North Rim has earned national recognition from the National Fire Protection Agency Firewise Communities/USA® program. The community earned this status due to our efforts to reduce the vulnerability of homes and landscapes to wildfire.
The Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program uses a multi-step process to help communities develop an action plan that guides their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live. The goal of the program is to mitigate wildfire risks and allow the fire service to concentrate resources on the wildfire itself instead of individual structures.
Some specific activities that North Rim pursued to earn this recognition included:
- Completing practical steps to reduce vulnerability to wildfire including defensible space creation around structures, choosing fire resistant plants and selecting ignition resistant building materials
- Working closely with local fire and forestry agencies to accomplish the above activities, including the enlistment of specialists to complete an assessment and provide achievable solutions
- Educating homeowners to increase awareness about wildfire risks through informational events and distribution of materials
Firewise is a voluntary program, and the Homeowners’ Association will need to apply each year to receive the recognition, proving that the fire risk reductions are continually being applied.