The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) has announced that May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, with Wildfire Community Preparedness Day taking place on May 5.
According to the NVFC, volunteer fire departments across the United States can use this time to strengthen their local prevention efforts through the Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP).
The WFAP is a joint initiative of the NVFC and the U.S. Forest Service that provides free training and tools for fire service volunteers to assess wildfire risks at the property level and offer recommendations to homeowners.
The NVFC reported that WFAP includes an online four-module course available through its Virtual Classroom platform, as well as in-person training options led by instructors provided at no charge to departments.
The training modules cover wildfire risk trends, property evaluation techniques, and the use of federal, state, and local resources.
Departments that complete the training gain access to a comprehensive toolkit including instructor slides, peer-training materials, home assessment checklists, and customizable outreach documents.
The NVFC added that the toolkit supports departments in training additional personnel and promoting fire safety in their communities.
The NVFC stated that the WFAP checklist contains more than 80 assessment points divided into four property zones.
Each checklist item includes a space for recommendations and a cost category to help residents prioritize lower-cost improvements.
Assessment data can be tracked and reported using NVFC’s online system, which supports quarterly exports for internal review or grant reporting.
Departments can also issue certificates to newly trained personnel using included templates.
The NVFC will host a roundtable webinar on May 1 titled “Educate Your Community on Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.”
The webinar will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern Time and is open to all users with an NVFC Virtual Classroom account.
The event will include case studies, public engagement strategies, and a discussion of this year’s theme: “Defending the Home Ignition Zone.”
The NVFC said that Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 3 provides a key opportunity for departments to conduct home assessments and promote wildfire safety.
The National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) reported that May is National Wildfire Awareness Month.
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day takes place on May 5.
NVFC and the U.S. Forest Service jointly offer the Wildland Fire Assessment Program (WFAP).
WFAP trains fire service volunteers to assess wildfire risks at residential properties.
Training is available online and in-person.
The program includes toolkits, outreach materials, and home assessment checklists.
Assessment data can be logged and exported for internal or grant-related reporting.
Certificates can be issued to trained personnel.
A free roundtable webinar will be held on May 1.
The webinar is titled “Educate Your Community on Wildfire Community Preparedness Day.”
It will cover community engagement strategies and risk reduction themes.
Wildfire Community Preparedness Day focuses on resident education and hazard identification.
Departments can conduct 30-minute assessments in local neighborhoods.
WFAP materials are available at www.nvfc.org/wfap.
