Chantilly, Va. – The International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) and the IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee (WFPC) today released the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Chief’s Guide. The guide provides tools and tips to aid wildland-urban interface fire department planning and operations.
Wildland fire is a widespread and a year-round threat. As leaders in their communities, fire chiefs have a duty to improve wildfire response safety and educate and empower those they serve to prepare for potential events.
“The IAFC’s Wildland Fire Policy Committee identified a need for a complete resource for local chiefs and fire department leadership,” said Erik Litzenberg, WFPC chair and city manager of Santa Fe, New Mexico. “The WUI Chief’s Guide provides a step-by-step, comprehensive approach, providing tips for chiefs of all experience levels to prepare their departments and communities for success against the threat of wildland fire and recovery.
Litzenberg said members of the committee worked diligently to make the guide comprehensive by including preparation, mitigation, response and recovery, and provided other useful resources as well. The contents of the guide were derived from peers who have found success incorporating these smart practices throughout their departments while improving stakeholder relations and community involvement.
“The WUI Chief’s Guide is a great resource for WUI planning and implementation efforts. These efforts must be part of an on-going and continually evolving process to make sure they become sustainable for leaders, responders and community members alike,” Litzenberg said.
