Wildfire Prevention
Making our preserves firesafe
Managing our preserves to reduce risk of high-intensity fires protects the safety and health of our communities and wildlife.
Removing fuels, creating fire breaks and introducing frequent low intensity burns reduces risk of large fires and boosts habitat health.
Our Conservation Land Bank is actively managing our preserves to lower the risk of devastating wildfires.
Photo: Tending slash piles at Westside Preserve
“The Land Bank protects and makes accessible so many of our islands' special places. They also work to improve the habitat health and wildfire resistance of the Land Bank lands and waters.”
— Janet Alderton, Orcas Island
Why I Support the Land Bank
Explore Wildfire Prevention
In Washington, about 85% of wildfires are human-caused, so protecting land from development immediately lowers fire risk. Except for its farmed preserves, Land Bank preserves are maintained as natural areas. In addition, camping and fireworks aren’t permitted.
Photo: Turtleback Mountain Preserve on the dry west side of Orcas once had the potential for 79 new homes
Conserving Land Reduces Risk
In 2022, the Land Bank completed several small-scale forest demonstration projects on Turtleback including thinning small trees and burning slash piles. Interpretive walks explained the process, with the goal of increasing the public’s comfort with seeing more active management in the future. The outreach and education may also inspire projects on private property.
Photo: The Island Conservation Corps (ICC) crew works within a demonstration project area
Public Outreach
A shaded fuel break is a carefully planned reduction of dense trees and brush that extends on the side of the roads and trails. Shaded fuel breaks balance the benefits of shade (more soil moisture and lower air temperatures) with a reduction in “ladder fuels” that can promote fire spread.
Photo: Shaded fuel break along a Land Bank trail
Shaded Fuel Breaks
Some non-native plants are highly flammable. Managing plants like Scotch broom, Himalayan blackberry and cheatgrass can reduce fuel for fires.
Photo: Removing highly flammable non-native Scotch Broom
Reducing Flammables
The Land Bank uses the opportunity for fire risk reduction to score more wins for forest health and habitat. Leaving downed wood, creating snags, planting native plants and scattering or chipping smaller branches to increase organic matter on the forest floor all improve habitat.
Photo: Rainshadow Consulting’s tracked chipper
Habitat Enhancement
An additional benefit of the Land Bank’s forestry work is the carbon-rich biochar that remains after burning piles. In this ideal medium, and without competing vegetation, native seeds and plugs get off to a good start. Thinning forests also increase sunlight to support wildflowers which, in turn, support pollinators.
Photo: Island Conservation Corps members plant native plants in burn scars