Washington-Fire-Adapted-Communties_main-logo
DONATE

TOGETHER, WE ARE

LEARNING TO LIVE

WITH WILDFIRE

Actively engaging with wildfire is a way of life that Washington must re-learn, and refine. We experimented with trying to eliminate fire for the last 100 years, but the hard truth is Washington and wildfire are inseparable. Add in pressures from climate change and more people living in fire-prone areas, and the situation gets especially critical.

Our Network embraces this complicated reality and connects over fire. We talk and learn with purpose, because no one is coming to save us. It’s our job to include wildfire in a future that works for Washington.

OUR COMMUNITIES


/////////

Movers and shakers from all walks of life are at our table, dissecting ideas and dedicating humanpower. Together, we are having frank, open conversations about adapting to wildfire in Washington, from location-specific challenges to big-picture sticking points. Our members are mining the lessons of the past, and re-purposing them in smart, new ways to benefit their local communities, and the common good.

SEE OUR PROGRESS
WAFAC has brought a spark of life to our nonprofit, CAFÉ. Since joining the network, CAFÉ has engaged over 50 Latin members in wildfire preparedness, developed a city-wide Wildfire Preparedness Proclamation in Wenatchee, started a disaster preparedness neighborhood program, and received training to implement a wildfire home assessment program. This would not have been possible without the support from the many partners we met through the WAFAC Learning Network.
Alma ChaconCommunity Advancement for Family Education
Alma Chacon
Relationships are at the core of the WAFAC Learning Network. They have connected us to partnerships and solutions for fire adaptation that are real, innovative, and specific to our community.
Bonnie CobbSpokane County Fire District 5 / Four Mound Firewise Community
Bonnie Cobb
WAFAC members and local partners inspired us to take action. By thinning and removing vegetation from 50 acres around our homes, we’ve increased the odds of our community surviving a wildfire.
Dan HolmanFlowery Trails Community Association
Dan Holman
WAFAC brings together partners from different backgrounds to experiment with ideas, share, and learn. Fire adaptation is never finished, and we are allies for the long haul.
Jon RileyChelan County Fire District 1
Jon Riley
WAFAC taught me almost everything I know around this topic, from defensible space to how to word my fuels reduction event advertising to how to do a home assessment. For our work in Washington there is no other entity making sure that practitioners have a well-rounded set of tools to serve their communities like WAFAC.
Photo: San Juan Islands Conservation District and Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) work to remove vegetation and brush from around homes to reduce wildfire risk.
Without the assistance of WAFAC our community would not be as advanced as we are on our work plan to reduce the risk of wildfire.
Photo: In 2019, Kittitas Fire Adapted Communities Coalition identified strategic priorities and actions to help their communities throughout the county better live with fire.
WAFAC has helped my focus on my role and encouraged me to engage partners in roles I cannot fill. Instead of taking it all on myself, I have built a local network from concepts I learned about at the state level of WAFAC.
Photo: CAFE and Chelan County Fire District 1 work together to teach communities members how to prepare for wildfire.
Previous
Next

OUR WASHINGTON

GOALS

/////////

WAFAC_Grassroots-Initiatives

Invest in grassroots initiatives.

Acceleration

We invest in smart, local initiatives that represent Washington’s culture of personal responsibility and geographic diversity, and can be modified, scaled and replicated across the state.

Turn hard truths into opportunities.

Adaptation

We accept our interconnectedness with wildfire and are dedicated to creating a “new normal” that works better for people, industry and landscapes.
WAFAC_Wildfire-Plan-Ahead

Respect loss by thinking ahead.

Learning

We honor the hardship and loss of communities recovering from wildfire with continual learning, practical strategies, and a recognition that fire hurts, fire helps, and fire will return.

Tear down walls and create allies.

Connection

We bring diverse collaborators together to generate fresh ideas and a cohort of trusted faces to call on before, during and after the fire.

Nationally aligned and locally driven.

Cohesion

We align our state with national directives for resilient landscapes, effective response and fire adapted communities, while always acknowledging that Washington is unique, and uniquely capable.
WAFAC_Community-Recovery

News

You Can Use

SMOKE-READY COMMUNITIES

Smoke can impact even the healthiest individuals and there are actions that we can take to better live with smoke. In this module, you will

Read More »
February 20, 2023

PREPARING FOR EVACUATION

This module will provide you with information that you need to know to safely evacuate. It will introduce notification systems, the steps to prepare for

Read More »
February 20, 2023
SEE MORE

SHARE

YOUR STORY


/////////

Fire impacts people and places and forges bonds, in striking and unusual ways. What has fire shown you and taught you? What have you lived through? Who did fire bring into your life? We want to hear your stories, Washington.

CONNECT WITH US

©2023 All Rights Reserved.