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The national database of state and local wildfire hazard mitigation programs
serves as a clearinghouse of information about nonfederal policies and
programs that seek to reduce the risk of loss of life and property through
the reduction of hazardous fuels on private lands. If
you would like to submit a program to the national wildfire programs database,
please complete the following form (MS
Word).
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Title: |
Washington-Model WUI Ordinance
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Type: |
Regulatory
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Jurisdiction: |
State
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State: |
Washington
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Program Description: |
The Washington State DNR has disseminated a Model Fire Hazard Policies and Development Standards for County and City Comprehensive Land Use Plans for local officials to adopt.
Growth Policy Statement
The Policy Statement was created by Yakima County for its Growth Management Plan. The goal statement reads: "Protect life and property in rural Yakima County from fire hazards." Specific policies include adequate water supplies for fire fighting, fire resistant roofs, underground utilities, fuel breaks around new residential construction, adequate fire fighting equipment, road, culvert, and bridge standards, and residences and driveways clearly marked.
Development Standards
The development standards were developed by the Kittitas County Fire Cooperative, and are pending adoption there.
The development standards recommend using a Wildfire Hazard Rating System to classify a property's wildfire hazard severity using such factors as: lot size, wildland fuels (timber, brush), slope (steepness of ground), aspect (direction of the sun's exposure), climate, and local fire protection services. These factors are combined, and an overall numeric score is given to the property, in one of four separate risk groups: low, moderate, high and extreme.
In the area of vegetation management, the guidelines recommend a minimum 50 foot clearance around new structures in moderate, high and extreme areas, clearing and pruning of dead vegetation, minimum lot sizes of � to 1 acre, and needle-free roofs, valleys & gutters. Other guidelines deal with structural design and materials, road standards, driveways, access, water supply, and solid waste disposal.
Each county is asked to take WUI issues into account in the planning process of their required Growth Management Plan. This has resulted in the passage of local ordinances in several counties, and several more counties are in the planning process. Counties with adopted ordinances are Clark County, Skagit County, Yakima County, and Kittitas County. Counties still in the planning process include: Cowlitz County, Chelan County, and Klickatat County. Key planning areas are based on NFPA 299 and deal with fire-resistant construction, access/egress, water availability, and defensible space. All ordinances deal with new construction. No county has adopted a requirement to retrofit structures constructed before ordinance adoption.
Contact Information
For more information contact Bob Bannon at his email address.
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