.

Step 2 – Involve Federal Agencies

The representatives of the federal agencies managing land in the vicinity of the communities are: 

Agency	Representative	Date Invited to Participate	
Forest Service	(name representative)	date	
Bureau of Land Management	(name representative)	date	
Park Service	(name representative)	date	
Fish and Wildlife Service	(name representative)	date	
Bureau of Indian Affairs	(name representative)	date	
Tribal Governments	(name representative)	date	
Bureau of Reclamation	(name representative)	date	
Natural Resource Conservation Service	(name representative)	date	
Other	(name representative)	date	

Step 3a – Involve State/Local Agencies

The representatives of the state/local agencies that have jurisdictional responsibilities in the vicinity of the communities are: 

Agency	Representative	Date Invited to Participate	
State Parks and Recreation	(name representative)	date	
California Department of Fish and Game	(name representative)	date	
(Name) Resource Conservation District	(name representative)	date	
Department of Transportation	(name representative)	date	
Emergency management agencies	(name representative)	date	
(Name) Water Districts	(name representative)	date	
Other	(name representative)	date	

Step 3b – Engage Interested Parties

The parties from our community that have shown interest in forest/fire management or may be interested in this CWPP are: 

Interested Parties	Date Invited to Participate	
Fire Safe Councils	date	
Landowners	date	
Recreation organizations	date	
Environmental organizations	date	
Forest products interests	date	
Chamber of Commerce	date	
Watershed councils	date	
Resource Advisory Committees	date	
City Council members	date	
Homeowners associations	date	
Utilities	date	
Other	date	

Step 4 – Establish a Community Base Map

Attached is a base map of the community(s) and adjacent landscapes of interest.  Highlighted on the map are:

•	The inhabited areas at potential risk to wildland fire and include: 
o	(name specific locations that are of concern).   
•	Areas containing critical human infrastructure, such as escape routes, municipal water supplies, power or communication structures, including: 
o	(name specific escape routes, municipal watersheds, utility corridors, etc).  
•	Areas of Community importance, including:
o	(name significant recreation and scenic areas) 
o	(name the landscapes of historical, economic or cultural value) 
o	(name landscapes designated as critical habitat)

After considering the location of the inhabited areas, the critical human infrastructure, and the risk of wildfire, the community has identified on the map, a wildland-urban interface (WUI) zone around the community assets, which in general includes the area within (designate a distance, such as 1.5, 5, 10 or 15) miles from the community or structure.  Natural/man-made barriers have been used to define the boundary of the community base map (e.g. highways, ridgelines, rivers, etc.). 

Step 5a – Develop a Community Risk Assessment

As designated on the base map, the following table lists the associated wildfire risk, as viewed by this (these) community(s).       

Community, structure or area at risk	Fuel Hazard	Risk of Wildfire Occurrence	Structural Ignitability	Firefighting capability	Overall Risk	
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						
     						

Step 5b – Develop the overall community priority

The priority rating reflects the overall risk and the community values. 

Community, structure or area at risk	Overall Risk	Community Value	Cultural Value	Overall Priority	
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					
     					

Step 6a  – Community hazard Reduction Priorities

Based on the results of the community risk assessment, priority ratings have been selected for the communities and areas of community importance.  The community recommendations for the type and method of treatment for the surrounding vegetation are listed in the following table. 

Community, structure or area at risk	Type of Treatment	Method of Treatment	Overall Priority	
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		
     	fire, mechanical (tractor, cable, helicopter), hand labor, chemical, etc	prescribed fire, thinning from below, commercial thinning, sanitation-salvage, etc.		

Step 6b – Recommendations to Reduce Structural Ignitability.

Individuals and the community can reduce structural ignitability throughout the community by taking the following measures.

(List recommendations such as, voluntarily upgrading structures to the new building codes for WUI zones, maintaining 100 foot defensible space around structures, cleaning roofs and gutters annually, etc.)

Step 7 – Develop an Action Plan and assessment Strategy

Federal agencies and private landowners of the vegetation surrounding the identified communities, structure or areas of concern were invited to submit projects that provide protection and reduce risk.  The following table displays a list of projects submitted and the community recommendations.  (The community may also consider and add projects of its own development.)

Community, structure or area at risk	Project	Agency/ Landowner	Funding Needs	Time Table	Community
Recommendation	
     	name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				

The community intends to assess the progress annually and invite Agencies and landowners to submit projects that provide community protection.  Additional projects will be displayed in an update appendix to this plan.

Step 8 – Finalize the Community Wildfire Protection Plan

The (name of this CWPP) Community Wildfire Protection Plan:

•	Was collaboratively developed.  Interested parties and federal land management agencies managing land in the vicinity of [insert community(s) name here] have been consulted.  

•	Identifies and prioritizes areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the types and methods of treatment that will protect [insert community(s) name here].

•	Recommends measures to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the area addressed by the plan.

The following entities mutually agree with the contents of this Community Wildfire Protection Plan: 

							
[insert a name and identify the applicable local government here– add as many lines as necessary]

							
[insert a name and identify the applicable local fire department here – add as many lines as necessary]

[insert Unit Chief’s name here], Unit Chief
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Appendix
Updated Project List

Federal agencies and private landowners of the vegetation surrounding the identified communities, structure or areas of concern were invited to submit projects that provide protection and reduce risk.  The following table displays a list of projects submitted and the community recommendations.  (The community may also consider and add projects of its own development.)

Community, structure or area at risk	Project	Agency/ Landowner	Funding Needs	Time Table	Community
Recommendation	
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				
     	(name)	     				

The following entities mutually agree with the contents of this Community Wildfire Protection Plan update: 

							
[insert a name and identify the applicable local government here– add as many lines as necessary]

							
[insert a name and identify the applicable local fire department here – add as many lines as necessary]

[insert Unit Chief’s name here], Unit Chief
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection