U.S. Fire Administration

Your Role in Fire-Adapted 

Communities

How the fire service, local officials, and the public can work together.

February 2012
U.S. Fire Administration

Mission Statement

We provide National leadership to foster a solid foundation for our fire and emergency services stakeholders in 

prevention, preparedness, and response.

This guide was developed by the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) under a cooperative agreement 

from the Forest Service based against an Interagency Agreement that the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) has with 

the Forest Service, HSFEEM-09-X-0265.
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Table of Contents

Fire-Adapted Communities Introduction .................................................................... 1

The Threat .............................................................................................................................................. 1

Developing the Concept ................................................................................................ 1

The National Cohesive Strategy: Why You Should Pay Attention ............................................................ 1

The Current Definition and Its Goal ............................................................................. 2

The Role Each Can Take ................................................................................................. 3

Local Fire Service ................................................................................................................................... 3

Local Officials and Decisionmakers ....................................................................................................... 4

The Public ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Land Managers ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Now What? Moving Toward a Fire-Adapted Community ........................................... 9

Remembering the Local Context ............................................................................................................ 9

Funding ................................................................................................................................................ 9

Fire-Adapted Communities Checklist for Implementation ................................................................... 10

Resources............................................................................................................................................. 11
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Fire-Adapted Communities Introduction 

The Threat

They are called grass fires, forest fires, wildland fires, or by a variety of 

names. Yet, no matter the name, they pose an evolving threat to lives and 

property in an increasing number of communities across the United States. 

Homes near natural areas, the wildland/urban interface (WUI), are beautiful places to live. These pristine environments add to the quality of life 

of residents and are valued by community leaders seeking to develop new 

areas of opportunity and local tax revenue, but these areas are not without 

risk. Fires are a part of the natural ecology, living adjacent to the wilderness means living with a constant threat of fires. Fire, by nature, is an 

unpredictable and often uncontrollable force. 

Recent fires in 2011, like those seen in Texas, the West, and even the Mid-Atlantic States, serve as a 

reminder to the fire service, emergency managers, local decisionmakers, and the public of the need to 

better understand the environment we live in and the positive role each group can collaboratively play 

in a wildland fire solution. 

The concept of fire-adapted communities (FACs) holds that, 

with proper community-wide preparation, human populations and infrastructure can withstand the devastating 

effects of a wildland fire, reducing loss of life and property. 

This goal depends on strong and collaborative partnerships 

between agencies and the public at the State, Federal, and 

local levels, with each accepting responsibility for their part. 

This guide will frame the FAC concept and current efforts 

to define its scope, explain the roles that groups can adopt 

to improve their fire safety, and provide guidance on future 

steps. The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) believes that by reviewing the roles and responsibilities each 

group can adopt now, communities will become better prepared to realize the FAC goal in the future. 

Developing the Concept

The National Cohesive Strategy: Why You Should Pay Attention

The concept of FACs is one piece of a three-part focus outlined by the evolving National Cohesive 

Wildland Fire Management Strategy. 

It is important for the fire service, local officials, and the public to understand the development and 

goals of this effort because, upon completion, the cohesive strategy will influence and direct how the 

various Federal agencies that fund and engage in wildland fire suppression—such as the U.S. Department of the Interior, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, the Federal Emergency 

Management Agency (FEMA), and the USFA—interact and assist local entities.

Directed by Congress in 2009, this cohesive strategy allows stakeholders to systematically and thoroughly develop a dynamic approach for planning, responding to, and recovering from wildland fires. 

Three primary factors were identified as presenting the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities for making a difference in addressing wildland fire problems. 
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•	 Restoring	and	maintaining	resilient	landscapes. The strategy must recognize the current lack of ecosystem health and variability of this issue from geographic area to geographic area. Because 

landscape conditions and needs vary depending on local climate and fuel conditions, among 

other elements, the strategy will address landscapes on a regional and subregional scale.

•	 Creating	FACs. The strategy will offer options and opportunities to engage communities and 

work with them to become more resistant to wildfire threats.

