Start Planning Your 2016 Wildland Mitigation Efforts – Free In-Person Training Available

December 18, 2015

According to the National Interagency Fire Center, 2015 has been producing record-breaking wildfires, with nearly 56 thousand fires scorching over 9.8 million acres – the worst fire season on record in regards to acres burned. Do you live in the wildland-urban interface (WUI)? With the New Year right around the corner, it’s time to be thinking about how you can help your community prepare for next year’s wildfire season and best protect their homes from this very real threat.

The Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP), brought to you by the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and U.S. Forest Service, helps fire departments conduct home safety assessments in the WUI and communicate to residents and homeowners the importance of personal property wildfire mitigation efforts. The program includes a free, four-hour train-the-trainer course on what to look for in and around a home that may pose a danger when a wildfire strikes. The program also provides the tools and materials to enable department members to assess a home, perform pre-fire planning activities, and collect data to evaluate the impact of the assessments. The goal is to make the community more fire adapted and ready before the next wildfire strikes.

Wildfire mitigation efforts can mean improved survivability chances for homes in the WUI. Start training your members through the WFAP now so you can begin performing home assessments to reduce your community’s risk before the next wildfire season.

FREE in-person WFAP training opportunities are now available. Click here for more information on hosting a training session. Learn more about the WFAP at www.nvfc.org/wfap.