Prevention

Arizona WRAP (Arizona Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal):

The Arizona Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal (AZ WRAP) will be the primary mechanism for the Arizona State Forestry to deploy wildfire risk information and create awareness about wildfire issues across the state. It is comprised of a suite of applications tailored to support specific workflow and information requirements for the public, local community groups, private landowners, government officials, hazard-mitigation planners, and wildland fire managers. Collectively these applications provide the baseline information needed to support mitigation and prevention efforts across the state.

The portal provides access to wildland fire risk assessment data finalized in 2013 as part of the West Wide Wildfire Risk Assessment (WWA),

West Wide Wildfire Risk Assessment:

The Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF), on behalf of the Council of Western State Foresters (CWSF) and the Western Forestry Leadership Coalition (WFLC), conducted a wildfire risk assessment and report for the 17 western states and selected U.S. affiliated Pacific Islands. At the highest level, this assessment completed in 2013 is known as the West Wide Wildfire Risk Assessment, or WWA.

The basic risk assessment model used in the West Wide Wildfire Risk Assessment includes three primary outputs: the Fire Risk Index, the Fire Threat Index and the Fire Effects Index.   Webster’s dictionary defines risk as “the possibility of suffering harm or loss.”  Within the WWA, the data layer that defines wildland fire risk is the Fire Risk Index (FRI), while the “possibility of suffering harm or loss” is represented by the Fire Threat Index (possibility) and the Fire Effects Index (harm or loss).  The Fire Risk Index is calculated from the Fire Threat Index (FTI) and the Fire Effects Index (FEI).

Detailed information about the WWA risk assessment model and source data is found in the following reports:

• WWA Detailed Process Description - PDF
• WWA Final Report (Full Report) - PDF

Do you live in a wildfire prone area? Do you know if your property is in a low risk or high risk area? Through the use of our Arizona Wildfire Risk Assessment Portal - or AZ WRAP - you can find your property and the surrounding neighborhood to determine the level of risk your area faces. The portal is an excellent tool to help the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management provide wildfire risk information and create awareness about wildfire issues throughout the state. 

AZ WRAP is comprised of a suite of applications tailored to provide specific information for the public, local community groups, private landowners, government officials, hazard-mitigation planners, and wildland fire managers. Collectively these applications will provide the baseline information needed to support mitigation and prevention efforts across the state.

Destructive wildland fires in 2002 were a catalyst for Congress to pass the Healthy Forests Restoration Act (HFRA) in 2003.

The intent of the HFRA was to provide funding and guidance for better forest management practices throughout wildland areas and the wildland urban interface.

One of the key outcomes of the HFRA was to incentivize communities to create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan, simply known as a CWPP.

An approved CWPP can influence and prioritize future funding for hazardous fuel reduction projects, including where and how federal agencies implement fuel reduction projects on federal lands.

More information on CWPPs can be found on the national Forests and Rangelands website. 

Three Basic Criteria for CWPPs

• Collaboration: A CWPP must be collaboratively developed by local and state government representatives, in consultation with federal agencies and other interested parties.
• Prioritized Fuel Reduction: A CWPP must identify and prioritize areas for hazardous fuel reduction treatments and recommend the types and methods of treatment that will protect one or more at-risk communities and essential infrastructure.
• Treatment of Structural Ignitability: A CWPP must recommend measures that homeowners and communities can take to reduce the ignitability of structures throughout the area addressed by the plan.

Every year, the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management analyzes communities across the state to determine which ones are at risk for a catastrophic wildfire. To see the list of communities at risk - click here. 

However, through programs, such as Firewise, we work with communities, HOAs, and municipalities to evaluate their risk factors, and if necessary, take the imperative steps of working to reduce the chances of devastating wildfires burning through their communities. 

We also provide grant funding to help communities pay for fuels mitigation work in their area. The Department of Forestry and Fire Management also develops and implements project work across the state to reduce hazardous fuels and maintain the health of our forests. 

*The Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management is currently in the process of revising the CWPP process and developing new minimum standards. Revised guidelines will be available January 1, 2021. For immediate information or assistance please contact Aaron Casem. 

When it Comes to Your Home - Wildfires Don't Have to be a Disaster

The Department of Forestry and Fire Management participates in National Fire Protection Association's Firewise USA™ program. The program teaches people how to adapt to live with wildfire. As a homeowner, there are simple things you can do to reduce the risk of your property from wildfire.

The NFPA's mission is to promote community-wide responsibility in the use of technology, policy, and practices that minimize the loss of life and property to wildland fire independent of firefighting efforts. Please read Living With Wildfire to learn how you can work toward reducing the wildfire threat in your area. For more information on the Firewise USA™ program, you can check out their website. 

Is your community FIrewise USA™ recognized?  Check out the list of Arizona's recognized and certified communities! 

Map  List

How to Get Firewise USA™ Community Recognition

It takes all of us to do our parts to reduce the risk of devastating wildfires from threatening our homes and our Arizona communities. A home and a community that has clear defensible space is more likely to survive a wildfire, plus it keeps our firefighters on the ground safe when they are working to save your property.

There are six steps that you must take in order to get your community Firewise USA™ recognized. Please refer to the National Fire Protection Association's website for complete instructions.
 

2018 Arizona Firewise USA™ Plan Outline

Firewise USA™ Community Assessment Portal 

How to Become a Firewise USA™  Assessor or Advisor

Firewise USA™ Assessor

The assessor works with homeowners, homeowner associations, and the local fire department to complete Community and Home Assessments under the direct supervision of a qualified Firewise USA™ Advisor. 

The Assessor must complete “Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone”, or equivalent training, such as the Department of Forestry and Fire Management's Firewise USA ™ training. 

Firewise USA™ Advisor

In addition to the above-listed duties, the Advisor also assists in Firewise USA™ plan development and recommends steps to take to reduce wildfire risk. The Advisor must have successfully completed the following:

1. S-130 Firefighter training
2. S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior training
3. S-215 Fire Operations in the Urban Interface training
4. S-290 Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior training
5. "Assessing Wildfire Hazards in the Home Ignition Zone" or equivalent training such as Department of Forestry and Fire Management's Firewise USA™ training
6. Experience in fire behavior observation in Arizona major fuel types (6 hours in each fuel type).

For more information on the Firewise USA™ program, training, certifications and other documents, please contact the State Firewise USA™ Coordinator.