Community Wildfire Protection Plan

CWPP Next Steps

The Santa Rosa Fire Department is now focused on exploring sources to fund the projects identified in the plan -- learn more here. Identified projects begin on page 100 of the CWPP.

Background on Development of Santa Rosa's CWPP

Community Workshops
The Santa Rosa Fire Department hosted three community workshops in 2019 to gather input and feedback for the CWPP during the months of July and August. View the CWPP WORKSHOP PRESENTATION and WORKSHOP FLYER.

Additionally, several maps were displayed at the community meetings to help inform residents and guide the discussion. The maps can be viewed by clicking the links below:

Handbook & Supplemental Guide

The following resources helped guide stakeholders and community members with creating Santa Rosa's CWPP:

Preparing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan - A Handbook for Wildland–Urban Interface Communities (MARCH 2004): This Handbook is intended to provide communities with a concise, step-by-step guide that will be used in the development of a CWPP. It addresses, in a straightforward manner, issues such as who to involve in developing a plan, how to convene other interested parties, what elements to consider in assessing community risks and priorities, and how to develop a mitigation or protection plan to address those risks.

COMMUNITY GUIDE to Preparing and Implementing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (AUGUST 2008): This Guide is a supplement to the above Handbook and identifies a number of lessons learned, additional information and advice on specific areas.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)?

A CWPP is a community-based plan focused on identifying and addressing local hazards and risks from wildfire. A CWPP determines what is at risk and provides a roadmap of actions for a community to address the wildfire threat.
A CWPP may open up federal funding opportunities to implement the plan.
CWPP’s are authorized and defined in Title I of the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA), passed by Congress in 2003 (https://www.fs.fed.us/projects/hfi/field-guide/web/page07.php).

What is required in a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)?

A CWPP can vary in scope, scale, and detail, but must meet three minimum requirements for their contents and adoption per the Healthy Forest Restoration Act and the State of California. These requirements include:

Collaboration - A CWPP must be collaboratively developed. Local and state officials must meaningfully involve nongovernmental stakeholders and federal agencies that manage land in the vicinity of the community.
Prioritized Fuel Reduction - A CWPP must identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel-reduction treatments on both federal and nonfederal land and recommend the types and methods of treatment that, if completed, would reduce the risk to the community.
Treatment of Structural Ignitability - A CWPP must recommend measures that homeowners and communities can take to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the plan area.

What area of the City does the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) cover?

The CWPP addresses the City of Santa Rosa Wildland Urban Interface areas as identified by the Fire Department in 2009. A map of the WUI area can be found at srcity.org/WUI

Because wildfire is not specific to jurisdictional boundaries, the CWPP hazard and risk analyses area will include a 2 mile buffer around the City Wildland Urban Interface area to evaluate its impact on the City.

Actions identified within the CWPP may include collaborative projects with Sonoma County and the City of Santa Rosa. However, as a local plan most actions will be focused on the City Wildland Urban Interface areas.

How was the development of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) funded?

In June 2018 the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department received a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Hazard Mitigation Grant to update the 2016 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP). The CWPP will be added as a Wildfire Annex to the 2016 LHMP.

What are some advantages of having a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)?

It assesses the wildfire hazard and risk to a community.
It helps communities identify values/assets and how to enhance protection to those assets in case of a wildfire. Assets at risk are unique to each community and can include homes, roads, other structures and infrastructure, wildlife habitat, or even the view.
It provides the opportunity for the community to identify their local wildfire hazard mitigation priorities and actions within the Wildland Urban Interface.
The CWPP process has proven effective at building and strengthening relationships in communities and organizations, strengthening relationships among agencies and providing visibility for organizations and individuals.
Producing viable action times that result in the creation of other projects. e.g. a project identified in the CWPP might involve clearing of vegetation along major evacuation routes. This may result in a neighborhood recognizing their need to clear their roadways to provide evacuation safety.
The CWPP will guide the City in prioritizing projects and where the City can take action to reduce the wildfire threat in ways that are reasonable and acceptable to the community’s way of life.
Actions based on your community’s wildfire hazard and risk analyses reduce the wildfire threat to human life, homes, neighborhoods, businesses, and other community assets.
An important outcome of the CWPP process is building effective working relationships between agencies and the stakeholders.
Fuel-reduction projects identified in a CWPP are eligible to receive priority for funding and implementation by federal agencies.
Fuel hazard reduction projects identified in a CWPP that require California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance can be expedited.
A CWPP can identify community-level projects, e.g.: clearing vegetation from major evacuation routes; creating community chipping programs; or developing plans for fuel hazard reduction treatments around a community.
A CWPP requires actions to be identified that reduce the structural ignitability of buildings to survive a wildfire.

How will the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) address existing City policies and build on other City of Santa Rosa Plans?

The CWPP will be consistent with the objectives and policies set forth in the City of Santa Rosa’s General Plan and other related Plans. In addition, it will build upon and be included as a “Wildfire Annex” to the 2016 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

How does the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) address California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)?

The CWPP itself is not a project under California Environmental Quality Act. It is merely a guidance document and does not make decisions for City actions. Instead, the CWPP will serve to guide the preparation of specific action decisions in an Implementation Plan(s).

How does the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) address environmental conservation measures?

The CWPP addresses environmental conservation measures at a programmatic level and builds on policies in the City of Santa Rosa General and related Plans. The CWPP is a guidance document and therefore does not address site specific fuel treatments and related impacts.

How will the actions identified in the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) be implemented?

Following City Council approval of the CWPP, City staff may proceed with preparing Implementation Plans. The Implementation Plans should identify the specific actions and steps needed to implement those actions. Any actions that require site specific treatments to address wildfire hazard in City-owned lands may require environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act and permitting.