FIRE BREAK Wildland Fire NEWS

FIRE BREAK Wildland Fire NEWS. SAVING LIVES & PROPERTY FROM WILDFIRE NFPA

Rim Fire highlights collaborative approach to wildfire

The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir near Yosemite National Park in California’s Sierras provides water to roughly 80 percent of San Francisco’s residents. The Reservoir also hosts three hydroelectric plants that supply the city with most of its power. These two critical assets were at risk, however, from the recent Rim Fire, which threatened to contaminate the reservoir and forced two power plants to shut down, highlighting the reason why wildfire is everyone’s responsibility.

Doing the right thing-the wrong way

Each year fire departments respond to thousands of fires started by people operating equipment the wrong way. Whether you’re mowing dry grass or pulling a dirt bike to the side of the road, acting irresponsibly can result in accidentally starting a wildfire. A checklist from the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, CA offers important tips for residents to help keep their community fire safe.

From Russia with hope

NFPA recently participated in the 4th International Fire Behavior and Fuels Conference in Russia as part of its strategy to engage in international wildfire outreach. Together with the U.S. Forest Service International Programs, NFPA met with state government officials, firefighting agencies and environmental organizations to reinforce the need and potential for community-based fire management in Russia. Read more in Molly Mowery’s latest Wildfire Watch column.

Fire adapted communities and network learning

Fostering fire adapted communities is a major focus of federal wildland fire and disaster management teams but while FAC program tools have proven successful, there is still much to learn about which combinations of tools are most effective. Learn how members of the newly created Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network are working with national leaders and practitioners to address this knowledge gap.

NFPA courses address wildfire hazards

Wildfires affect virtually every part of the United States, creating millions of dollars of loss and damage to homes, businesses and natural resources. The key to stopping this loss trend is to first understand how wildfires ignite structures. Check out NFPA’s home ignition zone courses, the only national standardized training of its kind that offers factual solutions and action strategies regarding modern wildfire mitigation.