NORTHERN (R1) AND INTERMOUNTAIN (R4) REGIONS COMMUNITIES AT RISK Background Information Most states completed the standardized process or a comparable process for identifying communities at risk, and 11, 376 communities were identified in the vicinity of federal lands. States and tribes submitted names of 22,127 communities, which included communities in the vicinity of lands managed by the Departments of Agriculture and the Interior and communities in the vicinity of state and other lands. For those in the vicinity of federal lands, 1,864 communities have projects planned near them. Additional funding is necessary to make an impact on the remaining communities. Most communities submitted by the states and tribes are eligible for funds appropriated to State & Private Forestry programs within the Forest Service, regardless of the communities' relationship to federal lands. The revised list offers several insights into the national scope of the wildland/urban interface communities. For the complete list of "Communities at Risk", dated Friday, August 17, 2001, see the Federal Register. This information better illustrates the relationship between federal lands and the interface problem in the United States. This list will provide an important tool for use at the state level to focus attention on vulnerable areas, and to aid state and federal agencies in collaborative efforts to work in areas of local importance and where opportunities are most conducive to reducing risks on a meaningful scale. Because a number of communities submitted by the states are not published here, it must NOT be assumed that the list portrays a complete national picture of the wildland/urban interface areas at risk for all land ownerships. The information contained in the revised list helps interagency groups of land managers at the state and/or tribal level to collaboratively identify priority areas within their jurisdictions that would benefit from hazard reduction. The revised list offered an opportunity to partner with states and tribes, which is a central feature of the National Fire Plan. Developing relationships with partners has resulted in more comprehensive information that better reflects the relationship between federal lands and the interface problem in the United States. This collaborative effort to identify communities at risk from wildfire has more clearly demonstrated the wildland/urban interface problem across the United States. In many states, this process fostered important steps in federal, state, and local cooperation to identify areas of concern and planned actions. Many states will continue the collaborative process with federal agencies and tribes, to better focus hazard mitigation efforts and set priorities for communities at the state and local level. Working together is a long-term investment, and the listing process was just one of many joint projects. Project implementation will involve federal land management agencies, state foresters, tribes, and communities in planning and implementing wildfire hazard risk reduction projects, carrying out FIREWISE projects, and identifying local contractors for thinning, reforestation, or other National Fire Plan projects. During the listing process, there were several concerns raised by the states about the process. The FY 2001 Appropriations Act for the Department of the Interior and Related Agencies requires only the listing of communities in the vicinity of federal lands. Listing only those communities does not adequately portray the extent and complexity of the issue. Wildland/urban interface issues need to be dealt with on a state level basis, not just in the vicinity of federal lands. Great concern has been noted on how the list will be used. There are concerns that the list will be used to allocate funds and firefighting resources without regard to other factors – this is untrue. There is a perception that completing a project in the vicinity of a community at risk will fully mitigate the hazard. Hazard mitigation for many communities will require significant effort through multiple projects, and must be an ongoing multi-year process. Northern Region Map Intermountain Region Map Frequently Asked Questions ABOUT COMMUNITIES AT RISK Contacts: Janet Anderson-Tyler, Branch Chief - Cooperative Fire (202)205-1494   janderson03@fs.fed.us Dick Bahr, Fire Management Program Center, National Park Service (208)387-5217   dick_bahr@nps.gov Updated January 2004

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