As the weather warms and vegetation begins to dry out, increasing the risk for wildfires, Nevada's experts are gearing up to promote wildfire preparedness during Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month in May.

This year, University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program along with local, state and federal firefighting agencies and community members will launch its Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign, an annual commemoration of the National Wildfire Awareness Month, with a series of educational events and contests to empower Nevadans to minimize the risks of wildfires in their homes and communities.

“Observing this awareness month in Nevada is critical as our state faces unique challenges and risks associated with wildfires,” Jamie Roice-Gomes, manager of Extension’s Living With Fire Program, said. “By promoting proactive measures, Nevadans can reduce the wildfire threat in their communities and natural landscapes from the devastating impacts of these fires."

The campaign will kick off this week with a grant-writing workshop to educate individuals interested in securing funds for wildfire mitigation on how to write successful grant proposals. It will also offer two webinars on the factors that make Nevada landscapes more vulnerable to wildfires and how to foster community-based efforts to mitigate them. Other activities will include contests designed to spur wildfire preventative actions among homeowners and promote understanding of wildfires among the youth.

Since the inception of the Living With Fire Program, more than 25 years ago, Extension, in collaboration with firefighting agencies and other partners, has developed extensive informational resources to create vetted wildfire preparedness messages that communities can rely on to enhance their readiness and resilience in the face of wildfire threats. The program has also recently released a Living With Fire Defensible Space Guide to help homeowners in sagebrush and pine-dominated ecosystems create a buffer around their homes to reduce the risks of wildfires.

Throughout this month, the partnering agencies will collaborate to disseminate wildfire awareness information and resources across the state. Extension’s Living With Fire Program will coordinate in-person and online campaign initiatives.

For a list of activities, click here. For more information on the Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month and how to reduce the wildfire threat, visit LivingWithFire.org.

Source: University of Nevada, Reno