Cooperative Agreement L25AC00508

THE BLM COMMUNITY WILDFIRE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ASSISTS LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN PREPARING FOR WILDFIRE EVENTS AND SUPPORTS THEM IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS. THE PROGRAM INCREASES PUBLIC TRUST BY ENHANCING OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH STATES AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE PROGRAM WORKS TO ESTABLISH FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES BY PROMOTING COMMUNITY AND HOMEOWNER INVOLVEMENT IN PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING ACTIONS TO MITIGATE THE RISK POSED BY WILDFIRE, EMPHASIZING PROACTIVE WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION ACTIONS, AND ASSISTING LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN MITIGATING WILDFIRE RISK TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. COMMUNITY RESIDENTS AND ORGANIZATIONS ADAPT TO WILDLAND FIRE THROUGH CAPACITY BUILDING AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CITIZEN-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THAT LESSEN LOCAL VULNERABILITY TO THE WILDLAND FIRE THREAT.THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SERVES AS THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE BLM FUELS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM AND OUR NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES, ADDRESSING THE WILDLAND FIRE THREAT ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES AND PRESENTING OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK TOGETHER BENEFITTING BOTH THE AGENCY AND THE RURAL COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. THE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ENABLES THE BLM TO PROVIDE A QUALITY SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC. COMMUNITIES IN FERGUS COUNTY WILL BENEFIT FROM ALL ASPECTS OF THIS PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM, AS WILL THE NATURAL RESOURCES ON BLM LANDS.THE COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ENABLES THE BLM TO PARTNER WITH MEMBERS OF COMMUNITIES, IMPROVE DIALOGUE AND WORK TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS. PROJECT GOALS ALIGN WITH THE BLM COMMUNITY ASSISTANCE STRATEGIC BUSINESS PLAN TO EDUCATE, ASSIST, AND PARTNER WITH COMMUNITIES AND COOPERATORS TO LIVE SAFELY AND COMPATIBLY WITH WILDLAND FIRE, IN PURSUIT OF THE NATIONAL COHESIVE STRATEGY GOALS.1.COMPLETING NUMEROUS NEW WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION PROJECTS TOTALING ABOUT 35 ACRES ANNUALLY OF FUELS TREATMENT IN FERGUS COUNTY. TOTAL ACRES TREATED OVER 5 YEARS WOULD BE ABOUT 175 ACRES.2.CONDUCTING COMMUNITY OUTREACH TO RESIDENT ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION IN FERGUS COUNTY.3.TIMELY UPDATES TO THE COMMUNITY WILDFIRE PROTECTION PLAN (CWPP) TO REFLECT NARRATIVE DESCRIPTIONS AND GRAPHIC MAPPING REPRESENTATIONS OF COMPLETED PROJECTS AND LOCATIONS.4.RISKS WILL BE REDUCED FOR FERGUS COUNTY RESIDENTS, FIREFIGHTERS, OTHER FIRST RESPONDERS, AND RESOURCES IN THESE TREATED AREAS.5.THE LOCAL COMMUNITY WILL BECOME MORE AWARE OF FIRE BEHAVIOR AND ACTIONS THEY CAN TAKE TO REDUCE FUTURE THREATS.6.COMMUNITIES WILL BE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE WITH RISK REDUCTION MEASURES THROUGH LESSONS LEARNED IN FERGUS COUNTY.7.A MORE EDUCATED PUBLIC TO LEAD MEANINGFUL CHANGE BASED ON THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF WILDFIRE RISK, SOLUTIONS THAT LESSEN LOCAL VULNERABILITY TO WILDFIRE THREATS, AND STRATEGIES ON HOW TO LIVE SAFELY AND COMPATIBLY WITH WILDLAND FIRE.8.GREATER PARTNERSHIPS AND IMPROVED DIALOGUE WITH COMMUNITIES AND COOPERATORS TO ACHIEVE COMMON GOALS ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE, SPECIFICALLY THOSE RELATED TO THE NATIONAL WILDFIRE COHESIVE STRATEGY (ESTABLISHING FIRE ADAPTED COMMUNITIES THAT CAN WITHSTAND WILDFIRE, RESTORING AND MAINTAINING LANDSCAPES RESILIENT TO FIRE- RELATED DISTURBANCES, AND IMPROVING WILDFIRE RESPONSE).