Wildfire risk is amping up in Western Washington, and Snohomish County is trying to get residents prepared for it.
The County has worked with partners for over a year to develop its first-ever Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The plan helps identify the highest-risk areas, outline recommendations for forest health restoration projects, prioritize areas for wildfire mitigation funding, and educate residents about ways to reduce fire risk at their properties.
The county says that roughly 130,000 people, more than 15% of county residents, live in areas that could see significant risk.
“I don’t think many people, especially people who are out living among the trees, are aware of the resources that might be available to help them address the wildfire risk,” said Lucia Schmit, Snohomish County’s Emergency Management Director.
The county will host two open-house meetings where residents can connect with first responders and other agencies to learn more about simple strategies to reduce risks at home and develop an appropriate wildfire evacuation plan.
Those meetings will be held:
- Thursday, May 15, Stillaguamish Conference Room, City of Arlington Public Works Office, 154 W Cox Ave., Arlington, WA 98223
- Thursday, May 22, Startup Event Center, 14315 366th Ave. SE, Startup, WA 98293
Residents will be able to learn more about short-term strategies, like removing dried debris from a rooftop and moving a firewood pile away from a home, as well as long-term strategies to build more fire-resistant structures.
The county will also stress the importance of wildfire response and evacuation plans.
“Fire is a natural part of the ecosystem, and we’re not going to be able to stop every fire that starts,” Schmit said.
A recent survey of 1,100 county residents found that 34% did not have a wildfire evacuation plan. The survey also showed that concern for wildfires is up. Nearly six in ten respondents said they were “more concerned” or “much more concerned” about the safety of their family, home, and assets from wildfire than they were five years ago.
The county has drilled down into the data to identify some of the highest-risk areas. You can explore your risk level here.
“We’re around 119,000 acres of wilderness butting up to the town,” said Blaire Corson, who lives in Index, one of the areas that has and could see some of the worst risk of wildfires. “There’s a lot of fuel out here, and we’ve had some drier summers.”
Corson, who co-owns the Bush House Inn in Index, had a front-row seat to that risk in 2022, during the Bolt Creek Fire. He stayed behind to help protect structures from fire.
“We wetted down roofs and things to help keep the keep the ash out of the gutters,” he said.
He said the town has taken more steps in recent years to mitigate risks, including changing fireworks policies and adding more wildfire signs, but he hopes people take the time to learn more.
“We need to get more of the public to know and help them prepare for what’s next,” he said.
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