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Henniker officials present CWPP, prioritize new water sources to improve wildfire response
Summary
At a public meeting, Henniker officials and state wildfire staff described the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) and identified additional water sources — dry hydrants and cisterns — as a top mitigation priority to reduce long hose lays and improve eligibility for federal Community Wildfire Defense Grants.
Fire Chief Jim Morris and state wildfire officials told Henniker residents at a public meeting that the town’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) — now in its final stages after roughly nine months of work — will prioritize adding water sources in hard-to-access locations to improve firefighting response.
"One of the things that will come from the CWPP, we will identify areas where there are needs and, having this plan in place will make the town more competitive for federal grants," said John Neely, community wildfire mitigation coordinator with the New Hampshire Forest Protection Bureau.
Why it matters: Neely and local firefighters said water access is one of the key bottlenecks when fighting remote wildland fires. Panelists pointed to mapped draft sites and cisterns inside the town boundary and marked additional priority locations (shown as stars in their maps) where dry hydrants or cisterns would cut significant travel or hose-lay time during incidents.
Costs and funding: Fire Chief Jim Morris described potential costs and local options during a question-and-answer session. He said a directional-drilling quote to install a dry hydrant at a long-haul site near Pleasant Pond came in at about $35,000. John Neely and other panelists said federal Community Wildfire Defense Grants are available to towns with completed CWPPs and can help cover higher-cost items, though towns are typically expected to provide some local contribution.
Operational impact: District ranger Katie Bowman explained how long hose lays and uphill access complicate response. She said crews sometimes must run "7 and a half bags" of hose (each bag containing four 100-foot lengths) to reach difficult sites and that portable tanks and tanker shuttles are used when fixed water points are unavailable.
Next steps: Organizers said the CWPP will combine mapping, fuel and topography analysis, and community outreach; it also includes offers of voluntary home and neighborhood assessments to help residents create defensible space. Officials invited residents to speak with staff at informational tables after the presentation and noted the CWPP will help the town pursue federal mitigation funding.
No formal votes or binding commitments were taken at the meeting; presenters described planning priorities and funding options and offered follow-up assistance and assessments.
