As the weather warms and vegetation begins to dry out, increasing the risk for wildfires, Nevada's experts are gearing up to promote wildfire preparedness during Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month this May.

This year, University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program along with local, state and federal firefighting agencies and community members will launch its Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign, an annual commemoration of the National Wildfire Awareness Month, with a series of educational events and contests to empower Nevadans to minimize the risks of wildfires in their homes and communities.

“Observing this awareness month in Nevada is critical as our state faces unique challenges and risks associated with wildfires,” Jamie Roice-Gomes, manager of Extension’s Living With Fire Program, said. “By promoting proactive measures, Nevadans can reduce the wildfire threat in their communities and natural landscapes from the devastating impacts of these fires."

The campaign will kick off with a grant-writing workshop to educate individuals interested in securing funds for wildfire mitigation on how to write successful grant proposals. It will also offer two webinars on the factors that make Nevada landscapes more vulnerable to wildfires and how to foster community-based efforts to mitigate them. Other activities will include contests designed to spur wildfire preventative actions among homeowners and promote understanding of wildfires among the youth. The campaign will conclude with a defensible space challenge.

Since the inception of the Living With Fire Program, more than 25 years ago, Extension, in collaboration with firefighting agencies and other partners, has developed extensive informational resources to create vetted wildfire preparedness messages that communities can rely on to enhance their readiness and resilience in the face of wildfire threats. The program has also recently released a Living With Fire Defensible Space Guide to help homeowners in sagebrush and pine-dominated ecosystems create a buffer around their homes to reduce the risks of wildfires.

Throughout this month, the partnering agencies will collaborate to disseminate wildfire awareness information and resources across the state. Extension’s Living With Fire Program will coordinate in-person and online campaign initiatives, featuring the following events:

Grant writing workshop, May 8, 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Hosted by Living With Fire, this workshop is designed to empower representatives from community organizations, fire departments or local government agencies to develop the writing skills and knowledge needed to secure grants for wildfire mitigation efforts. Register for the grant writing workshop webinar. 

Fire Weather webinar, May 9 at noon.

The “Fire Weather” webinar will educate attendees about fire weather and this year’s fire weather outlook. The guest speaker includes Edan Lindaman, senior meteorologist and fire weather program leader for the National Weather Service in Reno, Nevada. Register for the Fire Weather webinar.

Firewise® 101 in Nevada, May 16, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Fire Adapted Nevada Coordinator from the Nevada Division of Forestry, Nikhil Narkhede and Firewise USA ® Program Manager, Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, will discuss Firewise ® basics and will be available for questions and answers about the program. Register for the Firewise® webinar. 

Defensible Space Challenge – Declutter Your Gutter, May 20 – 24.

Creating and maintaining defensible space, especially within the first five feet of the home, is critical to reducing the threat of wildfire to residential homes. This challenge invites participants to take “before” and “after” pictures of their decluttered gutters for an opportunity to receive a free stainless steel Yeti coffee mug. Participants can submit their photos via email or share them on social media using the hashtag #NWAM2024. Learn more about the Defensible Space Challenge.

Nevada Youth Wildfire Preparedness Challenge – submit your project by July 15.

This challenge, presented by the Nevada Energy Foundation, aims to inspire Nevada's youth in grades K-12 to enhance their community's wildfire preparedness. Participants must collaborate in teams with at least one adult leader, following provided guides and links to learn about four key areas of wildfire preparedness: defensible space, home hardening, evacuation planning and community preparedness. Winning projects, judged by a panel, will be awarded up to $10,000 in prizes. Find further details and submission requirements for the Nevada Youth Wildfire Preparedness Challenge. 

For more information on the Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month and how to reduce the wildfire threat, visit LivingWithFire.com or email Roice-Gomes.

Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should email Paul Lessick, civil rights and compliance coordinator, or call him at 702-257-5577 at least five days prior to the scheduled event with their needs or for more information.