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Throughout the United States, homes and other structures are located in forested areas that have evolved with fire and are inclined to burn. Anything in the path of a fast moving wildland fire is vulnerable to damage from that fire. Throughout the southwest, prolonged drought conditions have magnified that risk.
Arizona FIREWISE Communities, a product of the Arizona Interagency Coordinating Group, a partnership of federal and state organizations, was established to address the wildland-urban interface problem throughout the Southwest. Working in affiliation with the national FIREWISE/USA Program, the group is responsible for developing educational materials that are specific to southwest ecosystems and facilitating FIREWISE Community workshops throughout Arizona and New Mexico. Grand Canyon National Park recently hosted one of these workshops.
Approximately 45 people attended Grand Canyon's FIREWISE Community workshop. Participants included residents from Grand Canyon and adjacent communities, park and concession employees, cooperators from neighboring Kaibab National Forest and the Tusayan Fire Department. Topics included a discussion of defensible space and a review of simple action homeowners can take to protect their homes. Participants reviewed an example of successful community action from the nearby communities of Williams and Parks, reviewed the South Rim evacuation plan, and finished up with an ice-cream social.
The park is implementing a number of fuels reduction projects this summer to enhance defensible space park-wide. FIREWISE actions allow residents to take responsibility for the area immediately adjacent to their homes.
Visit the FIREWISE website to learn more about FIREWISE Communities. |
