http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-PageLatest Wildfire posts from NFPA blogsTue, 01 Nov 2022 00:57:28 -0400{7FB01198-8C0E-4F82-8172-EA9C7A507637}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2022/10/14/A-level-of-Safety-NFPA-Fire-Life-Safety-EcosystemTwo weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend The 1st University of Maryland/NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem Symposium, in College Park, Maryland, U.S.A, where fire and life safety experts from across the globe gathered to discuss the principals of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™ and its application to address today’s fire safety issues. For those of you who are not familiar with the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™, it is “a framework that identifies the components that must work together to minimize risk and help prevent loss, injuries and death from fire, electrical and other hazards.” In other words, it identifies the items NFPA feels contribute to achieving the expected level of safety when it comes to fire and electrical hazards. Each component is depicted as a cog, each of which connect to form a circle. Over the two day symposium attendees reviewed case studies on the Ghost Ship Warehouse fire in Oakland, CA (2016); the Grenfell Tower Fire in London, UK (2017); and the Camp Fire, Butt County, CA (2018); and also discussed emerging issues involving residential fires; the safe use of alternative energy; and how to think about fire safety when using new building materials. Each topic was evaluated through the lens of the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™.  In many of the case studies multiple components of the ecosystem failed or lacked effectiveness. When discussing the emerging issues, no single component would solve the challenge presented. This seemed to lend to the idea that all the cogs must be working together to ensure the expected level of safety, so what happens if just one isn’t operating at peak performance? Does the ecosystem still provide a level of safety because the cogs remain connected? One example that came up several times was the need to mandate automatic fire sprinkler systems in all new and existing high-rise buildings. According to research done by NFPA, fire Sprinklers have been shown to be an extremely effective of increasing life safety with an 89% reduction in fire deaths in properties with automatic fire sprinklers as compared to those without. So, sprinklers would certainly make an impact on reducing deaths in fires. NFPA 1 Fire Code requires automatic fire sprinklers systems in all new high-rise building and all existing high-rise buildings within 12 years of the code becoming law. Mandating compliance with the most recent edition of this code through legislation falls under government responsibility cog. If the government responsibility cog was effective, this incorporation of NFPA 101 Life Safety Code would be one way they could create laws which prioritizes public safety needs.  However, as is sometimes the case a local government also could incorporate into law a modified NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, one which doesn’t mandate sprinklers in all high-rise buildings, specifically existing buildings. In the second case, one could argue that this cog would not be functioning at its optimal potential. How does this impact the level of safety in existing high-rise buildings? There are many examples of major fires in non-sprinklered or partially sprinklered high-rise buildings including the One Meridian Plaza fire (1991), the Cook County Administration Building fire in Chicago (2003), the Marco Polo Apartment Building Fire in Hawaii (2017) and the Twin Parks Northwest fire in New York City (2022). In all these cases a review of the fire concluded fire sprinklers could have made an impact, however all had multiple challenges; One Meridian Plaza had issues with water supply in the standpipe system; the Cook County Administration Building had locked doors preventing reentry on the floors above the fire; and both the Marco Polo and Twin Parks Northwest fires both had issues with self-closing doors. These challenges touch the Skilled Workforce, Code Compliance, and Investment in Safety cogs, resulting in the entire system failing. As I reflect on the discussion during the first NFPA Fire and Life Safety Ecosystem Summit, I can’t help but wonder if another part of the ecosystem concept is the resiliency of the anticipated level of safety in buildings. Each cog is interlaced with the next, adding elements of safety which can work together in an emergency to prevent a major tragedy. When one cog is not functioning at its optimal potential does the circular concept of the ecosystem allow the others to “turn” or function which will provide some level of safety, reducing the likelihood of a significant incident? As we wrap up fire prevention week, let’s think about all the cogs and how they’ll advance the level of safety for the public. Government Responsibility, Development and Use of Current Codes, Reference Standards, Investment in Safety, Skilled Workforce, Code Compliance, Preparedness and Emergency Response, and Informed Public all work together. Buildings which are designed, constructed, and operated with all these in mind really do have a level of safety which works to protect their occupants. Check out the NFPA Fire & Life Safety Ecosystem™page for more on the concept, an assessment tool as well as the 2020 & 2021 Year in Review reports on the state of the ecosystem.Fri, 14 Oct 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/NFPA-Today/Ecosystem-symposium.ashx{897D9EBC-30ED-4EE3-9FA6-5BD469C0E450}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/09/19/Now-Accepting-Nominations-for-the-2023-Wildfire-Mitigation-AwardsEstablished in 2014, the national Wildfire Mitigation Awards program recognizes outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire preparedness and mitigation. By honoring the achievements of awardees, the program sponsors seek to increase public recognition and awareness of the value of wildfire mitigation efforts. The Wildfire Mitigation Awards are jointly sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), and the USDA Forest Service. The program includes three awards: (1) the National Wildfire Mitigation Award, (2) the National Mitigation Hero Award, and (3) the Wildfire Mitigation Legacy Award. Effective community fire adaptation efforts can take many shapes. Creating a local mitigation coalition, implementing community wildfire protection plans, conducting community-wide assessments, promoting defensible space and home hardening, treating for hazardous fuels, and engaging fire departments and building code officials to reduce wildfire risk are ALL great examples of wildfire mitigation work. You can submit a nomination and view the nomination guidelines and selection criteria here on NASF’s website. All nominations for the 2023 Wildfire Mitigation Awards must adhere to these criteria and be submitted to this online form by Friday, November 11, 2022. To meet past Wildfire Mitigation Awardees, go to stateforesters.org/mitigation. Have questions? Please contact Meghan Marklewitz at meghan@iafc.org or (703) 896-4839. Photo: Winners of the 2022 National Wildfire Mitigation Awards (WMAs). From left: Schelly Olson, Chris Colburn (and Mike Mathis), Jonathan Riley, Danny Blevins, Paul Cada, and The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (Amanda Milici).Mon, 19 Sep 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/2022_WMA_winners-copy.ashx{29F6853E-1DB3-41C2-918F-9C7BF573DF2F}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/08/31/Firewise-USA-renewal-season-is-almost-hereA critical component of the Firewise USA® program is annual commitment to wildfire safety and risk reduction action. Every year participating communities across the country host educational outreach events and organize their residents to complete activities around on their homes and in their home ignition zones (HIZ).  This annual work  improves the overall condition of homes and properties, increasing the odds of withstanding a wildfire.   In 2022, renewal applications are due Friday, November 18, and can be started now. Resident leaders should logon to the Firewise USA portal to start the process. Completing the application by the due date will keep your community In Good Standing for 2023 and ensure you are included in any reporting that NFPA does. Need some inspiration on what to tell us? Here are some highlights from 2021: Educational outreach  Two members of our Firewise Committee were trained by MOFD as Firewise Safety Ambassadors. Using this training we performed walks with individual neighbors to identify opportunities to improve the wildfire readiness of their properties. Completed review of approximately 20 properties between May and July of 2021. - Greater Monte Vista, CA. Monthly FW Committee Meetings to discuss FW activities and participation by residents throughout the year. Monthly Firewise news articles were published in the MTS Newsletter. - Myrtle Trace South, SC. Vegetation removal Program wide over 2,000 vegetation removal events were reported for over 2.5 million cubic years. Example - River Bluff Ranch, WA Removed vegetation Prescribed burning Notes: Several residents did their own DNR permit burning Recycled/reused vegetation Notes: Several residents rented chippers to recycle the vegetation they removed. Many of River Bluff Ranch residents did individual Firewise mitigation work on their personal properties this year. Trees and brush removed, bark replaced with river rock, and plants replaced with fire resistant plants. Total vegetation removed (as able to report): 32 Cubic Yards Risk reduction investment Ever community is required to meet an investment of 1 hour of work per home or the monetary equivalent, so 8 homes would equal 8 hours.  