19
Jan

Call Colorado Mastication at (719)400-9104 for fire mitigation estimate for your community. We are equipped to handle small and large projects

While you can do what you need to do to protect your home from wildfires, you need your neighbors to do the same. This is why community projects are so beneficial. They get everyone in the same area working toward the same goal.

Firewise National Program

There are a few programs out there, with Firewise being one of the most popular and effective. This program is administrated by the National Fire Protection Association, and it encourages a whole neighborhood to work on mitigating fire risks in the whole area.

There is a three-step process for communities to follow. Three of those steps are:

1. Performance of a community assessment
2. Holding an annual Firewise activity day
3. Submitting the documentation

There are almost 1,000 localities across the nation that are Firewise Communities.

Community Wildfire Protection Plan

Another option is to turn to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan. This requires the local and state governments to draft a fuel reduction plan. It puts the emphasis on those higher up as well as local people to protect an area.

The downside is the paperwork and meetings. While the area is likely to be safer and qualify for state and federal grants, not so many areas want to deal with the red tape.

Get Your Community Together Yourself

You don’t need to follow a national program. A lot of communities will work together to protect their area. Nederland, Colorado tops for the Saws and Slaws Day, which works on performing fire mitigation around several properties. People work together throughout the neighborhood in the morning and then get together for a potluck in the afternoon.

Firefighters in local areas can also help. For example, the Fight Fire with Beer Festival in Boulder is a fundraiser for firefighters to make sure they get the right tools to be able to fight the wildfires that come in. This can also help to raise awareness for the local people, so they know what they can do to mitigate their own fires. People also learn more about what the firefighters do when there is a fire, including all the dangers they face and why it’s so important to work together.

Knowledge is a powerful tool. A lot of people live in their own bubble until tragedy strikes. Community programs are a great way to raise awareness and work together for the common goal of keeping homes safe from wildfires.