Firewise Forum

Good articles on Firewise concepts

2009-06-15T12:49:00.002-05:00

The word is getting out that Firewise practices make sense and help increase home safety in the wildland/urban interface. A recent editorial in the Napa Valley Register uses local wildfire activity to remind homeowners to be Firewise. The University of Oregon's Oregon Quarterly has a wonderful entry, "Just Right Here," that reminds us not to underestimate residents of the WUI (or WOO-eee). Enjoy the read!

Want to Be Safer from the Start?

2009-06-10T13:47:00.006-05:00

Want to know more about how you can build a Firewise community "from the ground up?" Or how to make sure your HOA rules are Firewise-friendly? Wonder no more -- the Firewise Communities Program has released a new guide for you.

Safer from the Start: A Guide to Firewise-Friendly Developments provides the tools you need as a developer, planner, community association manager or resident to integrate Firewise concepts into design and development, as well as HOA covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) and architectural rules.

Created in response to numerous inquiries from developers about how to build Firewise subdivisions, the guide provides the wildfire basics and lots of references to wildfire safety examples and standards. Communities governed by an HOA or community association can use the guide to develop sound rules that help residents start - and stay - safer from wildfire.

Check it out on the Resources - For the Homeowner page on the Firewise website and let me know what you think. Email me, find me on MyFirewise (you have to log in to join) or follow me on Twitter (www.twitter.com/firewise).

You Can Improve Your Home Ignition Zone!

2009-05-18T17:21:00.003-05:00

Spring and summer are wonderful seasons to take stock of the condition of your home ignition zone---the 100 to 200 feet around your home and any attachment it may have, like a deck or an attached wood fence. Do you see that you need to work on the five feet closest in when you walk around your house? This area should contain only non-flammable items like lawn, low-growing flowers and stone walkways. Are there things you can do to improve the area 30 feet out from the structure, on all sides? For starters, dead vegetation should be removed including leaves and pine needles on your roof and in your gutters, and firewood should not be located there. When you are happy, move on to 100 feet out---200 feet if you are on a steep slope.

For helpful ideas about making your home safer, play the interactive Firewise Hints and Preparing a Home for Wildfire Season games. And to see examples of home ignition zones that are prepared for wildfire, browse the Mitigated Home Ignition Zones category in the Firewise photo gallery. You can link to it from What's New.

Let's hear a cheer for volunteers!

2009-04-14T10:07:00.005-05:00

A very wise person recently pointed out to me that all this blogging and emailing and Twittering about Firewise is all well and good - but until people go into their yards, common areas and neighborhoods and take action, it doesn't mean a darn thing! I couldn't agree more. Firewise concepts are only valuable when they're applied in the real world. That's why Firewise Communities/USA sites are nationally recognized for their actions and ongoing work to create neighborhoods that are safer from wildfire.

We truly value these efforts and we even document how much work is going on in the neighborhoods. Last year alone, Firewise Communities/USA participants invested more than $17 million in their local wildfire safety - some through grants, some through donations, but mostly through "sweat equity" - volunteer time. A volunteer hour is now worth $20.25 according to the Independent Sector folks. To learn more about how to value your Firewise volunteers, check last summer's How To newsletter on page 7.

From the ashes, a Firewise community

2009-04-03T15:35:00.002-05:00

The Chico Enterprise Record ran a story this week about the recovery of the small community of Concow, California, from a devastating fire last year. Focusing on one homeowner's struggles to recover and rebuild, it shows what community support and perseverance is all about. Happily, the community is coming back Firewise. The Yankee Hill Fire Safe Council in Butte County worked to help community members restore lands and homesites in a condition that will be safer from wildfire, and applied to become a Firewise Communities/USA site. Concow/Yankee Hill joins more than 450 places around the U.S. that are recognized for voluntary community efforts to take responsibility for wildfire safety.