Most participants far exceed this and report a combination of hours worked and money spent.  In 2021 new and renewing sites reported over 2 million hours worked and over $134 million spent. The commitment of residents across the country to wildfire risk reduction is truly astounding and I can't wait to read about what they did in 2022! Visit the portal today to start your community's renewal and tell us how amazing you are.Wed, 31 Aug 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/people-doing-yard-work.ashx{266C1C7E-CFCD-4268-ABE8-2ADFA405AF71}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/08/04/Lessons-learned-on-wildfire-communication-and-community-initiativesIsabeau Ottolini is a PhD candidate from the Open University of Catalonia (Spain) and the European project, PyroLife. She is researching Community-based Wildfire Communication, and has recently done her research stay at NFPA’s Wildfire Division. In this blogpost, she takes us along her visit across the USA, and shares lessons learnt on communicating about wildfires. Recently NFPA hosted me for a research stay to allow me to learn first-hand about community initiatives on wildfires, and specifically NFPA’s communication activities in the USA. I started my journey in California, with Bethany Hannah - founder of The Smokey Generation and the American Wildfire Experience. Together, we visited recent wildfire sites such as the 2021 Caldor Fire and the KNP Complex Fire; met the Division Chief of Prescribed Fire and Fuels at Yosemite National Park to learn how prescribed wildfire is used in one of USA’s most emblematic national parks; and observed the impact of the recent wildfires in the Sequoia National Park. At the IAWF Fire & Climate Conference in Pasadena, Bethany and I also presented together on Fire Stories: a case for Community-based Communication. Creating viewscapes across Yosemite with the help of prescribed burns. Photo: Isabeau Ottolini   In Colorado, Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan and Aron Anderson from NFPA’s Wildfire Division took me on field visits to Boulder and Colorado Springs. We visited the Sites of Excellence site, Red Rock Ranch, as well as diverse other Firewise and Wildfire Partners communities, to learn which wildfire prevention and mitigation activities are happening at the community level. We also visited diverse areas affected by wildfires in the past 30 years (from the Berry Fire in 1989, the Waldo Canyon Fire in 2012, to the most recent Marshall Fire), to learn how ecosystems and communities are impacted and recovering after wildfire disaster. Lastly, I had the great opportunity to present her research at the NFPA C&E in Boston. Here I shared Lessons from the US and Europe on Wildfire Communication with Communities at Risk. During my last days in the US, I partook in the day-to-day of the NFPA office, and together with Michele Steinberg visited a recent wildfire-affected area in the Blue Hills as well as the Six Ponds Firewise community in Plymouth. Lessons learned On my visit, I crossed the USA from west to east, observing very different fire landscapes and being inspired by many great community-based wildfire initiatives – including Firewise, the Sites of Excellence, Fire Adapted Communities, and Wildfire Partners – that make wildfire mitigation and prevention possible on the community level. Here are four lessons on how to communicate about wildfires and support community-based wildfire initiatives. There are no silver bullets nor quick fixes to prevent and mitigate wildfires. Wildfire communication needs to be adapted to local contexts, and this requires actively engaging with communities, listening to them, and reading the room. For instance, if a community has just lost homes to a wildfire, it is likely not the best time to talk about good fire. As wildfire communicators, we need to meet people where they are at. Take the time to first learn about their needs, knowledge, and interests, and then jointly develop wildfire actions that are most feasible, relevant and rewarding for each community. Sharing responsibility: the wildfire issue is too big to be addressed only by certain groups, like the fire service or public administrations. Experience shows that community-led initiatives can achieve so much in mitigating and preventing wildfire disasters, so it is crucial to involve and empower them to take action. In addition, recognizing and celebrating community achievements helps maintain motivation, such as by making visible their efforts (e.g. by putting up Firewise signs, sharing success stories in the media, etc.) as well as providing support (e.g. how to get grants for fuel reduction efforts). Lastly, it is essential to build trust and mutually beneficial relationships between communities, fire departments, public administrations, etc. Especially in informal settings, people can genuinely listen to each other, understand each other's challenges, find ways to help one other, and build great collaborations. Because at the end of the day it is all about building this human connection and working together on creating a more hopeful wildfire future. Thu, 04 Aug 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Forest-trail.ashx{3FBC424A-AE0E-4CE6-807B-DAB5066E6F9F}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/07/26/Sites-of-Excellence-Pilot-Program-and-Report-Highlight-Challenges-Best-Practices-and-RecommendationsIn 2019, NFPA began working with seven active Firewise USA® sites in Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin, challenging them to improve their resilience to wildfire. These efforts formed the basis of a two-year pilot program, “Sites of Excellence,” designed to increase participation in active wildfire risk reduction through a more focused approach. Over the course of the two years, the communities concentrated on these goals: To have 100 percent participation of homes within the designated pilot boundary (sites were able to self-identify up to 100 co-located homes in each pilot site). To complete identified mitigation tasks within 30 feet of every home, based on recommendations from individual assessments. At the end of the two years communities reported higher levels of engagement and interest in the Firewise program and wildfire mitigation efforts, and helped prove that community wildfire resilience is achievable. It was challenging work, but according to Michele Steinberg, NFPA wildfire division director, the program underscored the true power and impact of Firewise communities working together to reduce their collective risk to wildfire. A free report and interactive story map are now available. Each provides a view into the challenges, successes, and best practices discovered during the pilot. The findings will be used to help direct future Firewise program changes as well as inform policy that can support increased implementation of risk reduction practices in communities facing wildfire threats to life and property. Download the free report and take some time to navigate through the story map to learn more about the communities and their work. We hope the lessons learned in the program can help enhance your own community’s wildfire risk reduction efforts.Tue, 26 Jul 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Red-Rock-Ranch-chipper-1-copy.ashx{9BBE7C86-B615-4370-9079-AF0E15251E0C}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/06/16/Free-online-learning-courses-launched-learn-how-to-reduce-wildfire-risk-to-propertyThanks to a Fire Prevention and Safety Grant from FEMA, NFPA has transformed its existing classroom-based wildfire mitigation training into a digital learning experience. Two new courses on Reducing Wildfire Risk to Property – one for property owners, the other for wildfire mitigation professionals – will help bring key information and knowledge to millions of people. Reducing Wildfire Risk to Property: Protecting Your Home or Business helps educate homeowners, business owners, and property managers on the key factors that determine risk to property from wildfire, steps they can take to protect their homes and businesses, and tips on how to share the information with other community members. An Individual Property Protection Plan is built into the course, which offers tailored, practical steps to help prevent the destruction of property. The course also comes with a mobile app, the NFPA Wildfire Risk Simulator that includes an interactive 3D and augmented reality (AR) tool illustrating wildfire risk to structures. Users can select the environment, type of structure, and other details that most closely match their own scenario. As the simulated wildfire approaches, users will see the variables that help contribute to the destruction of their virtual home or building. Based on this