2016-2018
Yakima’s very own Fire Marshal, Jakki MacLean, brought her expertise to the table as a panel member at the 2013 “Washington Wildland Urban Interface Conference” hosted by WRCD. After the success of the event, MacLean proposed the idea of bringing a similar conference to Yakima. The following year, her vision became a reality with the “WORKING TOGETHER – Collaboration for Fire Adapted Communities: Yakima Valley Workshop“, which marked the birth of a county-wide partnership.
Realizing the strength of working together, YVFACC was established in 2014 with one goal in mind – to unite residents, emergency responders, land managers, leaders, business owners, and developers in their efforts to prepare communities for wildfires.
With support from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the coalition developed a comprehensive county-wide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP). The coalition members’ active involvement and unwavering support were instrumental in this process. In June 2015, the CWPP was officially approved and signed by the Yakima County Board of Commissioners and later received the stamp of approval from the Washington Department of Natural Resources.
From 2016-2018, WRCD stepped up to organize and guide discussions with stakeholders. As a result, YVFACC served as a unified force to coordinate efforts between partners and prepare residents for wildfires.
