About the Program
Being Firewise begins with you. The Firewise Communities/USA standards are designed and maintained to give you maximum flexibility in creating the best plan for your community.
* Enlist a wildland/urban interface specialist to complete a community assessment and create a plan that identifies agreed-upon achievable solutions to be implemented by the community.
* Sponsor a local board or committee that maintains the Firewise Community/USA program and tracks its progress or status.
* Observe a Firewise Communities/USA Day each year that is dedicated to a local Firewise project.
* Invest a minimum of $2.00 per capita annually in local Firewise projects. (Work by municipal employees or volunteers using municipal and other equipment can be included, as can state/federal grants dedicated to that purpose.)
* Submit an annual report to Firewise Communities/USA that documents continuing compliance with the program.
Firewise
Communities/USA Executive Summary - 2006
Moving Through
the Firewise Communities/USA Process
1) Candidate Firewise Communities/USA sites frequently self-select. Initial contact with the program is often made by a community resident---either over the Internet or through the State Forestry agency. All contacts are listed at www.firewise.org/usa in the 'Contact a Representative' area. They can be reached via e-mail from that area of the web site.
2) Once contact has been established, the Firewise representative schedules a site visit to the community.
3) A community assessment is performed, either by the state liaison or his/her designee.
4) Community residents create a local Firewise board or committee. This is generally composed of a variety of homeowners. Fire staff participate as invited guests.
5) When the assessment is completed, the Firewise representative or his/her designee presents it to the Firewise board.
6) The Firewise board uses the information in the assessment to create an agreed-upon, area-specific action plan for the community. The state liaison or his/her designee approves the plan.
7) The Firewise board works with the community to complete its first action item. This usually marks its first 'Firewise Day'.
8) Board members then download the Firewise Communities/USA application form from www.firewise.org/usa, complete it and submit it to the Firewise representative, along with supporting documentation.
9) Firewise Communities/USA status is renewable annually upon completion of that year's action item/Firewise Day. Both interactive and downloadable renewal forms are available at www.firewise.org/usa.
What Is the Best Size for a Firewise Communities/USA
Recognition Area?
The recommended size for a participating Firewise Communities/USA site approximates that of a homeowners association. The size of a Firewise Communities/USA site is not governed by an arbitrary, fixed rule but rather by the limit of its effectiveness. Successful Firewise Communities/USA participation requires homeowner commitment. A community larger than a homeowners association has significant difficulties coalescing in the manner required by the Firewise Communities/USA program.
The following checklist can help you determine if your community is a good size to undertake the Firewise Communities/USA process.
• Does your community function effectively as a unit?
• Are you and your neighbors able to work together on a wildfire mitigation project?
• Are most of your neighbors willing to take part in a Firewise Communities action plan?
• Is your community small enough that it can organize effectively without depending on municipal/agency guidance?
Communities beyond the traditional neighborhood size generally have difficulty meeting the effectiveness and individual engagement criteria required for a long-term commitment to wildfire mitigation. Successful, long-term, participating communities are those where homeowners are engaged in reducing their home ignition potential.