Firewise CommunitiesA National Program You Can Use

Agenda

• Why Firewise?

• Some Background

• What’s New for You

Why Firewise?

• Wildfires can put dozens (even hundreds) of homes at risk simultaneously.

• Firefighters may not have the resources to protect each home.

• Residents can take action to increase their homes’ chances of surviving a wildfire.

Why Firewise recognition?

• 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

• Often, they are under the impression that there is nothing they can do

Why Firewise recognition?

• Firewise Communities/USA offers communities the information to change this situation

• The program requires sustained community action in order for recognition status to be achieved and maintained

Why do communities participate?

• Firewise Communities/USA provides up-to-date, take-action information to homeowners

Why do communities participate?

• The program provides homeowners with the ability to create their own, unique solutions to their wildfire mitigation challenges

Why do communities participate?

• When people understand there is something they can do, they are more apt to act

Firewise recognition is about community

• Homeowners receive location-specific information and guidance to help them lower their fire risk

• They design and adopt plans that meet their needs

Firewise – A Little History

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.

Firewise program sponsors

• USDA-Forest Service

• U.S. Department of the Interior

• National Fire Protection Association

• National Association of State Foresters

• Federal Emergency Management Agency

• International Association of Fire Chiefs

• National Association of State Fire Marshals

• National Emergency Management Association

• U.S. Fire Administration

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

• Administers the Firewise program • Partner with USDA Forest Service, US DOI,

US Fire Administration on WUI Fire Protection since 1986

1985 Wildfires – A Call to Action

CACA

FLFL

1,400 homes lost!

1,400 homes lost!

400 in ONE day!!400 in ONE day!!

Firewise Timeline

• 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

• 1998: Breakthrough research: The International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment

1998 – A Research Breakthrough!

• International Crown Fire Modeling Experiment - Northwest Territories findings• Big crown fire flames burn

out in about 50 seconds

• Crown fire must be less than 100 feet to ignite a wood wall• 33 feet - heavy char; few

ignitions

• 66 feet - no char or scorch

The Firewise ‘Aha’!

• The research convinced us that homeowners COULD take control of their properties and, by working together, their communities

• We had the responsibility of sharing this information with the widest possible audience

Forest Meadows - Murphys, California

Our Focus Turned to the Home Ignition Zone• The concept of the home ignition zone

was created. It refers to the 100-200’ around a house and its attachments• A house burns because of its

interrelationship with everything in its immediate surroundings (100 -200 feet)

• What happens within this zone is critical to structure survival

• A wildfire’s potential relationship with a house can be interrupted here

Recognition CriteriaFirewise Communities/USA®

Firewise Communities/USA Standards

• STEP 1: Complete an assessment• 45 states have

Firewise Communities/USA liaisons to coordinate this service

Firewise Communities/USA Standards

• STEP 2: Form a Firewise Board

• Members should include community residents, fire professionals and other interested parties

• They create a plan using information from the community assessment

Firewise Communities/USA Standards

• STEP 3: Sponsor an event• Called ‘Firewise

Day’, it implements specific action items in the community plan

Firewise Communities/USA Standards

• STEP 4: Invest a minimum of $2/capita• Volunteer hours,

equipment use, time contributed by agency fire staff and grant funding can be included

• A volunteer hour is currently valued at $20.85

• Count any and all work WITHIN the community

Firewise Communities/USA Standards

• STEP 5: Submit an application or renewal• Application/renewal

forms can be downloaded at www.firewise.org/usa

• Deliver to state liaison by December 31

• Receive Firewise communities/USA signs and other recognition materials

Why do we want 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

The Big Idea

• Firewise concepts become ingrained and “normal” because we do them every day• Behavior change models include recycling

and seat belt use

• Firewise concepts can be supported by regulation and codes, but ultimately must be embraced by residents

• Participation is VOLUNTARY. The recognition program has retained nearly 80% of more than 800 communities that have ever initiated the process.

Firewise Communities/USA - Facts

• 1999 pilot; 2002 official launch with 12 sites

• More than 650 sites in 41 states -- and growing!

• Residents are accepting their role in mitigating wildfire hazards

• Communities have invested more than $76 million since 2003

• 245 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

Crystal Lake Club, WisconsinA Recognized Community Since 2004

Engagement in Firewise: By StateStates – Top 10

Active Communities

Arkansas 105

Washington70

California 50

Florida46

Arizona38

Texas36

Virginia33

Kentucky29

Colorado28

Wisconsin25

No active communities• Connecticut

• Delaware

• Illinois

• Indiana

• Iowa

• Nebraska

• North Dakota

• Rhode Island

• Vermont

Products for Communities

• Recognition signs, plaque

• Story on the Firewise website

• Using “MyFirewise” network to connect/share

• Media Kit

• Quarterly “How To” Newsletter

• Firewise plant lists

• Firewise Alert (monthly email)

Hill Country near Austin, Texas

Community Benefits

• Recognition ceremonies offer opportunities to showcase success and spread the word about Firewise, including media coverage.

• Improved rankings for FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation Planning and Project Grants

• Generation of a “me-too” attitude in surrounding areas

Oklahoma Firewise

More community benefits

• Residents gain increased sense of safety

• Fire staff forges a bond with the community

• Neighbor-to-neighbor communication is enhanced

• Landscape, greenbelt and common area beautification often results

Big Bear City, California

More community benefits

• CWPPs can incorporate and support Firewise Communities to address structural ignitability

• County/regional entities can and do use the program to reach the resident level

• New Title III county funding promotes Firewise activity

• Long-standing or ongoing efforts can gain increased recognition and attention

Circle Oaks, Napa, California

Resources for You

• 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

• Social networking at MyFirewise

New at NFPA and Firewise

New at 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

• Advisory Committee has met twice and helped shape strategic plan

Dave Nuss, Director, NFPA Wildland Fire Operations

More New at NFPA:

Firewise Materials on NFPA Catalog: Now with FREE shipping!

More New at NFPA:

Partnership with International Association of Fire Chiefs on “Ready, Set, Go!”

Developments in 2010

• Ready, Set, Go!• Created 1,000 flash drives with RSG and

Firewise materials, distributed at IAFC WUI Conference in Reno and elsewhere

• Prepared talking points for IAFC and Firewise

• Firewise Outreach – NAPS• North American Precis Syndicate (NAPS)

distributed article

• Family Features put it on the web

• NAPS radio has a recorded 60-second PSA for wide use. http://www.napsnet.com/radio/pdfs/010154.pdf

Developments in 2010

• Quick Response Unit – Communications• Designed to work with state forestry and

PIOs at the time of a fire to get Firewise messages out and lend national support in the form of spokespeople

• Targeting California, North Carolina, Texas and Florida

• Already implemented in Michigan successfully in May• http://www.9and10news.com/Category/Story/?id=2

29280&cID=1

• Working to implement in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, Texas

Questions? Discussion?

Thank You!

Michele Steinberg

617-984-7487

msteinberg@nfpa.org

Karen Lightfoot

505-867-2334 x106

Karen.lightfoot@state.nm.us