Type
Environmental, Community Wildfire Protection Planning
Client
Butte-Silver Bow County
Location
Butte-Silver Bow County, MT
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DJ&A collaborated with the consolidated government of the City and County of Butte-Silver Bow to update the County’s 2005 Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). Predominantly rural, the County contains extensive agricultural and forested lands and has a unique history associated with the mining industry, which presents distinct challenges related to drinking water availability and wildfire risk. The updated CWPP provides a comprehensive assessment of wildfire risk across the County, prioritizes areas for risk reduction, recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability, delineates the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), enables access to federal funding for wildfire mitigation, and streamlines federal projects within the WUI through Categorical Exclusions for projects meeting criteria defined in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.

During the CWPP update, DJ&A facilitated 10 core team meetings, led an open-house public meeting in Butte, reviewed and addressed comments received during the public review period, and coordinated closely with the core team to ensure that the County’s unique needs were reflected. We also collaborated with the County’s GIS department to develop a StoryMap, which informed the public throughout the update process and continues to serve as a resource for wildfire hazard and risk information.

Wildfire risk evaluation relied on datasets from the 2020 Montana Wildfire Risk Assessment (MWRA), developed by the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation and Pyrologix. Input from the core team and the public regarding highly valued resources, assets, and critical egress routes was incorporated into the risk assessment.

Key Services

  • Facilitation of in-person and virtual public meetings

  • Development of an online platform (ArcGIS StoryMap) to document the CWPP process and provide public access

  • Wildfire risk assessment and delineation of the WUI

  • Identification of Priority Areas for wildfire risk mitigation

  • Development of a detailed Action Plan for future implementation

  • Public engagement facilitation and comment analysis

Value Added

DJ&A’s experience working with state and federal agencies on CWPPs in Montana helped streamline the update process and produce a final plan that meets all regulatory requirements while addressing the County’s unique conditions. Our expertise in wildfire hazard assessment and public engagement in rural communities contributed to a highly effective CWPP.