Fayetteville

Certified Firewise Community/USA

Fayetteville became Arkansas' 38th Firewise Community/USA during a presentation Nov. 16 at Fayetteville City Hall. Presenting the award were Firewise Communities/USA Project Manager Judith Leraas Cook of Eastsound, Wash., Arkansas State Forester John Shannon and Arkansas FireWise Coordinator David Samuel.

Accepting the plaque on behalf of the community of Fayetteville were Fayetteville Fire Chief Tony Johnson and Fayetteville FireWise board president Tommy Tiller (pictured at right).

“The wildland/urban interface is the area where structures and other human development meets or intermingles with undeveloped wildland and vegetation,” said Cook. “Many of the forested areas in Arkansas have become very desirable places to live. We’re trying to help homeowners learn how to protect themselves by creating an environment in which they will be safe from wildfire.”

In the United States, Cook said, “our population has nearly tripled over the last 100 years, and much of the growth is going into traditionally natural areas. Many people who move into these areas, which are very picturesque, arrive with urban expectations. They may not recognize wildfire as a hazard and may make the assumption that the fire department is able to provide the same kind of protection that they do in the city. In most cases it’s true that the fire department can. Should a wildfire occur, however, dozens of homes can be threatened at the same time, and this can overwhelm a smaller fire department. So we try to help the people who move into these areas learn how to prepare their home ignition zones in case of fire,” she said.

“The Firewise Communities/USA program was built around the notion of the home ignition zone – a house and its surroundings out to 100-150 feet. A house burns because of its relationship with everything in its surroundings. To avoid home ignition, the homeowner must eliminate the potential relationship a wildfire can have with his home. This can be accomplished by interrupting the natural path a fire takes,” Cook said.

Firewise Communities use volunteer labor and equipment purchased with federal grants to discourage potential wildfire by eliminating exterior fire hazards such as trees hanging over roofs, dead limbs and brush, and poor access for emergency vehicles.

Local fire departments often provide Firewise leadership and support, Cook said. “Volunteer fire departments and the smaller fire departments have been an extremely important part of the growth of the program because they’re able to bring information to their specific communities and work with the residents there to develop prevention methods that work for their area.”

More than 250 of the 930 fire departments in Arkansas have been trained to assess wildland fire risks to homes in their fire districts by the Arkansas Forestry Commission. And Arkansas Firewise Communities have received nearly $350,000 to complete assessment projects and purchase fire reduction equipment such as chainsaws, leaf blowers, ladders, and protective equipment.

“In Arkansas the Firewise program works through the Arkansas Forestry Commission, and there is a dedicated person there — David Samuel — who has introduced Firewise to residents of fire prone areas all over the state,” Cook said.

The Firewise Communities/USA program is established in 40 states with 124 recognized communities, Cook said. The top three participating states are Arkansas (38), Florida (10), and Texas (9). “ Arkansas is our star.”

Above: Fayetteville Fire Department Chief Tony Johnson reads a Firewise Day proclamation from the Mayor on Nov. 16, 2005.

Left: Kelly Hurt of Freelance Consulting Inc. addresses the Fayetteville Council of Neighborhoods at City Hall on Aug. 25, 2005. Council members were challenged to join the Fayetteville FireWise board in teaching Washington County neighborhoods about the risk from wildland fires.