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4.2 Risk Assessment Evaluation Tools Wildfire risk is a measure of both the probability and consequences of uncertain future wildfire events. For any location within Kittitas County, wildfire risk depends on the chances of a fire occurring there, the likely intensity of the fire, and the vulnerability of something of value at that location. Scientists describe these three components of risk using a triangle where the sides are likelihood, intensity, and susceptibility. These three factors, and the resultant wildfire risk, vary across the county. In this section, we describe tools currently available to assess this risk in Kittitas County. This provides spatial context for where different wildfire management and mitigation strategies will be most effective. By understanding the components that contribute to wildfire risk and engaging in a coordinated and collaborative planning effort, the county can take steps to influence each side of the risk triangle in different ways. For example, prevention measures that reduce human -caused fires can reduce the likelihood of fire occurrence, particularly in areas of human activity. Vegetation treatments focused on reducing fuel loads can reduce the Assets are human -made features, such as commercial structures, critical facilities, and housing that have a specific importance or value. Resources are natural features, such as wildlife habitat and federally threatened and endangered plant or animal species These also have a specific importance or value Generally, the term "values at risk" has previously been used to describe both assets and resources For PNRA, the term Highly Valued Resources and Assets is used to describe what has previously been labeled values at risk There are two reasons for this change in terminology First, resources and assets are not themselves "values" in any way that term is conventionally defined—they have value (importance) Second, while resources and assets may be exposed to wildfire, they are not necessarily "at nsk"—that is the purpose of the assessment intensity of fires that do occur, and efforts to reduce the flammability of building materials and increase defensible space around structures and communities can reduce susceptibility of homes and other structures to wildfire. 4.2.7 Landscape Risk Assessments The assessment used for risk analysis is a combination of local and landscape scales. The landscape risk analysis has been provided by Pyrologix LLC via the USFS Pacific Northwest Research Station in a report, Pacific Northwest Quantitative Wildfire Risk Assessment: Method and Results (Pyrologix 2018) The report covers 1.5 million acres of USFS land in Kittitas County and over 100 million acres in all. The report documents the methodology and results of the USFS Pacific Northwest Region Wildfire Risk Assessment (PNRA). This assessment tool provides foundational information about wildfire hazard and risk to Highly Valued Resources and Assets across the geographic area. This information is used to support decisions related to wildfire suppression, fuel management planning, and resource allocation decisions. It is also critical for developing land and resource management plans. Community Wildfire Protection Plan 31 September 2018