Skamania County
Community Wildfire Protection Plan
Resources
Final Signed CWPP Document
March 27th, 2026
Underwood Conservation District, Skamania County officials, fire districts, and a wide variety of partner organizations have recently finished a plan aimed at developing momentum behind wildfire mitigation and preparedness.
The new Skamania County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) can be found here: www.ucdwa.org/skamania-cwpp-2025-resources, and was written over the past two years to identify and develop actionable projects that mitigate potential wildfires, fire district by fire district.
“Wildfire is becoming an increasing concern for local communities.” said UCD Director Tova Tillinghast. “With this CWPP, Skamania County and its hard-working volunteers and professionals can take strategic next steps in implementing useful projects to prepare and protect us all from the next wildfire.”
Skamania County previously had half a dozen CWPPs, one per community, written 15 or more years ago. The updated, county-wide plan is the result of multiple partner meetings and conversations involving county commissioners, authorities from every fire district and department in the county, USFS personnel, The Ember Alliance, Underwood Conservation District, the Washington Resource Conservation & Development Council, and Washington Dept. of Natural Resources.
The plan is comprehensive and wide-ranging with context that includes studies from wildfire risk models, county and wildfire history, wildfire behavior, and wildfire response resources. The CWPP will serve as a working document because conditions are always changing, making the need for regular revisiting and updating.
The heart of the document is a list of projects to mitigate wildfire risks and strengthen preparedness and response around the county. (For a condensed list of high-priority projects, see pages 95-98; for a complete list, see pages 111-128.) These projects range widely, from increasing firefighter recruitment to additional forest thinning near residential areas. While nothing in the plan creates a new requirement or mandate, the intention of the plan is to document needs and provide support for future wildfire mitigation projects and grants.
Meanwhile, members of the public can take meaningful action to prepare for wildfire, such as:
· creating a “go-bag” and emergency evacuation plan – including for family members who need additional assistance, and for pets and livestock
· volunteering for their local fire district or department
· strengthening their home’s defensible space (for free advice on that, sign up for a no-obligation assessment: www.wildfirereadyneighbors.com
· limb up trees and remove flammable brush around a house (potentially using UCD’s Spring 2026 mobile chipper service to chip up the pile(s): (www.ucdwa.org/current-news/ucd-mobile-chipper-service-spring-2026-session)
· and for small communities, neighborhoods or HOAs, getting organized into “Firewise USA Communities,” which brings both awareness and small grants – at least through the end of June (email UCD’s wildfire resilience team to find out more: fire@ucdwa.org).
Public Survey Results (Nov.-Dec. 2024)
Past CWPP Project Lists
North Bonneville - beacon Rock
Skamania County HMP 2021
City of North Bonneville — North Bonneville Fire Department — Skamania School District 2 — Stevenson-Carson School District 303 — Port of Skamania
Beacon Rock CWPP 2009
Greater Stevenson
Skamania County HMP 2021
City of Stevenson — Stevenson Fire Department and Fire District 2 — Stevenson Community Library — Stevenson-Carson School District 303 — Public Hospital District 1 — Cemetery District (Iman and Stevenson)
Greater Stevenson CWPP 2009
Greater Wind River
Skamania County HMP 2021
Fire District 1 — Mill A Fire Department — Mill A School District 31 — Stevenson-Carson School District 303 — Public Utility District 1 — Port of Skamania — Cemetery District (Berge, Eyman, Old Carson, and Saint Martin)
Greater Wind River CWPP 2007
Little White Salmon CWPP 2008
Swift Reservoir
Skamania County HMP 2021
Fire District 6
Swift Reservoir CWPP 2007
Underwood
Skamania County HMP 2021
Fire District 3 — Public Utility District 1 — Cemetery District (Chris Zaba Underwood
Underwood CWPP 2008
West End
Skamania County HMP 2021
Fire District 4 — Mount Pleasant School District 029-931 — Cemetery District (Belle Center)
West End CWPP 2007