DJ&A worked with Whitman County to develop their first Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The County is predominantly rural and primarily consists of privately owned agricultural lands. The wildfire risks associated with these lands required innovative strategies to reduce risk while protecting agricultural assets. The CWPP provides a clear assessment of wildfire risk across the County, prioritizes areas for risk reduction, recommends measures to reduce structural ignitability, delineates the Wildland-Urban Interface, enables access to federal wildfire mitigation funding, and streamlines federal projects within the WUI through Categorical Exclusions under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003.

During the CWPP process, DJ&A facilitated 15 core team meetings, led an open-house public meeting in Colfax, WA, reviewed and addressed public comments, and coordinated with the core team to reflect the community’s unique needs while ensuring compliance with federal and state requirements. Public engagement materials, including an informational flyer, supported proactive outreach and participation.

Wildfire risk evaluation was based on the 2023 PNW Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessment, developed by Oregon State University, Pyrologix, state agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, and the Bureau of Land Management. Core team and public input on highly valued resources, assets, and critical egress routes were incorporated into the assessment. DJ&A also reviewed Washington State’s dynamic WUI policy to develop an approach that met both community needs and regulatory requirements. Additionally, we used Community Wildfire Risk Reduction Zone data from the U.S. Forest Service to provide actionable, spatially explicit information for effective wildfire planning and risk reduction.

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 federal agencies and managing complex projects helped streamline the CWPP update process, resulting in a final product that meets all requirements while addressing the County’s unique needs. Our expertise in wildfire hazard and risk assessment, combined with experience in public engagement within rural communities, further contributed to the project’s success.