Title
Chief Administrative Office, Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience, at the request of the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council, recommending the Board accept the Western El Dorado County Community Wildfire Protection Plan and authorize the Chair to sign the plan signifying receipt and review.
FUNDING: N/A
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The 2003 Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) provided statutory incentives for the United States Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to give consideration to the priorities of local communities as they develop and implement forest management and hazardous fuel reduction projects. In order for a community to take full advantage of this opportunity, it must first prepare a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The CWPP identifies areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommends the type and measures of treatments that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructure. The CWPP has become recognized as an important document by State and other organizations, including CAL FIRE and the California State Fire Safe Council, when approving grant funding for fire safe councils.
The El Dorado County Fire Safe Council (EDCFSC) prepared the original CWPP for El Dorado County in 2017 which included 16 associate fire safe councils under their umbrella. The current update prepared by the EDCFSC now includes 24 associate fire safe councils and additional project activities. The CWPP has been reviewed by the Office of Wildfire Preparedness and Resilience and the document will serve as an important resource for El Dorado County during the development of the Countywide Wildfire Protection Strategy.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board may choose not to accept the CWPP. Without acceptance, the El Dorado County Fire Safe Council and its associate councils may not be eligible for grant funding from federal and state agencies and other organizations. This could jeopardize critical vegetation management projects, including the chipping program and defensible space program for seniors, veterans and low-income residents.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
The original Western El Dorado County Community Wildfire Protection plan was agreed to by the Board on March 28 2017, on Consent Calendar Item #17-0148.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
N/A
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Accept the plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities - Lead and facilitate the creation and maintenance of fire adapted communities.
Public Safety - Encourage and support through policy and resources the pursuit of local, state and federal private and public funding opportunities to support the public safety mission in prevention and intervention.
CONTACT
Sue Hennike, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer