Forest & fire

A Firewise USA community

Our neighborhood is part of a nationally recognized Firewise USA® site, Greater Gallina Canyon, which includes Gallina Canyon and Deer Mesa. It’s one of several recognized Firewise communities in Taos County, where neighbors work together to make homes, roads and the surrounding forest safer from wildfire.

What it means for you

Protect your home

Most homes lost to wildfire are ignited by embers and small flames, not a wall of fire. Simple steps close to the house make the biggest difference. See the home ignition zone below.

Your work counts

Time you spend clearing brush, cleaning gutters, thinning trees or attending a Firewise event counts toward our community’s yearly requirement. Use the form below to report your hours.

Neighbors helping neighbors

Firewise recognition helps the community qualify for grants and county programs. Taos County usually brings a chipper to the neighborhood in late June. Some insurance companies also consider Firewise participation, so it’s worth asking your agent.

What is Firewise USA?

Firewise USA® is a national program run by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Association of State Foresters. It gives neighbors a framework to get organized, assess their wildfire risk, and take action together. Communities aren’t “certified”; they are recognized each year for the work their residents do. Participation is voluntary, and the program doesn’t create any rules for individual properties.

How our community keeps its recognition

  • A volunteer Firewise committee, with a resident leader as the point of contact for Firewise USA.
  • A community wildfire risk assessment, done with a local wildfire expert and updated at least every five years.
  • A three-year action plan listing the work and education the community will focus on.
  • At least one volunteer hour per home each year spent reducing wildfire risk. Work on your own property counts, and so does money spent on the work.
  • An annual renewal report to Firewise USA. This year’s is due November 20.

Make your home safer: the home ignition zone

Fire scientists divide the area around a home into three zones. Start with the house itself and work outward.

0–5 feet

Immediate zone

  • Clear roofs and gutters of needles and leaves.
  • Cover vents with 1/8-inch metal mesh.
  • Move firewood, mulch and anything that burns away from walls and out from under decks.

5–30 feet

Intermediate zone

  • Keep grasses mowed to about 4 inches.
  • Prune lower branches 6–10 feet up so ground fire can’t climb into trees.
  • Space tree crowns well apart and clear brush from around propane tanks.

30–100+ feet

Extended zone

  • Remove dead trees, branches and heavy ground litter.
  • Thin small trees growing between larger ones.
  • Clear around sheds and outbuildings.

Report your Firewise hours

Now that you know what counts, tell us about the work you’ve done to reduce wildfire risk on your property or in the neighborhood. Every hour counts toward our community’s annual Firewise renewal. You can report more than once, and you can include work done any time since January 1.

Thank you! Your Firewise hours have been recorded. Feel free to report again whenever you do more work.

What counts

Any work that reduces wildfire risk to homes: clearing and thinning, cleanup around the house, home hardening, hauling slash, and time spent at Firewise meetings or events. Work on your own property counts.

Counting hours

Add up the time for everyone who helped. Two people working three hours is six hours. If you paid a contractor or rented equipment, enter what you spent too; that counts toward our total.

Deadline

Please report this year’s work by November 10 so it can be included in our renewal, due November 20. Reports after that count toward next year.

Get involved

Questions about Firewise, the next chipper day, or interested in helping with our Firewise committee? Send us a message through our Contact page.

Resources

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