National Association of Conservation Districts

Community Wildfire Desk Guide and Toolkit

In almost all communities, local resource leaders bring valuable skills and expertise to the table in efforts to address wildland fire issues. Sometimes, local resource leaders will simply rely on their traditional strengths and partnerships. For instance, conservation districts provide education, technical assistance, project management and hands-on assistance to private landowners, communities and, increasingly, public lands managers. They also serve as important links to programs administered by partners such as the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Farm Service Agency.

Local resource leaders also work closely with state forestry agencies that oversee programs and activities affecting private and some public forest resources. Many at-risk communities are located near federal lands. Here, coordination with USDA Forest Service and Department of the Interior land managers is a key to a successful effort in reducing fire risks to communities and promoting healthy landscapes.

The Community Wildfire Desk Guide and Toolkit are designed to be simple aids for use by conservation districts, Resource Conservation & Development Councils and Extension professionals who assume roles in these efforts. The Desk Guide provides information about activities prior to, during and after fires. Toolkit materials interact with and support this information and provide more thorough explanations and examples of activities.

Desk Guide Chapter Topics

• Introduction, Table of Contents and Executive Summary (1.93MB PDF)
• Chapter 1 - Before the Fire (2MB PDF)
• Chapter 2 - During the Fire (722KB PDF)
• Chapter 3 - After the Fire (1.4MB PDF)

Additional Resources

Advisory Team Priorities (338KB PDF) - In summer 2008, a team of local resource leaders experienced in dealing with wildfire met in Denver, Colorado, to prioritize the many ways in which other local resource leaders can become engaged before, during and after wildfires. The advisory team's guidance was the foundation for this desk guide.

Case Studies (202KB PDF) - This section features a number of stories profiling the fine work done by local resource leaders around the country.

Toolkit (481KB PDF) - The toolkit contains a wealth of materials that supplement the Community Wildfire Desk Guide. Each resource is intended to help local resource leaders and their partners take steps to mitigate risks before, during and after wildfire events. Links are provided to assistance, information and practical examples offered by government and nongovernment partners with similar goals.

Printing the Guide

Due to document size and the high cost associated with distributing the Community Wildfire Desk Guide and Toolkit as a printed document, it is only being made available via the internet. Given that many conservation districts and other partners at the local level may still be restricted to dial-up internet service, individual chapters and related documents can be accessed above and obtained without the time constraints associated with downloading the entire file.

Click here to download the full 59-page document (2.7MB PDF). If you are interested in printing multiple copies for use by your organization, please contact NACD Forestry Programs Coordinator Fred Deneke at (928) 642-8947 or via email at fjdeneke@yahoo.com for printing guidelines.