WILDFIRE DEFENSIBLE SPACE EDUCATION IN YAVAPAI COUNTY, ARIZONA
Extension Education
Jeff Schalau
County Director & Agent ANR
University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
PRESCOTT
Abstract
\r\n Many Yavapai County residents live in the wildland-urban interface and face significant risk of losing their home in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. Creation of wildfire defensible space can greatly reduce the probability of wildfire damage to homes and structures while also creating a safer environment for firefighters to protect those homes in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. The University of Arizona Yavapai County Cooperative Extension has been conducting defensible space education in collaboration with the Prescott Area Wildland-Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC) since 2000. Our initial needs assessment indicated opportunities in the areas of: educating the public about potential wildfire risks and defensible space principles; collaborating with all Yavapai County fire departments to create a consistent defensible space message; using fire-resistive plant materials to mitigate wildfire risk; and promoting the use of science-based horticultural practices such as pruning, mulching, and hardscaping to meet defensible space goals. We also identified opportunities to teach defensible space principles to landscape professionals and designed a 12-hour, field-based, Wildfire Defensible Landscaper Course, the only one of its kind in Arizona. Defensible space education has reached 2,866 participants in a variety of venues. In addition, the Wildfire Defensible Landscaper Course has been offered five times with 65 graduates. Funding has been received from a variety of sources over the past five years to support these defensible space educational efforts ($182,332 total).
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Poster has NOT been presented at any previous NACAA AM/PIC
This poster is being submitted for judging. It will be displayed at the AM/PIC if not selected as a State winner. The abstract will be published in the proceedings.
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Authors: J.W. Schalau
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Schalau, J. Associate Agent, ANR, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Arizona, 86503