Does it cost money to join Or Create A Firewise Community?
No. There are neither fees nor expectations for donations.
How long does the Firewise USA process take?
It depends! Some communities are already aware of their wildfire risk, meet the minimum Firewise requirements, and are organized enough to quickly go through the application process. For these communities it could take 4-6 weeks to a couple months.
Communities that lack an organizational structure and/or are less aware of their wildfire risk will take more time to develop the type of structure needed to create a successful and self-sustaining Firewise community. The SCFSC is here to provide any and all assistance to the communities willing to put in the work and become a Firewise community.
After becoming a nationally recognized Firewise community, maintaining Firewise recognition only requires a few hours per year, not including the risk reduction investment and educational event(s) you’ll host in your community.
What is the time Commitment for a Firewise Committee or Leader?
The Firewise committee, which steers and manages the process, should expect to invest at least 8 hours in the assessment and application process. Planning meetings (3 per year) and engaging neighbors may require extra time but is usually easily manageable even by people with busy schedules. The work (“investment”) is often work that is already being completed by you and your neighbors. The Firewise USA program will help ensure that you focus on the right areas – hardening your home, removal of the right type of vegetation, and will maximize the efficiency of your hard work.
Ongoing maintenance of your recognition status usually only requires about 4-8 hours per year, not including the risk reduction investment and educational events you’ll host in your neighborhood.
Do my Fire Department and the Fire Safe Council need to guide our Firewise committee through every step of the process?
No. The Firewise USA program is intended to give you and your neighbors the grass-roots framework for organizing yourselves to reduce risk. Your Fire Department and Fire Safe Council should be kept informed of your progress and will be there for you when you need support or run into questions you are unable to answer. That said, your Firewise committee should be able to start the assessment and application process on their own.
How do we select Homes In Our Site?
Start by asking yourself how you would describe your neighborhood or the area you live in. Your answer is probably how you will define your Firewise USA Site. However, meeting with residents and gauging interest may result in a different boundary. You may decide to start smaller with a group of motivated homeowners and expand as more join in. Boundaries should be a contiguous line, encompassing all the homes in your defined area, even if all the homeowners may not. Examples: residents gathered along a road or group of roads, geographic boundaries, full or partial residential developments, etc.
Can we change or expand our boundary?
Yes, you can expand your community boundary. Send in a new map to the Firewise USA website. You will also need to update your dwelling unit count in your application document. If you have a new count, you can send it with the map and NFPA will update in your records
What if my community or HOA does not want to be Firewise recognized?
While it is best to involve as much of the community as possible, there are a couple approaches that can be taken to still get residents interested involved in the Firewise program. One, just know a subsection of the community can still apply for Firewise as long as there are a minimum of 8 dwelling units. The HOA does not have to be involved if they don’t want to be. It is important to remember that the Firewise site boundary has to be contiguous, but drawing the boundary can be done in a creative way to meet this requirement. If the uninterested homeowners later change their mind, they can always be added into the Firewise community at a later date.
It is hard to get my community members together to discuss Firewise, what should I do?
Some communities are more involved than others and that’s okay. Just remember, wildfire preparedness is a marathon and not a sprint. SCFSC staff can help with community organization by giving a presentation and providing food and beverages to try and encourage residents to learn about Firewise. We can also provide free Firewise brochures to hand out to neighbors. Additionally, hosting a fun community get together, like a potluck or cookie exchange, is a great way to just get neighbors together to build community connectedness where neighbors can get to know each other. Interest in Firewise can be talked about during the get together.
What happens if my neighbors don’t participate?
That’s ok! Few communities will see 100% participation. Many communities only see 20%-25% participation, though we hope everyone will contribute. Participation is voluntary, and when neighbors see results, and a cleaner neighborhood, they’re likely to also join in, just continue to invite these inactive residents into wildfire related meetings and activities. This is a lifetime process, so they’ll have time to warm up to the concepts even if they don’t join in “year-one.” If not all properties within your community engage in your initial outreach efforts, you may consider this a goal for your action plan.
I don’t live in a “wildland” – is my home really in danger?
The terms “wildfire” and “wildland fire” can be misleading when it comes to the chance that your home could be ignited by a fire that starts outside in brush, grass or woods.
With just the right conditions – a dry, hot, windy day – and an ignition source — a spark from a vehicle, machinery, or a carelessly tossed cigarette – your home could be in fire’s path faster than you might imagine.
Won’t my insurance cover damages from a wildland fire?
Assuming you are adequately insured, most homeowner policies do typically cover property losses cause by brush, grass or forest fire. However, most policies do not cover home landscaping and plants that could be destroyed in a wildland fire. And no policy can replace personal items such as photographs, artwork and other memorabilia.
The Insurance Information Institute recommends an annual insurance check-up so that you understand what is and is not covered in your homeowners insurance policy. You can also create a home inventory to help get your insurance claim settled faster in the event of fire loss.
Our community just had a fire, isn’t it too late to become Firewise or create a fire adapted community?
No, it’s never too late. Even if your community recently experienced a fire, the recovery phase is a great time to create a plan that highlights Firewise principles you can start using around your home today. By opening up a dialogue with town officials and your local fire service, residents can also address such issues as protecting businesses, parks, utilities and other important community assets. Visit the Fire Adapted Communities website to learn more about your role in wildfire preparedness and what you can do.
