Community Input Needed for Wildfire Protection Plan
Photo by National Park Service- Glacier National Park.
Alaska’s Division of Forestry (DOF) held an informational meeting February 17 at the Kenny Lake Community League Hall to start the estimated 16-month-long process of developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the Kenny Lake area.
According to a meeting handout, a CWPP “consists of an individualized community assessment that identifies values, risks, elements of community protection already in place, and an action plan of measures that can be taken to reduce the threat and impact of wildland fires.”
Once a CWPP is created, it will allow organizations in the community to apply for grants, such as the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) grant, to fund the projects outlined in the plan.
“We’re just doing the framework so it’s there,” Michael Trimmer, Valdez/Copper River area fire management officer, said. “And then folks can apply that have the workforce and capability to do that at will.” He listed Ahtna, Inc. and the fire department as examples of potential grant applicants.
Eligible projects include things like cutting firebreaks and creating defensible spaces around structures and other areas of value identified in the plan, improving roads and access for fire equipment and vehicles, clearing around power lines, investing in equipment such as pumps, sprinklers and hoses, as well as community outreach and education programs.
“If it’s a concern of the community spelled out in the CWPP, it can be followed up with a WUI grant,” Trimmer said.
Jenny Moser, a wildland fire resource technician with the DOF, began the meeting with an overview of the process, which starts by gathering input from community members on how defensible they think their space is, how prepared they think their community is for wildfire, and what their concerns are regarding fire preparedness.
That input is combined with statistical information on the area, such as population, emergency response capabilities and fire history, to create mitigation and action plans. Moser said those two plans will outline the goals and priorities identified by the community and recommend projects and actions that will help achieve those goals.
The CWPP is one of several steps that Kenny Lake needs to take in order to become a nationally recognized Firewise Community; a designation only three other Alaskan communities currently hold: Kennicott/McCarthy, Horseshoe Lake and Ester Lump.
Although the primary focus of the meeting was on the Kenny Lake area, Moser said more than 10 communities in the Copper Valley have been identified as needing to update an existing plan or create a new one. She also reminded attendees that communities don’t need the Firewise certification to create defensible spaces and become more prepared for wildfire.
“It’s an effort that individual landowners take on … we don’t have to actually be labeled a Firewise Community to still have the benefits of being Firewise,” Moser said.
Moser said after input is received, the DOF will hold a second meeting to present the findings, ask for feedback, and start discussion about potential solutions to the issues identified.
The meeting was livestreamed on YouTube, and a recording of it can be found on the Copper River Firewise Facebook page or YouTube channel.
Both Moser and Trimmer emphasized how important community input is to the process and overall success of the plan.
When asked what individuals and organizations can do to help, Moser requested that community members complete a five-minute online survey regarding wildfire preparedness and contact her or Trimmer directly with any additional input they might have.
Questions and comments can be sent to dnr.dof.vcra@alaska.gov. To fill out the community survey, visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/R5ZJ25F.
Article by Amanda Swinehart