2006 Conference Schedule

Earn valuable CEUs/Hours

Society of American Foresters
The 2006 National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Education Conference has been approved for professional continuing forestry education credits by the Society of American Foresters. Credit accrues at the rate of one hour for each hour of actual contact. The event is approved for 30.5 Category 1 credits total. Credits if courses are attended all day: Tuesday: 8; Wednesday: 8; Thursday: 5; Friday: 5.5; and Saturday: 4

For more information about obtaining CFE credits, how to submit credits online, and the Certified Forester® program visit: www.safnet.org/education/continuingeducation.cfm.

Society of American Foresters
5400 Grosvenor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814-2198
www.safnet.org
301-897-8720
Fax: 301-897-3690

NFPA has been approved as an authorized provider of continuing education and training programs by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET), 1620 I Street, NW, Suite 615, Washington, DC, 20006. Continuing Education Units (CEUs) will be awarded for all education sessions, except those marked with an asterisk(*). You will be awarded 0.1 CEU for a one-hour session; 0.15 for 90 minute session; 0.4 for a 4-hour session, etc. Full participation in a session is required for CEU credit.

An attendee will forfeit CEU credit if absent for more than 10 minutes from any session due to late arrival, early departure, or an unscheduled break. NFPA is an American Institute of Architects/Continuing Education Systems Provider of educational programs.

Be sure to sign in and sign out of each session to receive credit.

You can download the full schedule or the Conference at a Glance.
Or view it below:

THURSDAY

TH01 10:30 AM - 5:00 PM - Session Full
GiS in the WUI: Introductory Workshop
Mike Price, Entrada/San Juan
This mini–workshop will introduce participants to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)mapping in the interface and will show how it is used to interpret and manage WUI values,hazards, and risks. Actual interface data will be used to map structures, transportation systems, and hazards. Participants will learn to perform basic tasks, including file management, thematic mapping and table functions, and will create their own map of an ArcView WUI Community. (Space is limited; pre-registration is required.)

TH02 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Rewards & Responsibilities of Becoming a Firewise Community
Greg Barton, Beverly Hills, California, Fire Department;
Jay Rodriquez, Upper Crust Landscaping
This session will explore how the community of Beverly Hills, California, achieved National Firewise Communities/USA recognition as well as the process used to create a Firewise and Waterwise Mitigation Demonstration Garden. Participants will gain insight on the process that was used to disseminate the information given through the demonstration garden to the residents of Beverly Hills.

TH03 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Communicating Fire Ecology to the General Public
Robin Hanford, The Nature Conservancy;
Merrill Kaufmann, USDA Forest Service; and
Dave Thomas, Renoveling
How much ecology is needed to convince people to act? The objective of this session is to share best practices and help you understand the importance of fire ecology and to challenge you to think about how to incorporate the fire ecology messages so the general public will think about the processes of living and recreating in a fire prone ecosystem. Providing simple understandable science-based knowledge to the public can lead to stronger community support of Firewise and fire management overall.

TH04 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Planning For Wildfires
James Schwab, American Planning Association;
Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Program
This presentation will highlight the findings of an APA Planning Advisory Service Report prepared under the sponsorship of the National WUI Fire Program. Participants will learn about the role of wildfire hazard mitigation and landuse planning in reducing the potential for losses as a result of wildfires, and learn how to identify shortcomings in local comprehensive plans and zoning codes.

TH05 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Cottonville Fire Incident Assessment
Jolene Ackerman and John Hintz, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
Following the largest forest fire experienced in Wisconsin in 25 years, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources staff immediately reacted by assessing response, readiness, prevention activities, and structure survival. The results of that assessment will be discussed in this interactive session. Learn more about readiness and pre-suppression activities before the fire, the incident itself, and results of the post-fire assessment that evaluated why some homes were destroyed while others survived.

TH06 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Community Bushfire Safety: Australia's Cooperative Approach
Keith Harrap, New South Wales Rural Fire Service
When the 2001 Christmas fires extended into January 2002 with significant property losses, the New South Wales (Australia) government announced several changes to the Rural Fires Act of 1997 and the environmental planning system. Among the areas addressed in the changes were improved land manager accountability for implementing fire plans, the inclusion of bushfire hazards in community development (through building standards and planning), and establishing a formal public complaints process to resolve issues.

Participants will learn how some of the management issues in Australia may relate to those in the USA and recognize similarities in how the issues might be resolved here in the U.S. to reduce fire losses through increased local cooperation.

TH07 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
The Firewise Team: Creativity and Partnerships in Michigan
Mark F. Hansen, Michigan State University Extension;
Paul Kollmeyer, Michigan Department of Natural Resources
Partnership in educational programming leads to synergism, creativity, and results! The Michigan Firewise Communities Project demonstrates a true partnership throughout state and local levels to plan and deliver the Firewise message. Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Michigan State University Extension will show how their team approach reached over 300,000 homeowners and local officials during the first year of their Project.

