What We Do
Our Services
Trainings & Strategic Facilitation
As national experts in land use planning and wildfire, CWPC assists local government agencies, non-profit organizations, and others in conducting trainings and facilitating discussions to advance understanding on topics related to the wildland-urban interface, planning, fire behavior, and wildfire risk reduction.
Project Examples:
Land Use Planning for Wildfires Trainings
CWPC partners with CAL FIRE to provide introductory trainings for land use planning and fire professionals across California. Trainings focus on wildfire planning concepts, including key terms, state minimum requirements for wildfire plans and regulations, resources, and best practices for reducing risk in the wildland-urban interface. These all-day trainings also facilitate peer learning and interactive group activities.
Read more about our trainings »California Wildfire Convenings
CWPC collaborated with The Nature Conservancy and University of California Cooperative Extension to co-host a series of four virtual wildfire convenings in California. Each convening brought together land managers, urban planners, fire professionals, and researchers to explore innovative land use planning approaches that can reduce wildfire risk to communities.
Read the full summary »Technical Assistance
Navigating the complexities of planning in the wildland-urban interface is challenging. CWPC helps communities understand wildfire risk and leverage the array of planning-related tools, requirements, and resources available to address pre- and post-fire impacts.
Project Examples:
WUI Planning Assistance
Jefferson County, Colorado is engaging CWPC through a grant-funded process to provide land use planning and wildfire expertise. CWPC undertook a review of the County's existing land use planning and regulatory approaches, analyzed gaps, and identified improved policy or regulatory opportunities that can further reduce risk to people, property, critical infrastructure, and other elements of the built environment.
Wildfire Resilience Recommendations for New Housing Development
CWPC worked with the Yampa Valley Housing Authority to provide wildfire resilience recommendations for the Brown Ranch development near Steamboat Springs. Over the next several decades, a significant portion of the Brown Ranch will be developed into dense, urban neighborhoods and commercial uses and incorporating wildfire risk reduction strategies will be a key feature of the community.
Explore Brown Ranch community planning documents »Research and Planning Resources
Conducting research and providing resources provides critical information to communities to make informed and data-driven WUI planning decisions. CWPC's research and guidance focuses on land use planning tools to reduce wildfire impacts, post-fire recovery, and other WUI-related topics. Many national and local resources are also available under CWPC's Planning Hub.
Project Examples:
Fueling Adaptation
CWPC is collaborating with the USDA Forest Service, Portland State University, and other research organizations to look at how federal investments to reduce wildfire risk through the Wildfire Crisis Strategy can have the greatest impact for local communities. Research is being conducted in ten initial WCS landscapes and is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
WUI Planning Guide
CWPC developed the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Planning Guide for the California Governor's Office of Planning and Research. This guide complements the Fire Hazard Planning Technical Advisory as a resource for communities wanting to learn more about planning tools and best practice examples from across California.
Download the guide »Home Assessment Programs
Property assessment programs based on home ignition zone science can reduce damage to homes and their immediate surroundings during a wildfire. These programs empower residents to take direct action on their properties. CWPC has developed the technology to power property assessment programs by providing the database, mobile application, and other data collection and management tools that link and organize assessment data.
Project Examples:
REALFire
Our signature property assessment program is REALFire®, and is being implemented in Eagle County through the Eagle County Sustainability Communities Department and is supported by the Vail Board of REALTORS.
Visit REALFire website »Wildfire Prepared
REALFire® powers similar programs, including the Elk Creek Fire Protection District and Inter-Canyon Fire Department's Wildfire Prepared program, which is being implemented in regions of Jefferson County, Colorado.
Visit Wildfire Prepared website »