MISSOULA - Following the historic 2017 fire season, the Missoula County Office of Emergency Management has worked with dozens of local, state and federal partners to update its Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The public is invited to provide feedback on it over the next several weeks.
The revised plan and related materials are available for the public to view online at http://bit.ly/MissoulaCoCWPP. The plan incorporates several important updates, including:
• Refined definition and detailed mapping of the wildland-urban interface for Missoula County.
• An updated risk and hazard assessment that aims to better understand and communicate wildfire hazards in the County.
• Strategies to restore and maintain resilient landscapes, such as the applications of prescribed fire and fuel treatments.
• Tools to promote fire-adapted communities in Missoula County to better prevent, prepare for and protect lives during wildfires.
• Updated and refreshed content to better align with national policies and strategies.
“Missoula County, through the Community Planning Assistance for Wildfire program, was able to integrate the best, most current research available into this update,” said OEM Director Adriane Beck. “We’re excited to share it with the public, as this plan will guide Missoula’s efforts to implement a cohesive strategy to improve our ability to respond to wildfires, create fire-resilient landscapes and promote fire-adapted communities across the County.”
A public comment period on the updated plan will run from Thursday, March 8, through Thursday, April 12.
The Office of Emergency Management also will hold an open house from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 22, in Room 151 of the Courthouse Annex, located at 200 W. Broadway St. Participants will have the chance to meet with county staff and other stakeholders, ask questions about the plan and provide feedback during the interactive open house.
The public also can provide feedback by submitting written comments to Beck by email at abeck@missoulacounty.us or by mailing them to 200 W. Broadway St., Missoula, MT 59802. Hard copies of the plan also are available by contacting Beck.
Following the public comment period, Commissioners will consider adoption of the updated plan at a public hearing on Thursday, May 24.
For more information, call Beck at 258-3632 or email abeck@missoulacounty.us.
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