May is National Wildfire Awareness Month, and here in Nevada, we have good reason to take note – and to take action – according to local experts.

“While all the moisture we received this winter may be helpful in reducing drought conditions, it certainly doesn’t reduce the risk of wildfire, as vegetation will dry out,” said Jamie Roice-Gomes, manager of the Living With Fire Program at University of Nevada, Reno Extension.

Extension and its partners in the Living With Fire Program are kicking off the Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign this month, and will be at various community events through the summer and fall, providing information to help Nevadans live more safely with the threat, and reality, of wildfire.

Extension, in collaboration with firefighting agencies and other partners, has developed a myriad of information since the program’s inception over 25 years ago, much of which is now available online.

Roice-Gomes says that for starters, five areas of focus should be: cheatgrass, defensible space, flying embers, evacuation preparation and wildfire smoke.

“These are kind of a ‘big five’ to concentrate on,” she said. “If you want to protect yourself and your family, and hopefully your home, just start chipping away at informing yourself about these, and doing what you can to prepare in advance.”

Here are some tips on getting started.

Source: University of Nevada, Reno