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National Fire Plan Success Story

Southern Area Hazard Mitigation Project, A Florida Success Story
Florida Division of Forestry
2007

Bulldozer constructing a fireline.
Firebreak construction.

On February 5-9, 2007, a Hazard Mitigation Review team met with personnel from the Florida Division of Forestry (FDOF) and visited several project locations. One of those locations was the Taylor Community. Located in Baker County in northeast Florida, the community of Taylor provides an excellent example of Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) collaboration and cooperation with involvement of the local community, county fire department, U.S. Forest Service, DOF, local news media, Baker County Planning Office, and forest industry.

The community had already completed a community protection firebreak around three quarters of the perimeter of the community, with plans to complete the firebreak around the entire community, develop dry hydrants, and conduct fuel reduction activities inside the protection area.

  • A local church, Taylor Church, was used as a point for community involvement.
  • The Baker County Planning Office has changed building requirements to require a buffer zone between new communities and wildland fuels and to require defensible space between homes.
  • The Baker County Fire Department received a FEMA grant for wildland fire PPE.
  • Taylor Community has invited other communities to attend Firewise training and visit to see what the Taylor Community is doing related to community protection.
  • The University of Minnesota is planning to visit the Taylor Community to conduct a “case study” on Taylor’s CWPP.

In May of 2007, the Florida Bugaboo fire made a run directly toward the community of Taylor. Because of all the work that had already been done, firefighters were able to utilize existing firebreaks and roads to protect the community. Not a single residence was lost!