learning, users can then adjust those variables for a more successful outcome. Reducing Wildfire Risk to Property: Professional Online Training is designed for wildfire mitigation professionals who want to increase their knowledge and confidence in evaluating wildfire risk in their communities and effectively communicating with property owners and community leaders. The two-hour self-guided online training includes interactive exercises to help users practice how to communicate risk and mitigation options to home and business owners and guide them to take effective steps to protect their property. This course provides continuing education units that can support job requirements as well as the maintenance of the NFPA Certified Wildfire Mitigation Specialist (CWMS) credential. In addition to the financial support from the FEMA Fire Prevention & Safety Grant, NFPA’s training team had expert support to develop the course from wildfire experts including former NFPA Wildfire Field Office Manager Tom Welle (currently with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office); Jerry McAdams, MC Fire, LLC and Boise (Idaho) Fire Department; and Justice Jones, Wildfire Mitigation Officer at City of Austin (Texas) Fire Department. The course material is distilled from seminal research by Dr. Jack Cohen (ret.), US Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station, and the Disaster Research Center of the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS). The new courses support the tenets of its Outthink Wildfire™ policy initiative by dramatically increasing public access to wildfire risk reduction education. With nearly 45 million American homes at high risk to damage from wildfire, it is critically important that property owners and professional advisors have access to knowledge about wildfire causes and disaster prevention strategies. The trainings are designed to engage people in safety actions long before a fire starts, spurring much needed risk-reduction measures at the property and neighborhood levels. To learn more about reducing wildfire risk to property and to register for these free courses, visit nfpa.org/wildfirepreparedness.Thu, 16 Jun 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/HomeIgnitionWindows-copy.ashx{0079FC1D-1256-46F9-BCB2-EBC89141700D}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/06/16/PyroLife-training-the-next-generation-of-wildfire-scientistsDid you know about NFPA’s partnership with the European PyroLife project? Read on to learn more about this project and the importance of international partnerships in advancing Integrated Wildfire Management around the world. PyroLife is a PhD training network funded by the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (EU Horizon 2020). Specifically, it is a PhD training program on wildfires, aimed at advancing holistic, integrated wildfire management in Europe and globally, with the support of a worldwide network. The network is made up of 15 PhD candidates and over 20 academic and non-academic institutions in Europe and beyond, including NFPA (more information about the network here). The PyroLife PhDs conduct research from very diverse areas, such as wildfire impacts on water and soil systems; the economic costs of wildfires; wildfire governance; wildfire building safety; and communicating with communities at risk. To foster learning and research across disciplines, sectors and geographies, and help them become the next generation of wildfire scientists, the PhDs are involved in multiple activities beyond their individual research projects. These include trainings, workshops, dissemination activities, and secondments. And this is where NFPA’s partnership with PyroLife comes in. NFPA has greatly contributed to organizing and facilitating training and dissemination events, like the PyroLife International Symposium in 2020, the PyroLife webinar series during 2021, and the Basics of Risk Communication training in November 2021.   Moreover, NFPA hosts four of the PyroLife PhDs for secondments. By doing these research exchanges, the PhDs are exposed to working environments that are complementary to where they usually conduct their research. This fosters cross-disciplinary, intersectoral, and geographical transfer of knowledge, building networks, and paving the road for future wildfire collaborations across the globe. For instance, Isabeau Ottolini, who researches community-based wildfire communication at the Open University of Catalonia (Spain), has recently spent her secondment with NFPA. Thanks to this, she has presented her research at two conferences: the 2022 NFPA Conference & Expo and the IAWF Fire & Climate Conference. Furthermore, she travelled across California, Colorado and Massachusetts, learning about wildfire management, communication, and community engagement on the ground. These extremely valuable learning opportunities would not have been possible without the PyroLife network and the partner's willingness to be so actively engaged in it. In a next blogpost, Isabeau will share lessons learned on wildfire communication from her time with NFPA, so stay tuned! About the author: Isabeau Ottolini is a PhD candidate from the Open University of Catalonia (Spain) and part of the European project, PyroLife. She is researching Community-based Wildfire Communication and has recently spent her secondment at NFPA’s Wildfire Division.Thu, 16 Jun 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/IsabeauCali-copy.ashx{46844901-B704-4572-8D1A-003852D12B5D}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2022/06/08/Sound-Policy-A-Means-to-an-End-of-Wildfire-Destruction-in-our-CommunitiesThere are 44.8 million homes located in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) in America. According to experts, over the past three years, the nation has seen over 100 fatalities, 40,000 structures destroyed, and nearly $40 billion in insured losses from wildfire in high-risk WUI areas. The picture remains dire, experts warn, and the destruction we have seen in the past few years is not just an anomaly, but a look into the near future. As widespread destruction from wildfire continues, many people remain unsure that what they do will make a difference. During a session at NFPA’s Conference & Expo on Wednesday morning, Michele Steinberg, NFPA Wildfire Division director, Meghan Housewright, NFPA Fire & Life Safety Policy Institute director, and Ray Bizal, NFPA Director of Regional Operations, led a panel discussion to remind attendees the safety of our communities is in our hands and comes through more sound local, state, and federal policy. The panel, who were among a group of experts instrumental in the development of NFPA’s “Outthink Wildfire™” campaign, went on to outline the campaign’s five tenets needed for all levels of government to foster collaboration, enact change, achieve resilience, and enhance protection from wildfire, and highlighted some of the policymaking activity and initiatives already underway in states like Oregon, Colorado, and California. But when it comes right down to it, they said, everyone plays a role in reducing wildfire risk. And just as better policy is paramount, more and continued collaboration is also needed between policymakers, the fire service, and the public if we are to move the needle in a more measurable way. “States are taking action,” said Steinberg, “but there are still obstacles we must overcome. While we have seen a lack of political will and public acceptance about the wildfire problem, we continue working closely with communities and policymakers across the country to help address these challenges.” More information about “Outthink Wildfire” and its five tenets is available at nfpa.org/outthinkwildfire.Wed, 08 Jun 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/NFPA-Today/Wildfire-session.ashx{7281A1A5-7F52-4878-8819-D7F7C886C9FD}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2022/06/06/NFPA-General-Session-Focuses-on-Leadership-Innovation-and-Reaching-Beyond-Historical-SuccessNFPA President Jim Pauley gave a rousing keynote to thousands of attendees who were excited to be part of the 2022 NFPA Conference & Expo, which was back in person for the first time since 2019. He said, “While we had to delay our celebration of NFPA’s 125th anniversary, it is fitting that we are here in Boston to recognize this special milestone.” Noting that the conference was held only a short distance from the birthplace of NFPA in 1896, Pauley chronicled the 125-year past of the organization and stressed how it is driving the work NFPA does to further reduce loss and tackle the fire, life, and electrical safety issues of the times. “It is important to honor our past. But we don’t see our rich history as an easy chair to rest in, but a catapult to propel us forward - aimed at greater challenges than our predecessors experienced,” said Pauley.  He talked about the digital transformation impacting so many aspects of life. In particular, he spoke of the relevancy of NFPA LiNK™, which is dramatically changing the way professionals interact with codes and standards and related information. The digital platform provides better access to more robust information by delivering intuitive, seamless, information on demand when and where practitioners need it. This digital transformation is also a key factor in NFPA certification and training programs.  