Community Wildfire Protection Plan

We are working with the Diablo FireSafe Council (DFSC) on the development of an annex to the Contra Costa Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the City of Richmond.

What is a CWPP & Why Should City of Richmond Have One?

A CWPP is a written document, mutually agreed upon by local, state and federal representatives and stakeholders, that identifies how a community will reduce its risks from wildland fire. Community Wildfire Protection Plans are authorized and defined in Title I of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA), passed by Congress November 21, 2003 and signed into law December 3, 2003. This act established unprecedented incentives for communities to take lead roles in community wildfire protection.

Importance of a Richmond CWPP

Sixteen years after the legislation, CWPPs continue to shape wildfire prevention and fuel reduction as they are critical for Federal and State grant funding. Since 2009, DFSC and partners in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties have been awarded over $2.5 million of grant funds and $2.5 million of community match for activities identified in CWPPs.

Reasons for developing a Richmond Annex to the Contra Costa Countywide CWPP include:

• Identification of community wildfire concerns and potential solutions.
• Coordination with neighboring jurisdictions and land managing agencies.
• Grant funding opportunities at the Federal and State levels.
• Background for future code updates to incorporate wildfire safety into retrofit, infill and new development within the City.

Timeline [download]

• Phase I: Kickoff and Local Assessments, May 22, 2019 [view minutes]
• Phase II: Projects & Priorities, July 31, 2019 
• Phase III: Action Plan and Assessment Strategy, August 21, 2019
• Phase IV: Plan Review, October 4, 2019 & Circulate Draft of CWPP (October 2019)
• Finalization: Anticipated November 2019