Wildfire dangers increase as more homes are built in or near forests and other wildlands. Photo: International Association of Fire Chiefs.
Strong winds keep pushing the Arizona wildfires toward more homes, causing thousands to evacuate. Now that we have your attention: this is the perfect time to protect your home from wildfire before the summer dry season takes hold here in Washington state.
If you live close to the forest or on the edge of a greenbelt, you’ll want to learn more about the Firewise program.
Firewise, a program from the National Fire Protection Association, encourages local solutions for wildfire safety. It involves homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, firefighters, and others in the effort to protect people and property from the risk of wildfire.
As of 2011, ten new communities have joined the Firewise program, which brings Washington State to a total of 85 Firewise Communities. Homeowners in these neighborhoods worked together to become better protected from wildfire.
Everyone has a role to play in reducing wildfire risks. Firewise teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together in creating defensible space around their homes. Firewise provides communities living near forests and wildlands the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare for a fire before it occurs.
How does Firewise work?
Here’s how Firewise works:
- Wildland fire staff from federal, state, or local agencies teach communities how to coexist with wildfire, and how to mitigate its risks, with the information tailored to the community.
- The community assesses its risks and creates a network of cooperating homeowners, agencies, and organizations.
- The community identifies and implements local solutions.
Check out the Firewise program to see what you can do to get started. You could be the next hero of your neighborhood in preventing catastrophic wildfire from taking over your community!
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