The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) program focuses on reducing fire risk in areas where homes meet wildlands by providing data, training, and tools for prevention, preparedness, and mitigation, helping communities become more fire-adapted through education, risk assessment, and community planning to protect people and property from devastating wildfires.
Key Activities and Goals:
Data & Awareness: Develops tools like the WUI Fire Property Awareness Explorer to show residents their proximity to fire-prone areas, raising awareness as the first step to action.
Education & Training: Offers courses (like through the National Fire Academy) to help agencies manage WUI risks, create Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs), and build fire-adapted communities.
Risk Mitigation: Provides guidance on assessing WUI risks and implementing prevention strategies to make structures and communities more resilient to wildfires, focusing on ignition resistance.
Community Building: Encourages local coalitions, partnerships, and better communication between government, communities, and fire services to address WUI challenges.
Support for Fire Services: Works to strengthen fire and EMS agencies’ ability to handle WUI fires through training, research, and resources, aiming to reduce life and economic losses.