Before tree thinning.
Before and after photos of tree thinning work done at Strawberry Hill Park, 2024
As wildfire risks continue growing across the Pacific Northwest, the Park District is taking proactive steps to protect our community and our cherished green spaces. In partnership with the Bainbridge Island Fire Department, the Park District Natural Resources Department has developed a comprehensive wildfire response protocol to minimize fire risks and improve response times.
A key strategy in wildfire management is the creation of “fuel breaks”—strategically reducing vegetation to slow a fire’s spread both vertically (into the tree canopy) and horizontally (across the forest floor). These fuel breaks are particularly important along park boundaries, where fires could spread to or from surrounding areas. By creating these breaks, we can buy valuable time for firefighters to respond and contain the fire before it grows out of control.
In addition to fuel breaks, the Park District is actively engaged in forest thinning, which reduces the fuel load by removing unhealthy or highly flammable trees and thinning those near park boundaries to make fire breaks more effective. These strategies help reduce the overall risk and keep our parks safer.
To guide these efforts, the Park District uses advanced tools like ArcGIS, allowing us to analyze the island’s topography, slopes, and other factors influencing fire behavior. This data helps us identify high-risk areas and prioritize mitigation actions where they are most needed.
“BIFD and the Park District staff have worked closely to coordinate preparedness and mitigation efforts to ensure our priorities are in alignment. The Park District is doing a great job making progress to ensure a safer environment from wildfire,” said Jared Moravec, Bainbridge Island Fire Chief.
While we are actively working to reduce the risk of wildfires, it’s important to remember that most wildfires on Bainbridge Island are started by human activity. Simple, preventable actions—like improperly discarding cigarette butts, leaving hot vehicle tailpipes unattended, or neglecting to monitor bonfires—can easily lead to ignition.
With your support, we can continue to keep our parks and community safe. By staying vigilant and following fire safety guidelines, we can all help protect Bainbridge Island from the dangers of wildfire.