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Wildfire and the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)

Explore these resources to help you prepare for a safe wildland fire response and to create and sustain a fire-adapted community.

Fire departments across the country are increasingly being called upon to respond to WUI fires, including brush, grass, forest fires or other outdoor fires. You may believe that you don't have a WUI problem, and that WUI fires only occur in western states, but more than 60,000 communities in the United States are at risk for WUI fires. Source: National Association of State Foresters PDF

Learn about the WUI

Featured resources

HEALTHY LANDSCAPES

This video shows how the fire service can help communities create healthy landscapes that will keep people safer and create communities that are more resilient.

https://youtu.be/of2raSjd3uE

RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY

Wildland Urban Interface (WUI): A Look at Issues and Resolutions

A report of recommendations for elected officials, policymakers and all levels of government, tribal and response agencies.

Get the report

WUI research and technology updates

FIRE-ADAPTED COMMUNITIES

Creating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan

The form-fillable templates in this guide help you to create an action plan for your community and document assets at risk, forest and landscape health issues, and key stakeholders. The guide is available in English and Spanish.

Creating a Community Wildfire Protection Plan guide

Get the guide

Help your community to become fire adapted

OUTREACH MATERIALS

Be a wildfire safety recreation enthusiast

Use these social media cards to share important messages about practicing wildfire safety while taking part in outdoor activities this summer.

TRAINING

Wildland Urban Interface Firefighting for the Structural Company Officer F0610  

This 2-day off-campus course covers:

  • Introduction to WUI firefighting
  • Interface environment
  • Wildland fire behavior
  • Command and control issues
  • Tactics

Check the course schedule for an offering near you.

Learn more and apply

Explore more training opportunities

Wildfire and WUI blog

Building damaged from the Hawaii Wildfires
Infogram
Feb. 8, 2024

Preliminary After-Action Report: 2023 Maui Wildfire

Maui PD's preliminary after-action report makes 32 recommendations to improve Maui's police response to future natural disaster response efforts.

Read the article
photo of equipment clearing overgrown vegetation
Current Issues
Jan. 11, 2024

The importance of good grant reporting

Receiving a grant is just the beginning; project implementation, thorough financial reporting and grant reporting are just as important.

Read the article
Photo of a wildland firefighter
Infogram
Sept. 28, 2023

New research on inhalation exposures for wildland firefighters

Learn about the new NIOSH research on smoke inhalation exposures for wildland firefighters and their effects on firefighter's health.

Read the article
Photo of a wildland fire
Infogram
Sept. 7, 2023

Wildland fire lessons learned center launches enhanced website

Check out the new website from Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center that features in-the-field lessons drawn from successes, challenges, close calls and firefighter fatalities to increase safety.

Read the article