Wildfire Resilience

When it comes to wildfire, do you think of Whidbey Island? Most minds would venture east of the mountains, but with growing awareness of the effects that drought-prone summer seasons play in our wildfire ignition potential, we partnered with Firewise USA, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Central Whidbey Island Fire and Rescue District, North Whidbey Fire & Rescue District, South Whidbey Fire & EMS, Island County's Department of Emergency Management, Washington State Parks and local communities to begin risk assessments and action planning for wildfire resilience.

Check DNR's Wildfire Map

How We Can Help You

Our staff supports residents and communities with expertise in forest health and stewardship, structure and wildland fire protection, and facilitation and community building.

Free Home Assessment visits that look at the exterior, landscaped, and forested portions of your property and discuss ways to proactively address wildfire hazards
Support for communities pursuing the Firewise USA program. This national recognition program provides a proven model and action steps to encourage community-wide collaboration in wildfire preparedness. Learn more about how your community of 8+ homes can get started with Firewise USA.

Request Assistance to get started!

“My sense is that this has shown how many hands can work together, and that taking care of where we live generates connection among neighbors. Firewise embraces action steps for safety and prevention, while fostering an increased appreciation for the beauty of where we live.”
-Teri Jo Summer Reiger, Coupeville

King 5 News Visits Whidbey

In April 2021, King 5 news' Glenn Farley visited one of our Firewise USA certified Communities, who represent neighbors working collaboratively and proactively together to reduce their wildfire risk and adapt to the natural fire regimes of Whidbey Island .

Fuels Are What Matter

The fire behavior triangle. Credit: © Oregon State University

Wildfire behavior is influenced by three main factors: topography (lie of the land), weather (wind speed, relative humidity and ambient temperature) and fuel (vegetation and man-made structures). In the event of extreme wildfire behavior, extreme weather conditions are normally present. These conditions include extended drought, high winds, low humidity, and high temperatures; coupled with excess fuel build of dead and dry vegetation material. The areas' topography influences the fires' intensity and rate of spread.

Of the factors impacting fire behavior, fuels are what we can most easily manage.

Debris like dead leaves and pine needles left on decks, in gutters and strewn across lawns can ignite from embers. Ladder fuels present a hazard for homes located next to contiguous forest. Fire moving along the grounds surface can “ladder” into shrubs and low hanging tree limbs to create longer flames and more heat. Once fire reaches the tree canopy, it becomes more difficult to control and more likely to spread embers.

Horizontal vs. vertical arrangement of fuels. Credit: © Oregon State University

If your home has flammable features or vulnerable openings, it can also serve as fuel for the fire, and become part of a disastrous chain of ignitions through landscaping and structures. The home ignition zone is defined as the home and its immediate surroundings up to 100 feet.

Firewise educates homeowners about the science behind wildfire, and empowers them with tools to take proactive steps to reduce their risk. Check our resource library for helpful guides for both adults and kids.

wildfire risk on Whidbey

Fuels, prevailing winds, and topography are the key factors in determining a home’s ignitability during a wildfire incident. On the west side of Whidbey, communities tucked within forested areas along the dry, bluff zones receive prevailing westerly winds in summer. Central Whidbey receives significantly less precipitation in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains. In the summer months drier, fine fuels coupled with high winds and steep slopes increase the wildfire risk to our rural residents as well as those living in the wildland urban interface (where urban communities border forested and working lands).

Communities & property in central Whidbey are more at risk

The Olympic Rain Shadow leads to less rain & drier conditions

the science behind home ignition

Learn about the science behind wildfire from Jack D. Cohen, United States Forest Service. No one has done more to define the wildland-urban interface problem and empower homeowners to reduce their risk of wildfire than Jack Cohen. His post-fire field examinations and laboratory-based research on fire dynamics led to the concept of the home ignition zone, a phrase he coined.

WHIDBEY FIREWISE© COMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS

Residents (from L to R) Lisa Peters, Teri Jo Summer Reiger, and Melanie Beckstrom accept Pondilla Estates' Firewise USA recognition signs.

Pondilla Estates

The Pondilla Estates community in the North Whidbey Fire & Rescue District (NWIFR) in north Coupeville was recognized in August 2020 by the National Fire Protection Association as a Firewise USA site, and Island County's third nationally recognized community! Since March of 2019, the community worked with WICD, CWIFR, and Washington DNR to accomplish the five steps to become a nationally recognized site. This small community of over 30 homes and 60 residents is excited to continue to inspire wildfire preparedness many years into the future.

Board Chair of WICH, Ted Case, receives the community's Firewise signs and plaque from Kelsi Mottet, Coordinator of the Firewise Program.

Campers Haven

Whidbey Island Campers Haven in the Central Whidbey Island Fire & Rescue District (CWIFR) in north Coupeville was recognized in November 2019 by the National Fire Protection Association as an official Firewise USA site, and Island County's second nationally recognized community! Now, their community of over 60 campers are more wildfire prepared and aware than ever, thanks to the efforts led by Joy Page and the Whidbey Island Campers Haven board and members. Check out their local recognition on page 10 of the Whidbey Weekly October 8, 2020 newspaper.

Sierra Country Club's Firewise Committe (from left to right) includes Fran Hand, Diane McClaine, and Lynne Scapple.

Sierra Country Club

The Sierra Country Club community in the North Whidbey Fire & Rescue District achieved their official recognition in May of 2018, after hosting a Community Wildfire Preparedness Day event that brought together over 30 residents who spent over 60 hours of volunteer time removing 1,380 pounds of potentially ignitable fuels from trees and shrubs on community property. Their community remains in good standing through regular outreach to their over 400 residents in 200+ homes on wildfire preparedness tips and resources, and pairing their wildfire preparedness efforts with the community's Emergency Response Committee.

Learn about the Kirkconnell family's journey toward better stewardship of their forest for wildfire resilience through active thinning and pruning.

Landowner Spotlight:
The Kirkconnell Family of South Whidbey

Check out the story of the Kirkconnell family as they learn about and adapt their 5-acre forested property for promoting its health and wildfire resilience. Read the Whidbey Weekly article here, originally published in May 2020 as part of Washington's Wildfire Awareness Month.