•	 Responding	to	wildfires. This element considers the full spectrum of fire management activities 

and recognizes the differences in missions among local, State, tribal, and Federal agencies. The 

strategy offers collaboratively-developed methodologies to move forward. 

This cohesive strategy is being developed over three phases to incorporate land management considerations from a wide array of Federal, State, and local participants; the identification of geographically 

regional goals; and quantitative modeling for future benchmarks of success. Once the strategy is finalized, it will be implemented across the country and a 5-year review cycle will be established to provide 

updates to the U.S. Congress.

The Current Definition and Its Goal

In the 2000s, various Federal reports and advisory groups 

progressively built upon the foundation of the FAC concept. 

The “2005 Quadrennial Fire and Fuel Review” promotes a 

strategy of fostering FACs rather than escalating protection of 

communities at risk in the WUI. It highlighted that the ultimate objective is to enable communities to create their own 

fire-safe environment, lessening the need for Federal protection, which will free up Federal dollars for ecological restoration and reducing risk to residents and firefighters alike. The 

subsequent “Quadrennial Fire Review 2009” took the concept 

further, explaining that implementation should include strategies for increasing knowledge and commitment that will build 

a sense of responsibility among landowners, homeowners, the insurance industry, fire districts, local 

governments, and other key players in WUI communities for wildland fire prevention and mitigation. 

Supported by an integrated fuels management portfolio, these strategies include building community 

defensible space and fuel reduction zones, and recalibrating public expectations in the FAC area. 

Yet, the concept is not just illustrated in defensible space techniques and preparedness. It seeks to 

explain how a community can coexist with wildland fire and, ultimately, reduce large fire threats and 

eliminate the need for a large and expensive fire-suppression response. This is achieved through the 

understanding of the role of fire on the traditional environment that a community is now located in 

and the subsequent impacts of land development and introductions of nonindigenous vegetation. 

In 2011, the Federal-level National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s (NWCG’s) Wildland Urban Interface 

Mitigation Committee brought together previous recommendations and presented a working definition for a FAC. Its commonly held definition states that: 

A FAC is a community of informed and prepared citizens collaboratively taking action to safely coexist 

with wildland fire threat. A FAC has, or is striving to achieve, the following characteristics:

•	 It exists within or adjacent to a fire-adapted ecosystem.

•	 Adequate local fire suppression capacity is available to meet most community protection needs.
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•	 Structures and landscaping are designed, constructed, retrofitted, and maintained in a manner 

that is ignition resistant. 

•	 Local codes (building, planning, zoning, and fire prevention codes) that require ignition-resistant home design and building materials are adopted and enforced. 

•	 Fuel treatments are properly spaced and sequenced, and are maintained across the landscape. 

•	 A community wildland fire protection plan is developed and implemented. 

•	 The community has a defined geographic boundary.

As the concept of FAC evolves, agencies and the public at every level can take steps now to better understand the role they play and responsibility they should address. 

The Role Each Can Take

Local Fire Service

The responsibility of fire departments in FACs is to engage and educate 

residents about properly preparing for threats and building situational 

awareness. Having prewildland fire dialogue with residents is particularly 

important for the fire service because national studies have shown that 

firefighters are uniquely respected in their communities and can project a 

trusted source to the public. Firefighters can deliver the preparedness message to residents in an effective manner so as to best prepare them against 

wildland fire. 

When considering FACs, local fire service should address

•	 proficiency of fire department personnel about wildland fires, fuels, operational techniques, 

safety procedures, qualifications, and response;

•	 proficiency of fire department personnel in having the right training and equipment for wildland firefighting;

•	 local building stock vulnerabilities to flame front and ember impingement;

•	 local wildland fire fuel loads and scope of fire risk;

•	 at-risk populations and functional-needs populations like elderly or those with limited transportation;

•	 construction developments in the WUI;

•	 availability of fire-suppression resources and the public’s expectation of response;

•	 current level of preparedness/response collaboration with local emergency management and 

public safety agencies;

•	 the fire department’s role in any local Community Wildfire Preparedness Plan (CWPP);

•	 role of secondary assets like Fire Corps or Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs); 

and

•	 the fire department’s role in planning, zoning, and building code development and enforcement.