New Resource for Community-Owned Forests

2009-03-31T08:02:00.003-05:00

Acquiring and Managing a Community-Owned Forest, a new manual published by the Society of American Foresters' Communities Committee, offers step-by-step advice on getting started, engaging the broader community, financing acquisition, and long-term management and stewardship, as well as an extensive, annotated list of additional resources. Click here to read more about it and download the manual.

New Firewise Communities Take a Bow

2009-03-20T16:27:00.003-05:00

Congrats to the latest communities to make it into the news regarding their national recognition as Firewise Communities/USA sites! West Lake Hills in Texas is celebrating its achievements. According to Assistant Fire Chief Mike Elliott, "Only by increasing the awareness, participating in cleanup activities and making plans for the future will the community ever diminish the hazards that are present in West Lake Hills."

In California, Big Bear City is proud to tell of their achievements and their great effort in pulling in multiple partners to do so. Kudos to all!

More communities ponder Firewise

2009-03-19T10:03:00.002-05:00

The news is full of stories lately about communities thinking about becoming Firewise. In New York last week, I spoke to about 65 residents, town officials, and firefighters about what they can do to take action to become safer from wildfire. Read more here.

In Arizona, Pinetop-Lakeside is conducting long-range visioning that includes Firewise action. In Texas, recent WUI fires destroying nearly 30 homes have generated lots of interest in learning to be Firewise. And of course, many communities, like McCreary, Kentucky, have moved beyond the thinking and pondering stage to the real action of neighbors helping neighbors become Firewise.

Following Firewise News

2009-03-17T15:51:00.002-05:00

New tools that Firewise folks are using to get the word out includes Twitter.com. I started an account so people can "follow" me for news about program happenings. Check it out at www.twitter.com/firewise. If you do a search (see the bar at the bottom of the Twitter page) on "firewise" you can see who else is posting important wildfire safety information on a regular basis.

Wildfire Home Loss and Firewise Saves in Texas

2009-03-10T16:58:00.002-05:00

Thanks to P.J. Pearson, the Texas Firewise Liaison, for providing photos and information about two homes lost and two homes saved in the recent wildfires in Bastrop. View the annotated photos here. Pearson will present Firewise information at a session on March 11 with the Taylor County Extension office on Firewise landscaping techniques.

Florida Fires, Fuels and Firewise

2009-03-02T17:24:00.002-05:00

I just got back from a quick trip to the Sarasota County area, tagging along with Florida Division of Forestry staff. These two videos show quick snapshots of fuel conditions in suburban areas of North Port, and the tail end of a fire in a subdivision there. There is lots of good Firewise activity in and around North Port, but lots more needs to be done.

Firewise and Title III Funding

2009-02-24T15:16:00.002-05:00

As many of you may already know, Congress amended the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 (Public Law 110-343, October 3, 2008) as part of the federal "bailout" bill back in October. One of the major changes was to Title III of the law, which covers the use of county funds paid by the USDA Forest Service and the US Department of the Interior to counties in 41 states and Puerto Rico in lieu of taxes.

The law was changed to say that Title III funds may be used only to carry out the Firewise Communities program, develop community wildfire protection plans, and reimburse for emergency services paid for by counties and performed on Federal land (e.g. search and rescue, firefighting).

The Firewise program worked with the USDA Forest Service to provide more detail after the law came into effect about how counties could use the funds to meet the new letter and spirit of the law.You can learn more about the Title III changes and the interpretation of how funding can be used by counties for Firewise activities by visiting http://www.fs.fed.us/srs/Title-III-FAQs.shtml.

Live Discussion--Prepare, Stay, Defend

2009-02-16T10:41:00.001-05:00

For those who may have missed it, check here for an informative discussion about the Australian "Leave Early or Stay and Defend" strategy in the wake of the recent fires. Jack Cohen, US Forest Service Research Scientist, and a number of other wildfire experts from the U.S. and Canada grapple with the implications of this event for high-risk areas in their own countries.
Wildfire Today: Live Discussion--Prepare, Stay, Defend#links

Firewise Generation Brings Information to Young Adults

2009-01-27T17:10:00.004-05:00

Do you want to learn more about wildfire basics? Are you interested in figuring out how wildfires burn? How do you plan to keep your home safe if you are threatened by a wildfire? Answers to these questions are available in the just-posted Firewise Generation section of the Firewise Home Page that was designed and created expressly for young adults. You will find interactive games, experiments and more.

