Firewise USA

Safety Tips

About Firewise

NFPA’s Firewise USA® program teaches people how to adapt to living with wildfire and encourages neighbors to work together and take action now to prevent losses.

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CMA is part of the growing network of more than 1,500 recognized Firewise USA® sites from across the nation taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire. Firewise offers valuable advice to reduce the risk of wildfires through their concept of Home Ignition Zones. Their webpage, Preparing Homes for Wildfire, offers a complete explanation of Home Ignition Zones and provides methods for homeowners to prepare their homes to minimize the likelihood of wildfires touching the home or any attachments.

Check out their fact sheet, How to Prepare Your Home for Wildfires , for full details.

Additionally, some insurance companies provide discounts on homeowners insurance for homes included in a Firewise membership community. Be sure to check with your insurance company to see if you qualify.

Annual Membership Renewal

To maintain our annual membership with Firewise, we are required to invest the equivalent of $24.14 per dwelling unit in wildfire risk reduction activities. (With 119 cabins, that’s $2,872.66.) Wildfire risk reduction activities include raking leaves, clearing vegetation, trimming grass and trees, moving firewood piles away from the house, installing a new roof, etc. (See Reducing Wildfire Risks in the Home Ignition Zones for further suggestions.)

CMA’s annual investment can be met by homeowner volunteer hours spent on wildfire risk reduction activities. Volunteer hours can be recorded on the Firewise Volunteer Time Sheet and sent to the Firewise Coordinator. Alternately, you can send an email with details on the number of hours and a brief description of the volunteer activity. Please send your hours and description to Firewise coordinator, Cindy Van Meter, at cndyvm@yahoo.com.

Hazard Assessment Requirement

As of 2018, additional requirements for our renewal include a wildfire risk assessment every five years and an action plan every three years.  To meet these requirements, each homeowner is asked to complete a Firewise Hazard Assessment Form for their property. Or you can contact the Coordinator and provide permission for volunteers to complete the form on your behalf.

Firewise Forms

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