We need your help to pass a flexible Wildland Urban Interface Code

Western Screech Owl | Photo by Ken Shult | Audubon Photography Awards

by Joshua Morris, Urban Conservation Manager

We need your help today to pass Engrossed Senate Bill 6120 concerning the Wildland Urban Interface Code.

What is ESB 6120?

Engrossed Senate Bill 6120 would require the Washington Department of Natural Resources to develop a statewide map of wildfire risk that communities could use to reduce loss of life and property from wildfires.

What is it important?

Wildfire risk is different in each community across the state. And even though we in the Seattle area live in the most intensely urbanized part of Washington, our communities are not invulnerable to wildfire. Thousands of structures in Seattle are in close proximity to high-density vegetation that poses a wildfire risk, especially as our summers get hotter and drier due to climate change.

However, it is important that other city-wide environmental and developmental goals are incorporated into how we manage fire risk. ESB 6120 would provide communities with sufficient flexibility in which portions of the Wildland Urban Interface Code they adopt so that we can reduce conflict between, for example, tree canopy growth goals and defensible space requirements that could reduce trees and vegetation in some areas. 

How can you help?

Write to your state legislators! Go to this site https://app.leg.wa.gov/pbc/bill/6120, indicate that you support ESB 6120, and share a comment like this: 

 I support Engrossed Senate Bill 6120 concerning the wildland urban interface code.

I live in Seattle, a very urbanized part of Washington, yet my community is not invulnerable to the risk of wildfire. Thousands of structures within my city boundaries are adjacent to high density vegetation, and we need regulations to protect life and property from wildfires.

However, defending against wildfire in an area of high intensity development like Seattle will have different challenges and advantages than in other places across state. And each community in Washington will have different developmental and environmental goals that need to be considered along with WUI regulations to assess for and reduce possible conflict. 

I appreciate the important standards ESB 6120 would establish for construction in high wildfire hazard areas, and we also appreciate the flexibility it would provide to communities for assessing and managing wildfire risk. We believe this is a good approach to develop localized WUI regulations appropriate to the unique conditions and needs of each community. 

I ask for your support of Engrossed Senate Bill 6120. 

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