Firewise Communities A National Program You Can Use
Firewise CommunitiesA National Program You Can Use
Agenda
• Firewise – A Little History• Becoming Firewise and
Staying Recognized• The Future of Firewise and
NFPA Updates
Firewise – A Little History
1985 Wildfires – A Call to Action
CA
FL
1,400 homes lost!
400 in ONE day!!
• Wildfires can put dozens (even hundreds) of homes at risk simultaneously
• Firefighters may not have the resources to protect every home.
The Evolution of Firewise
• 1986: Cooperative Agreement between NFPA and USDA Forest Service
• 1991: Fire-resistant landscaping articles in Horticulture and Sunset
• 1993: National Fire-Resistant Plant Task Force creates the name ‘Firewise’ at meeting in Ontario, California
• 1996: www.firewise.org was launched
Evidence Gave us Clues• Two studies of California
wildfire survival. Qualifier: Homes did not have shake/shingle roofs• Belair-Brentwood Fire
(1961): 95% home survival with 30-60 feet of clearance
• Painted Cave Fire (1990): 86% home survival with at least 30 feet of clearance
Breakthrough Research• 1998: International Crown Fire
Modeling Experiment – Northwest Territories• Big crown fire flames burn out
in about 50 seconds• Crown fire must be less than
100 ft to ignite a wood wall• 33 ft: heavy char; few ignitions• 66 ft: no char or scorch
The Firewise ‘Aha’!• The research convinced us that
homeowners COULD take action to increase their home surviving a wildfire by modifying their “home ignition zone”
• We had the responsibility of sharing this information with the widest possible audience
The Need for a Firewise Program• Wildfires will continue as an ecological
phenomenon• Most homes are located on private property• Landowners prefer to exercise their right to
make choices related to their surroundings• Community action is better than individual
efforts
National Firewise Communities® Program
• VISION: Wildland fires can occur in areas of residential development without the occurrence of disastrous loss.
• MISSION: To promote community-wide responsibility in the use of technology, policy and practices that minimize the loss of life and property to wildland fire independent of fire fighting efforts.
The Evolution of Firewise
• 1999 – 2003: 30 National Firewise Planning Workshops and hundreds of spin-off workshops
• 2000-2001: Pilot test: Firewise Communities/USA model
• 2002: Launch of Firewise Communities/USA with 12 pilot sites
Today’s Firewise Communities Program
• Over 700 communities in 40 states around the U.S. and growing…
• Communities have invested more than $76 million since 2003
• 230 sites involved 5+ years
'03 '04 '05 '06 '07 '08 '09 '10 $-
$5,000,000
$10,000,000
$15,000,000
$20,000,000
$25,000,000
Firewise Community Investments
Today’s Firewise Communities Program
• Program Sponsors: • USDA-Forest Service• National Fire Protection
Association• U.S. Department of the Interior• National Association of State
Foresters
Today’s Firewise Communities Program
• 2010: Reorganization within National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)• Nonprofit life safety codes and
standards organization• Founded in 1896• 80,000+ members worldwide• 300+ consensus codes and
standards documents• Wildland Fire Operations Division
created within NFPA
NFPA: Wildland Fire Operations Division
• Keeps Firewise as a core education and advocacy program
• Elevates wildland fire on a par with other public education and advocacy initiatives
• Division Director: Dave Nuss, based in Colorado Dave Nuss, Director,
NFPA Wildland Fire Operations
Becoming Firewise and Staying Recognized
Firewise Communities/USA Criteria• 1: Complete an assessment of
community wildfire risk• 2: Form a board or committee and create
an action plan• 3: Conduct a Firewise Day annually• 4: Document local activity of at least
$2/capita in value• 5: Submit an application for recognition• (Renew status annually)
Importance of Renewal• Steps 3-5 – Firewise Day, $2/capita
investment, and report (renewal form) must be repeated annually• Sustained community action needed
to improve fire safety• Vegetation grows back – emphasis on
maintenance• “One-shot” recognition has little to no
long-term impact on a community’s ignition resistance
Firewise Strategies: Home Ignition Zone• The Home Ignition Zone includes
the home, in addition to its immediate surroundings up to 200 feet.
If it’s attached to the house, it’s part of the house.
Firewise Strategies: Keep flames from touching the house and attachments
• Create a ‘fuel free’ area around your house that runs one yard out on all sides.
• When preparing your home ignition zone, start with the house and work out
Firewise Strategies: Keep flames from touching the house and attachments• Wood fences and mulch should not touch structures
• Keep mulch and pine needles away from house, fence and deck
Firewise Strategies: Landscaping with Fuel Breaks in Mind
• Plan your Firewise landscape!
• Careful selection of fire-resistant plants can slow the spread of a wildfire and reduce its intensity
Firewise Strategies: Keep radiant heat sources away from the home
• During fire season, store fire wood at least 30 feet from your house if possible
Firewise Strategies: Keep radiant heat sources away from the home
• In wooded areas, thin trees and remove accumulations of dead branch and stem wood under and between trees.
