Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of wildfires across California, and there is an urgent need for wildfire preparedness and response in Ventura County, California. Simultaneously, historically-excluded communities disproportionately lack access to resources and services to prepare for and recover from wildfires. As a result, they have a heightened risk of human suffering and property loss in the event of wildfire.
In collaboration with the Ventura Regional Fire Safe Council, our project identified communities most at risk of wildfire impacts in Ventura County and to help inform the update to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan so that it equitably addresses community needs.
We developed a model that local governments and organizations can utilize to address social equity concerns in the wildfire planning process. Our goal was to demonstrate effective methods for developing an accessible wildfire management plan that engages impacted residents to reduce local wildfire risk and increase community resilience with implications beyond Ventura County.