Planning for functional-needs populations is important to consider and gauge. Such residents in communities at risk of a wildland fire may include the disabled, people living in institutionalized settings, 

the elderly, children, non-English-speaking populations, and those without access to transportation. 

Understanding their needs will help your fire department develop proper preplanning and gain them 

as partners in the preparedness effort. 

Firefighters are the trusted 

source in the community. 

They can deliver the preparedness message to residents in an effective manner.
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Vacation homes pose another area of risk. The community may have a high population of seasonal 

tourists, absentee owners, summer lake cabin residents, hunters, and back country campers. These 

“part-time” residents may not be familiar with the local WUI threat and may bring with them inaccurate notions of fire and operational response/capabilities. It is important for fire departments to reach 

out to these populations—either directly or through rental management companies—to inform them 

of the local situation and build understanding to perform a home assessment on their property. 

It is important that the fire department partner with 

other local emergency response departments, State fire 

and forestry agencies, and any regional Federal assets 

before a fire begins. Identifying existing residential 

wildland fire preparedness groups like Firewise Communities or other groups helps to integrate department 

efforts with citizens. Resources for fire departments 

also include the “Ready, Set, Go! Program” which provides the tools and guidance necessary to deliver the 

wildland fire safety message to individuals at the local 

level. The program is a three-step process: 1) teaches 

homeowners to create their own action plan of preparedness, 2) have situational awareness when a fire 

starts, and 3) leave early in the event of a fire with the goal of significantly increasing the safety of both 

residents and firefighters. 

Finally, fire department leadership should identify any additional training necessary for their personnel 

related to wildland fire issues. The NWCG provides both online and in-person training and qualifications courses. An additional resource is the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA’s) “Assessing 

Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone” 2-day seminar. State forestry agencies will also have 

training opportunities. 

Local Officials and Decisionmakers

Local officials and decisionmakers (including elected council members, city 

managers, and appointed municipal officials dealing with building regulation and community representatives) all work to shape development in their 

communities and ensure an ideal quality of living. These officials reflect the 

desires of the local population and ensure a tax base that permits the necessary services used by residents. As populations fluctuate, adding or subtracting new families and retirees, the landscape of communities change as well. 

Local officials will understandably encourage growth, but as building continues to expand in areas that include the WUI, so must the knowledge of the 

fire threat. The responsibility of local officials in FACs is to advocate a style 

of development that permits residents to balance the benefits of the environment in which they live with the risk posed by living there. 

When considering FACs, local officials should address

•	 types of residential and commercial development and future trends;

•	 existing comprehensive planning, zoning, and ordinances;

•	 CWPPs;

•	 existing homeowner association regulations on landscaping, home design, and building material use;

Local officials work together 

to shape development in 

their communities and ensure an ideal quality of living. 

They promote the balance 

between the benefits of the 

environment in which they 

live and the risk posed by living there. 
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•	 resident’s knowledge of the wildland fire risk;

•	 demographic considerations of at-risk populations;

•	 existing local organizations involved in wildland fire and natural resources efforts; and

•	 existing Firewise Communities or other public education wildland fire preparedness programs.

While this section cannot specify what every community should adopt, there are multiple sources that 

can be used to help frame the process. These include

International	Code	Council

Annually, the International Code Council (ICC) publishes the International Wildland-Urban Interface Code. This 

guide contains provisions for constructing buildings near and in wildland areas by outlining details 

regarding water supply, defensible space, accessibility, fire spread, and more. Another reference is the 

International Building Code. The ICC classifies the International Building Code as a book that provides “valuable 

structural, fire, and life-safety provisions that cover means of egress, interior finish requirements, roofs, 

seismic engineering, innovative construction technology, and building occupancy classifications.” They 

highlight that the code book’s content is, “developed in the context of the broad-based principles that 

facilitate the use of new materials and building designs, making this an essential reference guide for 

students seeking a strong working knowledge of building systems.”