TH08 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Applying Oregon's Wildland/Urban Interface Fuel Reduction Law
Brian Ballou and Carrie Ann Capp, Oregon Department of Forestry
This presentation will discuss Oregon’s Forestland-Urban Interface Fire Protection Act and it’s unique approach to creating and sustaining defensible space statewide by including public education and community involvement. Participants will learn how to promote voluntary compliance and encourage "investment" in fire protection and healthy urban forestlands. The Fire Act has provided fuel reduction standards and maintenance cycles designed for long-term mitigation in dangerous areas.

TH09 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Long Term Community Wildfire Risk Reduction
Rick Trembath, Bigfork, Montana, Fire and Rescue;
Chuck Harris, Bigfork, Montanta, Fire Grant Administrator
This presentation will explore various fuel reduction options that reduce fuel loading and wildfire potential and the possibilities for applying Firewise principles to your community. Basic understanding of forest management options as they relate to wildfire potential and intensity will be explored.

TH10 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Educating Stakeholders Using Fire Mitigation Visualization
Chris Hanson, 3D Nature LLC
Fire mitigation treatments frequently meet with objections from impacted communities and individual homeowners. Learn how visualization technology provides accurate and photo realistic images and animation that help stakeholders see what mitigation actually looks like.

Attendees will learn of the benefits of previsualization of fire mitigation. Be able to express the need for community education prior to mitigation, and select appropriate technology for visualization creation based on the terrain data and situational information that is available to them.

TH11 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Building Grassroots Support for the Long Haul
Michal Hubbard, Firecap, Inc.
Hear how the citizens near Bastrop, Texas, and the Texas Forest Service partnered to create a grassroots organization that uses education and networking to disseminate Firewise information to residents of the Texas Wildland/ Urban Interface. Learn how the Fire Citizens’ Advisory Panel, Inc. (FireCap) has grown from a small group of concerned neighbors to a multicounty non-profit organization with goals to reach WUI communities throughout Texas.

TH12 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Firewise in Remote and Rural Communities
Kathryn Pyne, Alaska Division of Forestry;
Morgan Miller, Denali National Park and Preserve
Rural Alaska gives a whole new definition to wildland/urban interface with extremely flammable vegetation surrounding communities, in most situations, with no access except by air or river, and no organizational or governmental entities. The State of Alaska and it cooperators have developed and started presenting portable Firewise workshops and online “Fire in Alaska” educational training programs and opportunities which adapt the National Firewise Program to specific rural conditions and considerations.

Attendees will learn some of the techniques used to develop Community Wildland Fire Protection Plans (CWPPs); as well as how to develop new definitions of media, marketing and education that worked well in remote and rural Alaskan communities.

TH13 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Delivering the Mitigation Message 24-7!
Cathy Prudhomme, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Fire Department
Impact even your hardest to reach residents. Learn how the Colorado Springs Fire Department’s new and innovative method demonstrated hands-on mitigation concepts to more than 32,000 addresses in their wildland urban interface through their own do-it-yourself TV show. Based on the popular home improvement type series they produced “Pruning Places - Firewise Edition”. Attendees will learn how they can produce a TV or radio show that will deliver their message in a fun and easy to understand format, with little to no cost.

TH14 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Living With Limits: Slowing the Landrush into Fire Danger and Achieving Respectful Growth
Roger Kennedy, The National Museum of American History
From the development of a new country to the present, the American public has pushed the limits of land use. Over the past half century, the growth of residency in wildland and agriculture areas has increased the potential dangers for people living in those areas as well as the emergency personnel who must respond in time of need. Mr. Kennedy will present an historical review of the expansion of American living and recreation, the pressures placed upon real estate, and several concepts for changing the future of wildland/urban interface areas.

Mr. Kennedy is the author of the new book, Wildfire and Americans – How to Save Lives, Property, and Your Tax Dollars, and will make available and sign copies during the conference.

TH15 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Spotting Ignitions from Space: Satellite Detection is Here!
Hank Blackwell, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Fire Department;
Roberto Cordova,NASA Development Program
In conjunction with NASA scientists and new thermal imaging satellites, Santa Fe, New Mexico is embarking on a journey of the future. Using satellite imaging for mapping has provided fire and resource managers improved information for planning and mitigation. Beginning now, pinpointing ignitions for forest fire response and management may well be the next step in continuing improvements for fire management.

TH16 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
The NOAA/NIST Fire Research Initiative
Geoffrey DiMego, Environmental Modeling Center, NCEP;
William Ruddy Mell, National Institute of Standards and Technology; and
Heath Hockenberry, Boise National Weather Service/NIFC
The NOAA/NIST Fire Research Initiative focuses on linking down-scaled NOAA fire weather forecasts with a NIST model of fire spread in the WUI. The presentation will focus on current methods of projecting fire spread, gaps in knowledge and an exploration of the computer resources that will be necessary to implement this WUI fire spread modeling effort.

