Climate change and ongoing drought make wildfires in the ACFL and across Fidalgo Island increasingly likely, and limited local firefighting resources mean outside help may not arrive quickly. Because the Anacortes Fire Department is responsible for wildland fire management in the ACFL, it should lead prevention efforts, hazard‑shutdown decisions, and evacuation planning, with the Forest Plan simply referencing this role and linking to AFD’s Wildland Fire Management Plan. Stronger partnerships with regional agencies could create a coordinated Fidalgo Island Fire Fighting Consortium, and the City should work with DNR to install modern fire‑detection technology such as a PANO system on Mt. Erie. AFD, DNR, and PSE should jointly assess fire‑risk areas and develop mitigation strategies, and during high‑fire danger days, AFD and APD must be ready to close ACFL access and conduct fire‑watch patrols. A major fire would threaten homes, public safety, wildlife, and property values, potentially driving up insurance costs, so the City and AFD need creative, collaborative, proactive wildfire‑planning strategies now—before a catastrophic event occurs.
