We’re proud of the practitioner members of the WiRe group, all of whom were just recognized with the inaugural Wildfire Mitigation Awards!! We also are happy to see the sponsoring organizations taking this step to emphasize the importance of wildfire mitigation.
From the official announcement (read it all here):
Established in 2014, in response to an overwhelming number of great wildfire mitigation program efforts across the nation, the Wildfire Mitigation Awards are the highest national honor one can receive for outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire preparedness and mitigation.
The Wildfire Mitigation Awards are jointly sponsored by the National Associations of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service.
Chris Barth, Fire Mitigation Specialist, received the Fire Adapted Community Fire Service Leadership Award. This award recognizes the efforts of an outstanding member of the fire service, who has a bias for action to develop, advocate and implement successful proactive wildfire mitigation and prevention programs in their community. Because of the fire service member’s steadfast efforts, their community has embraced the philosophy of being a fire adapted community.
In addition, both the West Region Wildfire Council and Firewise of Southwest Colorado received Wildfire Mitigation Innovation Awards. These awards recognize the efforts of organizations or institutions that put into practice innovative and sustainable mitigation programs that directly reduced their wildfire hazards. Examples of eligible programs include mechanical fuel reduction projects, prescribed burning, vegetation management, wildfire risk assessments tools and methods, Community Wildfire Protection Plans, structural/home construction and design hardening efforts, code adoption and enforcement, post-fire studies and fire resilient landscaping.