HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021-08-02-minutes-okanogan-wenatchee-national-forest-on-fire-danger08/02/21 MINUTES 1
COMMISSIONERS' MINUTES KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON CONFERENCE ROOM/WEBEX SPECIAL MEETING
MONDAY 2:00 P.M. AUGUST 2, 2021
Board members present: Chairman Brett Wachsmith, Vice-Chairman Laura
Osiadacz, and Commissioner Cory Wright.
Others: Taylor Crouch, Administrative Assistant; Clay Myers,
Sheriff; Chris Whitsett, Inspector; Ben Kokjer, Chief Deputy; Pat
Nicholson, Fire Marshall; Julie Kjorsvik, Clerk of the Board; Carly
Brettmann, Communications Director; and 7 members of the public. SPECIAL MEETING MEETING WITH FOREST SERVICE COMMISSIONERS
At 2:00 p.m. Chairman Wachsmith opened a Special Meeting to discuss
next steps on fire danger in the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
Victoria Wilkins, Public Affairs, USFS initiated introductions from
the Forest Service, and Chairman Wachsmith initiated introductions
from the County.
There was discussion on the topic of closing public lands due to
fire danger. The Board asked if the closures were unprecedented.
USFS said it has happened before but is very rare. The Board was not
in favor of blanketly closing public lands for broad fire danger.
The Liberty area would be an area of concern due to the diseased
forest there. The Board asked USFS to gather more specific data on
where and why fires start before closing any lands. The Board will
work with Carly Brettmann, Communications Director on messaging to
the public on this topic. The County will also provide any data on
complaints received around this topic to the USFS to aid their
decision making. The Board said they would like to keep all options
on the table at this point.
Meeting adjourned at 2:31 p.m.
KITTITAS COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT KITTITAS COUNTY, WASHINGTON
Taylor Crouch Brett Wachsmith, Chairman