Welcome to Week 3 of Building Safety Month 2023!

Posted: 5/15/2023 10:14:08 AM

The City of Coeur d’Alene Building Department is recognizing May as Building Safety Month which is an international campaign to raise awareness about building safety.

Welcome to Week 3 of Building Safety Month 2023!

Which Areas Are Most at Risk for Wildfires?

Each?year, wildfires take lives and burn countless structures, resulting in mounting costs that have enormous economic and environmental impacts on communities and businesses.?The Fireline Wildfire Risk Analysis identified?45,152,000?properties, located in the 13 western states,?at high to extreme risk of wildfire. California has the most homes located within the WUI, followed by Texas, Florida, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. Wildfires also have devastating impacts on the environment and damage forests, rangelands, watersheds and wildlife.

2021 saw 58,985 Wildfires, Burning?7,125,643 Acres?of Land

A total of 5,972 structures were reported destroyed by wildfires in 2021, including 3,577 residences, 2,225 minor structures, and 237 commercial/mixed residential structures. For live updates on current wildfire statistics and information, visit the National Interagency Fire Center's Statistics page.

As the wildland urban interface grows and the risk of fire in these areas increases, communities must be prepared to implement strategies that enhance their resilience, including adhering to fire resistant construction standards.                                                                                                                       

How Communities Can Mitigate Wildfire Risk

To?mitigate?their?risk to wildfires, communities must?develop?and update?Community Wildfire Protection Plans?to ensure?the planning and implementation of resilience construction and landscapes.  The new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy RFA 2022?will make available roughly $5 million to support?the goals of the National Cohesive Wildfire Management Strategy, including?development and implementation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans.

There is also funding available to support wildfire protection planning and mitigation projects?through the FEMA grant programs.?Engagement of wildfire planning, through Wildfire Protection Plans, should?be?coordinated at the community level, not just the neighborhood level?to ensure?safe and effective wildfire response.

Article Credited by: International Code Council (ICC)