To help communities prepare for and reduce their risk of wildfire damage, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), with generous funding and support provided by State Farm®, has launched the Year of Living Less Dangerously from Wildfire campaign aimed at residents and fire departments in an effort to keep wildfire safety top of mind for people living in the nation’s highest risk areas. The year-long campaign highlights and provides actionable, engaging information and specific activities and projects under three major themes: Plan, Act, and Embrace. 

45 million homes at risk

“The time to act is now as wildfires continue to threaten communities across the United States,” said Michele Steinberg, manager of NFPA’s Wildland Fire Operations Division. “Nearly 45 million homes in more than 72,000 U.S. communities are threatened by brush, grass and forest fires. NFPA and its partners and stakeholders have the resources to help people take action. We encourage everyone to learn what they can do to live less dangerously, starting with national Wildfire Community Preparedness Day on May 2.” 

From February to April, the focus of the campaign will be on “Plan,” which will promote resources to help residents plan for projects to take place on Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. Additional resources will highlight how to conduct community wildfire risk evaluations, prepare an application for Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition for a neighborhood, create a home inventory for insurance purposes, and more.  

Practice evacuating

From May to August, the theme of “Act” will kick off with Wildfire Community Preparedness Day as the focus. Participants are encouraged to act on this day or in other planned Firewise events throughout the season, to practice their evacuation plans, and to apply for Firewise recognition. This phase of the campaign will place special emphasis on helping firefighters be safer in fighting wildland fires. 

From September to December, the theme is “Embrace.” Residents and fire departments can share their success stories and lessons, and demonstrate how they have taken special safety steps throughout the year to reduce the risk of wildfire damage in their communities. Success stories will be highlighted at NFPA’s Backyards & Beyond® Wildland Fire Education Conference in October in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.  

State Farm has a long history of providing proactive wildfire safety education to its policyholders in high-risk regions, including the use of NFPA's Firewise Communities Program materials and concepts. This is the second year that State Farm has generously provided funding and support to NFPA for its Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, in addition to supporting the 2015 Year of Living Less Dangerously from Wildfire campaign. View highlights from the 2014 Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. 

For more information about the Year of Living Less Dangerously from Wildfire campaign and ideas about how to participate in each phase, please visit: www.nfpa.org/yearoflivinglessdangerously. 

About State Farm® 

State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, with nearly 80 million auto, home, life, health and commercial policies, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. For more information, please visit https://www.statefarm.com/

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

NFPA is a worldwide leader in fire, electrical, building, and life safety. The mission of the international nonprofit organization founded in 1896 is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.