Visit Firewise Generation for ideas on how you can make your neighborhood safer during wildfire season.

Find Your Wildfire Friends on MyFirewise

2009-01-14T15:49:00.007-05:00

It's a new year and there is no better time to jumpstart your focus on wildfire safety than now, through the latest trend in communication: social networking.

MyFirewise facilitates a dialogue between people across the country with an interest in fire preparedness - residents, fire fighters, land and resource managers, etc. The site features links to Firewise landscaping tips as well as instructional videos for community members to reference when creating their home ignition zone. The site also allows members to upload videos, pictures, and post discussion questions pertaining to wildfire mitigation.

Join in today to start learning and sharing your stories of wildfire mitigation challenges and/or successes with friends in communities across the United States.

I'm so proud of our Firewise communities!

2008-12-31T10:54:00.003-05:00

Y'all rock, did you know that?

The numbers aren't official yet, but the Firewise Communities/USA recognition program welcomed more than 140 new neighborhoods during 2008, nearly doubling the number of participating communities from 2007. Our annual report will come out in February with all the juicy details, including the eye-popping dollar figures of your local investment in wildfire safety work.

What's been even better, from my point of view, has been the excellent retention rate of existing communities. Ninety percent of all communities with recognition status in 2006 renewed it in 2007, and it looks like we might get there again this year. Your dedication to ongoing community Firewise action has truly helped keep your neighbors engaged and focused on wildfire safety.

I'm really proud of all the great work and activity throughout the nation. I'm especially proud today of the states that have attained 100% retention of community participation - meaning as of this morning, all their communities active in 2007 have renewed for 2008. They are:

Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

Success in the program is more than just numbers, as you know. It's your time, your effort, your willingness to join with your neighbors to make your community a safer place. I wish all of you a happy and healthy New Year and I look forward to 2009 as the best yet for Firewise.

Firewise on a Budget

2008-11-29T18:14:00.001-05:00

The shortest days of the year are upon us, and our longer evenings provide an opportunity to think about what we can do around the house when springtime comes again. Even with an uneven economy, we can start next year off right with respect to wildfire mitigation. Here are some inexpensive springtime mitigation tasks to put on your list.

Wind, rain, snow and sleet conspire to leave all manner of vegetative litter during the winter months. Here’s what you can do----at no cost: Clean the gutters! Sweep pine needles and leaves back from the base and inside corners of your house. Remove leaves, needles and other debris from under your deck, if you have one. Walk around your yard and pick up any branches that have blown down. Investment = $00.00.

If you are storing wood against the side of the house or under your deck, move it away at least 30 feet for the duration of wildfire season. Prune back shrubs and trees that grew too close to your house last summer. Check your hoses to see if leaks have developed. If you own a generator that was not used during the winter, rev it up to be sure it is functioning properly. Investment = $00.00.

And if you have budget to purchase some plants or shrubs, make Firewise choices, planting them in such a way they cannot ignite your house once they have reached maturity. Take a look at Firewise plant lists or Google fire resistant plants.

All these things can be done at little or no cost and will pay big dividends should your house be threatened by wildfire in 2009. Have fun planning by playing Preparing Your Home for Wildfire Season. You won’t be sorry!

Building Safer Homes

2008-11-21T14:07:00.006-05:00

We are keeping the residents of California in our thoughts as they prepare to recover from the latest wildfires. Firewise Communities program manager Jim Smalley offered his view on the rebuilding effort in and interview with NEWSWEEK.