TH17 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Structure Protection in the Wildland/Urban Interface
Dennis Childress, Orange County Fire Authority, CA
Today’s urban growth has created a need for different fire fighting strategies. Asking structural fire fighters to combat wildland fires when defending structures is dangerous. Asking forestry fire fighters to fight fires in and around structures is also dangerous. This session will focus on combining those fire fighting forces with their different strategies to complete a common goal; fighting fire in the wildland/urban interface.

TH18 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Integrating Codes and Standards into Community Planning
Dan Bailey, International Code Council
This presentation will focus on how to plan and integrate codes and standards. The presentation will also explore how communities and local, state, and federal partners can better plan for wildland fire emergencies.

TH19 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Use of 3D Simulator in Training Wildland Fire Fighters
Jim Gilpin, Interactive Training Media
Effective fire fighters result from good training and experience. But experience is limited by the opportunities and costs of good training. Attendees in this session will see first hand how simulation training can provide cost-effective opportunities for fire fighters to practice wildfire suppression safely and learn how simulations can be used to educate communities about wildfire risk and prevention in the wildland/urban interface. Simulations will present scenarios of wildfire in forested and wildland/urban interface areas.

TH20 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Hyperspectral Imagery and Analysis: State-of-the-art Measurement of Wildfire Risks
Bill Mills, Colorado Springs, Colorado, Fire Department;
Brian Collins, SRA International
Looking ahead in the future is critical in adapting to a changing environment. This session will present the results of a cooperative project led by the Colorado Springs Fire Department. Attendees will learn about the use of military technology on domestic solutions and how hyper-spectral data is used in wildland risk mitigation.

TH21 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Firewise Communities/USA® Recognition Program: Everything You Always Wanted to Know
Judith Leraas Cook, Leraas Cook and Associates, Inc.;
Michele Steinberg, Firewise Communities Program
Whether you’ve been involved in the Program or just finding out about it, here’s a great opportunity. This session will cover the details of the Firewise Communities/USA Program, including the home ignition zone, components of a community plan, the recognition process, application and renewal forms, training resources, and how to work with local Firewise boards. Attendees will have an opportunity to share ideas and challenges they have encountered.

TH22 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
A Rural Community's Journey to Becoming Firewise
Bill Cave and Claire Cave, Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safety and Improvement Council
The small California community of Auburn Lake Trails embarked on a remarkable journey to become Firewise, including a wake up call, forming a steering committee, conducting risk assessments and planning mitigation actions, aligning resources, coordinating community, state, and national collaborative efforts, applying for grants, encouraging a “neighbors helping neighbors” approach, and much more. But is the journey over yet? Join this session to learn about the major events and the benefits they realized.

TH23 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
NFPA 1141 and 1144: Upcoming Changes You Need to Know
Randy Bradley, Fire Chief, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and Chair of NFPA Technical Committee for Forest and Rural Fire Protection
Are you aware that these standards are undergoing major revisions for the 2007 editions? Many wildland hazard assessment systems are based on recommendations from the NFPA Standard 1144 — Protecting Life and Property from Wildfire, and guidance for the design and development of subdivisions are based on NFPA Standard 1141 — Fire Protection in Planned Building Groups. Attendees in this session will gain an understanding of these important changes and will receive up-todate information from the Chair of the NFPA Technical Committee responsible for these key standards in the wildland/urban interface. Guidance in the application of the new editions will round out this session — an important opportunity for interface specialists and local decision-makers!

TH24 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Staying Alive in Santa Fe During a Wildfire
Shelly Nolde Rossbach, Santa Fe City, New Mexico, Fire Department;
Stephen Guerin, Redfish Group; and
Chris White, Anchor Point Fire Management Group
Imagine a visual simulation of an evacuation in Santa Fe, where individual households can make separate decisions. Then, superimpose wildfire on the landscape and watch how it affects human behavior and evacuation traffic. Add science-based information on hazard, risk, and ignition resistance for local homes. The result is a set of tools to motivate homeowners to be prepared for wildfire. Be ready for an eye-opening experience that may generate a re-examination of operational decision-making in interface fires.

TH25 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Using Focus Groups to Understand the Social Dynamics Related to Wildland Fire
Pamela Jakes, PhD and Sarah McCaffrey, PhD, USDA Forest Service North Central Research Station, Minnesota
Why don’t people "get it?" Seems to be a common question among Firewise supporters. Perhaps the better question might be "How do people 'get it?'" Presenters will share some experiences with conducting focus groups to collect data on people’s perceptions, attitudes and values, and provide examples of how the process can help managers’ planning efforts to understand local social concerns and dynamics related to wildland fire and discuss when it is appropriate to use this process and means of facilitating the discussion.

FRIDAY

F01 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
WUI Modeling with ArcGIS Spatial Analyst: Intermediate Workshop
Mike Price, Entrada/San Juan
This session will focus on using ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension to create and analyze raster and vector data in the interface. A slope-fuel model, created from actual data, applying NFPA 1144 assessment criteria will be constructed. Model data will be combined with structure mapping and imagery will be used to map structures, analyze forest health, and to study other issues. (Space is limited; pre-registration is required.)

