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The national database of state and local wildfire hazard mitigation programs
serves as a clearinghouse of information about nonfederal policies and
programs that seek to reduce the risk of loss of life and property through
the reduction of hazardous fuels on private lands. If
you would like to submit a program to the national wildfire programs database,
please complete the following form (MS
Word).
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Title: |
Nevada Fire Safe Council
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Type: |
Homeowner assistance
Education
Designation of high risk areas
Community Planning
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Jurisdiction: |
State
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State: |
Nevada
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Program Description: |
Background
In 1999, fire consumed nearly 2 million acres of Nevada's rangelands; in 2000, another 600,000 acres were burned. More acres burned in Nevada in 1999 and 2000 than in the previous 40 years combined.
Introduction
The Nevada Firesafe Council was established in 1999 to serve as a bridge between fire services and public agencies and communities threatened by wildfire, and to establish a network of local community support. Due to a lack of funding, the Council was inactive until January 2002 when a National Fire Plan grant was obtained. The primary goals of the Council are to educate residents, identify and rate wildfire risks, develop and prioritize mitigation projects, and procure funding for implementing mitigation plans.
Wildfire Hazard Assessments
In 2003, the Council received a grant for $1.35 million to complete wildland fire threat assessments throughout the state. Resource Concepts, Inc. (RCI), a consulting firm, will coordinate with county, state and federal fire suppression agencies and local governments to evaluate wildfire risk and develop mitigation plans for all 17 counties in Nevada.
Evaluation teams will include fire behavior specialists, foresters, rangeland fuels specialists, and technicians. Hazard assessments will incorporate data for fuel hazards, slope, aspect, ignition risk, and local fire suppression capabilities in GIS databases. Fire behavior models such as BEHAVE and Farsite will be used to rate areas of risk. The community mitigation plans will include prioritized recommendations for fuels treatment projects. Fire hazards, high fire risk areas, and locations of recommended mitigation measures will be displayed on maps. More than 250 communities are scheduled to be assessed in 2004.
Educational Efforts
A multi-agency educational effort � Living with Fire--focuses on prefire activities that improve the survivablility of people and homes. Program components have included the presentation of a series of news segments on local television stations in 2002 which reached 24,000 homes per show and the creation of a � hour television special "Nevada Burning" that takes a more detailed look at the wildfire issues in Nevada. Educational efforts also include the development and distribution of more than 1.6 million copies of the tabloid Living with Fire: A Guide for the Homeowner. Educational workshops have also been held and attended by 200 residents.
Homeowner Assistance
The Council held home inspection training for Division of Forestry seasonal employees who then completed inspections of 300 homes for wildfire hazards. The Council has also spearheaded fuels mitigation efforts in the Fire Safe Highlands, located in the Virginia City area. The Fire Safe Highlands project was recognized as a national model by Gale Norton during the 2003 National Fire Plan Conference. Fuels have been reduced by more than 200,000 cubic feet and 15 underground water tanks for storage have been installed.
Accomplishments
The Council has hired an executive director and project coordinator and installed CPA approved accounting procedures. As of 2003, the Council had established 18 local community Fire Safe chapters with 700 members, completed 10 community Fire Safe plans, and held 50 community education and orientation sessions. The State Council has obtained funding of nearly $2.5 million, as well as $1.2 for grants to communities.
Cooperating agencies and organizations
Cooperators working with the Fire Safe Council include: the BLM, US Forest Service, Nevada Commission of Economic Development, Nevada Division of Forestry, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Service, Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators, Nevada Insurance Council, State Farm Insurance Company, and Farmers Insurance Company.
Contact information
For more information about the Nevada Fire Safe Council Program, contact Pat Murphy, project coordinator, at [email protected], phone: 775-267-2123 or Elwood Miller, executive director at [email protected], phone: 775-322-2413.
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