The Firewise USA recognition program provides a collaborative framework to help neighbors get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and community and to reduce wildfire risks at the local level.

Firewise USA is a national program created by the National Fire Protection Association. It addresses the risks of homes to wildfire in the wildland/urban interface. It encourages local community-based solutions for wildfire safety, with the goal of reducing home ignition due to wildfire. Firewise emphasizes homeowner responsibility and provides the framework for education dissemination, community partnerships, and local actions that support community wildfire safety efforts.

Truckee Fire is a Regional Coordinator for Firewise communities; we don’t administer the program nor manage the individual communities. We support our local communities through the application and renewal process. Firewise communities within our District benefit from the multitude of wildfire prevention programs offered by the District.

No, the Firewise USA program is not a government agency.  It is administered by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a nonprofit organization. The NFPA Firewise USA® is a voluntary recognition program that was designed to help people learn about wildfire and how they can make their homes and neighborhoods safer. It is a research based program which shows how to better prepare homes to withstand embers and prevent flames or surface fire from igniting the home, and its immediate surroundings. Firewise provides a framework to help neighbors get organized, find direction, and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes and communities from wildfire.

Firewise communities are those that have taken appropriate measures to become more resistant to wildfire structural damage. An online Firewise Toolkit, including a Firewise tips checklist for homeowners, is available on the Firewise website. Firewise techniques include minimizing the risk of home ignition by carefully landscaping around residential structures such as thinning trees and brush and choosing fire-resistant plants, selecting ignition-resistant building materials and positioning structures away from slopes.

In addition, communities that have earned the special distinction of being recognized under the Firewise USA Program have followed a systematic approach to organizing and implementing a Firewise mitigation plan in their neighborhood. Program criteria and additional information about the Program can be found on the Firewise website.

No. The program is organized to provide you the structure and resources to move in that direction.

No. 3-5 volunteer community leaders form a committee and take the steps to apply for recognition.  Participation is then measured on a neighborhood level, with a minimum commitment of 1-hour per home, on average, annually.  Those that don’t participate still receive the benefit of being part of a Firewise community even if they don’t do the work.  However, it is encouraged that each property is engaged in doing their part.

Preparing your property for fire does not mean removing all your trees. There are many other things you can do to help make your home resistant from embers or firebrands that may involve simply removing overhanging branches or limbing low hanging branches up from the ground. Remember that healthy, well-maintained trees or forestland on your property will provide many benefits and not necessarily pose a major risk for wildfire spread. Your site-specific risk depends on the species and arrangement of the trees, as well as other factors. Consult an arborist or forester to learn more about the health of your landscape. Removing or thinning trees may actually be necessary to maintain the health of the trees.

Many insurance providers, including CA FAIR Plan, have long provided discounts for being in a Firewise Community. Since 2022, CA Dept of Insurance’s Safer From Wildfires program requires insurers to consider numerous mitigations, including being in a Firewise Community, when rating and underwriting. Find more information about homeowners insurance:

• Article: New Regulation Can Help Truckee Residents Get Insurance Discounts

• Article: Firewise USA and Insurance Discounts

• CA Dept of Insurance Safer From Wildfires

• Truckee Fire: Homeowners Insurance FAQ

ESCALATION: CA Dept of Insurance encourages anyone that has provided a map and certificate verifying their Firewise Community AND still been denied the discount to submit submit a Request for Assistance/complaint with CDI.  https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm

‍NOTE: The Firewise USA Recognition Program was not created for insurance purposes, and is not the only goal of NFPA’s program.  California is the currently the only state that has tied insurance discounts to Firewise USA. NFPA, your State Liaisons and Regional Coordinators are doing their best to support this change with limited resources.

Community members can request their certificates from their Resident Leaders.  Resident Leaders receive an email from NFPA with their community certificate their application is accepted/renewed. It is also available for Resident Leaders to download from their Firewise Portal Dashboard.

Certificates are issued at the end of one year and are “valid” through the next year. For example, the 2025 certificate says “this community is in good standing throughout the 2026 calendar year”. 

INSURER TOOL: NFPA has partnered with a company called Verisk/ISO to provide an address lookup tool to insurers, where they can confirm that your address is within a Firewise Community.  We hear that insurance companies may not be using the tool appropriately, or at all, and often refer to NFPA’s “point data” map on the Firewise website, which clearly cites it isn’t intended for that use.  While NFPA is trying to get to the bottom of the issue here, supporting the insurance discounts is not the sole purpose of the NFPA program. 

‍SEARCHABLE MAP: Alternatively, companies may accept the address-searchable map (see www.truckeefire.org/firewise) hosted and maintained by Truckee Fire Prevention District.

‍PDF MAP: ‍Lastly, Resident Leaders can provide the FSCNC map that is included with your Risk Assessment. These maps aren’t created by nor required by NFPA; These maps are uniquely available to our Firewise communities from a FSCNC (Fire Safe Council Nevada County) board member that volunteers his time.  Resident Leaders received this map via email from firewise@truckeefire.org.

‍ESCALATION: CA Dept of Insurance encourages anyone that has provided the above information and still been denied the discount to submit submit a Request for Assistance/complaint with CDI.  https://www.insurance.ca.gov/01-consumers/101-help/index.cfm

‍The Firewise USA Recognition Program was not created for insurance purposes, and is not the only goal of NFPA’s program.  California is the currently the only state that has tied insurance discounts to Firewise USA. NFPA, your State Liaisons and Regional Coordinators are doing their best to support this change with limited resources.

Learn more from the organization that administers the program:

NFPA Wildfire

Sign up with regional organizations that support local Firewise Communities:

Eastern Regional Firewise Coalition

Wildfire Ready Coalition of Nevada County

Placer County Fire Safe Alliance’s Newsletter

Contact us if you’re interested in starting a new community:

firewise@truckeefire.org