September 25, 2014
  
September has arrived, and with it cool mornings and an evening chill, opportunities for more red flag warning days and autumn (hooray!). Read on to learn about National Preparedness Month and Fire Adapted Communities, discover the benefits of fall planting and which types of foliage are most resistant to wildfire and find out about the great things the American Red Cross is doing both locally and nationally to address the threat of house fires.
                                                                                                           Courtesy of Jerry Snyder

September is National Preparedness Month -
  A Great Time to Work Toward Becoming Fire Adapted

September is National Preparedness Month (NPM), and FEMA, America's PrepareAthon! and Ready.gov have teamed up to encourage people across the nation to evaluate which types of natural disaster affect their areas. A key component of NPM is National PrepareAthon! Day. Watch the campaign's video for inspiration to register and prepare for disaster in your community! Continue reading... 
 FACt
Autumn has arrived, and with it the perfect opportunity to replace flammable plants with less hazardous types in the home landscape. Fall planting will establish healthy roots and provide a head start for spring growth. Read an article on the topic by Carson City/Storey County Extension Educator, JoAnne Skelly. Also be sure to check out our  Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada's High Fire Hazard Areas for tips on what you should and shouldn't plant to reduce your wildfire threat. 
                           Courtesy of the American Red Cross of Northern Nevada
Partner Spotlight: American Red Cross of Northern Nevada
The American Red Cross is launching their Fire Preparedness Campaign  on Saturday, October 11.
The goal of the campaign is to reduce the staggering number of deaths and injuries caused each year in house fires by 25%. The Northern Nevada kickoff will occur on Thursday, October 9, at 10am at the Washoe County Regional Emergency Operations center. On October 11, volunteers  will  distribute information door-to-door and discuss safety tips with residents in Reno, Sparks, Sun Valley, Carson City and Fallon. Residents without proper smoke detectors can make an appointment to have them installed the following Saturday, October 18. Click here for more information on the Home Fire Preparedness Campaign in Northern Nevada.   
Natalie Learns about the Dangers  
of Target Shooting in the WUI 
A fun part of living in the wildland-urban interface is the range of pastimes that an outdoor enthusiast can find to occupy his or her free time. I love running my dogs in the hills and hiking with friends by the stream near my community. Continue Reading...
Funding Opportunities
State Farm Safety Grant:
Applications for the 2015 State Farm Safety Grant are available September 2 through October 31, 2014. Funding is directed toward home safety and fire prevention, disaster preparedness and other categories. Eligible organizations include: educational institutions, government entities, nonprofit organizations and volunteer fire companies. For more details, click here.

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.

In This Issue
FACs
Nevada neighborhoods located in wildfire-prone areas should work toward becoming Fire Adapted Communities (FACs). FACs are communities that can survive a wildfire with little or no assistance from firefighters.This is possible because of how the homes are constructed and maintained, the manner vegetation within and surrounding the community is managed and the knowledge and skills of the residents. During a wildfire, FACs reduce the potential for loss of human life and injury, minimize damage to homes and infrastructure and reduce firefighting costs. For more information, watch Fire Adapted Communities: The Next Step in Wildfire Preparedness.

The deadline to register for The Network First Annual Conference is October 9. Register now!

For more information, see the conference flyer here.
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We'd like your feedback! What information would you like to know to help reduce the wildfire threat to your community? Reply to this email to share your thoughts.

 

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Living With Fire Program | hollandt@unce.unr.edu


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