reducing vegetation, pruning, Yavapai County Fire Districts This document discusses wildfire defensible space education programs in Yavapai County, Arizona. It notes that wildfires have burned large areas and damaged structures in the county. The programs aim to educate the public about wildfire risks and teach principles of defensible space. Evaluation of a defensible space landscaping course found it significantly increased participants' knowledge of local ecosystems, fire behavior, and fire-resistant landscaping techniques. The programs partner with local fire departments and utility companies to deliver a consistent message.

1. Wildfire Defensible Space Education in Yavapai County, Arizona
Jeff Schalau, Agent, ANR, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Yavapai County, Prescott, Arizona
Introduction Needs Assessment Educational Programs Table 1. Evaluation results for the Defensible Space Landscaper Course showing steps of knowledge
gained in each major topic area.
In 2011, wildfires burned over Our needs assessment Programs are delivered by
786,664 acres and destroyed or indicated multiple educational Instructional Specialist, Mark Steps of Knowledge Gained
Weighted
damaged 159 structures in opportunities for Extension: DiLucido, a Landscape Architect Course Topic Areas Average
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 n
Arizona. Overstocked forests, with knowledge of native plants
Educating the public about and ecosystems. Many programs
drought, and U.S./Mexico potential wildfire risks and Local Ecosystems and the Role of Fire 0 2 5 5 3 1 1 17 2.94
border issues were contributing are short presentations designed
defensible space principles. for Homeowners Associations Wildfire Behavior/Forest Health 0 1 6 2 6 0 2 17 3.24
factors to these impacts. One of Collaborating with Yavapai and Communities seeking
these wildfires, the Wallow Fire, County fire departments and Wildfire Risk Assessment 0 2 4 3 3 3 2 17 3.41
FireWise designation. HOA and
burned over 523,000 acres, districts to create a community programs have Defensible Space Zoning 0 2 6 3 3 2 1 17 3.00
destroyed or damaged 78 consistent defensible space reached 2,219 participants since
structures, and was the largest message. 2005. In addition, our Wildfire Hardscape Elements 1 4 2 5 4 0 1 17 2.65
fire in Arizona’s history. Using fire-resistive plant Defensible Landscaper (WDL) Fire-Resistive Plants 0 5 6 2 2 1 1 17 2.47
More people are living in materials to mitigate wildfire Course is designed for
wildland-urban interface areas. risk. landscape professionals and Overall Mean 2.95
This further complicates Promoting the use of provides basic knowledge of
firefighting efforts and science-based horticultural ecosystems, plant materials, Recent Additions to Program
increases risk of fire starts in practices such as pruning, fire behavior, and defensible “Firewise and Water Smart”
these areas. mulching, and hardscaping space strategies. This course educational materials
to meet defensible space has been offered six times to 81 highlighting fire resistive plants
goals. participants (includes one class that also have reduced water
since abstract submission). requirements.
Rainwater harvesting is also
Evaluation taught to reduce potable water
The WDL course was evaluated use and maintain greater
in 2009 with past participants hydration in plant tissue. Water
surveyed about knowledge is redirected using topographic
gained and practices applied modifications and storage
since course completion. The reservoirs.
Figure 1. Map showing Arizona and Yavapai
County. survey had a 26% response Twitter @CommWildFirePro to
rate. Respondents rated their get timely wildfire defensible
Many Yavapai County (Figure knowledge on each topic before
Figure 3. Photograph showing application of wildfire
space information.
defensible space principles: hardscape, non-
1) residents live in the wildland- and after the course on a flammable mulch, vegetation reduction, and
urban interface (Figure 2) and seven-step scale. Increases in
retention of native plants.
face significant risk of losing knowledge were described by Key Partnerships
their home to catastrophic the number of steps each Arizona Office of the State
wildfire. Creation of wildfire Forester Abstract
respondent indicated (Table 1). Yavapai County is in the central highlands of Arizona and includes
defensible space can greatly Specific practices were: Arizona Public Service desert scrub and grassland, chaparral, pinyon/juniper, ponderosa pine,
and mixed conifer ecosystems. Many Yavapai County residents live in
reduce the probability of wildfire Figure 2. Photograph showing the topography
vegetation reduction on slopes; Arizona State Land Department the wildland-urban interface and face significant risk of losing their home
in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. Creation of wildfire defensible
and fuels present in the wildland urban interface
damage to homes and property area in Prescott, Arizona. decisions on plant selection, Central Yavapai Fire District space can greatly reduce the probability of wildfire damage to homes
and structures while also creating a safer environment for firefighters to
protect those homes in the event of a catastrophic wildfire. The
while also creating a safer tree thinning and/or removal; FireWise Communities USA University of Arizona Yavapai County Cooperative Extension has been
conducting defensible space education in collaboration with the Prescott
environment for firefighters to Funding Highlands Center for Natural Area Wildland-Urban Interface Commission (PAWUIC) since 2000. In
ladder fuel removal; defensible 2004, PL 106-393 Title III Forest Fee funding was received to enhance
protect homes in the event of a The program has received History delivery of defensible space education. A half-time Instructional
space zoning; use of fire- Prescott Fire Department
Specialist was hired in 2005 to deliver defensible space education
catastrophic wildfire (Figure 3). funding from Title III Forest across Yavapai County. Our initial needs assessment indicated
resistive plants; and proper USDA Forest Service
opportunities in the areas of: educating the public about potential wildfire
risks and defensible space principles; collaborating with all Yavapai
Yavapai County Cooperative Fees and PAWUIC over the County fire departments to create a consistent defensible space
pruning techniques. Yavapai County Government message; using fire-resistive plant materials to mitigate wildfire risk; and
Extension has conducted past five years to support promoting the use of science-based horticultural practices such as
pruning, mulching, and hardscaping to meet defensible space goals. We
defensible space education in defensible space educational also identified an opportunity to teach defensible space principles to
landscape professionals and designed a 12-hour, field-based, Wildfire
collaboration with the Prescott efforts ($143,326 total). Defensible Landscaper Course, the only one of its kind in Arizona.
Defensible space education has reached 2,219 participants in a variety
of venues. In addition, the Wildfire Defensible Landscaper Course has
Area Wildland-Urban Interface been offered five times with 65 graduates. Many other collaborative
activities were undertaken and a few challenging situations were
Commission (PAWUIC) since encountered. Funding has been received from a variety of sources over
the past five years to support these defensible space educational efforts
2000. Website: extension.arizona.edu/yavapai/wildfire-survivable-space ($143,326 total).