Conference Highlights- Reframing WUI Fire Disasters: A New Approach

2008-11-11T11:35:00.005-05:00

In case you missed it, we have posted the special panel discussion from last week's conference entitled "Reframing Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Disasters: A New Approach."

The panel discussion features Jack D. Cohen, Research Physical Scientist, USDA Forest Service, Sarah McCaffrey, Research Social Scientist, USDA Forest Service, and Scott Shuford, NOAA and Shuford Planning Services. The panel discussed the historic and social aspects of how decades of fire exclusion in the WUI has increased the probabilities and risks from wildfire threat, and the impact of climate change on wildfires.

(Note: Due to the length of the video, it may take some time to load depending on your connection speed. Please be patient. To view the video in full size, please click here.)

And The Award Goes To ...

2008-11-07T23:10:00.014-05:00

We have wrapped up another day here at Backyards and Beyond ending with a special ceremony to recognize our 2008 Leadership Award winners.

The outstanding work of fire professionals, homeowner association leaders, and community officials to reduce the ignition potential in and around WUI communities is inspirational.

These leaders represent some of the best examples of innovation, collaboration, and Firewise impact in the nation.

A virtual round-of-applause to the following:

Regional level winners
InterfaceSouth, US Forest Service, Southern Research Station (Gainesville, Fla.)
Kirk Rowdabaugh, Arizona State Forestry Division (Phoenix)

State level winners
John Edwards and Don Wells, Wildcat Community Inc. (Jasper, Ga.)
Patrick Mahoney, Florida Division of Forestry (Bradenton, Fla.)
Texas Firewise and Urban Wildland Interface Team, Texas Forest Service (Fredericksburg, Texas)

Local level winners
Colorado Springs Wildland Risk Section, Colorado Springs Fire Department (Colorado Springs)
Cook County Firewise Committee (Grand Marais, Minn.)
Three Rivers RC&D Wildland Fire Education Prevention (Pocatello, Idaho)

We are always looking for more showcases of good work. Visit the Firewise Leadership Award page to find out how to nominate.

More conference highlights to come!

Live from Tampa: It's Backyards and Beyond!

2008-11-07T22:37:00.001-05:00

For anyone who could not make it to this year's Backyards and Beyond conference in Tampa, we've captured a few soundbites from conference participants describing some key lessons and takeaways from conference sessions.

There will be plenty more to come later, including the announcement of the 2008 Firewise Leadership Award winners, but here's a quick sampling of reactions from Friday's conference:

Blogging from Backyards and Beyond

2008-11-06T18:23:00.009-05:00

Greetings from Tampa, Florida! This week, Tampa is home to not only great weather but also the third biennial Backyards and Beyond wildfire education conference and several hundred members of the wildfire community from across the country--and the globe!

This year's conference includes representatives from Firewise Communities/USA sites from across the country, community leaders, residents, firefighters, Firewise state liaisons, and wildfire experts from several countries including Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, and Canada.

This morning we heard remarks from Charles Bronson, Commissioner of Florida Department Agriculture and Consumer Services, James Karels, Director of the Florida Division of Forestry, and a great panel of Firewise experts about the roles and responsibilities in preventing wildfire in the Wildland/Urban Interface (WUI). The group discussion, moderated by Patty Salkin of Albany (NY) Law School, examined a series of hypothetical situations that confront residents, firefighters, planners, developers, and elected officials everyday in the WUI. It was an interesting presentation and reiterated the fact that it really is everyone's responsibility in the real world.

There is still quite a bit to come tomorrow and Saturday, including the presentation of the 2008 Firewise Leadership Award Winners, but I'll leave you with this quote I overhead while leaving a conference session today:

"This is the third Firewise conference I've attended and it's not only a great opportunity to see old friends, but it's incredible to see how far this issue and the Firewise program have come since the first conference four years ago."

More to come...