Online learning solutions feature interactive modeling, simulated training scenarios, and 3D virtual experiences. NFPA recently launched a new platform to make applying for and renewing certifications easier than ever and introduced remote proctoring for certification exams. Pauley also talked about one of the most prevalent fire threats today – wildfire – and a new NFPA initiative to reverse the disastrous trend. Outthink Wildfire™ is rooted in two facts – one is that wildfires are going to happen, whether they are caused by nature, by people, or the built environment.  And two, that fire departments will never be able to save all the property in the path of a wildfire. Outthink Wildfire is about how we build, where we build, and how we bring policymakers, first responders, and the public together to take action. Pivoting from the enormous success of NFPA and its critical role in providing resources that protect people and property from hazards, Pauley addressed a direct threat to NFPA. “NFPA is challenged by a vocal minority who have the erroneous view that standards, once incorporated by reference, should lose their copyright protection. They argue that if a governmental body decides to incorporate a standard into law or regulation to help with public safety, then the standard immediately is open for anyone to take, copy and distribute – even start a commercial business by offering them to the public – without any compensation to NFPA. This is a very misguided view,” he said. “The continued assault by special interests on copyright protection threatens the ability of NFPA and organizations like us to fund this important work… Without copyright protection, we would not be able to support the codes and standards development process, nor would be able to continue providing the research, public education programs, wildfire mitigation efforts, and other resources that are inherent to our mission and available for free.” Pauley emphasized that NFPA is continuing to fight this battle on all fronts to unequivocally confirm what is known: That standards are protected by copyright, even when they are incorporated by reference, allowing for a system that benefits government, businesses, and the public.  He concluded by looking forward. “What began 125 years ago to solve the fire problem in a young, industrialized nation is now a global force advancing safety worldwide. We are leading with innovative approaches to new and lingering threats. Through our work together, more people and property are saved in more places.”Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/NFPA-Today/Jim-at-General-Session-copy.ashx{64532310-D2EE-453E-8D70-F40EF7DAC721}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/05/16/Outthink-Wildfire-summit-works-to-build-a-bridge-between-barriers-to-wildfire-mitigationAs the past several years have shown, the mounting wildfire crisis in the U.S. presents a significant danger to people, homes, and communities, particularly those in wildfire urban interface (WUI) settings. While we know what’s needed to measurable reduce these risks, putting them into action requires buy-in and support from individual property-owners, communities, and policymakers at each level of government. Therein lies the challenge. Motivating these audiences to do their part isn’t always easy. But to truly increase safety from wildfire, we need to identify viable pathways to better combat the growing wildfire problem and put those measures into action. As a next step toward that end, NFPA hosting its first Outthink Wildfire™ summit last week in Sacramento, CA. NFPA launched Outthink Wildfire last year as a major policy initiative to stem the tide of wildfire-caused human and property losses through significant changes at all levels of government. Outthink Wildfire is about how we build, where we build, and bringing policymakers, fire service and the public together to solve the problem. The summit focused on developing a set of recommendations for the built environment, primarily tackling ways to get existing homes better protected from wildfire. Representatives from nearly 40 organizations were invited to share their input, insights, and recommendations, and to help create a template for effectively reducing wildfire risks in WUI communities. While space for this event was limited, it serves as a launchpad for many more individuals and organizations to participate going forward so that we can collectively move the needle on wildfire mitigation. Outthink Wildfire participants (in alphabetical order) American Property Casualty Insurance Association Brian Meacham Associates Build Strong America CAL FIRE California Association of REALTORS® California Building Industry Association California Building Standards Commission California Fire Safe Council California Fire Science Consortium/Cal Poly San Luis Obispo California Governor's Office City of Austin (TX) Fire Department Colorado Div. of Fire Prevention & Control Colorado Wildfire Partners Desert Research Institute Fire Marshals Association of Colorado U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) Insurance Information Institute International Code Council Munich Reinsurance America, Inc. National Association of State Fire Marshals National Disability Rights Network National Institute of Standards & Technology (NIST) National Volunteer Fire Council National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) NorCal Fire Prevention Officers Oregon Building Codes Division, Dept Consumer & Business Svcs Oregon Fire Marshals Association Oregon State Fire Marshals Office Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) Foundation Sonoma County (CA) Fire Prevention & Hazardous Materials Div. Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment U.S. Fire Administration UL Fire Safety Research Institute USDA Forest Service Western Fire Chiefs Association Wildland Fire Leadership Council A full report on the summit and next steps will be released in the coming months. In the meantime, a tremendous thank you to the 50-plus representatives who attended the summit this week. The enthusiasm and commitment displayed reinforces my hope and belief that we will truly be able to meet the ultimate Outthink Wildfire goal of eliminating wildfire hazards in 30 years. I also look forward to hearing from all the wildfire safety advocates and officials who were not at the summit but would like to get actively involved in the Outthink Wildfire initiative. It takes buy-in and engagement from all of us to make holistic, impactful wildfire mitigation a reality.Mon, 16 May 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Facilitator-listening.ashx{BBB01580-C372-452D-9BAD-7A9647C568B3}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/05/13/Spring-in-to-action-financial-preparedness-for-wildfireAs we work through the last month of spring, NFPA wants to make sure you are ready for wildfires.  There are many actions when it comes to preparation ahead of a wildfire, one important step that often gets overlooked is financial preparedness. Homeowners and renters need to have property insurance in place to help recover from a wildfire or other disaster. Recent wildfire losses are highlighting a real problem of underinsurance. According to a posting on insurance.com, "Most homes are underinsured. Nationwide estimates that about two-thirds of American homes are underinsured. Some homes are underinsured by at least 60 percent and the average is about 22 percent. CoreLogic estimates that three out of five American homes are underinsured by an average of 20 percent." This means that when a loss from wildfire or other disaster occurs, much of the repair or rebuild cost will fall on the homeowner as an out-of-pocket expense. To ensure your coverage is update to-date, our friends at American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) recommend doing the following each year: Update your policy after remodels or home improvements. Ask if your policy has coverages for three key things to prevent underinsurance: Extended replacement cost; Building code upgrade coverage; and Annual inflation adjustment. Be sure your policy reflects the correct square footage, number of bedrooms / bathrooms and doors and windows. Make sure your policy reflects your home’s finishes like granite countertops or hardwood floors. Renters need property insurance too. Consider bundling renters’ insurance with your auto coverage. Add comprehensive coverage to your auto policy to protect car in a wildfire Another important step to determine if you have enough coverage to replace your possessions is to create a home inventory. This task may seem daunting, especially if you've been in your home for many years, but it can be manageable. Some simple steps from the Insurance Information Institute include: Pick an easy spot to start, an area that is contained such as a small kitchen appliance cabinet or sporting equipment closet List recent purchases Include basic information – where you bought it, make and model, what you paid County clothing by general category Record serial numbers found on major appliances and electronic equipment Check coverage on big ticket items Don't forget off-site items Keep proof of value – sales receipts, purchase contracts, appraisals Don't get overwhelmed – It's better to have an incomplete inventory than nothing at all When creating your home inventory, embrace technology! Take pictures or videos, back them up digitally. There also many apps available to help organize and store your records. The current wildfires in Arizona and New Mexico remind us that wildfires can occur any time of year when the conditions allow.  