Insurance	Services	Office

Local officials can use the Insurance Services Office’s (ISO’s) Fire Suppression Rating Schedule (FSRS) 

when reviewing the individual community’s capabilities. The schedule measures the key elements of a 

community’s fire-suppression ability which can provide local officials with beneficial building practices. The grading system used is called the Public Protection Classification (PPC). The ISO is constantly 

updating its material by incorporating nationally accepted standards from the American Water Works 

Association (AWWA) and the NFPA. The grading assigned is used as a constructive benchmark for fire 

departments and other public officials to gauge their efforts and plan accordingly.

National	Fire	Protection	Association

The NFPA maintains numerous codes and standards that provide direction on development in the WUI. 

Below are a few examples:

•	 NFPA 1, Fire Code, Chapter 17;

•	 NFPA 1141, Standard for Fire Protection Infrastructure for Land Development in Suburban and Rural Areas;

•	 NFPA 1142, Standard on Water Supplies for Suburban and Rural Fire Fighting;

•	 NFPA 1143, Standard for Wildland Fire Management; and

•	 NFPA 1144, Standard for Reducing Structure Ignition Hazards from Wildland Fire.

In addition to the adoption of codes and standards, local 

decisionmakers should review their community’s comprehensive planning process. One successful example of such an 

effort comes from Alachua County, FL, in response to Statewide wildland fires in the summer of 1998. Elected officials, 

homeowner associations, the agricultural community, and the 

forestry industry came to consensus on a need for action and 

chose their growth management policies as an area for improvement. The county public safety director, in conjunction 

with the county planning department, developed a wildland 
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fire mitigation section for the county’s comprehensive growth management plan.1 The final plan influenced all new development activities in areas where the risk of wildland fire exists or could be reasonably predicted. 

A simple ordinance could have been passed with less effort, but the inclusion of wildland fire language 

in the comprehensive plan ensured the effort would enjoy the full weight of county law. Numerous 

public hearings were held and the section required State approval, which it eventually achieved. Many 

sections of the comprehensive growth management plan were challenged and vetted at the local level, 

but the wildland fire mitigation piece was not due to early achievement of broad consensus amongst 

the various stakeholders. While this process took years, it serves as an example of what local decisionmakers can achieve through regular municipal processes.

The Public

Many people move to the WUI, bringing with them the same fire-protection expectations they had when living in urban or other suburban communities. The responsibility of the public in FACs is to fully understand 

and prepare for the risk of wildland fire. Homes that do not reflect the risk 

pose not only a threat to the residents themselves, but neighboring homes 

and emergency services as well. FACs support an environment where individuals have access to information and necessary knowledge concerning 

protection of their life, property, and the community.

When considering FACs, the public should address

•	 building relationships with local public safety agencies and residents before a fire starts;

•	 what to expect from local emergency responders in the first 24 hours of a fire;

•	 understanding of the Home Ignition Zone and Defensible Space;

•	 how to create and maintain a fuel-free area;

•	 vegetation along fences and fences made of flammable materials attached to homes;

•	 proper landscaping and plant selection;

•	 what the environmental FAC was before local development;

•	 placement of radiant heat sources near the home (i.e., wood piles, fuel tanks, sheds);

•	 thinning trees and ladder fuels around the home;

•	 debris under decking and patios;

•	 understanding the ember danger;

•	 having a situational awareness when fire warnings are called;

•	 having a personal and family preparedness plan; and

•	 understanding what evacuation means to you and your 

community.

There are various public education tools focusing on wildland fire 

preparedness from which individuals and homeowners can learn. At 

the national level, these include the Firewise Communities Program, 

created by the NFPA. The program focuses on teaching residents how 

1 For further reading, visit the Alachua County website and find within the Alachua County Comprehensive Plan, page 290, the Conservation & Open Space Element, Objective 5.6, Wildfire Mitigation section. 

