Every House Matters
Wildfire risk reduction doesn’t stop at your property line. By cooperating with your neighbors to minimize ignition risks in your neighborhood, you can make the entire community WildfireStrong.
Watch this video to see how wildfire affects a fire prepared home versus an unprepared home.
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Threats Facing
Neighborhoods
1
threat 1
Outdated Building Codes
Ensure your community adopts a current, model building code that addresses the wildland urban interface (WUI) as these codes offer special protection by ensuring use of wildfire-resistant building materials and practices.
2
threat 2
Ignitable Homes
Each home should have a zero to five feet zone around it with noncombustible building materials and vegetation to resist ignition by embers that can travel up to three or more miles.
3
threat 3
Natural or Wooded Common Areas
Ensure these areas have fuel breaks and open spaces. Create a plan with a maintenance schedule to ensure continuous clearing of ignitable vegetation.
4
threat 4
Closely-Spaced Homes
Your home may only be as wildfire resistant as your neighbor’s if they are close together, so creating and maintaining defensible spaces for all the homes in your neighborhood is critical.
5
threat 5
Limited Access
Firefighters may be unable to access your neighborhood, bring in large equipment, and respond if you have a dead-end road without turnaround space or other barriers to access. Evaluate your road and driveway, including widths, to ensure adequate space for large trucks and equipment.
6
threat 6
Limited Water Supply
Identify and document available water sources for use during firefighter response. Create a map that includes hydrants, ponds, lakes, and pools.
Stronger Neighborhoods, Stronger Homes
By working together with your neighbors, you can eliminate ignition risks that could cause wildfire to spread between homes and devastate the entire community.
Spread the Word
Wildfire risk reduction begins with communication. Share wildfire prevention resources with your neighbors to raise awareness of ignition risks and how they can take simple measures to minimize the danger posed by wildfires.
Get Organized
Create a plan for managing wildfire risks in your community along with a realistic strategy for implementing them. Build lines of communication and working relationships to ensure that your neighborhood remains vigilant against the threat of wildfire.
Get to Work
Whether you’re working together to implement ignition mitigation strategies or selecting outside contractors to perform the work, start taking the steps to eliminate ignition risks in the neighborhood and make every home stronger together.
May is
BUILDING SAFETY MONTH
Building Safety Month is an annual international campaign celebrated to raise awareness about building safety.
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First Saturday in May is
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day is a national event that inspires individuals and organizations to unite for a day of action focused on increasing awareness and reducing the risks of wildfires.
Learn More
Firewise
The Firewise USA® program provides simple, effective steps to help communities reduce the risk of destruction from wildfire. Learn how to “Band Together” before wildfire disasters occur.
Learn More