Extension presents ‘Living With Fire Conversations’ during Wildfire Awareness Month

Wildfire knows no boundaries – make yours. This is the theme for Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month this May, occurring during a time when everyone is trying to set health boundaries through social distancing and staying at home.

“Wildfires can and will still happen this year, even though people are all locked down at home,” said Natural Resources Specialist Christina Restaino, director of University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Living With Fire Program.

To help Nevadans reduce the wildfire risk, Living With Fire presents “Living With Fire Conversations,” an online speaker series that will be showing on the program’s Facebook page, facebook.com/LivingWithFire, throughout the month. Speakers include:

• May 14, 11 a.m. – Paul Peterson, Nevada state fire management officer with the Bureau of Land Management – Nevada, Ron Bollier, Nevada state fire management officer with the Nevada Division of Forestry, and Jennifer Diamond, forest fire prevention officer from the U.S. Forest Service Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, will discuss the fire restriction orders on federal lands in Nevada.

• May 18, 1 p.m. – Janice Roberts, chapter leader of the Holbrook Highlands Nevada Network of Fire Adapted Communities, will discuss defensible space and reducing the wildfire hazard around her home and community.

• May 19, 1:30 p.m. – Evan LaGuardia, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Reno, will discuss the fire weather outlook and red flag warnings.

• May 22, 1 p.m. – Melody Hefner, urban integrated pesticide management and pesticide safety education coordinator for Extension, will discuss removing noxious weeds, such as cheatgrass.

The Living With Fire Program also launched a brand new website, LivingWithFire.com, earlier this year to help homeowners, families and communities get prepared, informed and involved. The site has many different resources, including protection plans, a calendar of events, an interactive list of fire departments and districts, and steps homeowners can take during shelter-at-home restrictions.

“While you’re at home, now is a great time to prepare your home and property for wildfire and work on defensible space,” Restaino said. “Try to choose one or two small projects that you can tackle.”

Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month is a collaborative effort of local, state and federal firefighting agencies; Extension; and many others. Major funding partners include the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service and Nevada Division of Forestry.

For information on Nevada Wildfire Awareness Month and for information on how to reduce your wildfire threat, visit LivingWithFire.com or contact Restaino at restainoc@unr.edu or 775-336-0272.