What is a fire adapted community? What is a fire adapted community? A fire adapted community is one that, through it’s own actions, has mitigated and is prepared for and can live with a wildland fire without extensive suppression resources and with a lowered level of risk to life or property.

What it isn’t It’s not another new program It doesn’t replace Firewise It’s not a recognition program

What it is It’s a new way to look at wildfire mitigation in the larger community context It bundles a variety of mitigation tools to help communities reduce wildfire risk It brings more local stakeholders to the table to take responsibility for mitigation on the local level It links community mitigation efforts to the larger landscape risks and relates it to wildfire response.

Fire Adapted Communities Firewise fuel reduction Forest Management Internal Safety Zones Ready Set Go Codes & ordinances Exterior Fuel buffer Prevention Education Local capacity CWPP cooperative fire agreements What does a fire adapted community look like?

A fire adapted community. A fire adapted community 1. Reduces risk to residents and firefighters 2. Reduces damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure, the economy, and natural and cultural resources. 3. Reduces reliance on suppression.

It’s part of the cohesive strategy

The FAC Coalition A partnership of national leaders in wildland urban interface mitigation working collaboratively to promote the fire adapted communities message, tools, and strategy.

National Association of State Foresters U. S. Forest Service U. S. Fire Administration U. S. Department of Interior International Association of Fire Chiefs Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety The Nature Conservancy/The Watershed Center National Volunteer Fire Council National Fire Protection Association The NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Committee

What the Forest Service is doing: A national awareness campaign with the Ad Council Support for initiatives and programs that further FAC concepts: the Ready, Set, Go Program, Firewise, Wildland Fire Assessment Program, Fire Learning Network Supporting a FAC Learning Network, currently in 18 communities Partnering with insurance companies on the national and local levels Supporting tools to help communities adapt to fire Developing best practices Collecting and sharing success stories Focusing attention on the value of mitigation Bringing more partners to the table Exploring effective, efficient, viable ways to measure success

For more info on adapting to wildfire fs.fed.us/fire/prev_ed/fac facnetwork.org wildlandfirersg.org conservationgateway.org/FLN firewise.org nvfc.org/programs/wildland-fire-assessment- program

For more info on adapting to wildfire Cont’d fireadapted.adcouncil.org usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/.../fire_adapted_c ommunities.pdf fireadapted.org usfa.fema.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/wildfire thewatershedcenter.com/?page_id=1424