F02 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Reaching the Unreachable: eLearning Model
Sandi Sturm, Creative Conservation
Want to figure out how effective the Internet CAN be? How to design a web-based outreach program? This presentation will focus on an 8-week "eLearning" model used in Alaska and demonstrates ways to deliver outreach and education to audiences in remote and rural areas in the US, while saving money and increasing the individual’s retention of information.

F03 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Meadow Mountain: A Different Mitigation Approach
Vickie Landon, Meadow Mountain Firewise
Community; PJ Pearson, Texas Forest Service This Firewise Community made the most of a $5,000 grant they received by developing a demonstration project using a sprinkler system for outside the homes that were overlooking a very large box canyon. Participants in this session will learn how a single demonstration home was used to show the other homeowners the positive aspects of this type of mitigation.

F04 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Sustainable Wildland/Urban Interface Prevention Programs
Hank Blackwell, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Fire Department
Santa Fe County has been a leader in WUI programs and participative wildland prevention programs. This interactive presentation with the Fire Marshal who inspired others to participate and succeed will describe the intersection of several such programs which will result in sustainable community-led and supported programs and products.

F05 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Building an Old-Fashioned Community: What Works
Larry Osborn, Colfax County Fire Marshal;
Roger Terry, Colfax County Urban Forester; and
Ann Cooke, Greater Eastern Jemez Wildland/ Urban Interface Cooridor, New Mexico
Local partnerships, sharing common values and goals create the best opportunities for Firewise efforts and results. For the little community of Glorieta, these opportunities brought a community together to become recognized by the Firewise Communities/USA Program in 2005. Visit with key community leaders who are willing to share their experiences and insights into how Firewise helps in more ways than wildfire mitigation.

F06 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Firewise Science Module for Grades 9-12
Jim Harrell, Florida Division of Forestry
The well-known “Living on the Edge in Florida” CD-ROM provided the basis for the Florida Division of Forestry’s successful WUI fire science module that reaches high school students throughout the state. Attendees to this session will have the opportunity to discuss the module, the teachers guide, student assessments, activities and lab exercises. Attendees can interact with the presenter in discussing how to recognize potential partners and pathways to implement Firewise thinking in the classroom.

F07 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Expand Your Firewise Vocabulary
Keith Worley, Forestree Development, LLC and
Amy Schneider, Fleishman Hillard
If selling wildfire mitigation often seems like an uphill battle, have you thought about how you are making your sales pitch? Is it a onesize- fits-all approach? Learn some clues on how to pick up on your client’s interests and issues that might convince them to start their mitigation work. We will share techniques that have worked (and not worked) in Perry Park, Colorado, over the past five years.

F08 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
The Prescott Story: 16 Years in the Making
Darrell Willis, Chief, Prescott, Arizona, Fire Department
Over the past 16 years, Prescott has built a strong wildland fire fighting strategy. This overview will discuss getting citizen involvement and by-in, interagency cooperation, the survival of a WUI fire, adopting strict building and vegetation codes, and developing a 20 person fire fighting crew. Chief Willis is one of the early adaptors of the Firewise Program. Attendees will gain much from his long term view and results of instilling the Firewise concepts in the fire department and community.

F09 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Learning from Other Communities: Organizational Learning in Wildland Fire
Paula Nasiatka and Dave Christenson, Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
How can your unit learn from one another in everyday WUI and Firewise programs? The Lessons Learned Center is your resource center for sharing what you have learned beyond the scope of your own unit. Six specific tasks are critical to organizational learning. By engaging in these tasks your unit will significantly improve both its programs and its learning.

F10 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Localized Fire Danger Rating Systems
Rocco Snart, Jefferson County, Colorado Division of Emergency Management
What are the localized fire danger ratings and how might they be more reliable and useful for local operations? This presentation will illustrate how to develop cost effective localized fire danger ratings using the federal agency tools and local (non-RAWS) weather stations to produce a localized fire danger rating system tailored to smaller geographic areas.

F11 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Broad Scale Integration of GIS, GPS and Assessment Technologies
Thomas Eiber, David Schuller, Pegg Julson, and Bill Glesener, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Minnesota’s Firewise Risk Mitigation Program uses several technologies to support local community activities, including the collection of data to support risk mitigation planning, and a range of activities from mitigation treatments to wildfire suppression.

Attendees will learn about the two-tiered assessment protocols, the use of GIS and GPS technologies in operations, risk modeling in a GIS environment, and the collection of critical infrastructure data that produce mapping and visualization enhancements used by emergency organizations.

F12 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Integrating Firewise Communities/USA & Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
Judith Leraas Cook, Leraas Cook and Associates;
Bill and Claire Cave, Auburn Lake Trails Fire Safety and Improvement Council;
and Vicki Yorty, El Dorado County Fire Safe Council
Wonder how Firewise plans "fit" with CWPPs? Do they? Can they? This presentation will provide insight on how the CWPP can bolster and support community efforts at Firewise Communities/USA recognition, and how action at the local level to become Firewise can bring the CWPP to life. Learn the strategies to seamlessly integrate these two important wildfire mitigation efforts.