Start your financial preparedness now – visit APCIA to download the How to Update Your Insurance and How to Create a Home Inventory tip sheets to guide your annual insurance review.  Share with your friends and family so they can be ready too!Fri, 13 May 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/house-insurance-419058_640-copy.ashx{262FE87C-3B3B-4EC4-A468-BCFF01B1F69E}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/04/01/California-residents-lead-the-way-in-Firewise-USAIn the years that I've worked with the Firewise USA program, I have been amazed by the commitment of resident leaders and their community members to address wildfire hazards in their area. In the last several years we have seen rapid interest and growth in the program, especially in the west, as a result of the wildfire situation. Rather than watching fire happen to them, individuals are taking action ahead of time to improve the condition of their home and immediate surrounding property, to be more resistant to the threat of embers and surface flames from a wildfire. It truly is astounding and I'd like to take a moment to recognize an awesome achievement. Earlier in March I had the opportunity to on-board Hollister Ranch in Santa Barbara County, the 500th community in California…that's right, 500th! And as of writing this blog, the number of communities in good standing in California has grown to 513.   Since the beginning of 2020 California has seen a groundswell in participation, with much of the effort really occurring at the grass roots level.  While state and local partners are supporting communities, resident leaders are truly driving the charge. Firewise USA sites are guiding and mentoring each other through the recognition process, forming coalitions to learn from each other and leverage mitigation efforts, and even supporting policy changes at the local and state level to help regulate building and vegetation management.    We applaud the residents of California for stepping up and doing their part to address wildfire. A big thank you to CAL FIRE, the host of the state liaison to NFPA, and the network of local fire safe councils, fire departments, and other partners that support these communities. We look forward to seeing the great work continue.   Is your community ready to take action? Visit Firewise.org  to learn more about how to organize your community and take steps towards increasing your chances of withstanding a wildfire.Fri, 01 Apr 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/500-Firewise_Certificate-copy.ashx{4B5A8E9B-3792-4596-A59C-3FCA81D6BF0E}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/03/22/Leading-Wildfire-Management-Groups-Honor-2022-Wildfire-Mitigation-Award-WinnersThank you to all the individuals and organizations who were nominated for this year’s Wildfire Mitigation Awards. Each project submitted is a testament to the hard work and commitment of people across the country who are making a real difference in the safety of their communities against wildfire. The decision to name the finalists is never easy given all the great submissions! Congratulations to the following recipients who were chosen to receive an award: Paul Cada, Vail Fire and Emergency Services, Vail, Colorado As the Wildland Program Administrator for the Town of Vail's Fire and Emergency Services, Paul Cada has led fuels reduction projects on over 250 acres and completed wildfire risk assessments on every property in Vail. Paul’s Fire Adapted Vail program earned his town Fire Adapted Community status, and more recently, his social media campaign "Vail Wildfire Ready" resulted in 88 new resident registrations with the Vail Fire Community Connect program and a 100% increase in registrations for the county-wide emergency notification program "EC Alert." Thanks to Paul’s tireless community outreach efforts, he has inspired awareness not only among permanent residents of Vail, but also among vacation homeowners and thousands of annual visitors. William "Danny" Blevins, Kentucky Division of Forestry, Morehead, Kentucky William “Danny” Blevins is well known in eastern Kentucky for promoting wildfire preparedness and mitigation. A volunteer firefighter, fire and rescue instructor, and regional director for the Kentucky Firefighters Association, Danny was instrumental in the development of the Kentucky Fire Commission’s Wildland Firefighter Awareness program, which is now a required course for all Kentucky firefighters. Through his work with the Northeast Rowan County Fire Council (NRCFC), Danny helped Lake Lewman become one of the first Firewise USA communities in the state. Additionally, in 2014, a Triplett Creek Watershed mitigation project co-developed by NRCFC was chosen to receive grant funding by the USDA Joint Chiefs’ Landscape Restoration Partnership. Ultimately, the project accomplished wildfire risk assessments on 1,000 homes within the watershed’s wildland-urban interface. In 2018, Danny teamed up with the Kentucky Division of Forestry to plan Kentucky’s first Wildfire Preparedness Day celebration, an event that garnered more than 500 attendees. Jonathan Riley, Chelan Fire District 1, Wenatchee, Washington In the last five years serving as the Chelan Fire District's first Community Wildfire Liaison, Jon Riley has cultivated the district's Community Wildfire Program and expanded its role within the community by offering virtual and in-person information sessions, securing grant funding, utilizing new mitigation tools for home assessments, implementing seasonal fuels reduction projects, and partnering with local organizations. Jon forged one such partnership with the non-profit CAFÉ in order to host bilingual presentations on wildfire mitigation for underserved Spanish-speaking community members. He also helped to train CAFÉ staff in providing wildfire risk assessments. Jon's out-of-the-box thinking—which most recently brought goats to Wenatchee for hazardous fuels reduction—has inspired others, both regionally and nationally, to take action to protect their communities. Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team, Lake Tahoe Basin, Nevada and California The Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team (TFFT)—comprised of 21 federal, state, local, tribal, and non-profit entities—was formed after the Angora Fire of 2007 to tackle wildfire prevention, fuels reduction, and community preparedness in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Since 2008, TFFT has treated 65,000 acres in the Basin’s wildland-urban interface (WUI) for hazardous fuels. Those efforts paid off during the 2021 Caldor Fire. Without them, the fire would have caused massive destruction to homes and businesses in Meyers and South Lake Tahoe, killed firefighters and residents, and burned thousands of additional acres of forestland. TFFT is now the primary coordinator of wildfire mitigation work in the Basin. TFFT has helped 59 Basin communities become Firewise USA recognized and, through its "Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities" effort, hosted events and workshops that have reached over 18,000 people in-person and another 3,800 people through social media. Mike Mathis & Chris Colburn, Florida Forest Service, Southport and Tallahassee, Florida The work of Mike Mathis and Chris Colburn is a shining example of how to quickly mitigate wildfire risk following natural disasters. In October 2018, a category 5 hurricane hit Florida’s Panhandle, leaving 72 million tons of trees broken or uprooted and prime for burning. The Florida Forest Service tasked Mathis and Colburn with developing a plan to address wildfire risk imposed by Hurricane Michael. They hit the ground running, forming emergency strike teams that cleared 574 miles of forest debris on 314 private properties across eight counties. Both Mathis and Colburn were displaced by the storm like so many Floridians, but they continued to work tirelessly, inspiring county administrators to develop wildfire mitigation plans and landowners to participate in wildfire risk property assessments and clearing projects. They helped over 500 residents receive prescribed burn training, held prescribed burn classes for the public, and waged a wildfire prevention campaign to educate residents about dangerous fuel loading. Mathis and Colburn were also instrumental in getting Timber Recovery Block Grant relief to affected forestland owners. Schelly Olson, Grand Fire Protection District 1, Granby, Colorado Schelly Olson, the Assistant Chief of Administration and Community Risk Reduction for the Grand Fire Protection District, founded the all-volunteer Grand County Wildfire Council (GCWC) in 2015 to establish crucial partnerships across local, regional, state, and federal boundaries. The GCWC has since held 26 free chipping service events with over 999 participants, developed a fuels reduction cost-share program that has treated over 1,000 acres of private land, created and sold reflective signs that first responders use to navigate smoke-filled properties, and helped