Board approves update to Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors today approved an update to the county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, which provides critical information to understand wildfire risks, identifies fuel-reduction areas and lists risk-reduction projects. 

The Community Wildfire Protection Plan was developed using a collaborative approach to understanding wildfire risks and listing potential wildfire risk reduction projects throughout unincorporated Sonoma County. The last time the Community Wildfire Protection Plan was updated was in 2016. 

The Community Wildfire Protection Plan Update serves as both an educational and a planning tool. It provides statistical data about wildfire risks, vulnerable populations, and risk reduction strategies to assist government, nonprofits and community groups seeking to implement projects to help protect their communities. 

"I am proud to support the adoption of the updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan as another important resource in our ongoing work to build resiliency in Sonoma County," said Supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors. "By incorporating this plan into our broader hazard mitigation strategies, we are prioritizing the safety of our residents and the preservation of our environment." 

The Community Wildfire Protection Plan hub website was designed to provide key data to help local groups. The hub hosts an interactive map-based Wildfire Risk Index, the Community Wildfire Protection Plan Project Entry Portal, the current Sonoma County Community Wildfire Protection Plan Project List, information about risk reduction strategies, grant opportunities and links to local community wildfire protection plans. 

The Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2023 Update was developed by Permit Sonoma with input from a multi-agency stakeholder steering committee, Fire Safe Sonoma, Cal Fire, fire agency personnel, community organizations, members of the public and leaders from throughout the county. The Community Wildfire Protection Plan provides tools to help county residents create risk reduction projects that will have the highest benefit to protect lives, property and the environment. 

County staff hosted 13 virtual meetings to solicit public input on the plan, along with two meetings in each supervisorial district. Staff also facilitated three countywide meetings for review of the second draft of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan, including one in Spanish, with interpretation available at the others.  

With the approval of the Community Wildfire Protection Plan by the Board of Supervisors, the plan will be administratively incorporated into the Sonoma County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, Sonoma County annex. The Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan is a science-based collaborative plan to implement natural hazard risk reduction projects throughout the county. The plans also will be incorporated by reference into the upcoming update of the General Plan Safety Element.  

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Media Contacts:  
Bradley Dunn, Permit Sonoma Policy Manager  
Bradley.Dunn@sonoma-county.org 
(707) 321-0502 
2550 Ventura Ave. 
Santa Rosa, CA 95403 

Stuart Tiffen, Communications Specialist 
stuart.tiffen@sonoma-county.org
(707) 565-1860
575 Administration Drive, Suite 104A
Santa Rosa, CA 95403