The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has shared how eighteen community-based groups and organizations have been awarded a $10,000 grant in support of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.
This is an annual campaign that encourages people who live in wildfire-prone areas to come together to reduce their homes’ risk to wildfire.
Sponsored by the NFPA and State Farm, Wildfire Community Preparedness Day takes place on the first Saturday in May.
This year’s campaign, now entering its 12th year, takes place on the 2 May 2026.
The following grant recipients were officially announced today at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Wildland Urban Interface conference in Reno, NV:
According to the NFPA it receives more than 100 grant applications earlier this year.
The selected recipients will use their award funding to execute and maximize the Preparedness Day projects they have planned for their communities this May.
Michele Steinberger, Director of the Wildfire Division at the NFPA commented: “We were thrilled to see so many applications with thoughtful, innovative community-driven projects that will help homeowners take meaningful steps to protect their homes from the threat of wildfire.
“We look forward to seeing these efforts come together and are confident that each group will help make Preparedness Day a resounding success in the municipalities they serve.”
The NFPA has additionally developed a new video highlighting the campaign’s importance and value, offering tips, recommendations and encouragement for getting started.
This video was created as a part of the NFPA’s continued effort to promote Preparedness Day and encourage more communities to participate.
The video includes moving accounts from homeowners who have experienced first-hand the devastation that wildfires can incur, reinforcing the powerful difference wildfire risk reduction efforts on and around the home can make, particularly when done in coordination with neighbors:
In addition, NFPA and State Farm are giving away free Wildfire Community Preparedness Day banners to the first 100 communities that post their projects on the Preparedness Day map.
This can be done by filling out the online form that tracks community participation in the campaign.
Preparedness Day provides science-based steps people can take to reduce or remove potential fire hazards from a home and its immediate surroundings, helping reduce the risk of ignition from wildfire embers and radiant heat.
Typical activities might include simple, low-cost home improvement projects such as clearing dead leaves, debris, and pine needles from roofs and gutters; keeping lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches; or removing anything stored underneath decks or porches that could burn.
Preparing the first five feet immediately around the perimeter of the home – known as the immediate zone, or “Zone Zero” – can play a critical role in reducing the risk of wildfire ignition.
As a result, NFPA is encouraging everyone planning to participate in Preparedness Day to take on projects that address Zone Zero.
