Local counties and emergency managers are working with the Nebraska Forest Service to update the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) adopted in 2015 by six north central Nebraska counties. This plan is a wildfire-specific resource that coordinates with area emergency and hazard mitigation plans.
Landowners and others in counties with a CWPP can apply for federal and state cost-share funds for local woody fuels reduction and other hazard mitigation efforts within the CWPP region. There is no cost to counties.
The North Central Nebraska CWPP, part of a statewide network of CWPPs, assists communities in gathering resources, evaluating wildfire risk, and identifying strategies and mitigation actions to reduce overall vulnerability to wildfire events. This CWPP encompasses the entirety of Boyd, Brown, Cherry, Holt, Keya Paha, and Rock counties and the fire districts located within them.
Over the next several months, planners will review the 2015 plan, update outdated information, add any new topics that have emerged, and delete material that is no longer pertinent.
Community participation is welcome throughout the update process. Everyone who works with land management, fire, and community preparedness—particularly counties, local fire districts, natural resources agencies, as well as the general public—is encouraged to provide input on wildfire concerns.
The 2015 CWPP can be viewed or downloaded at https://nfs.unl.edu/documents/CWPP/NorthCentral.pdf. For further information or to provide comments, email sbenson4@unl.edu or call 402-684-2290.