Take Your Community Through the Wildfire Risk Assessment Process

Firewise USA® sites across the country are working hard to improve the resistance of homes and properties within their boundaries to embers and small surface fires that can spread from a wildfire. But how do they know what messages to focus on in their outreach to community members? How do they decide which projects to prioritize?

Completing a community wildfire risk assessment is one of the most important steps in the Firewise USA recognition process. The assessment serves as a tool to help residents gain an understanding of their community’s strengths and vulnerabilities by uncovering the conditions of homes and the corresponding home ignition zones within that community. Ultimately, the completion of a community wildfire risk assessment helps communities understand their wildfire risk so that they can start to engage in risk reduction efforts.

An image from the Community Wildfire Risk Assessment Tutorial from NFPA shows an example of property strengths and property vulnerabilities. 

The recommendations provided by the completed assessment will be the board’s or committee’s primary tool in determining the action priorities within the site’s boundaries.

Luckily, the Community Wildfire Risk Assessment Tutorial from NFPA® makes starting the community wildfire risk assessment process easy. The free online tutorial walks people through the risk assessment process. Individuals who complete this tutorial will be able to:

·       Describe how fire spreads throughout a community

·       Explain how homes typically ignite from embers and low-flame surface fires

·       Identify strengths and vulnerabilities of homes and surrounding landscapes

·       Use those skills to complete their own community risk assessment

·       Develop a prioritized, multi-year action plan to reduce the community’s risk from wildfire

Complete the tutorial today and help your community get started on its wildfire preparedness journey.