Wildfire Preparadness
Did you know Southern Appalachia has one of the most frequent fire regimes in the US? The region's forests are adapted to fire, but human activity and climate change have increased the risk. Recent wildfires have highlighted the need for preparation. Climate change and storm debris, like from Hurricane Helene, amplify the risk. Forests with dense understory vegetation and dead wood are much more likely to fuel catastrophic fires. We're here to provide resources and support to help our community mitigate and prepare for wildfires.
What We Do
Through our work, we are preparing our community and our forests to be sustainable in the face of an uncertain future.
We offer a range of services and resources to support our community with wildfire preparedness.
Wildfire preparedness
We have an experienced forestry crew that can carry out fuels reduction operations on your property to make it fire ready. We follow best management practices and the latest available science to perform forest management that reduces the risk of wildfire and supports forest health. We believe everyone deserves a safe place to live and offer our services at a sliding scale. Donations help make these services available to everyone.
Resources
We have a compilation of resources and educational material on wildfire preparedness, home hardening, and forest management. We can also help you identify grants and other sources of support to offset the cost of forest management. Refer to our resources page for more information
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Education
Education is a central component of our mission. We host workshops on wildfire preparedness and home hardening. We also offer wildfire mitigation consultations specific to your property. Contact us to book an appointment. Our wildfire consultation services are available to everyone on a donation basis.
What Is
Fuels Reduction?
Preparing your Home for Wildfire
When we say "fuels," we are talking about woody debris. Think fallen trees, understory shrubs, and thick layers of fallen leaves. These fuels build up over time and create hazardous fire conditions around structures. Fuels reduction is the process of removing that woody debris.
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"Defensable Space" refers to the 100 ft perimeter around your house or structure. Fuels reduction should be implemented in your defensible space to mitigate the risk. of wildfire. For more information on defensible space and fuel reduction, visit our RESOURCES page
Our professional forestry crews can perform fuels reduction operations on your property and provide consultation on how to best prepare for wildfires. CONTACT US to learn more and schedule a consultation.