The Wildfire Safety Advisory Board voted unanimously June 4 to adopt its updated 2025–2027 strategic plan, which retains four priorities and adds clearer objectives, associated actions, milestones, and key performance indicators.

Chair Jessica Block moved adoption of the update; the motion passed 7-0. Board members said the spreadsheet-format plan is intended to be an operational tool: it reframes prior progress statements into objective statements, lists actions and milestones for each objective, and names KPIs for quarterly tracking.

The plan’s four priorities are: (1) deepen collaboration with the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety and external partners; (2) actualize the board’s mission in coordination with OEIS; (3) retain and develop staff; and (4) create structures and practices for successful implementation. Staff and the strategic planning committee updated objectives to be outcome-oriented and added actions and milestones that staff will report against throughout the year.

Mark Wenzel, staff, said the plan includes specific measures such as a board/staff satisfaction survey on communication frequency and depth, use of board member networks to support staff development, and a rubric to guide implementation tracking. He emphasized that the spreadsheet is deliberately practical: "The plan keeps the 4 priorities. It updates the objectives, and then each of those objectives now has an associated actions and milestones," staff said.

Board member Haynes commended the planning work and the consultant-supported process that helped the board refocus after pandemic-era disruptions. "I turn to you and applaud your effort for recognizing in 2023 that we were struggling to be able to emerge from the pandemic," Haynes said, noting the planning work helped the board prioritize statutory obligations and improve efficiency.

The motion to adopt included an instruction to add the board’s mission and vision statements to the top of the spreadsheet; staff agreed to incorporate that content. The board will receive quarterly updates on plan progress and will work with the strategic planning committee on any needed adjustments.

Less critical details: staff noted a recently hired senior policy adviser will start June 23 and that staff capacity increases (from two to four staff) underlie the board’s ability to implement the plan more fully.