Commissioner Franz Expands ‘Wildfire Ready Neighbors’ Across Central Washington to Protect Homes, Properties from Wildfires
News Date: 
October 12, 2022
   

Initiative connects residents with experts, resources, and tools to take action to prepare for wildfire

 
Following a late wildfire season that saw the lowest number of acres burned in a decade, Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz, along with residents, community leaders, and local fire districts, announced the fall expansion of Wildfire Ready Neighbors in Kittitas, Klickitat, and Okanogan counties. The initiative provides homeowners, renters, and private landowners access to expert advice, free resources, and tools to help prepare for wildfire year-round.
 
To mark the expansion of the program, Commissioner Franz traveled to Kittitas County’s Pineloch Sun community – a neighborhood at high risk of wildfire.
 
“Wildfire Ready Neighbors is part of the comprehensive strategy to better prepare our communities,” Commissioner Franz said. “Everyone can become more wildfire-ready, and this initiative is meant to meet the needs of every resident, whether they are already on the road to preparedness or are just becoming aware of the need to take action.”
 
Since launching in 2021, Wildfire Ready Neighbors is now active in seven counties: Chelan, Okanogan, Spokane, Yakima, Kittitas, Klickitat, and Stevens. To date, more than 3,800 Washington residents have received a free custom Wildfire Ready Plan and committed to taking more than 19,000 preparedness actions on their homes and properties.
 
Wildfire Ready Neighbors builds upon existing efforts to encourage community engagement with renters, homeowners, and small forest landowners. Across Washington, Wildfire Ready Neighbors is bringing communities together to take collective action by:
  • Driving residents in high-risk counties to assess risks and take steps to make their homes and properties more wildfire ready.
  • Raising awareness and interest in receiving a free wildfire ready plan and home visit or forest health consultation.
  • Building understanding of local/state resources and contractors available to assist with risk reduction activities.
“As we’ve all witnessed this year, wildfire seasons in Washington are becoming much longer and more severe—so much so that, at the Department of Natural Resources, we no longer refer to it as a ‘season,’ but rather a fire ‘year,’” Commissioner Franz said. “In total, 1,872 fires burned 674,249 acres in Washington state last year, the second-most wildfires in a year in our history. The time for all of us to take action is now.”
 
Despite the worsening length and impact of fire seasons, community-based wildfire resilience efforts and increased resources are proving a vital contributor to reduced losses in high-risk areas. This year to date, just over 140,300 acres have burned around Washington state, the fewest number of acres burned in a decade.
 
At a recent press conference, Commissioner Franz highlighted the multiple, year-round factors at play in fighting fire. 
 
“A combination of DNR equipment, aerial firefighting assets, personnel, partnerships with other agencies, as well as a wet and rainy spring that delayed the start of this year’s fire season contributed to our success,” Commissioner Franz said.
 
To join Wildfire Ready Neighbors and get a free customized plan, community members can sign up at WildfireReady.com. Residents can also request a no-cost consultation where a wildfire expert will visit their property and develop a detailed action plan for wildfire preparedness. The plan includes steps they can take immediately and information about local resources and contractors to help get them started.
  
For more information, visit: WildfireReady.com or wildfireready.dnr.wa.gov
 
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