Community Wildfire Protection Plan

 MASON COUNTY COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN

In February of 2015, the Mason County Rural Fire Authority was awarded a grant for $18,000 for the preparation of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for Mason County. The funds were authorized and awarded by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Mason County Emergency Management coordinated with the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission (WMSRDC) to lead the planning process, conduct meetings, collect local input, and author the plan. This plan has been designed to meet and exceed the requirements of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA) of 2003.

The purpose of a community wildfire protection plan is to engage communities, gather public input, and represent the community’s voice when fire management decisions are made at the state and federal level. The coordinated fuels reductions projects include state and federal lands to affect the safety of entire communities down to the neighborhood level. The CWPP is a plan that also allows for cohesive community wide fuel reduction projects with community participation and support.

For the complete Mason County Wildfire Protection Plan (click here)

For additional information visit the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Firewise Communities Program Firewise website at http://www.firewise.org/.  The Firewise Communities Program was devel­oped in 1986 in response to the realization that the problem of home destruction from brush, grass and forest fires was one of national scope.  The Program teaches residents about the hazards of wildfire, and how they can put simple, smart prac­tices into play around their homes, and encourage neighbors to work together to help prepare for and reduce the risk of home destruction due to wildfires.

For a Firewise Homeowners Checklist (click here).