Gambrill Park Road Wildland/Urban Interface Community

Gambrill Park Road Wildland/Urban Interface Community
The Challenge
With the continued expansion of the Wildland/Urban Interface—that zone where residential development intermingles with wildland fuels—the dangers and destruction associated with wildfire are an increasing risk. For this reason, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Forest Service, as part of the Potomac Watershed Partnership, has chosen the Wildland/Urban Interface on which to focus outreach and education efforts on wildfire. As part of this outreach, several key communities that are at especially high risk have been targeted to receive outreach materials.
The PWP Solution
The Gambrill Park Road community is one of our targeted communities, consisting of 108 homes spanning the crest of Catoctin Mountain. Steep slopes containing large tracts of forested land, with an abundance of both heavy and flashy fuels, flank the community. The dangers presented by a wildfire in this area are of increasing concern. A program of outreach and education has been developed and implemented here, to teach homeowners about wildfire in this area. Outreach materials from various federal agencies and the “Firewise” program, along with materials developed by the Maryland DNR - Forest Service, were distributed to each home to educate homeowners and their families on the behavior of fire in our area and how to protect themselves and their homes by reducing wildfire occurrence, burning debris properly, and creating defensible space. A homeowner meeting was held to enforce comprehension of these concepts and application of these practices. To further minimize the potential impacts of a fire, a Wildfire Response Plan was written for the Gambrill Park Road Community and distributed to local fire departments. This plan can also be seen online at www.gambrillparkwildfire.com.	The destruction that a wildfire can cause in the Wildland/Urban Interface.
Looking Ahead
The ongoing goal of this outreach is to create a “Firewise” community in which all of the homeowners understand the risk of wildfire and take the responsibility to prevent it and mitigate its effects.