Wildfire Mitigation Action Plans

Fremont County Wildfire will provide to landowners a Wildfire Mitigation plan that is developed for that owners specific property. These plans are prepared at your request to provide objectives for the property, and contain implementation actions to meet the developed objectives. There is no cost for having a plan developed.

The Wildfire Mitigation Plans all have the basic objectives of:

1. Reducing risk and losses from wildfire to the property, including structures.

2. Improve safety for the property owner and first responders.

3. Provided a framework agreement and action plan of work to be completed for the cost-share program. The plan outlines the work that must be completed before reimbursement can occur.

If you are interested in a Wildfire Mitigation Plan for your property, contact Fremont County Wildfire or Wyoming State Forestry Division offices in Riverton. One of the staff will be more than happy to assist you by conducting a pre-plan assessment for plan development. Our staff will go with you on a tour of your property, and discuss various methods you could use to accomplish your objectives for the land and structures. These objectives will provide information about the cost-share incentives and how to accomplish them successfully.

The Wyoming State Forestry Division is administering a grant program through the Fremont County Fire Protection District’s Wildland Fire Management Program (Wildfire – Hazardous Fuels) that may provide cost share funding to create defensible space and reduce fuel loads on private lands.  Participants may be entitled to funds for practices including:

·       Defensible Space: thinning, pruning and fuels removal in a circular area not less than 90-100 feet from the exterior of the residence.

·       Fuel Treatment: thinning and pruning areas other than the defensible space.  Spacing of leave trees shall follow the recommendations of a stewardship or Wildfire Mitigation Plan.  Green and dead fuels both are evaluated at the site.  Slash shall be piled and burned in the winter or removed to an area slash pile.

·       Fuel Breaks: the exterior boundary and both sides of the roads within fuel treatment areas shall have all slash removed from the site. Slash shall be piled and burned in the winter or removed to an area slash pile.

The cost-share agreements are possible to assist landowners with the costs of implementing recommended fuels reduction activities.  The costs of completing the activities are turned into the Wildfire Hazardous Fuels Coordinator and up to 50% of the project cost may then be paid back to the landowner.  The program allows homeowners to do the work themselves and charge an hourly rate for in-kind services or to hire a private contractor to accomplish the tasks outlined in the Wildfire Mitigation Plan.

For further information, contact State Forestry at (307) 856-8655 or Fremont County Wildfire – Hazardous Fuels at (307) 857-3030.

Do you have beetles? (download this pdf for helpful information)