Mason County officials discuss funding for updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Randy Marshall, Mason County fire marshal, told the Board of County Commissioners that the county needs an updated Community Wildfire Protection Plan and asked commissioners to discuss funding a new plan through a request-for-proposals process. Marshall said the county's 2012 CWPP, prepared by a university class, is "no longer recognized because of its age" and does not reflect the county's growing wildfire history.

Marshall defined a CWPP as "a comprehensive plan designed by a county" that combines a community risk assessment, mitigation recommendations (fuels reduction, forest-restoration work), and community preparedness and response guidance. He told commissioners CWPPs are prepared with stakeholders including public-utility districts, tribes, fire districts, conservation districts, cities, homeowners' associations and Firewise groups.

Marshall cited the county's increase in reported incidents (from 17 in 2010 to 154 in 2021) and described several large recent fires, including the McEwen fire (232 acres), the Tunerdale fire (80 acres), Bear Gulch (described as more than 200,000 acres) and others. He said suppression costs to date for recent incidents exceed $43 million and warned of broader economic effects: reduced tourism during fires and the potential for insurers to nonrenew or cancel homeowner policies as risk models change.

On cost, Marshall reported he had discussed recent CWPP contracts with a vendor and said a project in today's dollars would likely run between $150,000 and $200,000, depending on outreach scope and deliverables such as a project web page. He told the commission that because CWPP strategies take years to implement, "If we're to minimize this threat that's growing, we need to act now."

Commissioners and staff discussed funding options and timing. Several commissioners urged pursuing grants as the first option; Marshall and staff noted prior grant applications (including a 2023 federal Community Wildfire Defense Grant) had been unsuccessful. Commissioners expressed concerns about the time required for grant cycles and suggested alternative approaches: issue an RFP to determine exact cost, seek cost-sharing with PUDs or private industrial partners, and leverage material already prepared in Jefferson and Kittitas counties or the county's hazard mitigation plan (chapter 10) to reduce consultant work and cost.

No formal motion or vote was recorded. Commissioners indicated interest in issuing an RFP to determine a firm cost estimate, then pursuing partner contributions and grant opportunities depending on the RFP results.