F13 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Communications Brainstorm: Creative Approach to Communication Tactics
Amy Schneider and Ken Fields, Fleishman Hillard
Attendees will participate in a brainstorming session to learn how to utilize proven communications tactics to get the word out to their communities. How to prepare and distribute timely topics throughout the year. Attendees will come away with some tactical ideas on how to think "outside the box", as well as some ideas on how to inject some creativity back home.

F14 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Overcoming Environmental Constraints to Effective Mitigation in Australia
Rob Rogers, New South Wales Rural Fire Service, Australia
This presentation will review the inter-departmental committee’s recommended adoption of a Bushfire Environmental Assessment Code. The decision behind the code and whether legislation was inhibiting effective bushfire mitigation measures will be discussed. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in the discussion as to how some environmental issues in the USA may prevent wildfire mitigation measures in ways similar to those in Australia and to generate ideas on how mitigation measures might be modified to meet environmental requirements as well as reduce fire losses.

F15 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Creating Resilient Communities Through a Systems Approach
André LeDuc, Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup, University of Oregon
Disasters occur as a predictable interaction among three broad systems: natural, built and societal systems. This session provides a brief overview on the challenge of integrating mitigation concepts and practices into the dynamic and often complex social fabric that makes up our communities. Presenting a holistic approach to better identify a community's resource exposure (e.g. buildings, roads, utilities, and social structure, etc.) sensitivity, (e.g. vulnerable populations, economy, etc.), and the community’s resiliency or ability to respond and recover from disaster events.

F16 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Which Trees Do I Save?
Keith Worley, Forestree Development, LLC
This session will help attendees learn how forestry and arbori-cultural principals can aid them in choosing the right trees to leave when opening up overly dense stands of trees to minimize wind and snow breakage. Participants will be able to identify potentially hazardous trees or conditions that might lead to tree failure.

F27 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Successfully Implementing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP)
Sandy Shaffer, Applegate Fire Plan, Oregon
Writing A CWPP does not guarantee implementation. The Applegate Fire Plan created long-term relationships among community and agency partners, resulting in scores of strategic fuels reduction projects being implemented. The presentation will illustrate how strong community leaders and infrastructure, multi-faceted management and comprehensive monitoring were all key in affecting wildfire in this South Oregon watershed.

F17 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Interface Fire Operations - Case Studies
Rick Trembath, Bigfork, Montana, Fire and Ambulance
Firewise success can result in improved and safer operations for fire fighters. This session will present a series of photos depicting interface fire operations (strategies and tactics) used by both wildland and structure fire fighters during wildfire incidents involving structure protection. Discussion will focus on structures saved and lost, the reasons why and will show the value of defensible space.

F18 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Fire Fighter Safety in the Wildland/Urban Interface
Dennis Childress, Orange County Fire Authority, California
In the last ten years, approximately 150 fire fighters have lost their lives at wildland fires. As our society moves outward from urban to rural areas we are finding that the skills needed in fighting these fires is also evolving. Combining structural and wildland fire fighting techniques is becoming a specialty and, with fire fighter death rate on wildland fires already high, we’ve begun putting a much greater emphasis in fire fighter safety in the Wildland/Urban Interface. This session will identify some important concepts and strategies of W/UI fire fighter safety.

F19 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Case Study: Texas WUI Losses During the 2005/2006 Winter Fire Season
Justice Jones, Texas Forest Service
What can we learn from an actual "worst case" scenario? Over 250 homes were lost, and over 400,000 acres were burned in Texas' most severe fire season in years. One hundred of the 250 homes were evaluated to determine ignition sources and causal factors for the loss. This “reverse” methodology of home assessment resulted in the development of strategies to prevent future losses.

Participants will gain a better understanding of the unique threats homeowners and communities face during wind driven grass fires while gaining practical and cost effective solutions to reduce the likelihood of home ignition and loss of natural and agriculture resources.

F20 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM
California FireSafe Councils' - Education and Action
Mike DeLasaux, University of California Cooperative Extension
FireSafe Councils, a California organizational model, are an effective approach to grass roots action. There are over 150 FireSafe Councils in California and new ones are developing monthly. Success happens when homeowners, agencies and private business collaborate to make their communities fire resilient.

This presentation will focus how the Plumas County FireSafe Council and others have been aggressively providing public education, firesafe planning, and community fuel reduction assistance.

F21 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Legislation, Regulation and Education in California's Wildland/Urban Interface
Kate Dargan, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection;
Tonya Hoover, Moraga-Orinda, California, Fire District
Incentives for wildfire mitigation take many forms, including financial incentives, educational programs, citizen-driven activities, improved building materials, Firewise landscaping, and, of course, regulation. This presentation will provide attendees on how the state of California has chosen to address the WUI issue through legislation, regulation, and education.

