A little planning can help save thousands of American communities from the threat of fire.

The convergence of rapid population growth in wildland areas and increasing amounts of invasive weeds and overgrown hazardous fuels has placed as many as 11,000 U.S. communities at risk from wildfire. These wildland-urban interface areas (where wildland fuels meet and mix with urban fuels) include more than scattered homes. They include schools, commercial businesses and entire communities. The consequences of wildfire in these areas can have severe impacts on citizens and local economies.

Communities do have a choice. They can take action to better protect their lives and livelihoods by taking advantage of assistance from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and other federal and state agencies. The BLM’s Community Assistance Program is available to communities to help them identify and mitigate fire risks.

The BLM as well as other federal and state agencies will provide funding, technical expertise and support to communities who take the initiative to develop Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs). These plans incorporate local knowledge, values and input from citizens, public officials, local fire departments, disaster responders and others to better protect the community from wildland fire.

These plans, developed by and for the community, then serve as a guide to prioritize and implement projects on the ground. As a collaborative tool, the plans serve as a focal point for local citizens and local entities to work with the BLM and other federal and state agencies to reduce the risk and consequences to the community from wildfire.

Communities having an effective Wildfire Protection Plan in place increase their consideration for having fuel reduction and modification projects conducted on neighboring public lands and, in some cases, on adjoining private lands. These plans can also lead to support from a variety of sources to implement projects in and around the community. Through working together, developing CWPPS and implementing projects, communities can become more fire-resistant and safer.

Citizens in every community near wildland areas are encouraged to get involved and participate in initiating and developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.