The public must understand 

and prepare for the risk of 

wildland fire. Homes that 

are not properly prepared 

and maintained create a risk 

for the residents and the 

emergency services.
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to adapt to living with wildland fire and encourages neighbors to jointly collaborate in a communitywide effort before a fire threat to prevent the loss of life and property. Many other State-specific programs exist and you can learn more about these from your State forestry departments. 

Important wildland fire preparedness concepts for the public to review include

•	 Defensible	Space: The required space between a building structure and the wildland area that surrounds it. This area creates a buffer between the structure and the wildland fire, increasing the 

survivability of the home from radiant heat or direct flame. Zone 1 extends 30 feet from the 

building. Zone 2 extends 30 to 100 feet. For more information on defensible space, visit the 

Resources page at www.firewise.org and www.firewise.org/resources/firefighter.htm

•	 The	Ember	Issue: Windblown embers are a cause of concern in the WUI. Most structures within 

the WUI are not destroyed from direct-flame impingement, but rather from embers. Embers 

may precede the flaming fire front, carried by the winds that distribute burning brands or embers over long distances. These embers fall, or are wind-driven into receptive fuels on structures, often going undetected for some time. As the fire front passes, these small embers may 

ignite incipient fires that spread to the home and potentially the entire neighborhood. 

•	 Hardening	Your	Home:	 A conceptual plan that looks to protect a home through its actual composition of roofs, eves, vents, decks, windows, and other aspects. Even making one change can 

increase a home’s possibility of survival. 

•	 The	Home	Ignition	Zone:	 Another concept plan that places the home in the context of its overall 

surroundings. In a high-hazard area, this zone can extend up to 200 feet from a home and 

the stepped-zone-focus includes preparedness techniques both to the home and surrounding 

vegetation. 

As you have questions about techniques, materials, and procedures, connect with your local fire department, State forestry personnel, or local landscaping groups. Another resource is provided by the 

Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), who conducted a series of beneficial tests in 

spring 2011 at their research center in Richburg, SC, to explore the effects of ember intrusion on differing home constructions. The tests were covered by NBC’s “The Today Show” and illustrate both the 

threats from wildland fire and preparedness steps residents can take.

Graphic used by permission from NFPA Firewise Communities program.
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Land Managers

Whether it be a rancher, timber company, local government, State regulatory body, or Federal land agency, each have a responsibility in understanding their role in land stewardship, their impacts on surrounding lands, and 

what they need to know to become better neighbors. The umbrella of land 

managers can be divided into two specific groups: private land managers and the public sector regulators. Private land managers can include 

ranchers, farmers, corporate entities, timber interests, and large, private 

landowners. Public sector regulators include the Federal land management 

agencies, State-level bodies, local governments buying “open space” lands, 

and water utility districts, hydropower regulators, and ground water recharge lands entities. 

Land managers, private and public alike, do not manage their land in a vacuum. Vegetation management is important, as is the influence of city and State agencies over land use. Much like the previous 

groups of fire departments, local officials and the public, and private and public land managers may 

not be aware of what their management stewardship encompasses relating to vegetation fuels and 

fuel reduction to protect surrounding or neighboring communities and lands at risk to wildland fire. 

Mitigation work by one will be negated if neighboring lands do not address their own risks and work 

collaboratively towards the common goal of risk reduction. 

When considering FACs, private and public land managers should address

•	 identifying types of risk on their land and its impact to surrounding lands, such as overgrown 

fuels, pests, fire protection lines, sensitive areas, and access;

•	 the relationships between private and public land managers concerning mutual understanding 

of land use and ability;

•	 the role of economic factors on land use and the markets that affect land-use decisions;

•	 understanding of the role of prescribed fire and the local and State protocols for its use;

•	 access to risk assessment resources and postassessment assistance;

•	 existing comprehensive planning, zoning, ordinances, urban/suburban park, and recreation 

land planning and urban forest initiatives;

•	 expectations and understanding of local risks and resources by out-of-State land managers; and

•	 the relationships between private landowners and public safety agencies in sharing information 

about sensitive areas on lands, gate locations, and water sources.

