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County reviews updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan; consultant recommends public outreach and grants work
Summary
A contractor updated the county’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan, recommending public education, a possible wildland coordinator position and revised community risk ratings that could help secure federal funding.
Eddy County commissioners received a presentation on an updated draft Community Wildfire Protection Plan intended to replace the county’s 2008 plan.
Craig Daugherty, a retired fire chief contracted to assist the county, told commissioners the plan rewrite updates jurisdictions, community‑at‑risk ratings and priority projects. Daugherty said the 2008 plan — prepared by Walsh Environmental Services — was largely still valid but due for the five‑year federal review cycle that supports funding eligibility. He noted the plan documents shifts in vegetative fuels and development that led the draft to lower risk ratings for White City, Loco Hills and Malaga, while Queen retained a high rating.
Chief Josh Mack and Daugherty told the board the plan emphasizes homeowner defensible‑space actions, roadside mowing and interagency fuel management. The plan includes maps showing that most historical fire starts in the county cluster along main road corridors, which supports requests to state transportation authorities for continued mowing as a fire‑prevention measure. The plan also recommends community education (the Ready, Set, Go program), closer coordination with federal partners (BLM, National Park Service at Carlsbad Caverns, U.S. Forest Service) and seeking mitigation grants. Daugherty suggested the county consider creating a wildland coordinator position to pursue grants, lead public education and coordinate fuels‑management projects.
Daugherty told commissioners the plan must be reviewed in three public meetings this week (Carlsbad, Artesia, Queen) and then signed by the county and the state forester, and by federal partners as applicable, before the county can use it to meet pre‑eligibility requirements for federal funding.
Ending: Commissioners did not act on the plan at this meeting; staff will host the scheduled public meetings and return a final plan and signature packet after partner reviews.
Quotes (from meeting transcript): "These plans are, by federal law...they're supposed to be rewritten every 5 years," said Craig Daugherty, the consultant. "Most of those are along your roadsides," he added when describing historical fire starts on main corridors.
