Monterey Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The Cities of Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Pacific Grove needed a community wildfire protection plan (CWPP) to address increasing wildfire threat. With input from stakeholders, agency representatives, and community members, Dudek developed an integrated CWPP that identifies wildfire risks, prioritizes mitigation strategies, and guides collaborative efforts that protect lives, property, and natural resources while enhancing resilience and supporting funding eligibility for wildfire prevention projects.
Project Facts
City of Monterey Fire Department
Collaboration between the cities of Monterey, Carmel-by-the-Sea, and Pacific Grove, California
8,089-square-mile plan area home to nearly 47,000 residents
Plan strengthens wildfire preparedness, boosts grant eligibility, and builds community resilience by proactively identifying risks and addressing unique local priorities
The Challenge
With wildfires growing more severe and frequent in California, community wildfire protection planning is essential for preparedness, adaptation, and community resilience. The cities of Monterey, Pacific Grove, and Carmel-by-the-Sea needed to craft a plan that addressed each community’s unique priorities and concerns. Of particular concern was the safety challenges posed by narrow roads in older neighborhoods, which complicate building protection and evacuation efforts during emergencies.
The Solution
To inform CWPP preparation, Dudek conducted a Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessment and developed a Community Relative Risk Ranking to pinpoint high-risk community areas. We held in-person community workshops and developed an interactive map and an informative website to encourage local input and discussion.
Our fire protection planners then crafted the CWPP, which defines the community’s physical attributes, identifies wildfire hazards and assets at risk, details strategies for mitigating wildfire risk, lists vegetation and fuel management projects, and establishes specific goals and action items to reduce wildfire threats to the community.
The Impact
The forward-looking CWPP aims to enhance community resilience and protect lives, property, and resources from wildfires. In an uncommon move, three cities collaborated to proactively develop a unified Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This approach strengthens wildfire preparedness, positions the cities to qualify for state and federal grant funding, and serves as a model for other municipalities seeking to build resilience through regional cooperation.
What We Did
- Fire Protection Planning
- Graphic Design and Page Layout
- Outreach and Engagement
- Visual Storytelling
- Wildfire Hazard and Risk Modeling
Next Project
Gaviota Coast Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The Santa Barbara County Fire Safe Council was awarded a CAL FIRE grant to develop a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) for the Gaviota Coast community. Dudek prepared the CWPP, which evaluates the area’s fire environment and identifies vegetation management projects and other actions to reduce wildfire threat.
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