Backyards and beyond: national WUI fire education conference

The Backyards and Beyond Conference offers a great opportunity to learn from those who work and live in the wildland/urban interface.

Conference Tracks
Firewise Communities/USA® focuses on how communities can become Firewise, real-life experiences of successful recognition sites, how to engage homeowners, and long-term rewards of becoming Firewise.

Communicating the Firewise® Message will explore channels for communicating with fellow residents, community leaders, and the media, including how to entice the media to a Firewise event and prepare for media interviews.

Planning and Mitigation explores best practices in land use planning and development, risk assessment methodologies landscape techniques, working with community leaders and fire emergency personnel, and reducing risks and realizing benefits of wildland fire.

Environment/Ecology/Landscaping explores key issues in ecosystem management, plant and animal habitats, forest health, landscape aesthetics, and how our knowledge and experience in these areas can contribute to living more compatibly with nature.

Research examines recent investigations (completed and in progress) of the physical and social science issues of wildfire and those living in the wildland/urban interface.

Fire and Emergency Operations includes firefighter occupational safety and health, structural and wildland fire fighting personnel working together, and innovative methods used for structure protection in the wildland/urban interface.

Using Technology focuses on various technologies that may be applied to community design, land use planning, assessing hazards and risks in collaborative environments, and wildland fire management.