Volume 32 | January 2017
2017 has already been filled with many challenges here in Nevada, including earthquakes, floods, and some serious winter storms. Although the threat of wildfire might not be a priority right now, we identify three ways to help you get prepared for when it is. We also congratulate our newest Network Community, Lakeview, for joining with the highest number of members! Read on to learn how they accomplished this.  
Three Ways to Prepare for Wildfire
#1 – Apply for a $500 Grant
The annual national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day has been held on the first Saturday of May each year since it began in 2013. The goal is to help raise wildfire awareness, promote collaboration and bring neighbors together to work on projects that can help protect homes, neighborhoods and entire communities from the wildfire threat or post-fire impacts. This year, it will be held on May 6, and ties in perfectly with Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month held throughout May. State Farm Insurance and the National Fire Protection Association are offering a total of 150 $500.00 grants to help fund a project or event as part of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. Applying is easy, and we are here to help!  We can provide more ideas, connect you with resources or someone who may be able to collaborate with you, and help solicit votes for your project to increase the likelihood your project will be funded. Contact Sonya at [email protected] or call 775-887-2252. You can find more information here, including success stories from last year to help inspire you, an informational video on how to apply, and a link to the online application. Once you apply, encourage everyone in your community or fire district to vote for the project!
#2 – Attend The Network Annual Conference
Registration for this free, one-day event is filling up fast! It will be held on Monday, March 27 at the Atlantis Resort Spa Casino, and this year it’s all about wildfire evacuation and how to prepare now, before wildfire strikes. Thanks to generous grant funding and gifts from our program partners, we are pleased to provide refreshments and lunch, conference materials and some other great surprises.  We can also reimburse the travel expenses for participants who represent their community or volunteer fire department. Note that some restrictions apply, and must be approved prior to arrival. For more information or to register, visit our Living With Fire Program website here or contact Sonya at [email protected] or 775-887-2252.
#3 – Get a Defensible Space Inspection
Many fire departments, fire protection districts and even state and federal agencies offer defensible space inspections to help you identify the problem areas around your home. This is really the best first step in reducing the wildfire threat to your home and family. To help you understand what occurs during this process, our outreach coordinator Jamie Roice-Gomes, created two short videos filmed during her own home’s defensible space inspection. We featured part one last month, but if you missed it, watch it here. Part two reviews the results of the inspection, and you can watch it here. Let us know if you need help in getting an inspection completed at your home, and we’ll see what we can do to assist!
Congratulations to Lakeview
Please join us in congratulating Lakeview as our newest member community in the Nevada Network of Fire Adapted Communities. Nestled in the foothills above Carson City, Lakeview was spared from the 2004 Waterfall Fire that claimed 18 homes in surrounding areas. The threat of wildfire is never far from the Lakeview residents’ minds, including those who lived through it and newcomers to the area. Community leader Marie Bresch spearheaded the membership drive by encouraging participants to join during their annual community social. Membership applications were customized and included in their annual association dues renewal mailing and social invitation. This simple plan worked, with 21 households joining during the event and two more afterwards. 
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension | Living With Fire Program | [email protected]
This newsletter is provided by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, an EEO/AA institution, with funding from a State Fire Assistance grant from the Nevada Division of Forestry and USDA Forest Service. Additional support is provided by the Bureau of Land Management - Nevada State Office.