Clallam County adopts 2026 wildfire plan as Sol Duc Valley residents warn development raises risk

Clallam County commissioners adopted the County Community Wildfire Protection Plan 2026 during their March 17 meeting, approving the consent agenda by voice vote after residents urged closer attention to wildfire risk in the Sol Duc Valley.

The plan was included in the consent packet and read aloud by the clerk before commissioners moved and seconded approval. Resident Heather Cantua, who identified herself as living in the Sol Duc Valley, told the board she is newly involved because of a proposed Luminary Resorts development and said parts of the valley lie outside Fire District 1, which she described as "an entire volunteer based, firefighting force." Cantua told commissioners the resort proposal includes "30 propane fire pits as well as saunas" and the conditional-use permit did not require developer coordination with the volunteer fire district. "I strongly encourage the commissioners to take a closer look at this wildfire protection plan," she said.

County leaders responded that the community wildfire protection plan (CWPP) is intended to identify threats and community responses rather than to impose land-use restrictions. The chair said the plan is "really focused on what are the threats and what might we be able to do as a community to respond to those threats," adding, "that's not the place where you're gonna find land use restrictions. But I hear your concerns, and I'm happy to talk about them with you." The clerk confirmed the CWPP item was on the consent agenda and the board approved the consent agenda unanimously.

Several commenters during the second public-comment period reiterated evacuation and preparedness concerns, noting past large wildfires and calling for stronger evacuation planning. A speaker with wildland-fire experience urged the commission not to "stop now" on those emergency-planning components and to strengthen evacuation procedures.

What the plan does and what it does not do was a recurring theme: residents sought land-use or permitting changes to require developer coordination with local firefighting resources, while the county emphasized that CWPPs are focused on threat assessment and community response actions. Commissioners offered to meet with concerned residents and encouraged ongoing dialogue as projects move through conditional-use and permitting processes.

The CWPP was adopted at the March 17 meeting; the board did not enact land-use changes at this session. Commissioners and staff signaled willingness to follow up with residents, and the county invited further public engagement as related development proposals proceed.