Eighteen community-based groups and organizations have been awarded a $10,000 grant in support of Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, an annual campaign that encourages people who live in wildfire-prone areas to come together to reduce their homes’ risk to wildfire. Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and State Farm, Wildfire Community Preparedness Day takes place on the first Saturday in May. This year’s campaign, now entering its 12th year, is May 2.
The following grant recipients were officially announced today at the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Wildland Urban Interface conference in Reno, Nevada:
- Sierra Resource Conservation District, California
- Boulder Watershed Collective, Colorado
- Coalitions & Collaboratives, Colorado
- Grand County Wildfire Council, Colorado
- Wildfire Adapted Partnership, Colorado
- Fire Adapted Colorado, Colorado
- Spanish Peaks Alliance for Wildfire Protection, Colorado
- Chestatee Chattahoochee Resource Conservation & Development Council, Georgia
- Hawaii Wildfire Mitigation Organization, Hawaii
- Dovetail Partners, Minnesota
- University of Nevada Reno Foundation, Living with Fire Program, Nevada
- Fire Adapted New Mexico, New Mexico
- Newberry Regional Partnership, Oregon
- Prospect Rural Fire Protection District Volunteer Association, Oregon
- Lake Chinook Fire & Rescue Fire Protection District, Oregon
- Lipan Volunteer Fire Department, Texas
- Hill Country Fire Coalition, Texas
- Kittitas County Fire & Rescue Volunteer Association, Washington
NFPA received more than 100 grant applications earlier this year.
“We were thrilled to see so many applications with thoughtful, innovative community-driven projects that will help homeowners take meaningful steps to protect their homes from the threat of wildfire,” said Michele Steinberg, director of the wildfire division at NFPA. “We look forward to seeing these efforts come together and are confident that each group will help make Preparedness Day a resounding success in the municipalities they serve.”
Also, in a continued effort to promote Preparedness Day and encourage more communities to participate, NFPA developed a new video highlighting the campaign’s importance and value, offering tips, recommendations, and encouragement for getting started. The video includes moving accounts from homeowners who have experienced first-hand the devastation that wildfires can incur, reinforcing the powerful difference wildfire risk reduction efforts on and around the home can make, particularly when done in coordination with neighbors:
Watch the Video: bcove.video/4cSUWK0
In addition, NFPA and State Farm are giving away free Wildfire Community Preparedness Day banners to the first 100 communities that post their projects on the Preparedness Day map. This can be done by filling out the online form that tracks community participation in the campaign.
Preparedness Day provides science-based steps people can take to reduce or remove potential fire hazards from a home and its immediate surroundings, helping reduce the risk of ignition from wildfire embers and radiant heat. Typical activities might include simple, low-cost home improvement projects such as clearing dead leaves, debris, and pine needles from roofs and gutters; keeping lawns and native grasses mowed to a height of four inches; or removing anything stored underneath decks or porches that could burn.
Preparing the first five feet immediately around the perimeter of the home – known as the immediate zone, or “Zone Zero” – can play a critical role in reducing the risk of wildfire ignition. As a result, NFPA is encouraging everyone planning to participate in Preparedness Day to take on projects that address Zone Zero.
For more information about Wildfire Community Preparedness Day, project ideas, and free resources to download and share, including a campaign toolkit, visit wildfireprepday.org. NFPA will also be hosting a Facebook Live event on April 9 to help people learn how they can participate in Preparedness Day.
For this release and other announcements about NFPA initiatives, research, and resources, please visit the NFPA press room.
About State Farm:
For over 100 years, the mission of State Farm has been to help people manage the risks of everyday life, recover from the unexpected and realize their dreams. State Farm and its affiliates are the largest providers of auto and home insurance combined in the United States. Its more than 19,200 agent offices and 65,000 employees serve over 96 million policies and accounts – including auto, fire, life, health, commercial policies and financial services accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 36 on the 2025 Fortune 500 list of largest companies.
About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):
Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global self-funded nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property, and economic loss due to fire, electrical, and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach, and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at nfpa.org/freeaccess.