several HOAs identify water supplies for wildfire response. With Schelly's expertise and initiative, her organizations have implemented wildfire mitigation programs across the entirety of Grand County, an area of 1,870 square miles with 15,000 residents. Co-sponsored by NFPA, the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS), the Wildfire Mitigation Awards demonstrate the tremendous societal value wildfire mitigation efforts provide and celebrates those who have earned the highest commendation for innovation and leadership in wildfire mitigation. The awards will be presented at the IAFC Wildland Urban Interface Conference (WUI) in Reno, Nevada on March 22, 2022. If you’d like to learn more about the Awards, visit the NASF website where you’ll find information about the criteria, see interviews, and read about past awardees. Tue, 22 Mar 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Mountaneous-area.ashx{ACAA7016-F042-438E-B9D8-98ECF0AC2A68}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/03/16/NFPA-Names-2022-Wildfire-Community-Preparedness-Day-Funding-Award-RecipientsOver the past decade, the U.S. has witnessed a steady rise in wildfire activity and experts predict this trend will only continue. Research shows, though, that voluntary individual and community actions continue to be a major component to reducing wildfire risk around homes and neighborhoods. To this end, NFPA is pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Prep Day) funding awards. Each year individuals and communities can apply to receive $500 to help support their risk reduction project on Prep Day. The funding is generously provided by State Farm, a major supporter of our Prep Day event for the past nine years. See the list of winners on our Prep Day webpage. This year, Prep Day takes place on Saturday, May 7. Will you be taking part? If yes, take a moment to notify us of your project by filling out your information on our Prep Day map, then take photos on event day to share with our Prep Day community. With less than two months to event day, there is still time to make homes and communities safer from wildfire. NFPA and State Farm encourage people to get involved by planning a project (even if you didn’t receive an award) and participating.  Congratulations to all our Prep Day award winners! We look forward to seeing the work all our communities will accomplish on this first Saturday of May 2022.Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/House-with-Prep-Day-sign.ashx{4EC72CCF-9F40-4226-B79E-ED6D84C0DC99}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/03/11/For-homeowners-in-wildfire-prone-communities-securing-adequate-insurance-coverageProperty insurance is the primary and largest financial safety net for recovering from disaster-caused property damage including wildfires. Roughly 95 percent of homeowners carry homeowners insurance, equating to some 70 million policies in force across the country. When wildfires destroy hundreds, even thousands, of homes, the payout of these policies is key to rebuilding communities and reducing the demand on public funding. As important as insurance is for both individual financial preparedness and community resilience, many Americans are poorly informed about both their own insurance needs and the overall functioning of the insurance marketplace. An estimated two-thirds of American homeowners policyholders are underinsured, typically by 20 percent, and by as much as 60 percent, imperiling their ability to recover in the event of a wildfire disaster. Moreover, as insurers reel from payouts spurred by recent wildfires—such as the $12 billion in insured losses in 2018—residents are increasingly fearful for the fate of their own coverage and rates. Such fears create political pressure for regulators to mandate rates that may not reflect actual risk and thus distort an important signal that could influence mitigation behavior. Insurers and related industries are well aware of all these factors and are actively engaged in reducing community wildfire risk through research, modeling, data analysis, and public education. During the upcoming presentation, “Sticks or Carrots? Insurance Industry Approaches to Wildfire Risk Reduction” Janet Ruiz, Insurance Information Institute; Karen Collins, American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA); and Arindam Samanta, Verisk will address these data points, focusing on steps homeowners can take to ensure that their insurance policies will adequately cover them in the event of a wildfire.   To be held on March 15, 3:00- 4:00pm EST, this presentation is part of the FREE, full-day wildfire program, “Outthink Wildfire: Identifying Solutions to End Community Loss” hosted by NFPA. A total of nine sessions are scheduled, addressing a wide range of wildfire issues, challenges, and opportunities.   To attend “Sticks or Carrots? Insurance Industry Approaches to Wildfire Risk Reduction,” register for “Outthink Wildfire: Identifying Solutions to End Community Loss.” If you’re unable to join online that day, you will still have access to all the sessions for a full year simply by registering for the event.Fri, 11 Mar 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/House.ashx{E0DD07F6-A726-40BD-BBF0-147B615D499C}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/02/25/Stepping-up-to-the-challenge-Firewise-USA-participation-increases-along-with-more-rigorous-criteriaIt’s never been more important for communities to engage in wildfire risk reduction around homes and neighborhoods. During 2021, participation in the only nationally available, standardized, and documented community wildfire risk reduction program, Firewise USA® increased to 1,839 sites in 43 states. Thirteen percent of the current total are new to the program; more than half of participating sites have been working on wildfire risk reduction for five or more years. Wildfire risk reduction is an ongoing process and must be addressed continuously due to the dynamic nature of wildfire risk. NFPA staff are especially proud of all communities that stepped up to the challenge of new criteria meant to ensure the continued high quality of the Firewise USA program. Behind every smiling face holding a Firewise sign, there is a tremendous amount of work and coordination that happens each year. Let’s take a look at the numbers! There are nearly 1.5 million people living in Firewise USA® sites around the country, working on wildfire risk reduction for 645,874 dwelling units. During 2021, these sites: Invested $133.9 million in wildfire risk reduction work Logged 2 million volunteer hours Removed 2.49 million cubic yards of flammable vegetation The volunteer hour for 2021 was valued at $27.20, and participating sites must accomplish the equivalent of one hour of work for every dwelling unit (home) in the community. They can achieve this through documenting work hours, cash spent, or in-kind services received. Most encouraging in the numbers was the significant effort to make changes to homes and home landscapes within 100 feet of the structure – modifying the Home Ignition Zone to reduce vulnerability to flames and embers. A solid 70% of the documented work was in the Home Ignition Zone last year, up from about 65% in 2020. The $133.9 million in risk reduction investment was split roughly 60/40 between volunteer hours vs. cash or in-kind. Nearly half of the annual cash investment in risk reduction were costs for professionals to do the work needed. Nearly a quarter of these investments involved home improvements to reduce ignition potential. While growth has been significant in the West, a number of states that usually aren’t associated with wildfire risk show strong commitment to wildfire risk reduction when we look at the top 10 states for Firewise participation. In 2022, NFPA will be creating more tools to help interested communities work through the Firewise process more readily. Stay tuned for what’s new as the year goes on!Fri, 25 Feb 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Firewise-signs.ashx{FFB2445F-AD58-4428-9748-8AD23783E3FA}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/02/23/Registration-for-Outthink-Wildfire-Identifying-Solutions-to-End-Community-Loss-a-FREEOn Tuesday, March 15, NFPA is hosting “Outthink Wildfire: Identifying Solutions to End Community Loss,” a FREE one-day program that addresses new, innovative approaches for effectively combating today’s wildfire challenges. The program is part of the association’s virtual 125th Anniversary Conference Series, which launched last May, replacing the traditional in-person 2021 NFPA Conference & Expo. The upcoming wildfire program represents the last of the year-long series. “Outthink Wildfire: Identifying Solutions to End Community Loss” will cover a wide range of topics, including strategies to better educate the public about real vs. perceived risk to wildfire; data and research that debunk common myths about wildfire; policy changes needed in specific states to strengthen wildfire readiness; and the importance of adequate insurance coverage for homeowners and the resilience of communities as a whole. Attendees can tune in live to earn up to five credit hours (0.5 CEU) and earn an additional five credit hours on-demand for a total of 10 credit hours (1.0 CEU). Alternatively, the content can all be viewed on-demand for