County seeks public input for wildfire protection plan

Plan aims at community protection

Inyo County Office of Emergency Services (OES), in collaboration with

SWCA Environmental Consultants, the

Whitebark Institute, and Wildland Fire Associates, is seeking public input for the 2024 Inyo County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The review period is scheduled from March 7, 2024, through April 15, 2024.

Inyo County OES, the Whitebark Institute, and SWCA will host a public meeting on April 8, 2024, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the Inyo County Office Building in Bishop located at 1360 N. Main St., Bishop CA 93514. This meeting will also be offered virtually. Please check out the Ready Inyo website, Facebook page, or Instagram for the link to this meeting. All County residents are welcomed and encouraged to attend and participate.

The 2024 Inyo County CWPP is a collaborative effort to enhance the safety and resilience of our community from uncharacteristic wildfires. This plan aims to identify and address vulnerabilities while emphasizing the protection of lives, property, and valued resources.

During this crucial public outreach phase, Inyo County OES seeks the active participation and engagement of Inyo community members. We invite all community members (full and part-time residents, property owners, individuals in the workforce) to review the draft CWPP and accompanying Story Map as well as the Community Risk Explorer (web application) and provide invaluable feedback to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with the unique needs of our varying communities.

The draft CWPP, Story Map, and Community Risk Explorer will be available for review and comment through April 15. To access these items and participate in the review process, interested parties can visit our dedicated website https://inyo-county-cwpp-inyocounty.hub. arcgis.com/. On the website, you will find a comment submission form to submit your valuable feedback.

Officials extend their sincere appreciation to the community members, organizations, and agencies involved in this collaborative endeavor.

For more information, contact Project Manager, Montiel Ayala, at Montiel. ayala@swca.com or Assistant Project Manager, Lia Webb, at Lia.webb@ swca.com. To contact the Inyo County Wildfire Coordinator, Kristen Pfeiler, please email kristen.pfeiler@inyocounty.us.