The Tennessee Department of Agriculture, Division of Forestry has been a proponent of wildfire hazard reduction programs throughout its history.
The Division has partnered with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and its federal partners to promote the Firewise Communities program since 2002.
The Division actively promotes Fire Adapted Communities, in which a multitude of programs and concepts work hand in hand to increase community wildfire safety.
Fire Adapted Community Concept
A fire adapted community accepts fire as part of the natural landscape. The community understands its fire risk, and takes action before, during and after a wildfire to minimize harm to residents, homes, businesses, parks, utilities, and other community assets.
These collective actions empower all residents to be safer in their environment. The graphic below shows current elements of the concept.
The elements have been evolving and changing over time…just like a community needs to be adapting over time. A community using the concept may not have to address all elements shown in the graphic, however, it is important for a community to consider how important all elements are to the community. In a way, you can consider the elements of the graphic as a checklist for the community to consider.
“Be Ember PREPARED!”
Wildfires generate large volumes of embers.An ember is a glowing, hot coal made ofgreatly heated wood, leaves, needles, pinecones, or other carbon-based materials.Embers can glow very hot, sometimes ashot as the fire which created them. During alarge fire embers can be lofted and blownfar ahead of the fire front, starting spot firessometimes over a mile away. Embers canbombard your home collecting in vulnerableareas and cause your home to ignite.