Wildfire Defense Education

Stay safe year-round—explore our wildfire mitigation resources.

The Wildfire Defense Education and Tours Program by USGBC California aims to raise awareness by offering topic-specific resource guides and expert guidance. This initiative empowers our community, property owners, designers, and managers to take proactive measures in reducing wildfire risks and minimizing associated losses.

Our region now confronts a year-round fire season, which poses severe and potentially life-threatening consequences. There are actionable steps that everyone can take to safeguard their properties, mitigate fire risks in the region, and enhance the city’s resilience. Architects, builders, developers, urban planners, and landscapers all have crucial roles to fulfill.

Continue reading to learn how the green building community is actively addressing these challenges!

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Discover how you can make a difference in wildfire preparedness for your property!

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In our Wildfire Defense Education Program, we aim to achieve the following objectives:

Provide education on effective strategies to fortify homes and properties against wildfires.
Offer free access to valuable wildfire defense resources for our community.
Organize property tours in areas at risk of wildfires.

The USGBC California Wildfire Defense Professional Certificate Program has been developed specifically to educate construction professionals and landscapers. It equips them with the knowledge and skills needed to strengthen homes and landscapes against wildfires. This program emphasizes the use of appropriate materials, maintenance practices, and fire-resistant design techniques proven to reduce the risk of fire damage to properties.

Our goal is to pave the way for the private sector to embrace and promote firewise best practices, fostering a cultural shift within the building industry. These training sessions leverage existing resources and tap into the expertise of advisors from various fields to raise awareness and transfer knowledge about industry-leading methods that effectively mitigate fire risks in both residential spaces and landscapes.

Check out our upcoming workshops for Construction Professionals and Landscapers! *These modules are offered once per quarter.

Each module consists of a 150-minute training session, followed by an online certification test. This certification training equips participants with practical, real-world examples and strategies for reducing the risk of wildfires.

Our property tours serve as a platform to showcase comprehensive strategies for risk reduction. These tours include the latest techniques for fortifying homes and implementing firewise landscaping practices. They are open to professionals, the general public, and residents, providing clear and substantial guidance for wildfire mitigation and safety.

Watch the recording of our Wildfire Defense Forum and Virtual Tours from the 2021 community event below to learn more about:

The importance of location in relation to fire pathways
Simple vs. complex design to minimize building heat traps
Low ignition materials and sealed building envelope
Effective defensible space
Strategic (firewise native) plant choice and placement
Removal of highly flammable and invasive grasses and trees

Videos:

We are deeply appreciative of the invaluable network of professionals within our community who have played a crucial role in the creation of the resources we are able to offer today. These resources encompass a toolkit, certification workshops tailored for landscapers and construction professionals, a Thought Leadership Series, enlightening tours, and the contributions of numerous brilliant individuals!

To access valuable and extensive resources related to the home-hardening and wildfire defense landscaping process, please click here.

Are you interested in getting involved or would you like to receive more information? Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us!