The extensive wildfires in western Washington that accompanied severe droughts in 2014 and 2015 raised rural King County residents’ concerns that wildfire could overtake their communities.
Members of the Lake Alice community near Fall City are taking steps to prepare for potential catastrophic wildfire, including enrolling in the national Firewise program and bringing in local and state emergency responders and organizations for an emergency planning exercise on April 29th.
The Lake Alice community consists of about 200 homes in a densely wooded area that is served by a single road. The neighborhood is bordered by the much larger Snoqualmie Ridge community, as well as state-owned forestlands and other open space with dense vegetation.
Local and state agencies have identified Lake Alice as being highly vulnerable in the event of wildfire or earthquake. There is currently no emergency management plan to evacuate the residents of this community or those within the Snoqualmie Ridge development.
The emergency planning exercise is set for 9AM to noon in the South Room of the Fall City Fire Station, 4301 334th Pl. SE, Fall City.
Community members will meet with local and state emergency responders to pre-plan a coordinated response to a wildfire emergency in their community.
“This training exercise will give us a well-thought-out evacuation and emergency management plan,” said Lake Alice resident Richard Werlein.
Public agencies participating in the drill include Fall City Fire and Rescue, Snoqualmie Fire Department, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, King County’s Office of Emergency Management, Sheriff’s Office and the Forestry Program, King Conservation District and Seattle Public Utilities.
