Humboldt County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

  1. Introduction to the CWPP
  2. Implementation
  3. CWPP History

Maintaining a Community Wildfire Protection Plan

One of the core responsibilities of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council (FSC) is to oversee the maintenance and implementation of the Humboldt County Community Wildfire Protection Plan. The plan is generally updated every five years and, in order to be certified, it must meet the standards of a CWPP under the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA).

A CWPP, as defined by the Healthy Forest Restoration Act (HFRA), is a plan for a community at risk that:

  1. Is developed collaboratively.
  2. Identifies and prioritizes fuel reduction projects.
  3. Recommends measures to reduce the ignitability of structures. 

CWPP: 2019 Update

The 2019 CWPP is the culmination of two years of collaboration among the members of the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council (HCFSC). In addition to the broad range of fire protection and prevention entities represented by the HCFSC, the CWPP update process included extensive communication and coordination with local fire departments and fire safe councils, state and federal agencies, personnel from various county departments, and the general public. 

This is the third edition of the CWPP. Since 2006, the CWPP has served as the guiding document for the work of the HCFSC and has been an excellent tool for planning and securing funding for numerous projects that have helped local residents and community groups prepare for the impacts of wildfire. Keeping this plan current and actionable is more important than ever as California faces unprecedented losses of life, property, and ecological values to wildfire.

The Humboldt County 2019 CWPP was certified as meeting the three criteria defined by the HFRA by the Humboldt County Fire Safe Council, the Humboldt-Del Norte California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) Unit Chief, the Humboldt County Fire Chiefs’ Association, and the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors. Certification of a CWPP by these entities does not constitute plan adoption or approval but does represent the signees’ agreement that the contents of the plan conform to the three HFRA CWPP standards.

HCFSC members and partners are working together to implement the CWPP using the identified objectives, metrics, and priority action recommendations to meet each of the following six goal areas:

  1. WILDFIRE IGNITION PREVENTION: Reduce human-caused wildfire ignitions.
  2. WILDFIRE PREPAREDNESS: Increase community resilience and adaptation to wildfire.
  3. DISASTER PREPAREDNESS: Increase residents’ ability to effectively prepare for and survive wildfire.
  4. FIRE PROTECTION: Support fire protection for people, property, communities, and natural resources.
  5. RESTORATION OF BENEFICIAL FIRE: Restore beneficial fire at the landscape scale.
  6. INTEGRATED PLANNING: Maximize integration of planning efforts to improve community and ecosystem resilience to wildfire.

2019 Humboldt County 

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Cover Pages and Table of Contents (PDF)

Parts 1, 2, and 3 (PDF)

Parts 1, 2, and 3 represent the main body of the 2019 Humboldt County Community Wildfire Protection Plan; provided here as a single combined document for ease of download and use. Individual downloads of these Parts can be found below. The Risk assessment detail, additional supporting information, and planning unit specific action plans can be found in Parts 4, 5 and 6 below. 

Part 1 – Background and Introduction (PDF)

Part 1 provides an overview of what a CWPP is, why it’s necessary, and its audience. It describes the process used to develop this edition of Humboldt County’s CWPP and delivers a progress report on the actions implemented since the 2013 CWPP.

Part 2 – Risk Assessment Summary (PDF)

Part 2 is a summary of the risk assessment detailed in Part 5, including a table of identified issues and priority needs for each of the four chapters of Part 5. The issues and needs identified in the risk assessment informed the priority actions in Part 3. It is assumed that a basic understanding of local wildfire risks and hazards will inspire Humboldt County residents to prepare for the eventuality of wildfire here.

Part 3 – Countywide Action Plan (PDF)

Part 3 is divided into six chapters based on the goals in section 1.1.2 above. Each chapter identifies a set of metrics and priority actions to meet the goals and objectives of the HCFSC over the next five years. It is designed as the five year, strategic work plan for the HCFSC to guide its actions and measure its success. A more detailed version of each action plan, including potential action steps, is found in Appendix O.  

Part 3 Table of Contents (PDF)

3.0    Countywide Action Plan Introduction (PDF)

3.1   Wildfire Ignition Prevention (PDF)

3.2   Wildfire Preparedness (PDF)

3.3   Disaster Preparedness (PDF)

3.4   Fire Protection (PDF)

3.5   Restoration of Beneficial Fire (PDF)

3.6   Integrated Planning (PDF)

Part 4 – Planning Unit Action Plans (PDF)

Part 4 contains local information on fire risks and preparedness for each of the 14 planning units within Humboldt County; functioning as a “mini-CWPP” for each. Each Planning Unit Action Plan includes a brief introduction to the planning area, discusses its wildfire environment, community preparedness, wildfire-protection capabilities, and evacuation issues and options, concluding with a list of Priority Action Recommendations. Additionally, potential actions organized by the CWPP goals identified in section 1.1.2 above are included in an Action Catalogue for each.

Not sure which one is your planning unit? Take a look at the Fire Planning Units map.

To view an interactive map of features illustrated in the maps linked below visit the CWPP Web GIS Portal.

4.0   Introduction (PDF)

4.1   Orick–Redwood Park (PDF)

4.2   Upper Yurok Reservation (PDF)

4.3   Mid Klamath (PDF) 

4.4   Hoopa (PDF)

4.5   Trinidad (PDF)

4.6   Redwood Creek (PDF)

4.7   Willow Creek Area (PDF)

4.8   Humboldt Bay Area (PDF)

4.9   Kneeland–Maple Creek (PDF)

4.10 Eel (PDF)

4.11 Mad–Van Duzen (PDF)

4.12 Mattole–Lost Coast (PDF)

4.13 Southern Humboldt (PDF)

4.14 Avenue of the Giants (PDF)

Part 5 – Risk Assessment Detail (PDF)

Part 5 describes the planning-area context in a qualitative assessment of the factors that contribute to wildfire in Humboldt County. It explores issues such as structural ignitibility, marijuana production, sudden oak death, and climate change, and their impact to local wildfire risk. It includes detailed information on what is at risk, fire history and behavior, response capacity, and community preparedness in the face of wildfire.

5.1  Assets and Values at Risk (PDF)

5.2  Wildfire Environment (PDF)

5.3  Wildfire-Protection Capabilities (PDF)

5.4  Community Preparedness (PDF)

Part 6 – Appendices (PDF)

Part 6 contains background and supporting information for the rest of the plan. The main body of the CWPP was streamlined as part of this latest update to make it more user-friendly and accessible to a wider audience. However, there are details that the HCFSC did not want to lose; those are now found in the appendices.

A. CWPP Requirements (PDF)

B. Planning Process Details (PDF)

C. Accomplishments Since Last Plan (PDF)

D. Background Information for Assets and Values at Risk (PDF)

E. Background for Wildfire Environment (PDF)

F. Climate Research (PDF)

G. Background for Wildfire Protection (PDF)

H. Living with Wildfire (PDF)

(Appendix H is the second edition of Living with Wildfire. This publication is now in its third edition.)

I. Regulations and Compliance (PDF)

J. Humboldt County State Responsibility Area (SRA) Fire-Safe Regulations (PDF)

K. Public Resource Code (PRC) 4291 (PDF)

L. Acronyms (PDF)

M. Glossary (PDF)

N. References (PDF)

O. Countywide Action Plan with Action Steps

O.1 Wildfire Ignition Prevention (PDF)

O.2 Wildfire Preparedness (PDF)

O.3 Disaster Preparedness (PDF)

O.4 Fire Protection (PDF)

O.5 Restoration of Beneficial Fire (PDF)

O.6 Integrated Planning (PDF)