• Within 30 feet of a home limb trees up eight feet above the ground.
Firewise Strategies: Address Ember Danger in Nooks and Crannies
• Pine needles are unwelcome in your gutters or on your roof
Firewise Landscaping: Maintenance is Important
• A clean, healthy garden is not a receptive surface for embers
• Keep plant debris to a minimum…• Rake• Mow• Dispose of debris
promptly
What else can we do?
• Work with our neighbors!
• Where homes are close enough to ignite one another, neighbors must work together to modify overlapping home ignition zones
The Big Idea• Firewise concepts
become ingrained and “normal” because we do them every day
• Firewise concepts can be supported by regulation and codes, but must be embraced by residents
• Participation is VOLUNTARY
Firewise Welcome Package• Recognition signs,
plaque• Story on the Firewise
website• Media Kit• Quarterly “How To”
Newsletter• Firewise plant lists• “Fire Break” monthly
news alertHill Country near Austin, Texas
Firewise How To Newsletter
Peer-to-peer learningBragging rights
Firewise Resources
• Firewise “User Guide”• Includes a template for writing up
community assessments• Application forms, volunteer forms
and more at www.firewise.org/usa• Free online course on Conducting
Community Assessments• Helps advocates help their
communities take the first step
Firewise Resources www.firewise.org • Firewise Guide to
Landscape and Construction
• Safer From the Start: A Guide to Firewise-Friendly Development
• Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Hazard Assessment Methodology
• Communities Compatible with Nature
Firewise Products/ ResourcesFree Firewise Materials on NFPA
Catalog: with FREE shipping!
Firewise Program Benefits• Improved
relationship with fire services staff
• Enhanced neighbor-to-neighbor communication
• Healthier and safer landscapes & common area
• Improved rankings for grants and program funds
Big Bear City, California
The Future of Firewise & NFPA Updates
Firewise/NFPA Updates• 1000 Firewise
Communities Goal• 12 Firewise State
Visits for 2011• New Firewise Staff
and Regional Firewise Advisors
States – Top 10
Active Communities
Arkansas 151
Washington 84
Florida 56
California 47
Texas 42
Arizona 41
Virginia 40
Colorado 31
Kentucky 27
Idaho 25
Firewise/NFPA Updates• Updated Website at www.firewise.org
Firewise/NFPA Updates• Social Media
• Firewise Blog: http://nfpa.typepad.com/firewise• Twitter: www.twitter.com/firewise• Facebook: www.facebook.com/firewise
Firewise/NFPA Updates
• Media Outreach and Key Messages• Saving lives and property from wildfire
threats by:• Understanding Wildfire• Acting Now• Taking Ownership• Working Together
Firewise/NFPA Updates• Backyards & Beyond: Wildland/Urban
Interface Fire Education Conference• October 27-29, 2011 in Denver, Colorado• Keynote speakers on fire research and national
policy• Aimed at a mix of professionals and community
leaders• www.nfpa.org/backyardsandbeyond
Firewise/NFPA Updates• Partnership with International
Association of Fire Chiefs on “Ready, Set, Go!”• Stresses personal
responsibility to WUI residents• “Ready” message compatible
with Firewise & similar prevention/ mitigation programs
Firewise/NFPA Updates
• Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone Seminar
• 2-day live training offered by NFPA’s Professional Development programs
• Seminar developed within the Firewise program
HIZ Seminar Overview
• Characteristics of Home Ignition Zone
• Factors that increase ignition
• Hazard assessment methods
• NFPA wildfire safety standards
• Options during a wildfire emergency
Fire Adapted Communities
• National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy• Restoring and Maintaining Resilient
Landscapes• Creating Fire Adapted Communities• Response to Wildfire
Fire Adapted Communities
“Human communities consisting of informed and prepared citizens collaboratively planning and taking action to safely co-exist with wildland fire.” • Community & neighborhood wildfire hazard
planning• Home ignitability reduction• Forest and fuel management• Evacuation planning• Local capacity needs• Funds and grant resources
Firewise/NFPA Updates• International Outreach Efforts
• FireSmart Canada (Partners in Protection)• Firewise South Africa (Working on Fire)
Firewise/NFPA Updates• WUI Regulatory Study
• Analyzing use and effectiveness of wildland fire codes and standards in the WUI
NFPA Codes/ Standards Related to Wildfire
• NFPA 1141, Fire Protection Infrastructure for Land Development in Suburban and Rural Areas, 2008 edition
• NFPA 1142, Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting, 2007 Edition
• NFPA 1143, Standard for Wildland Fire Management, 2009 Edition
• NFPA 1144, Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire, 2008 edition
• NFPA 1, Uniform Fire Code, 2009 Edition• Chapter 17, Wildland Urban Interface
Questions? Discussion?Thank You!
The NFPA and Firewise Team
Michele Steinberg - [email protected]
Patrick Mahoney – [email protected]
Kelly Ransdell –