F22 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
Transforming Your Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) into a Pre-Attack Plan
Chris White, Anchor Point Group, LLC
Community Wildfire Protection Plans do not have to be just another fire study collecting dust. Jurisdictions across the nation are realizing their analysis of the wildland-urban interface is the first step to better operational planning. This session will provide an overview on how to take your CWPP and develop an effective pre-attack plan for your WUI.

F23 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Applying Florida's Best Management Practices
Gerry LaCavera and Annaleasa Winter, Florida Division of Forestry
This presentation will explore Florida’s experiences in dealing with laws, codes and restrictions that preclude many basic Firewise principles of risk reduction. It will also discuss strategies to establish specific regulations, codes or covenants to formalize Firewise risk reduction objectives by engaging county and local planning agencies.

F24 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Writing Grants to Get Things Done
André LeDuc, Oregon Natural Hazards Workgroup, University of Oregon
Participants who attend this session will be introduced to the fundamentals of grant writing This session is appropriate for those who have not written grants or have limited grant writing experience. It will address how to identify and develop concepts, research potential organizations (both public and private), and develop letters and draft proposals that meet the requirements to solicit grant funds. A group discussion on getting started and how to draft proposals will follow.

F25 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Research Lessons on Community Impacts from Wildfire
James Burchfield, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana;
Dan Williams, USDA Forest Service; and
Steve McCool, PhD, College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana
Research in six communities hit by recent major wildfires demonstrates the need for coordinated, anticipatory actions before, during, and after the fire event. This panel session will engage participants in an interactive critique of the impacts of wildfire management systems on rural communities to improve the responses of residents, agencies, and local governments to major fire events.

F26 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Firewise Communities/USA: A Collaborative Approach
Marc Titus, Washington State Department of Natural Resources;
Bill McLaughlin, San Juan Island, Washington, Fire District #3;
Jennifer Hinderman and Carolyn Kelly, Skagit Conservation District
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore the roles of the community and local and state agencies in implementing a successful program and the importance of leadership and communication during the collaborative process. The session will review case studies from the northwest of Washington State.

SATURDAY

SA01 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM
3D WUI Modeling with ArcGIS and its Extensions: Advanced Workshop
Mike Price, Entrada/San Juan
This advanced hands-on class introduces the participant to 3D modeling in the WUI, using high resolution terrain and imagery. Training data includes LIDAR terrain, structures mapped from imagery, and evacuation networks. Model data, displayed in 3D, is derived from actual Firewise Communities projects. This session’s advanced modeling methods teach new and innovative uses of GIS technology in the interface.

Participants will be able to display and model 3D WUI terrain, structures, and fuels. Students will understand basics of LIDAR theory and practice. Participants will be introduced to ArcGIS Network Analyst and will understand the basics of creating and modeling evacuation networks.

SA02 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Maximizing the Usefulness of a Home Hazard Assessment Using GIS
Meckenzie Hellmandollar, University of Arizona Extension
Interactive community mapping allows lay people to create quality GIS maps for planning, presentation, and grant submittal purposes. This mapping technique uses a home hazard assessment template to collect spatial information with a GPS and IPAQ unit. This session will use recent examples to provide attendees with an overview of the benefits of creating community fire hazard maps.

Attendees will be able to explain the components of the data collection system, including hardware and software, and the specific steps to collect field data. Attendee will be given tools to create simple, but quality GIS maps for community fire hazard assessment.

SA03 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Development and Establishment of Firewise Communities: It's a Relationship
Stephen J. Campbell, University of Arizona, County Extension; and
Dustie Aylor, USDA Forest Service, Apache Sitgreave National Forest
This open discussion will focus on the success stories of the Arizona Firewise Working Group and the collaboration between agencies, communities and partners aided in the successful completion of several Community Wildfire Protection Plans and Firewise Communities/ USA recognitions. Learn about the challenges and how they were overcome, and how public outreach, pre-planning, and collaboration have been invaluable.

SA04 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Estes Valley Interagency Fire Education Program
Sue Pinkham and Wendy McCartney Colorado State Forest Service; and
Scott Sticha, National Park Service, Estes Park, CO
Presenters will highlight an unique interagency community outreach program focused on fire education in Estes Park, Colorado. Partners include Estes Park Volunteer Fire Department, Larimer County, Colorado State Forest Service, National Forest Service and National Park Service whose accomplishments and lessons learned will be outlined in this fire education project.

Attendees will be able to incorporate ideas and lessons learned from the Estes Valley Interagency fire education program into their local community outreach efforts.

SA05 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Are You Firewise? Educating the Next Generation
Rocco Snart, Jefferson County, Colorado, Division of Emergency Management
A successful county-wide program was developed with the local school district to meet state standards and educate sixth grade students in basic fire behavior and the fundamentals of wildfire mitigation. This interactive one-hour classroom session has been delivered to more 20,000 students utilizing local fire fighters as instructors. Attendees to this session will gain insight into how the successful training can instill in the next generation the attitude of responsible living in the WUI.