Land managers must build their own education, access to resources, 

and relationships with each other. The best initial resource for both 

private and public landowners is the State forestry agency. They can 

provide all land managers with a common foundation of State-specific understanding on fuels, fire risks, available resources, pertinent 

regulations, and existing Statewide wildland fire preparedness and 

mitigation efforts. The National Association of State Foresters provides resources and research specific to land management, in addition to contact information for each State forestry agency. 

In building the understanding of land stewardship and the impacts on surrounding lands, land managers can review resources provided by the Extension Disaster Education Network, which connects State 

university extension educations with shared resources to reduce the impact of disasters. 

Land managers are encouraged to promote relationships

between private and public 

land managers and work toward reducing wildland fire 

threats.
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Now What? Moving Toward a Fire-Adaptive Community

Remembering the Local Context

Achieving FACs is not just found by having an understanding of defensible space and vegetation types, but is gained 

by creating a community-wide effort, where all parties, 

citizens and government, are involved in successfully 

adapting to the wildland fire challenge. Fire departments, 

local decisionmakers, the public, and land managers each 

have an important role to play in addressing FACs. Understanding, respecting, and mitigating these risks is important. The responsibility of fire departments in FACs is to 

engage and educate residents about properly preparing for threat and building situational awareness. 

For local officials and decisionmakers, it is to advocate a style of development that permits residents to 

enjoy the benefits of living near nature, while ensuring that quality of life, property, the tax base, and 

personal safety is not at risk. For the public, it is understanding the responsibilities of living in wildland fire-prone areas and playing an active and educated role in the wildland fire solution. For land 

managers, it is understanding their responsibilities in land stewardship, their impacts on surrounding 

lands, and what they need to know to become better neighbors. 

As agencies, organizations, and individuals have sought to address the wildland fire threat over the 

years, many comprehensive and successful programs have been developed and delivered to specific audiences within the WUI. FACs build on this strong foundation by identifying roles and responsibilities 

each specific audience should do in relation to each other and encourage a community, cohesive, and 

synergistic approach to the shared threat. Get into the process and determine what your community 

both has and needs. Each community will be different, but a FAC can serve as a model for a truly collaborative, multilevel effort for positive change. The following funding, resource, and checklist tools 

provide you with the ability to take the first step in building the relationships that foster a FAC. 

Funding

With any collaborative work at the home, community, and higher level, the issue of funding and availability of resources becomes an important issue to address. Existing wildland fire preparedness programs often highlight the roles and benefits of local partnerships in identifying funding for projects and 

outreach. Often, communities can access funding though mitigation planning by their State forestry 

agencies and other regulatory bodies for specific projects and risks. Community work on Hazard Mitigation Plans and CWPPs can also identify needs and specific funding options. Talk with your State forestry 

agency about available funding. At the Federal level, the NWCG maintains a grant funding resource 

roster. As this list can change, check with their website often for new opportunities. The list includes

•	 Volunteer Fire Assistance: www.forestsandrangelands.gov/communities/index.shtml

•	 State Fire Assistance: www.forestsandrangelands.gov/communities/index.shtml

•	 Rural Fire Assistance: www.nifc.gov/rfa/index.html

•	 Reimbursement for Firefighting on Federal Property: www.usfa.fema.gov/fireservice/grants/

rfff/44cfr.shtm

•	 Fire Management Assistance Grant Program (FMAGP): www.fema.gov/government/grant/

fmagp/index.shtm
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•	 Predisaster Mitigation Competitive (PMD): www.fema.gov/government/grant/pdm/index.

shtm

•	 Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP): www.fema.gov/government/hmgp.index.shtm

•	 Assistant to Firefighter Grant (AFG) Program: www.fema.gov/firegrants/

•	 Staffing for Adequate Fire Emergency Response Grants: www.fema.gov/firegrants/

•	 Assistance to Firefighter Station Construction Grants (SCG-ARRA): www.fema.gov/ 

government/grant/arra/index.shtm#0

•	 Interoperable Emergency Communication Grant Program (IECGP): www.fema.gov/ 

government/grant/iecgp/index.shtm

Fire-Adapted Communities Checklist for Implementation

Now that you understand the roles and responsibilities of the various local stakeholders in a FireAdapted Community (FAC), you can use this checklist to direct next steps towards implementation. 