a total of 10 credit hours (1.0 CEU). All programs will be available on-demand for up to a year starting on June 22. The full session list with descriptions of each is now available, and registration to attend the event is open. Sign up today!Wed, 23 Feb 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/firefighter-near-damage.ashx{284C0825-E4EA-4C55-B82B-26423FA006FC}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/02/10/New-Preparedness-Day-Kickoff-Video-Answers-Questions-about-Ways-to-ParticipateEach year with the start of the application process for grant funding for Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Prep Day), NFPA receives a lot of great questions from people across the country about how to participate in the event. Last week, NFPA hosted its first “Facebook Live Prep Day Kickoff event,” which gave viewers the chance to ask their questions live and hear from experts about wildfire preparedness. If you missed the event, the video is now on demand! Find it on the Prep Day landing page along with a lot of other great resources including a toolkit, checklists, and social media cards to download and help get you started. Since 2014, community groups and individuals have taken part in the campaign, completing hundreds of wildfire safety projects across the U.S. Will you join us this year? Apply for a funding award and learn how you can participate in a risk reduction or wildfire preparedness activity on Saturday, May 7 and help make your home and community safer from wildfire. For more information about Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, please visit www.wildfireprepday.org. We look forward to your participation!Thu, 10 Feb 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Wildfire-Mitigation-Scene-copy.ashx{190BEE12-6A31-4C51-AE21-A6746AECB5E6}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/01/20/New-10-Year-Strategy-from-the-US-Forest-Service-to-Tackle-Wildfire-Hazardous-Fuel-IssueOn January 18, the federal government announced plans to seriously tackle the hazardous fuels that feed that nation’s wildfire crisis. The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) has long acknowledged the problem created by the dead trees, overgrown undergrowth and brush left by decades of vigorous wildfire suppression, bark beetle infestations and neglect. But, it has been routinely stymied by the lack of resources to address the problem at its true scale—hundreds of millions of acres. On January 18, Tom Vilsack, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, along with Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Moore, announced the federal government’s intention to treat 50 million acres1 over the next ten years and have a plan in place for maintaining that work going forward. Years of research from the USFS and others have mapped out large areas of land, known as firesheds, where wildfire ignition would likely expose communities to risk. Through this research, land managers now have a better understanding of how to prioritize and target landscape treatments to get the most risk reduction possible from the smallest footprint of treatment area. The plan released yesterday noted the USFS will use this science to guide its actions, starting with high-risk areas in California, Arizona, Washington, and Oregon. The hazardous conditions of the nation’s forests and grasslands is a major factor in the extreme wildfire conditions on display over the past several years. NFPA’s Outthink Wildfire initiative has called for a significant increase in the federal government’s response to these hazardous conditions through prescribed fire and mechanical thinning. With the funds provided through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the USFS has nearly $3 billion directly for fuel treatments to kickstart their 10-year initiative. However, as acknowledged in the strategy document released yesterday, this initiative will require policymakers to solve ongoing funding issues, build the sizable workforce necessary to carry this out, and coordinate large projects across multiple jurisdictions—all long-standing challenges. After successive years of punishing wildfires, the Forest Service’s public acknowledgement of the need to greatly increase the scale of fuel reduction, and its commitment to treating 50 million acres of wildfire risk over the next 10 years, is a breakthrough. The impact of it though will depend on the appetite to solve the long-standing implementation barriers like funding and workforce, that currently stand in the way of the hoped for “paradigm shift” in land management. However, with strong advocacy and continued stakeholder engagement, progress on these hard issues can be gained. Treating the hazardous fuel conditions that enable destructive wildfires is critical. However, it is not the only action needed to solve the problem. Science points to a future with more wildfire, even as land management policies seek to mitigate the worst possible outcomes. To live safely in this future, communities must embrace risk reduction policies—codes, retrofits, education, and strong support for their fire departments. Without similarly lofty goals for each of these needs, the end of community destruction by wildfires will remain out of reach. 1 20 million acres of National Fire Land and 30 million acres of other federal, tribal, state, and private lands.Thu, 20 Jan 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/USFS-Outthink-Wildfire-blog-pic-copy.ashx{97A58593-23AB-4EE0-B518-6B2BFFBD7F5E}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/01/12/Take-action-to-protect-homes-and-neighborhoods-on-May-7-during-Wildfire-Community-Preparedness-DayResearch shows risks can be lessened when we invest time in preparing our homes and landscaping to reduce the damage caused by embers during a wildfire. That’s why NFPA and State Farm are pleased to announce the launch of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Preparedness Day) on May 7, 2022. Thanks to the generous support of State Farm, NFPA will be able to provide up to 100 applicants from across the country with $500 funding awards to complete a wildfire risk reduction project on event day and we make it easy for you to apply! Learn more about the application process and apply directly on our website. Since the inception of Preparedness Day in 2014, we continue to be inspired by the hundreds of individuals and groups of all ages from across the country who participate every year. Everyone can get involved and have fun, too! If you’re new to the event, or even if you participate every year, we make it easy to get involved. The following can help you get started: Check out information about how you can play a role in wildfire safety at home and download the home improvement project guidelines that apply to any residence and can be accomplished all year long. Learn about the May 7 Preparedness Day event and related information on the Preparedness Day webpage. Check out past success stories to learn how others have participated on event day. Listen to a video interview with residents and firefighters about how their preparedness efforts helped protect their community during a wildfire. Download a home ignition zone checklist and additional related resourcesthat you can use to guide you through your projects on event day and throughout the year. Download the 2022 Preparedness Day toolkit to get project ideas, tips, and ways to share your accomplishments with the community. Apply for a $500 funding awardto help with the cost of your project. There’s so much to learn and ways to get involved that we can’t wait to get started! Won’t you join us! For more information about Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, how to apply for funding awards, and for project ideas and free resources to download, please visit www.wildfireprepday.org.Wed, 12 Jan 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Kid-and-Mom-Raking-Leaves.ashx{6C0A0A22-57E2-412F-8463-877A63B94A9F}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2022/01/03/Hard-truths-about-a-hard-time-Marshall-Fire-devastation-illustrates-conditionsThe fires just before the New Year in Boulder County have been devastating in terms of property loss and human suffering. I join with all my colleagues in sympathy for those who have been left homeless and those who have been traumatized by the experience of fleeing their homes with minutes to spare. In our world of wildfire and disaster resilience, we sadly know there are many others who are retraumatized by watching this event unfold, as they have so recently experienced similar losses. In addition to supporting our friends and neighbors as they recover, it is of the utmost importance that we use this time to understand what happened and to communicate how we might change future outcomes. The Marshall Fire illustrates an important truth about wildfire disasters. For decades, attempts at disaster reduction and mitigation have relied on a definition of “wildland/urban interface” to try to describe the location, or the line, where we might take protective steps when building in areas prone to nature’s fire. And for at least 20 years, NFPA has argued for an alternate description of the so-called interface, as a set of conditions that can exist nearly everywhere. In other words, wildfire disasters (what happens when homes