After John Sharp and Pat moved to the Mt. Baker neighborhood of Trilogy in August 2017, they immediately began to enjoy the trails and natural setting. However, after hiking in the neighborhood, John became concerned about the high volume of fire “fuel” that was surrounding the trails.
Fire fuel, in this case, consisted of dead trees and other piles of vegetation, presumably left along the walkways to complement the feeling of nature hugging the paths. Unfortunately, this fuel poses a fire threat. That is, combined with heat and oxygen, it enables the spread of fire, whether ignited by natural forces (lightning) or human carelessness (fireworks, smoking).
John wanted advice. He knew that the National Fire Protection Association offered “Firewise” certification to communities that wanted to be proactive in protecting their residents. Firewise features free educational materials and expert support to communities like Mt. Baker/ Trilogy.
In June of 2018 John sent an email to Newland Communities (Tehaleh developer for Master Planned Community), asking for help with what he felt was a huge concern for both Trilogy and for Tehaleh at large. Later that month, John also contacted East Pierce Fire and Rescue Fire Chief Bud Backer. That contact led to a meeting with Assistant Chief and Fire Marshall Chuck King at the end of June.
After some delay, Chuck King contacted Charlie Burns at the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) asking if he would be willing to meet with John. The meeting was scheduled for the end of January, 2019, and John’s neighbors, Gary and Kevin, joined the group to begin work to certify Trilogy as a Firewise community.
The first Trilogy community meeting was held on
February 26. DNR was represented by Ashley Blazina and Charlie Burns.
East Pierce County Fire personnel also attended, along with 37 Trilogy residents. Eleven of those attending offered their assistance in any way needed.
On May 1, 2019 many Trilogy residents attended the public hearing held by Pierce County Planning in Tacoma and spoke in support of better forest management in Tehaleh. In June, Gary and Tom attended the East Pierce Fire & Rescue’s Wildland Team functional training exercise. Local firefighters roamed the Trilogy trails and open spaces, analyzing potential hazards to the community.
In early June, a handful of Trilogy volunteers visited Redmond Ridge community in King County and conferred with Firewise leaders. ((Redmond Ridge is a community similar in design to Tehaleh, but with different challenges regarding land ownership.) The attendees returned home with new ideas and new concerns.
Also in June, the Mt. Baker residents again met with Newland management, which encouraged the neighbors to start a Trail Club to address issues involving hiking trail maintenance and management. The next day Gary sent the local Trilogy builders a draft of the Trilogy Trail Club mission and vision statements.
A second Trilogy community meeting was held in mid June, with 51 Trilogy residents attending. Input from Trilogy residents was varied and helpful. The prospective leadership team discussed the response of the community, and decided how to proceed.
Talks continued behind the scenes. Gary worked with Ashley to complete the steps necessary to become a Firewise community.
On November 1, 2019, the work paid off. Gary received notice Trilogy was officially approved as a Firewise community.
