ARE YOU FIREWISE?

This summer, the nation watched as numerous communities in the western United States were evacuated under the threat of wildfires. Though it have seemed a world away, the community of Oriole, Maryland was evacuated in 2002 because of a raging wildfire. East to west and north to south, people in many parts of the country find themselves living and recreating in areas referred to by firefighting professionals as the wildland-urban interface, any area where wildland fires threaten to ignite combustible homes and structures.

As more and more people choose to live and recreate in the interface areas, understanding the nature of the surroundings and the dangers and patterns of wildfire becomes more important. Firewise is a national initiative designed to encourage homeowners and communities to take practical steps to protect themselves from the risk of wildfires. A Firewise approach includes defensive landscaping, home design and construction, and sound community planning to prepare structures to withstand a fire long before it starts. Firewise supports the federal, state and private land-management agencies that promote ways to reduce hazardous fuels on lands adjacent to communities.

Think about your home and community. What is your threat? Are you living Firewise?
 

For more information, visit the Firewise website at www.firewise.org