Overcoming Barriers to Community Wildfire Risk Reduction
CMAT: Overcoming Barriers to Community Wildfire Risk Reduction
Written by Jonathan Bruno, Chief Executive Office, Coalition & Collaboratives
Since its pilot in 2015, Community Mitigation Assistance Teams—known as CMATs—have been deployed across the United States to help communities break through barriers and take meaningful action on wildfire risk reduction. These teams don’t just arrive with advice; they roll up their sleeves and leave behind stronger connections, better tools, and momentum that communities can carry forward long after the team departs.
What is a CMAT?
CMATs are a national interagency resource created to support communities before, during, and after wildfire events. Their mission is to build sustainable local capacity for wildfire mitigation, especially in high-risk areas.
What makes CMATs unique is their people-first approach: instead of implementing a single plan, they help communities make the necessary connections and develop solutions that work within their specific social, political, and ecological landscapes.
CMATs vs. FPETs – What’s the Difference?
It’s easy to confuse CMATs with National Wildfire Prevention Education Teams (FPETs), as both are interagency and community-focused. The distinction lies in their goals:
- FPETs focus on reducing unplanned human-caused ignitions through public education—particularly during high wildfire danger periods.
- CMATs, on the other hand, dive into the challenges of local mitigation. They help communities organize, connect with resources, and overcome the social and institutional hurdles that often stall risk reduction efforts.
Together, FPETs and CMATs offer a complementary, holistic approach to wildfire resilience.
No Silver Bullet – CMATs in Action
Each CMAT deployment is custom-fit to the unique needs of the community they serve. Below are two spotlights showing CMATs in action:
2024: Wapiti Fire – Lowman, Idaho: A First for Active Wildfire Integration
For years, CMAT leaders and fire professionals have discussed how mitigation resources could be integrated into active wildfire incidents. That concept became a reality during the Wapiti Fire of 2024, when CMAT was deployed at the request of the Rocky Mountain Area Complex Incident Management Team 1 and the Boise National Forest.
Immediate Objectives:
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- Support structure hardening and fire adaptation during the fire.
- Empower residents with rapid mitigation advice.
- Evaluate existing plans and build momentum for a mitigation-focused partnership.
Short-Term Results:
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- 5 community-level wildfire risk evaluations
- 57 parcel-level evaluations, including 19 rapid assessments and 38 in-depth home visits with landowners
- Supported Boise County Emergency Management and the Lowman Volunteer Fire Department
- Delivered just-in-time guidance and built trust for long-term collaboration
What’s Happening Today:
Boise County and the Lowman community are taking the lead. They’re updating wildfire information online, offering home assessments, and planning a mitigation project and chipper day this summer—all efforts born from the momentum CMAT helped create.
2022: Highway 26 Corridor – Hood River, Oregon From Blackouts to Breakthroughs
Along Oregon’s Highway 26 corridor—between Sandy and Government Camp—a series of wildfires (Lionshead, Beachie, Riverside) and two prolonged Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) by Portland General Electric shook the community into action.
With limited communication during those outages and increasing wildfire risk, an informal wildfire partnership began forming in 2022.
The Zigzag Ranger District and Hoodland Fire recognized an opportunity to channel this community concern into a coordinated mitigation strategy. They brought in CMAT to guide the way.
CMAT’s Objectives:
- Support and formalize the Wildfire Partnership
- Share mitigation best practices
- Provide guidance for the Clackamas County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
- Help develop a locally driven Mitigation Action Plan
Highlights from the Assignment:
- 3 workshops, including one for HOAs and Community Planning Organizations
- One-on-one support for participating partners
- Field time with U.S. Forest Service staff to align forest management with community goals
- Creation of a Community Toolbox with resources and recommendations for ongoing work
What’s Happening Today:
The Wildfire Partnership continues to gain ground. With new federal funding, organizations are implementing key projects. Clackamas Fire, for example, is maintaining Crew 25, a wildfire mitigation team supported in part by a Coalitions and Collaboratives Action, Implementation and Mitigation Grant.
Sustainable Relationships = Lasting Impact
What sets CMAT apart isn’t just the assignments—it’s the support that continues long after the team leaves. Thanks to a partnership between the USDA Forest Service and Coalitions and Collaboratives (COCO), communities can access ongoing assistance through COCO’s Action, Implementation, and Mitigation (AIM) Program. This program provides:
- Technical support
- On-the-ground mentorship
- Direct funding for wildfire mitigation actions
Through this model, CMAT isn’t a one-time intervention—it’s a launchpad for long-term, community-driven wildfire resilience.
How are CMATs Ordered?
The National CMAT Lead vets requests based on enabling conditions, need, and likelihood of success. To order a CMAT, please coordinate with your partners to complete this request form.
Learn more about the organizations and projects mentioned and about CMAT!
