Fire Resiliency & Disaster Preparedness
Forest fire vulnerability is rated the worst community factor (1.9 out of 5 satisfaction). The 2018 Carr Fire burned over 200,000 acres affecting Shasta and Trinity Counties. Forest fires, floods, and Public Safety Power Shutoffs have repeatedly impacted the region in recent years.
Trinity County Perspective
Few issues hit closer to home than fire. With over 60% of district land federally managed — a figure that skews even higher in Trinity County given the Shasta-Trinity National Forest's dominance — wildfire vulnerability shapes nearly every dimension of local life. The 2018 Carr Fire alone burned 200,000+ acres across Shasta and Trinity Counties, and regional survey data rates fire vulnerability satisfaction at just 1.9 out of 5, the lowest of any community factor measured. For a county of 15,600 people with limited emergency infrastructure and long response times, that number should be read as a five-alarm signal.
The actionable upside is real: fuel reduction projects create local jobs while directly reducing risk, and biomass extraction for energy turns a liability into a revenue stream — both priorities that TCDC and county leadership can champion through federal land management partnerships. PSPS events compound the fire problem by disrupting businesses and essential services in already-isolated communities. Regional respondents flagged natural disaster as the top economic threat at 26.1%, and 15.5% identified disaster preparation as an immediate business need. For Trinity County, where tourism and small business drive the economy, coordinated fire resiliency planning isn't just environmental policy — it's economic survival strategy.
High Priority Actions
2Work with local, state and federal agencies and private contractors on fuel reduction
Work with government and large energy providers to reduce Public Safety Power Shutoff events
Challenges
6- Increasing vulnerability to forest fires
- Historic vulnerability discourages residential and commercial investment
- Carr Fire had delayed impact on travel and tourism
- PSPS events disrupt communities and businesses
- Both average temperatures and drought conditions have increased in recent years
- NOAA identifies majority of District land as Exceptionally Dry or Extreme Drought
Opportunities
4- Biomass extraction for energy simultaneously reduces fire fuel
- Fuel reduction projects create employment
- Federal land management agencies are potential partners
- Building economic resilience through coordinated planning
All Recommendations
215.5% of survey respondents identified disaster preparation and mitigation as an immediate need
Ensure land is set aside in adequate amounts and correct locations for environmental protection and sustainability
Supporting Data
6All data points traced to source documents. Click a source badge to view the original report.