SA06 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
How to Tailor Wildland/Urban Interface Programs to Fit Community Needs
Hank Blackwell, Santa Fe County, New Mexico, Fire Department
There is no single program that will fit every community. Each community is different and requires a set of unique solutions. This presentation will explain how Santa Fe County Fire Department custom-fit their code, restoration projects, evaluation models and community programs to match their constituents, environment, politics and culture.

SA07 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Team Up with Interns to Fulfill Your Fire Prevention Objectives
Joey Ruehrwein, Student Conservation Association
This presentation will outline how interns can be used to help managers achieve fire prevention goals and objectives. The presentation will present lessons learned by the Student Conservation Association’s Wildland Fire (education and monitoring) program, including: why interns volunteer, what are the elements of a meaningful internship, how much and what type of work, and how to train interns.

SA20 7:45 AM - 8:45 AM
Road Map to Community Wildfire Protection Plans
Marti Campbell, Coalition for the Upper South Platte;
Curt Grina, Teller County, Colorado CWPP; and
Gregory Winkler, Teller County, Colorado, CWPP
Teller County participants describe the road map used, the challenges and obstacles faced along the route to create the first county-wide CWPP in Teller County, Colorado. Participants will gain insight into why and how multiple communities may need to develop a CWPP, where to access planning guidelines and examples, and develop the necessary leadership for local communities; and add another tool to WUI fire prevention education.

SA08 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Landscape Architecture and Ecological Design in Fire-Prone Environments
Cindi and David Rowan, Rowan Design and Consulting, LLC
In the WUI, landscape design is an increasingly complex enterprise. The primary challenge facing many residents is to live safely and comfortably within the natural landscape without destroying the beauty and serenity that drew them there. By integrating Firewise principles, conservation and aesthetics, we can make small and large scale design choices that protect both our human and natural resources.

Participants will be presented with recent growth and development trends in the WUI, view examples of impacts of different types of developments and landscape treatments, and investigate the impacts of varying landscape approaches on aesthetics, quality of life, ecology and sustainability. Exploring design solutions that balance fire protection with ecosystem and view-shed preservation, aesthetics, water conservation and protection of native plant species will add to the discussion in this session.

SA09 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Fire Fighter Occupational Safety and Health
Chris White, Anchor Point Group
Safety is THE prime consideration in operation. As wildfires get larger each year, the complexity of operations grows, along the opportunities for injuries and fatalities for responding fire fighters and crews. Whether you’re a structural or wildland fire fighter, your ability to recognize signs of impending problems, such as collapse, backdraft, flashover, or a wildfire “blow-up,” comes with training and experience. Recognizing that a dangerous situation exists or is about to worsen can allow fire fighters or incident commanders time to react and remove themselves and or others from a dangerous situation. Risk management and situational awareness during emergency operations and the measures that you can take prior to and during events to prevent becoming a statistic are the key messages addressed in this session.

SA10 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Using Fire Retardant Treated Wood in WUI Structures
Joseph Holland, Hoover Treated Wood Products
This session will discuss fire-retardant treated wood; what it is, how it differs from untreated wood and exposed non-combustible materials, code recognition and applications. Attendees will be able to identify fire retardant treated wood; describe how it may be applied; and how FRTW differs from other wood products and unprotected steel.

SA11 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Using National Fire Plan Funds in Rural Areas
Jeff Swanson, Fremont County Firewise Coordinator; and
Craig Haslam, Fremont County Fire Protection District, Wyoming
This session will focus on the steps the Fremont County Fire Protection District used to turn National Fire Plan funds into on-theground mitigation in rural Wyoming, including organization, initial setup, and continuing administrative projects.

SA12 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Neighborhood Design: Considerations for Wildfire Mitigation Planning
William Butler, Landscape Architect, City of Palm Coast, Florida
The session will focus on good/bad design approaches and subdivision layouts that mitigate wildfire. The discussion will involve exploring best management practices land planners can follow to achieve Firewise design. Aspects such as community access, phasing, road design, and use of perimeter roads and green space to achieve wildfire breaks will be discussed, as well as long term protection provisions.

SA13 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Proper Installation and Maintenance of Firewise Gardens
Randall Ismay, Water and Landscape Consultants
This presentation will be devoted to learning how plants work and how best to maintain them in keeping with their natural cycles and needs. Participants will learn about how proper installation, proper establishment, and most importantly, proper on-going maintenance will lead to a successful Firewise landscape.

SA14 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Project Wildfire-Model for Collaboration
Joe Stutler, Forester, Deschutes County, Oregon
Project Wildfire is an innovative program that can be replicated in wildfire zones around the country. Strategies for building and maintaining partnerships to achieve effective mitigation in wildfire prone areas and that have been successful, including the FireFree program, CWPP efforts, and grant writing will be discussed.

SA15 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Management Strategies in the WUI and Their Effect on Fire Behavior and the Environment
Christopher Dicus, Cal Poly State University, (Wildland Fire and Fuels Management)
To best insure sustainable communities in the wildland-urban interface, management strategies for a given area must be developed that minimizes fire risk while simultaneously maximizing the environmental benefits that distinct vegetation types provide. This presentation will discuss varying management approaches in terms of their effects on potential fire behavior and residual environmental impacts, utilizing state-of-the-art, GIS-based applications.

