First Batch of Area Wildfire Protection Meetings Is Over

• Review Session Slated for January

BY BILL KOENEKER

The initial round of meetings on the proposed Santa Monica Mountains Community Wildfire Protection Plan between residents and agency members to draft site specific plans for various neighborhoods has wrapped up, according to organizers.
More meetings are planned for 2010, when a large forum to review all of the maps created to date will be held on Jan. 9.
The next set of meetings, including the large workshop, are designed to allow those residents who were unable to attend the meetings in October and November an opportunity to add their input.
During the past sessions, since October, participants were encouraged to take part in a series of mapping and a brainstorming exercises dealing with a particular geography, vegetation cover and neighborhood concerns in their region.
Details for the upcoming meetings can be found at tinyurl. com/SMMCWPP.
The Jan. 9 forum will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Juan Cabrillo Elementary School.
The second series of meetings will be focused on Malibu’s western beach communities, central beach neighborhoods, eastern beach areas, Point Dume, Corral Canyon, Liberty Canyon/Lost Hills and Calabasas.
Malibu and mountain residents can now access an online mapping exercise similar to the exercise offered at the community forums. Residents can download it from the project website at forevergreenforestry.com/SMMCWPP Maps.html.
The website contains a simple survey form and map to print, which participants can use to mark up. The form and map can then be mailed in or scanned and submitted by email.
The project website also contains a new page of fire safety information for residents of the Santa Monicas, including much of the information shared at the public meetings.
Organizers say one of the biggest differences between this forum and others is the public is directing the information. The advantage is that agencies are taking that local knowledge and applying science in order to come up with the best possible site-specific plans for living with wildfire.
“The public is supportive because this process involves them and they contribute to finding solutions,” states a press release issued by organizers.
Agencies participating in the protection plan include Los Angeles and Ventura County Fire Departments, City of Malibu, National Park Service, Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, California Department of Parks and Recreation, California Fire Safe Council and the U.S. Forest Service.
The draft document will be available for public review in April 2010, and the final plan is expected in June 2010.