"Lessons from the Waldo Canyon Fire" Webinar

Join the International Association of Fire Chiefs Thursday, April 18 at 11 am ET, as they present Lessons from the Waldo Canyon Fire to consider how  Colorado Spring’s wildland fire safety programs might be applied in your community.

Last summer, the Waldo Canyon Fire destroyed 345 homes and resulted in the evacuation of more than 30,000 residents from the city of Colorado Springs.  In the wake of the tragic fire, members of the Fire Adapted Communities (FAC) Coalition visited the area to learn how the city’s decade-long wildland fire safety programs had affected the outcome of the fire. A final report and video were recently released as result of interviews, field visits and tours of the city’s most affected neighborhoods the Coalition’s assessment team conducted during the three-day visit to the area in July 2012.

The IAFC says the webinar will summarize the FAC Coalition's findings, with particular emphasis on construction details that increased the vulnerability of homes to wildland fire and solutions to mitigate their susceptibility.

From the IAFC:

This webinar will teach you:

• • How wind-blown embers can result in the direct and indirect ignition of homes
  • Factors that can lead to home-to-home fire spread
  • Areas of roofs that can be vulnerable to ember ignition
  • How the Colorado Springs wildland fire mitigation program takes a fire-adapted community approach

The webinar will be presented by FAC Coalition members:

• • Dr. Steve Quarles, Senior Scientist, Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety
  • Rich Cowger, Chief, Columbus (MT) Fire Rescue and Rural Fire District
  • Molly Mowery, Program Manager, Fire Adapted Communities Program

Register today to participate in this interactive webinar discussion!