PREVENTION/EDUCATION

NWCG Prevention and Education Team

NWCG Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee

Additional Resources

• PUBLICATIONS

• NWCG Wildfire Prevention Guides
  

• Firewise Publications

• Education Materials (USFS)

Plan, Prepare and Prevent

Wildfire season is year-round in many parts of the country now. What can you do to help support our firefighters and protect your family from wildland fires?

Plan for wildfire

In many areas, May is Wildfire Awareness Month. As the weather becomes warmer and wildland vegetation, or fuels, begin to dry out, it is time to plan for the wildfires.

During a wildfire, embers cause most home ignitions. Residents can harden homes minimizing property damage and protecting firefighters.  Help reduce putting firefighters and communities at risk by hardening your home to ember intrusion and creating defensible space on private property. 

• Get Ready
• Become Firewise
• Learn about wildfire-resistance
• Understand, explore, and reduce wildfire risk to your community  

Prepare your home

Taking steps to make your home survivable and community adaptable to wildfire helps protect firefighters too. Learn how to mitigate wildfire risk around your property and community:

• Protect your home from wildfire
• Prepare your community

Prevent wildfires

The public plays a valuable role in preventing wildfires. The national average of human-caused wildfires comprises 87 percent of all wildfire occurrences every year. Most of these fires can be prevented.

Preventable wildfires threaten lives, property, and our precious natural resources. Whether it is properly extinguishing a campfire or keeping your vehicle maintained to prevent sparks, following just a few simple steps can help prevent wildfires.

Learn how to properly use outdoor equipment; burn debris safely; start, maintain, and extinguish a campfire; maintain a vehicle and tow safely; and practice fire-safe target shooting to name a few.

Check out on-line resources to learn about wildfire prevention in your state or area.  Here are just a few:

• One Less Spark, One less Wildfire
• Rangeland fire prevention
• Only you can prevent wildfires