Living with Fire: Real Wildfire Preparedness Starts at Home

Each year, the dominant narrative around wildfire focuses on trying to control wildfire “out there” in the backcountry. Logging and vegetation removal are touted as the solution, rooted in the misbelief that if we can just remove “fuels,” aka the trees and shrubs that create forest habitat, with these extractive activities, we can keep fire away from people and homes.

But wildfire is a naturally-occurring ecological process that sustains forests, thus sustaining us and our communities. It is not a problem to be solved, suppressed, or mitigated in the wild. While conversations are starting to include language about and approaches to community preparedness, the core focus remains on manipulating vegetation through logging and other vegetation “treatment” far from where people live. This approach is not only ineffective, it’s incompatible with how both forests and communities thrive as living, functional ecosystems.

True wildfire resilience means learning to live with fire. For communities, that starts with practical steps to reduce risk where it matters most: around our homes and within our neighborhoods. By shifting resources and attention away from destructive logging and toward proven community-focused solutions, we can protect people and ensure forests remain the self-renewing ecosystems they’ve been for millennia.

Both independent and industry research consistently show that home-hardening and community-level preparedness reduce wildfire risk to communities and save homes and lives. Fire-resistant roofs and vents, cleared gutters, defensible space pruning within 100 feet of structures, and coordinated community evacuation planning are the solution, not logging.

Yet, despite this clear evidence, billions of dollars in federal and state funding (i.e., your tax dollars) continue to be funneled into “management” projects, like logging, under the guise of “fuel reduction” or “thinning.” This misallocation not only fails to reduce risk (it actually increases it–see previously referenced fact sheet), it also actively diverts attention, resources, and political will away from the solutions that actually protect homes and communities.

Practical Steps to Protect Your Home and Community

Wildfire preparedness starts–and remains–at home. Here are some proven, research-backed steps you can take to stay safe and reduce risk when a wildfire occurs:

1. Harden your home. Most homes ignite during wildfires because of embers–tiny, wind-blown sparks that can travel miles ahead of the flames. Upgrading to fire-resistant roofing materials, installing ember-resistant vents, and keeping gutters clear of leaves and debris dramatically lowers the chance of ignition. These improvements also add long-term value and durability to your home.
2. Create defensible space. The area within 100 feet of your home is the most critical zone for reducing fire risk. Remove dry leaves and pine needles, trim low tree branches, and space out shrubs so fire can’t easily spread. Defensible space doesn’t mean clearcutting, it’s about thoughtful pruning and maintenance that reduce flammable material.
3. Prepare your neighborhood. Wildfire resilience works best when entire neighborhoods and towns prepare together. Coordinate with neighbors to develop emergency communication plans, clear shared spaces (like alleys or community trails), and identify people who may need extra assistance during an evacuation.
4. Stay informed. Knowing what’s happening in real time is crucial. Sign up for your local emergency alert system (general alerts, wildfire alerts), and download apps like Watch Duty or Windy. Learn your evacuation routes, and keep an emergency kit ready to go. The more prepared you are to act quickly, the safer you–and your community–will be if and when a wildfire occurs.

By focusing on these steps, we shift the conversation from distant, dangerous, and ineffective backcountry “fuel treatments” to real, practical solutions that protect lives and homes while allowing forests to remain wild and in control of themselves.

Also, shifting the focus from logging remote forests to preparing communities wouldn’t just save homes and lives, it would create jobs. Firefighters and other wildfire personnel already have the training and expertise that can be redirected to proactive, community-centered risk reduction, including home-hardening assistance and coordinated evacuation planning. Redirecting funding toward these efforts would also strengthen rural economies.

Helpful Guides to Prepare for and Stay Safe During Wildfires

To make it easier to get started, we’ve compiled a list of practical guides and resources:

• Headwater Economics’ findings on building wildfire-resistant homes
• Headwater Economics’ retrofitting a home for wildfire resistance
• Colorado case study on wildfire-resistant building codes
• Dr. Jack Cohen, wildfire and fire science expert, on how your home can survive a wildfire
• Environment Now‘s working from the home outward approach
• Cutter Law‘s wildfire safety guide