and other structures ignite during wildfires) can happen almost anywhere given just the right conditions of vegetative and structural fuel, weather and topography. The destruction caused by the Marshall Fire, with nearly 1,000 homes and other structures obliterated, was the result of a veritable perfect storm of fire conditions. Unseasonable warm and dry conditions have persisted in the Front Range area of Colorado for months, with virtually no snow in fall or early winter. As described in a recent New York Magazine Intelligencer interview with climate scientist Daniel Swain, the region is subject to strong winds, especially in winter, that materialized on a sunny day at the end of December. With an ignition on a warm and windy day, in bone-dry vegetation, the wildfire took off through grass and brush and began to ignite the other plentiful fuel source in the form of homes and commercial buildings. With wind gusts that would qualify for a strong Category 2 hurricane along the coastline, there was no stopping the spread of flames and especially embers that penetrated vulnerable buildings through vents, cracks, garage doors and other openings. Outside, once any combustible material – grass, shrubs, mulch, a rattan doormat, a parked vehicle – ignited, it was bound to burn and to then ignite the next combustible fuel – porches, decks, combustible siding on exterior walls, outbuildings. In the dense development throughout Superior, Louisville and surrounding areas, buildings aflame easily ignited the next home, the next business, and so on. The result was urban conflagration that Swain described in the interview as not unlike the Great Fires of history (London, Chicago, and the list goes on). The reality that home destruction from wildfire can happen nearly anywhere complicates attempts to regulate new construction and to reach vulnerable residents with vital safety information. As the past week has shown, however, safety advocates and policymakers must embrace the complexity of this problem, tell the hard truths, and recommit to ending wildfire disasters. NFPA launched Outthink Wildfire last year for this very reason. We owe it to our friends and neighbors to work to make this kind of destruction rare instead of recurrent.Mon, 03 Jan 2022 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/House-on-fire-2.ashx{5B9340EC-E017-4A98-B26D-39F41C648FDC}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2021/12/13/Study-Finds-Thousands-Die-from-Pollution-Caused-by-Wildfire-Smoke-Each-YearWhen it comes to wildfire, direct deaths, property damage, and the number of acres of land burned are most often talked about. But did you know that wildfire, most notably a person’s exposure to wildfire-related fine particulate matter, has a significant impact on people’s health? A study published in The Lancet Planetary Health in September estimates that at least 33,000 people a year die from pollution caused by wildfire smoke, with a disproportionate number of those deaths occurring in Central and South America. The groups most at risk, according to the research, include children up to 9 years old and people over 80 years old. Angelo Verzoni takes a deeper look at the study and lays out some of the more significant findings in his article, “Wildfire’s Widening Toll.” Read this and other related articles in the latest issue of NFPA Journal and share the information with others you know.Mon, 13 Dec 2021 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/fire-truck-ladder.ashx{4D5A0E27-E219-44C7-8282-0EF4CAADFF08}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/Fire-Break/Blog-Posts/2021/12/09/Latest-NFPA-Podcast-Takes-a-Sobering-Look-at-Wildfires-and-the-Devastating-Effect-on-FarmersIn August, the Richard Spring Fire burned more than 170,000 acres of land through southeastern Montana. Cattle ranchers, who often serve as first responders for wildfires on their property, were hit particularly hard during this time. But this was not the first experience these ranchers have had with a wildfire. For decades, farmers, ranchers, and others have worked tirelessly on strategies to mitigate wildfire and the threats they pose to their animals. Weeks after the Richard Spring Fire, Jacqueline Wilmot, a research project manager at the Fire Protection Research Foundation, spoke with Clint McRae, a longtime cattle rancher, about his experience dealing with the Richard Spring Fire. Their conversation is captured in the podcast, Fire on the Ranch. A sobering story, McRae tells listeners what he and other ranchers have been doing to help their cattle survive, and the difficult choices they must often make during and after a wildfire burns through their area. Following McRae’s interview, Jesse Roman, senior editor of NFPA Journal, dives deeper into the topic of wildfire and interviews Michele Steinberg, the director of the NFPA Wildfire Division about this year’s fire season. Together they discuss legislative efforts currently underway to help address the damaging wildfire trends the U.S. has seen over the last five years. Listen to the podcast and read related articles about wildfire in the latest issue of NFPA Journal and share the information with others you know.    Thu, 09 Dec 2021 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/Fire-Break/Wildfire-moving.ashx{375B3054-CEA6-455E-B715-C9730901A757}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2021/12/03/NFPA-launches-a-new-Drone-KnowledgebaseWhile drones are being used more and more these days by fire departments to help with situational awareness during structural fires, wildfires, natural disasters, rescue efforts, and large public gatherings, there are many jurisdictions that still lack the knowledge and experience needed to establish, administer, operate, and maintain a cohesive public safety drone program. To help inform those that want to revisit or begin an effective drone program for emergency preparedness and response scenarios, NFPA has developed a Drone Knowledgebase that encourages information-sharing and collaboration. The easy-to-use tool asks questions about population, response types, pilot count, visual observers, waivers, drone makes and models, payloads, and remote image feeds so that administrators and operators can effectively create, manage, and maintain drone programs that are in sync with proper public safety protocols.  The resource is the latest drone deliverable from NFPA and can be found on the microsite nfpa.org/drones along with new online training for the fire service, NFPA 2400, Standard for Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) Used for Public Safety Operations, a training teaser video, research, and related content. NFPA received a FEMA Fire Prevention and Safety Grant to develop the Knowledgebase and a four hour online training program (released in September) so that the nation’s 29,000 fire departments have aerial technology insights. The Knowledgebase will only be as strong as the information received from fire departments. NFPA, however; is optimistic given the success of a similar crowd sourcing tool called Codefinder™, which gathers and shares the codes that are applied in certain countries, states, territories, and communities. Since it debuted in 2018, Codefinder draws thousands of visitors each month. Over time, the Drone Knowledgebase is expected to become more robust and valuable to fire departments. Visit nfpa.org/drones to learn about NFPA resources and to add your data to the new Knowledgebase. Also, be sure to invite neighboring departments to add their program details too.  Fri, 03 Dec 2021 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/NFPA-Today/knowledgebase-copy.ashx{EAFA6A84-479D-4C29-8E20-9F3A3EAC931A}http://www.nfpa.org/News-and-Research/Publications-and-media/Blogs-Landing-Page/NFPA-Today/Blog-Posts/2021/11/19/Fire-on-the-RanchBack in August I was spending some time on the Fires in Animal Housing Facilities project and wanted to interview some farmers and ranchers to make them aware of the survey that was being conducted and ask them some follow up questions. While interviewing Clint McRae, a 4th generation cattle rancher in Montana, he shared his experience and knowledge in fighting wildfires to protect his ranch. And although his cattle are free range, and not housed (i.e., no longer applicable to the Fires in Animal Housing Facilities project), I still thought many would enjoy listening to the full interview that is part of the NFPA Podcast: Fire on the Ranch. My hope is that you learn about the strategies that thousands of cattle ranchers utilize to maintain their livelihoods. Getting back to the Fires in Animal Housing Facilities project….this study will help assist the Technical Committee responsible for NFPA 150, Fire and Life Safety in Animal Housing Facilities Code, which establishes life and safety requirements for both humans and animals in all types of animal housing facilities. The goal is to ensure that there are minimum requirements in place to prevent the loss of animal life, human life, and property from fire or other emergencies. This project is anticipated to be completed in early 2022. Read the project summary for more information and stay tuned!Fri, 19 Nov 2021 00:00:00 Zhttp://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Images/Blog-Images/Blog-Post-Attachments/NFPA-Today/Animal-housing-Chickens.ashx