Con Fire Introduces Firewise USA(R) Program Across District

Walnut Creek CA

24 February, 2021

9:33 PM

Description

Press release from Contra Costa County Fire Protection District: Feb. 24, 2021 Con Fire today announced implementation of the Firewise USA® program in communities across the District. Firewise is a national program helping neighbors work together with their local fire jurisdiction to protect their communities from wildfire danger. In the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, this program is administered by Con Fire's Community Risk Reduction Unit of the Fire Prevention Bureau. The Firewise USA®recognition program provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors in a geographic area get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the fire resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level. Any community that meets a set of voluntary criteria on an annual basis and retains an "In Good Standing Status" may identify itself as being a Firewise site. "Across our district, numerous communities face heightened wildfire danger due to terrain, vegetation and local evacuation route conditions," said Lewis T. Broschard III, fire chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. "Firewise is a perfect compliment to our many safety initiatives and a powerful tool helping neighbors work together along with our Fire Prevention Bureau to better protect themselves and their communities." "Resident involvement is key in protecting our communities from the threat of wildfire; the Firewise program excels at helping neighbors work together to increase community safety," said Assistant Chief and Fire Marshal Chris Bachman, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. "We're pleased interest in the program is high across the District and hope to see significant improvements in fire hardiness as more communities work with us to achieve Firewise status." The Firewise program is being phased in across the fire district community-by-community. The initial launch was conducted in Lafayette on February 10th beginning with a community assessment on Glen Road. Other communities will be phased in in the months leading up to the typical arrival of fire weather. This press release was produced by Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. The views expressed here are the author's own.