Wildfire Resilience

Wildfires can burn vast areas and cause extensive damage to the landscape by destroying large tracts of wildlife habitat and depleting and/or displacing many plant and animal populations as shown above in photos from the Pearl Hill Fire. Although fire is needed and beneficial in the shrub steppe, the frequent high-intensity burns experienced in recent years pose a major threat to the flora and fauna of the region. The shrub steppe ecosystem has evolved the ability to adapt and recover from low-intensity burns over longer intervals, but is not equipped to handle the unprecedented conditions of multiple large-scale fires at shorter intervals.

Wildfire Learning Modules:

FCCD has developed the below Wildfire Modules to provide a resource for individuals and agencies interested in learning more about fire mitigation in the shrub steppe and how communities can become better fire adapted.

Module 1

An Introduction to the Shrub Steppe Ecosystem

Community Wildfire Protection Plan:

In collaboration with South Douglas Conservation District and a dedicated team of partners, FCCD has worked to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for Douglas County. A CWPP identifies areas at risk for wildfire, makes recommendations for fuels reduction, prioritizes areas for wildfire mitigation funding and makes recommendations for property owners and others to reduce fire risk.

Fire-Resistant Plants for Eastern Washington

This guide is presented by the Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in partnership with the US Department of the Interior, Washington State University, and Cascadia Conservation District. It provides landscape design recommendations, including fire-resistant plant species and maintenance principles that can help you protect your property.

Click to view as a PDF on your browser. If you'd like a physical copy in English or Spanish, contact us at FCCD.