Sign Up for Alerts and Connect with Neighbors
Santa Fe, NM – Since wildfire does not respect property lines, November is a good time of year to help your community become a fire-adapted community that is more resilient to the impacts of wildfire, and better able to coexist with fire on the landscape. The New Mexico Forestry Division and partners at nearby national forests, agencies, and non-governmental organizations continue the Wildfire Preparedness is Year-Round campaign with our November message: Sign Up for Alerts and Connect with Neighbors.
An important first step to becoming a fire-adapted community is to get to know the people who live around you and start a conversation about wildfire risk in your area. Respect differences of opinion and work toward consensus on issues like creating defensible space, removing vegetation around individual homes and in common spaces, and planning for emergency evacuations.
Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t take the time to think about the risk of wildfire until they face a direct threat within their neighborhood or area. Check your address for risk on a local community wildfire protection plan (CWPP) map or a website like wildfirerisk.org or riskfactor.com. Check this list of preparedness events to find one that will increase awareness of wildfire risk in your neighborhood. Check with your city or county to see if there is an opt-in emergency alert system and encourage your neighbors to sign up.
Once a community understands wildfire is a real risk, it may be easier to get people to be proactive. Share concrete ideas about the actions homeowners can take, such as creating defensible space, having an evacuation plan, improving their access and egress routes, and reducing the ignitability of structures. Living with Wildfire Guide for New Mexico and the Ready, Set, Go action plan are both good resources to share. Hold a community debris day where neighbors offer specific skills or tools, like a chainsaw or leaf blower, for the greater good.
Homeowners who understand the risks will probably want to know more. Many local fire departments will meet with community associations and conduct home hazard assessments. You can also use the Home Hazard Assessment Guide and the Home Hazard Assessment Worksheet (to be used with a guide) to analyze your risks and develop a plan for action around your property.
The New Mexico Forestry Division is working with the Santa Fe, Cibola, and Carson National Forests, Forest Stewards Guild, Fire Adapted NM, New Mexico Coalition of Conservation Districts, National Park Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and Bureau of Land Management New Mexico to continue our wildfire preparedness calendar in 2022 and share the message across multiple platforms, including social media, webinars and community events. Bookmark the wildfire preparedness webpage to follow the campaign throughout the year.
Original source can be found here.
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