DJ&A collaborated with Ravalli County to update the 2006 version of their Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The County is predominantly rural, containing substantial agricultural and forested lands. The updated CWPP provides the County with a clear assessment of wildfire risk, prioritizes areas for risk reduction, recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability, delineates the Wildland-Urban Interface, enables access to federal funding for wildfire mitigation, and streamlines federal projects within the WUI through the use of Categorical Exclusions for projects meeting criteria defined in the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.

During the CWPP update process, DJ&A facilitated eleven core team meetings, led three open-house public meetings early in the development process, reviewed and addressed comments received during the public review period, and coordinated closely with the core team to ensure that the community’s unique needs were reflected in the CWPP. We also ensured compliance with federal and state requirements. Additionally, we developed a StoryMap using ArcGIS, which was used to keep the public informed throughout the CWPP update and continues to serve as a resource for wildfire hazard and risk information.

Our evaluation of wildfire risk was based on datasets from the 2020 Montana Wildfire Risk Assessment, 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 easy access for public engagement
• 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

• Facilitation of public engagement efforts and comment analysis

Value Added

DJ&A’s experience working with state and federal agencies in Montana helped streamline the CWPP update process, resulting in a final product that meets all regulatory requirements while addressing the County’s unique needs and circumstances. Our expertise in wildfire hazard and risk assessment, combined with our experience in public engagement within rural communities, further contributed to the project’s success.