Wildfire Resource Center

"Controlling fires is the responsibility first of the local community, then it goes up to the state if necessary. Sometimes, however, the efforts may not be enough. FEMA has a program called the Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) that provides assistance in the form of grants for equipment, supplies, and certain personnel costs. This program is for the mitigation, management, and control of fire on public or private land."

"Wildfires need to be respected because they are nature's terror weapon. Wildfires can result in complete devastation, with their after-effects lasting generations. You may not encounter one for decades, and then you smell smoke.

Communities' encroachment into wooded areas, warmer and drier conditions, and ineffective forest and rangeland management are just a few elements contributing to more intense wildfires, so we need to be alert. We need to prepare.

Individuals need to take responsibility, with a sense of urgency, to protect themselves, their families, and their property. Create a viable defensible space around your property and use fire-resistant materials whenever possible. Be familiar with and practice your evacuation routes; you cannot fight a wildfire with a garden hose. Create go-kits that include essential documents and medicines. Urge your community to adopt area-wide fire prevention practices and enhancement of fire response."