Hyde Park staff brief council on lapse of wildfire preparedness plan; $3,500 participant contribution expected

Hyde Park city staff told the City Council on Jan. 22 that the city’s Community Wildland Fire Protection Plan (CWPP) expired at the end of 2024 and that the city is currently being grandfathered while a new statewide contract template is prepared. The city will need to participate in a new cooperative wildland fire agreement to remain eligible for cost coverage if wildland fires spread to state or federal lands.

The CWPP documents the community’s wildfire interface risks, local resources, mitigation and education activities. City staff said Hyde Park’s interface along the East Bench makes participation important because the city could otherwise be responsible for suppression costs when fires move onto state or federal land.

Marcus (City staff) and Brian (staff member) described typical participant contributions and options for meeting the requirement. Brian said Hyde Park’s participant contribution “is just above $3,500 for 02/2025,” and that the city historically meets the contribution through in‑kind work such as volunteer trail and cleanup projects, posting and monitoring fireworks‑restriction signage and similar mitigation activities. He recommended continuing the in‑kind approach next year, citing ongoing projects including the Bonneville Shoreline Trail work and planned brush truck upgrades that will add equipment and pump capacity for local response.

City staff also briefed the council on a five‑year community risk assessment process that must be completed before the city applies for many grants. Marcus said Bragg (the contractor) will prepare the assessment and staff will schedule a public meeting to gather input. Councilmembers asked whether the documents will be available online; staff said the current online version has not yet been released but the final documents will be posted when Bragg publishes them.

Staff noted two administrative changes in how CWPP participant contributions are reported: the prior contract separated education, mitigation and equipment; the new agreement removes that separation, making in‑kind reporting simpler. Councilmembers asked how volunteer time is valued; Brian said the program recognizes volunteer participation at an average of $32 per volunteer hour for reporting purposes.

There was no formal vote on the CWPP at the Jan. 22 meeting. Staff said they will return with the completed contract template for council approval once the Bureau of Land Management or the administering agency issues it.

Ending: City staff emphasized the CWPP and the five‑year risk assessment as prerequisites for some future grant funding and urged continued documentation of volunteer hours and mitigation activities. Staff will present the finalized agreement for council action once the template is available.