Communities in the Snoqualmie National Forest near Gold Bar and Index may be better prepared for fire season next summer after completing their first ever draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The plan intends to strengthen the foundation of collaboration and cooperation in wildfire prevention, mitigation, resilience, and response. It identifies shared community values at risk from wildfire and outlines actions community members can take to become more resilient to the growing wildfire threat.
The plan defines the risk to life, community values, property, critical infrastructure, the environment, and the economy from wildfires in District 26 and identifies mitigation strategies and actions to:
- Reduce the likelihood of a wildfire occurring or spreading in the community.
- Reduce the impacts and losses to property and critical infrastructure.
- Reduce the negative economic and social impacts to the community.
The new Community Wildfire Protection Plan finished its public comment period at the end of July and should be formally adopted in the coming months.
Fire District 26 partnered with Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources to learn how to better share resources, training opportunities and understand each agency's capabilities prior to fires starting.
The central Puget Sound region has been meeting federal air quality standards overall for the past several years. Smoke from nearby fires presents an anomaly that impacts our air quality. Fire prevention could become an important factor in air quality maintenance in the future.