Firewise Visits

2008-10-22T14:38:00.004-05:00

Judith Leraas Cook and I decided to make some visits this year to communities and states where we felt the Firewise Communities/USA recognition program could be helpful as a tool to motivating residents toward wildfire safety. In Colorado back in August, I visited with one of our famous Firewise sparkplugs, Keith Worley of Perry Park, to see how he was spreading the good word to neighboring areas of Douglas County. His project in Woodlands-Escavera is resulting in excellent fuel reduction, literally in backyards. Neighboring city Castle Pines North has benefited from another resident dynamo, Barb Saenger, who took me for a tour of her backyard and beyond in the Pine Ridge Homeowners Association area where mitigation to reduce scrub oak fuels had made a huge difference in her and her neighbors' wildfire risk.

The red carpet was rolled out for Judith in South Dakota, where she visited with residents of Silver Star 1 & 2 subdivision in Custer, SD, and attracted press attention to the community's Firewise work. She toured the subdivision and general area with the South Dakota state liaison, Rob Lehmann, and participated in a potluck dinner hosted by Silver Star community leader Helen McGranahan. Silver Star 1&2 has been a recognized Firewise Communities/USA site since 2005, and their work over the past several years in a wildfire-prone ecosystem has helped give residents the safety edge.

Judith was also greeted warmly in Michigan, where the University extension service has been working with state forestry to develop education and outreach programs. Through their Master Gardener's program, they have created demonstration gardens in public areas to help people see what Firewise plants look like. An extensive tour showed that Michigan indeed has a significant fire threat to homes in a number of areas.

Finally, Judith and I descended on the Cook County Courthouse in northeastern Minnesota, to meet our state liaison, Larry Himanga, state wildfire specialist BJ Glesener, and Cook County Firewise Program administrator Cheryl Walimaa. We toured the Tait Lake Association community and saw the results of their Firewise labors in a huge slash pile that will be burned in February when several feet of snow will make it safe to do so. The County's Firewise program has been instrumental in publicizing the Firewise message and helping make it easier for residents to do the work around their homes by opening the local areas to pile and burn slash, by finding grants, and by helping with dry hydrants and other infrastructure challenges. This area of Minnesota can use Firewise to protect the many homes at risk in this region.

FireCamp Brings Mitigation Skills to Middle School Kids

2008-07-29T18:47:00.002-05:00

Twelve intrepid campers spent mornings learning about fire behavior, fire building and wildfire mitigation practices at FireCamp during July. YMCA Camp Orkila provided the backdrop and the campers enjoyed fire experiments, field trips and hands-on experience. Each day they completed a simulated pack test, similar to that given to qualify wildland firefighters. The session also included field trips: a visit to the local volunteer fire department, a boat ride to an outlying island and a campout during which they heard Native American stories about fire.

The camp was held in Washington as a collaboration involving Firewise Communities , Washington State University Master Gardeners and the YMCA. Camper evaluations indicated the session was successful, and plans are now underway to formalize the curriculum and make it available in other fire-prone parts of the country, both as a one-week and a two-week experience.

Idaho Statesman series examines fire policy and Firewise successes

2008-07-24T14:35:00.007-05:00

The Idaho Statesman is running a series of insightful articles examining the state of wildfires and wildfire policy in the U.S., specifically in the western part of the country. Check out the series, which will conclude this Sunday (July 27). The first of the three articles, entitled "Are we wasting billions fighting wildfires?" explores whether a focus on suppression is the most effective, efficient, or safe appproach. The article includes discussion on the science of fire behavior and a "tale of two towns" - one that had employed Firewise concepts and one that had not. The sidebar on the site features six success stories from communities that "did it right." (Shameless Plug: visit the Firewise Communities/USA page for a look at about 350 communities we think are "doing it right.") Part two of the series, Firefighting burns money, manpower, focuses on the escalating costs of fighting wildfires at the expense of other land management and recreation programs. The third article is expected this weekend, carrying the following teaser: "Science and money demand change, but politics and Western culture resist it." Check out the series and come back to the Firewise Forum to tell us what you think.