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Pennsylvania Firewise Community Program

Things developers around the country do to lower the risk of wildfire loss

button graphic Become a Firewise Medal Community Deviding line graphic

The following Firewise list has been created by A Wildfire Burns Near a Housedevelopers around the United States. Its goal is to prevent property loss to wildfire. This can be accomplished by reducing fuels before a fire and maximizing the opportunity for fire staff and their equipment to do their work in the event an emergency occurs.
button graphic Firewise Community Medal Criteria
button graphic Potential Wildfire Hazards
button graphic How homeowners can be firewise
  • Familiarize the local fire department with the development's street system, water sources, access points and contact person(s).
  • Check all water sources regularly, making sure hydrants (wet and/or dry) function properly.
  • Create an alternate escape route for residents to use in the event of emergency if the development has only one entrance/exit.
  • Keep roadways easily accessible to emergency equipment by allowing on-street parking only on sufficiently wide stretches of road.
  • Create a 'defensible space' around common-area buildings, removing flammable vegetation for a distance of 30 feet from the structure.
  • Thin and prune vegetation in common areas, removing dead trees, shrubs and plants as well as dense undergrowth.
  • When vegetation grows to within ten feet of utility lines, call the local power company to come out and prune.
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