CWPP Update – It doesn’t have to be us…

By Jody Dickson, CCCFPD CWPP Implementation Committee

Last month, I compared our wildfire risk to those of some of the biggest and most damaging fires of the recent past.  Part of my message was that even though we live with this risk, we can do something about it.  Of course there are no guarantees for the outcomes we want, but we increase our odds for better outcomes by doing the work.  For me, those better outcomes are more physical safety for ourselves, neighbors and firefighters; more structures that survive exposure to a wildfire; and a resilient healthy forest that can thrive after a fire.

As we have shared previously and as the CWPP details (in a mere 280 pages!), there is a lot of work we can be and need to be doing. The beauty of it is that there is something that each of us can do. We each have unique skills and experiences that we can contribute to this work.  We each have different priorities and motivations for what work we want to see done. We have already seen these differences in the development of multiple organizations dedicated to wildfire mitigation as well as in the different approaches to the work by our local Community Ambassadors.

The CWPP Implementation Committee met in January and agreed to some target activity for 2025:

• Hire a capacity resource that gets paid to help us achieve the objectives established in the CWPP

• Start a Highway 72 project, our top priority recommendation

• Support the Community Ambassadors and their activity, including in the acquisition of grants

• Increase slash disposal opportunities

• Update our website

• Build a resource library of videos

• Recruit more participation in wildfire mitigation activity.

The above list is quite ambitious, but I love that buried in it is a wide variety of tasks that could be fulfilled by a wide variety of people and organizations.  For every skill, there is a task on one of the above projects.  If you have a skill or if you want to develop a skill, this is a great opportunity for both.  There are “desk” jobs, and there are jobs out in the field.  Even if you have physical limitations or are unable to leave your home, there is something you can do. This is what I mean by if we work together toward something different, we can make a different outcome for ourselves.  There is a lot of work to do, and we do need your help.  

If this work is important to you, if you want to see us build a more resilient forest and community, then please join us in this work. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 minutes a week or 10 hours a month. Everything we do helps and gets us one step closer to safety, health and resiliency for our community.  Let us know if you want to help with any of the above efforts or if you have your own ideas.  We are happy to pair you with impactful activity that is happening throughout the Coal Creek Canyon community (or beyond) that suits (or builds) your skills and helps deliver the specific outcomes that you want to see for our community.

I’ve been working on various forms of wildfire education and mitigation for 14 years. This isn’t the first time that we have asked for help, but I know that many people are looking for ways to contribute. We have many opportunities in our area, and we all need your help!

If you want to help or if you have any questions please contact your Community Ambassador or us at CWPPforCCC@gmail.com. Thank you, again, for your fantastic support and activity to make Coal Creek Canyon an amazing place to live.