The Minnesota Firewise Program works with communities to help prepare for and prevent catastrophic wildfires. Through funding opportunities and mentorship, DNR Firewise specialists can help communities complete various on-the-ground activities, including home site assessments, wildfire mitigation projects, community education, and access improvement projects. It involves community groups, including fire and emergency services, city staff (e.g., foresters, planners), schools, and local interest groups.
How to become Firewise
Learn more about the process of becoming Firewise, which includes home assessments, planning, and committee meetings.
Contact your Regional Firewise community specialist to get started.
Use this Firewise in Your Community PowerPoint presentation to share important Firewise information to a local community group.
Communities can become official Firewise USA sites. These communities meet a set of criteria on an annual basis to become sites “in good standing status” with the national program.
Community wildfire protection plan
A Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a roadmap for becoming Firewise. This plan may address issues such as wildfire response, hazard mitigation, community preparedness, and structure protection. The plan can be a stand-alone product or an addendum to a hazard mitigation plan.
- How to Create a Community Wildfire Protection Plan describes why CWPPs are important, key components, and example action items.
- Creating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan is a guide to assist communities in making a CWPP with fillable templates to create an action plan, document assets, forest/landscape health issues, and key stakeholders.
Grant information
Grants can help communities plan, prepare for, and complete wildfire mitigation projects. This includes the development of a CWPP, which is required for funding mitigation work.
- Community Wildfire Defense Grants - offer communities, tribes, states, and non-profits the opportunity to create or update a Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) or 2) Complete project work outlined in a current CWPP.
- Firewise Community Grants - provide funds to help communities create Community Wildfire Protection Plans and Mitigate Wildfire Risk.
- Volunteer fire assistance grants - provide financial ($1,000-$5,000) and technical assistance to Minnesota fire departments in cities or communities with a population under 10,000.
Communities in action
- Prepare for Wildfire: The Hwy 1 Fire Wake-Up call - This video addresses community preparedness in the face of the 2012 Highway 1 wildfire in Ely, Minnesota. It gives residents the tools they need to prepare for this kind of event should it happen again.
- Living With Fire: Why and How - This video provides information and useful tools for residents who live in a fire prone environment to reduce their risk of property loss.