Firewise USA: Keeping Yourself and Your Neighbors Safe

Firewise USA is a program of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA); its goal is to organize neighborhoods into fire safety zones in collaboration with local fire organizations such as CAL FIRE (1). Neighborhoods are awarded Firewise recognition when they unite, organize, and strategize to create a fire safety plan. To become an official Firewise community, your neighborhood should:

• Decide its boundaries, then form a core organizational group.
• Develop a wildfire assessment plan based on your risk assessment.
• Create and maintain a wildfire action plan.
• Engage your neighbors to participate. This is a good way to get to know neighbors you may not already know.
• Apply for NFPA recognition via the Firewise portal.

Firewise neighbors collaborate with each other to identify fire risk, remove dangerous fire fuel, and create home-hardening.
 
Review the Firewise website to understand fire ignition zones around your home. Some steps you can take are:

• Remove woody shrubs and trees near the home;
• Clean gutters and install wire protective devices to keep woody material from collecting; and
• Rake out fire fuel such as leaves, fallen twigs, and branches from under the house, keeping it away from wooded portions of the home.

Besides being an effective way to create a more cohesive neighborhood, developing a Firewise community can help you obtain a discount on your homeowners’ insurance. As of 2022, the California Department of Insurance requires insurers to offer discounts to property owners in Firewise communities (3).

NOTES

1. “Firewise USA,” NFPA.
2. “Notice to California Residents Regarding Firewise,” NPFA.
3. Michele Steinberg, “New Rules Benefit California Property Owners in Firewise USA Sites. What CA Property Owners Need to Know,” NPFA, December 15, 2022.