Rural Nevada at Risk
Elko County has more rural communities located in high- and extreme-wildfire hazard areas than anywhere else in Nevada. The potential for loss of
human lives, property and livelihoods due to wildfire is growing. It is not a matter of “if” wildfire is going to occur, but “when.” Unfortunately, many
residents and their homes are not prepared to survive wildfire. In response, the area’s local, state and federal firefighting agencies; University of Nevada Cooperative Extension; and Elko County have come together to promote the Fire Adapted Community concept. They believe that this is the best response to our wildfire threat.
There are proven steps that homeowners can take to improve the odds of human life and home survival during wildfire. The Northeastern Nevada Fire Prevention Group’s goal is to promote and teach these steps. Once implemented at the neighborhood level, these suggestions will assist communities
in becoming Fire Adapted Communities.
The Northeastern Nevada Fire Prevention Group consists of fire prevention staff from all federal, state and local fire suppression entities located within
Elko County. The group was established to provide an interagency approach to communication and coordination for wildland fire prevention and education to the residents of Elko County.
Who Wins, Who Loses
Why do some houses survive a wildfire, while others are destroyed? Research findings prove that house survival during wildfire is not random, miraculous or dumb luck. Rather, it is the features of the house, the characteristics of the adjacent vegetation and other fuels, and routine maintenance that often determine which homes burn and which survive. These types of actions are called prefire activities. Prefire activities are actions completed before a wildfire occurs that improve the survivability of people and the home. The winners will be the people who implement prefire activities. When everyone in the neighborhood completes their prefire activities, they start becoming a Fire Adapted Community. Photo courtesy of Kevin Hull.
Fire Adapted Community: (FAC)
A community located in a fire-prone area that requires little assistance from firefighters during a wildfire. Residents of these communities accept responsibility for living in a high fire-hazard area. They possess the knowledge and skills to…
- Prepare their homes and property to survive wildfire.
- Evacuate early, safely and effectively.
- Survive, if trapped by wildfire.
Smith, E., Sistare, S., Nejedlo, G
2016,
Fire Adapted Communities: The Next Step in Wildfire Preparedness - Elko County,
Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, SP-16-02