Successful efforts rely on building cohesion between the various players, clearly outlining what your 

community needs and how each group can help.

The steps are as follows.

1. Initiate the FAC process at the local level.

a. Determine stakeholder participation from fire and public safety, the public, local officials, land managers, and others. 

b. Form a working committee and designate a coordinator.

2. Assess levels of risk, current activity, and local capacity.

a. Review existing local development plans, wildland fire mitigation efforts, and preparedness programs to assess your community’s status.

b. Consider the level of public understanding of wildland fire risks in the community you 

have defined and identify preparedness and situational awareness education that can be 

offered to various groups.

c. Determine the level of local risk and designate responsibilities for working group members for action.

d. Define and prioritize a set of long-term FAC issues related to risk within the community and its surrounding environment for the group to track. 

3. Develop a set of strategies and actions for each risk category/issue.

a. Assign responsibility to subgroups based on risk and start “fire adapting” using the FAC 

tools. 

b. Develop goals, timelines, and needs for each risk area.

c. Bring in more working group members if necessary.

d. Hold public workshops to educate the public on the risks faced and resources available 

for action.

e. Seek funding if necessary from county, State, and other sources.

f. Track working group progress and share this with residents often.
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4. Maintain the momentum and sustainment.

a. Encourage continued involvement by the various working group members.

b. Maintain exposure of working group efforts and regularly inform residents of these actions.

c. Identify how new residents can become involved in the effort. 

Resources

This chart suggests some areas of risk and possible roles for workgroup members. 

Risk Y/N

Is there risk from fuel buildup on public and 

private lands near the community? How do the 

various land managers interact? 

Is there a fuel buffer around the community?

Are structures defensible from fires and ember 

intrusion? How do structures interact with their 

environment in the WUI?

Is the community Firewise?

Responsible Working Group Member

Federal, State, local, public, and private land 

managers, i.e., U.S. Forest Service, local 

timber producers, ranchers, etc. 

Firewise liaison, Firewise coordinators, active community members who might get the 

ball rolling.

Fire department, local, or regional emergenDoes the community have a CWPP? cy managers, local citizens, and businesses 

Is the fire department informed, prepared, and 

(also include local forester)?

engaged? 

Has the fire department joined the Ready, Set, Fire department, town board.

Go! Program?

Are there codes and ordinances in place to 

promote safe building practices and proper land 

management?

Are there safe, maintained, designated, and 

promoted evacuation routes? Do residents know 

about them?

Are there safe zones inside the community in 

case evacuation is not feasible? Do residents 

know where they are located?

Are public safety response mutual-aid agreements in place?

Do members of the community understand the 

Community, county, or State planning and 

zoning representatives; town board.

Law enforcement, fire department, land 

managers, town board.

Law enforcement, fire department, land 

managers, town board.

Fire department, land managers with fire 

authority, nearby fire departments, law 

enforcement.

local response capability to protect private prop- Fire department, land managers with fire 

erty and understand the role they play in their authority, law enforcement, media.

own protection?

For further reading on FACs and the related wildland fire threat, visit the following resources:

•	 “2009 Quadrennial Fire Review”;

•	 The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy;

•	 “Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act of 2009 Report to Congress”;

•	 The Forests and Rangelands website and its sections on wildland fire and forest management;

•	 The National Wildfire Coordinating Group website; and

•	 The National Association of State Foresters website sections on Issues and Publications.