Wildfire Awareness
Wildfire is a fact of life in the Pacific Northwest. Just since the summer of 2000, wildfires have burned millions of acres of public and private land throughout the Western United States.
Many of those fires burned where homes are located in or near the woods, areas known as the wildland-urban interface. Some of these fires quickly exceeded the suppression capabilities of those regions. Because of the intensity of a wildfire situation, no fire department can ever guarantee the safety of a home or its residents in the face of one of these fires. However, homeowners can protect their families as well as their property from wildland fires.
Each year the Department of Natural Resources and the Governor's Office select one particular week to heighten public awareness about the dangers of wildfire across the state. While the campaign theme varies each year, the underlying goal is to empower homeowners to protect their families and their homes from this threat by creating a safety zone called defensible space. Through this campaign we intend to show homeowners how they can get this work done for little or no cost and where they can see additional assistance or resources.
Vision Statement
Washington Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and all of the partners in Wildfire Awareness Week are driven by the vision of a society in which all homeowners and communities have taken the necessary actions to minimize the loss of life and property to wildland fire in the absence of fire-fighting efforts.
Mission Statement
The Wildfire Awareness Week Campaign empowers homeowners to take a leadership role in protecting their homes and communities against wildland-urban interface fire.
Wildfire Awareness Campaign Materials
Wildfire Awareness Campaign Materials were developed specifically for Wildfire Awareness Week. Feel free to use any of these documents and make changes that are appropriate for your target audiences.
Handouts and Tip Cards
Be FireWise About Wildfires (132KB DOC) (117KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Debris Burning (132KB DOC) (84KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Home Fire Safety (128KB DOC) (108KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Home Fire Safety (Landscaping and Construction) (128KB DOC) (110KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Home Fire Safety (Maintenance) (128KB DOC) (120KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Home Fire Safety (Using Fire Resistant Building Materials) (128KB DOC) (85KB PDF)
Be FireWise About Campfire Safety (128KB DOC) (95KB PDF)
How to Protect your Home from Wildfires (62KB PDF) PDF only
Preparing a House for Wildland Fire Season (128KB PDF) PDF only
Wildfire Approaching Checklist (77KB PDF) PDF only
Wildfire Awareness Week Logos
WAW Logo (59KB DOC)
WAW Logo (29KB JPG)