| NFPA Wildfire Preparedness Day will take place on Saturday May 3, 2014 |
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recently announced its first national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (Wildfire Preparedness Day) will take place on Saturday, May 3, 2014.
2014 Wildfire Preparedness DayThis year, the U.S. has seen more than 65,000 wildfires burn more than nine million acres, affect thousands of lives and create millions of dollars of damage to homes and structures, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. During national Wildfire Preparedness Day, communities across the U.S. are encouraged to participate in mitigation projects to help reduce the risk of wildfire damage to their homes and neighborhoods.
Projects on May 3 can range from a short time commitment up to an entire day and can be undertaken by individuals or groups. Potential projects include hosting a chipping day, distributing wildfire safety information to neighbors, organizing brush clean up and more. Residents of all ages are invited to join in the effort. A list of project ideas is available at www.nfpa.org/wildfirepreparednessday.
For U.S. communities officially recognized through the Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program, participating on national Wildfire Preparedness Day can count towards their 2014 "Firewise Day" event. More information about the recognition program and how to apply can be found on the Firewise website.
The 2014 Wildfire Preparedness Day comes on the heels of NFPA’s Colorado Wildfire Preparedness Day of Service that was piloted in May 2013 where nearly 600 volunteers participated in more than 16 projects across the state.
NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division provides information and resources through the Firewise® Communities Program and Fire Adapted Communities® initiative (both co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service), education, training, conferences, workshops and courses to community residents to help them reduce their risk of wildfire damage to homes and property.