Firewise Communities

Learning About the Firewise Program


The Firewise Communities / USA Recognition Program teaches people living within the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) how to adapt to living with wildfire by preparing for a fire before it occurs.


This program empowers communities with tools and resources for reducing their wildfire risk and encourages neighbors to work together to take action that minimizes home loss to wildfire.

Explore Humboldt County's Firewise Communities using the menu on the left. There you'll learn more about their experience and be able access their individual risk assessments and action plans.


Becoming a Firewise Community

  • Organize — Create a board or committee of volunteers to represent your community, including residents and partners such as local forestry agencies or the fire department. Identify a resident leader who will be the program point of contact.
  • Plan — The board or committee defines the boundaries of the site and obtains a community wildfire risk assessment. From the risk assessment, the board/committee creates a multi-year action plan to identify and prioritize actions to reduce ignition risk to homes.
  • Do — Each year, neighbors complete educational and risk reduction actions identified in the plan.
  • Tell — When the above criteria have been met, the Resident Leader applies for recognition through the Firewise® Portal (portal.firewise.org), describing educational and mitigation work in the site. Each year, sites renew their status by reporting their activity.

The Humboldt County Fire Safe Council provides support to local communities interested in becoming nationally-recognized Firewise Communities. If you would like support to lead a Firewise process in your community, contact the FSC Coordinator.

                           
Firewise Communities Map (May2022)