Firewise USA

Firewise USA is the National Fire Protection Association's recognition program for communities. A geographic site whose neighbours organise, find direction and take action to increase the ignition resistance of their homes can be recognised as a Firewise Site, and keeps In Good Standing status by meeting the voluntary criteria each year. NFPA administers it; the USDA Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters co-sponsor it. It recognises a community, not a house.

What it is not. Firewise USA is not a product listing: it lists no vents, siding or plants. It is not adopted building code: Oregon R327, where adopted, and California's CWUIC are separate documents, and a Firewise site map is not R327 adoption. It is not a Zone 0 specification and not an IBHS Wildfire Prepared Home certificate, which is a property-level designation a carrier may request. Community recognition does not inspect your rafter tails.

Where it counts. California Safer from Wildfires credits Firewise USA recognition as a community measure that insurers rating on wildfire must credit under 10 CCR 2644.9, beside property measures such as a Class A roof and the five-foot zone. The state Firewise plant lists this site cites as evidence, Arizona's and Oregon's among them, are extension and agency publications that use the Firewise name; the recognition program itself publishes no plant palette. For the outer zones, the plant directory shows what those lists say about each species.