SA16 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Can Your Landscape Mulch Be a Fire Hazard?
Larry Steward, Ohio State - ATI, Horticultural Technology
Can mulch be a component of a Firewise landscape? Attendees will get a better understanding of various mulches and how they should be used in a Firewise landscape. Participants will be shown how to use mulches properly in a Firewise landscape in conjunction with proper planting zones.

SA17 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
The Power of Partnerships in Firewise Arkansas
David Samuel, Arkansas Forestry Commission; and
Chris Ludwig, County Ranger, Union County, Arkansas
How successful partnerships in Arkansas were developed with the communities, fire departments, state and federal agencies in the recruitment of homeowners to participate in the Firewise Program is the focus of this presentation. Attendees will understand how wildland fire protection personnel can be used to develop Firewise Communities, how they can communicate to homeowners in the WUI about the risk from wildland fires, and how to mitigate the risk.

SA18 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Wedgefield's Success and Sustained Momentum
Cecil Davis, Ranger Drainage District, Florida;
Mary Prescott, Wedgefield Firewise Committee, Orlando, Florida; and
Timber Weller, Florida Division of Forestry
For five years, the Wedgefield subdivision has been implementing the Firewise Program. Learn how that success was achieved, how the community has been able to sustain the momentum, and how these efforts resulted in the first "Firewise Model Home."

Attendees will learn how Firewise was first implemented in Wedgefield; will be able to discuss how to adopt similar initiatives in their own communities, and how to value the roles and contributions of stakeholders.

SA19 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Energizing Communities Through Firewise Projects
Judith Leraas Cook, Leraas Cook and Associates;
Ann Cooke, Greater Eastern Jemez Wildland/Urban Interface Corridor; and
Keith Worley, Forestree Development LLC
Energizing communities and engaging neighbors in Firewise activities can seem daunting. Learn how community residents can tackle their biggest challenges - getting rid of green waste - while having fun and meeting their neighbors. Individuals highlighted in the Firewise Program’s new "How To Bulletin" will share what’s worked in their neighborhoods.

Attendees will be able to apply techniques for engaging their neighbors in Firewise activities using examples in the "How To Bulletin" handouts; understand how initial activities and small successes create the basis for future activities and progress; and gain insight into some of the typical obstacles a community has to overcome to succeed in its Firewise efforts.

SA21 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Facing the Facts About Interface Home Insurance
David Kimball, BK International Insurance Brokers; and
Jim Smalley, Firewise Communities Program
Wonder why insurance companies can’t seem to "get it" about interface fire risks? Why they don’t adjust individual rates based on the risks of wildfire? Ask questions and get straight answers in an interactive session from a risk insurer whose agency insures high value properties around the world. Learn how insurance actually works to aid you in working locally with homeowners, fire agencies, and insurers.

SA22 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Outreach and Collaboration in Wildfire Planning
Jenna Stanke, Jackson County, Oregon Planning; and
Kathy Lynn, University of Oregon
This presentation will explore regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to reducing wildfire risk, as well as strategies for reaching out to under-served populations through fire. Because Jackson and Josephine Counties in southwestern Oregon face some of the highest fire risk in the state, the two have joined in a cooperative regional fire planning effort which has led to an innovative program related to education and outreach, hazardous fuels reduction, and emergency management.

Participants will be able to identify strategies for multi-jurisdictional collaboration, develop and implement regulatory and non-regulatory approaches to reduce wildfire risk, and address the needs of low-income and under-served citizens through local fire planning efforts.

SA23 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
101 Things to Do With Your Yard Waste
Barbara Stewart, Fire Education, Prevention and Information Specialist, National Park Service, Charlottesville, Virginia;
Debris burning is a significant source of unwanted fire starts in Virginia and around the country. The Virginia Advanced Master Gardener Land Care Steward Program offers meaningful, environmentally sound alternatives to debris burning. The Land Care Steward handbook addresses reducing, reusing, and recycling yard waste and methods to get others to do the same. Master Gardener is sponsored by many states’ extension services. It is a communitybased program that uses trained volunteers to achieve its goals.

As borrowing and editing is often easier than inventing, participants will walk away with, at least, the extensive table of contents, and some insight into developing and implementing such a program. Building on ideas is crucial, so there will also be a discussion, with these opening questions. Do you see this program adaptable to your community? What would you do to make it more effective?

SA24 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Wildland Fires Low/No Cost Resources and Programs
Jack Durjan, Martin County, Florida, Fire Rescue
Each participant will learn how to complete their task for each goal they start. This presentation will show what is needed for a complete program and who will help you get it. All events can be tracked and categorized. Examples of previous ideas will be displayed. Participants will be able to understand when, where, how, and why to look for their needs in programs, funding, coop building, and how to track results of their successes.