WiRē team member Chris Barth recently gave a compelling description of his work toward fire adaptation, including his involvement in our collaboration, for the Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network blog. Here’s a snippet from the post:
Describe one of your favorite fire adaptation projects.
One of the most innovative efforts that I have been fortunate to be involved with is WiRē, the interdisciplinary collaborative effort mentioned in my bio. WiRē focuses on homeowner wildfire risk mitigation and community wildfire adaptation. What makes this collaboration so special is that community residents provide information about their communities, the fire risks on their properties and their experiences with wildfire and wildfire mitigation. WiRē uses this information to tailor programs that support local solutions and help communities create their own paths toward fire adaptation. Because the community is front and center, and the work is in-depth, the partners involved really understand the dynamics and are invested in lasting solutions for the community.
The Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network seeks to connect and support people and communities who are striving to live more safely with wildfire. The Network is a catalyst for spreading best practices and innovations in fire adaptation concepts nationwide.
The purpose of FAC Net is to exchange information, collaborate to enhance the practice of fire adaptation, and work together and at multiple scales to help communities live safely with fire. This includes embracing resiliency concepts and taking action before, during and after wildfires.