GRASS VALLEY, CALIFORNIA, January 24, 2017 – The Wildfire Mitigation Awards committee has announced the 2017 Wildfire Mitigation Award winners. Established in 2014, the awards are the highest commendation for innovation and leadership displayed by individuals and organizations committed to wildfire mitigation.
The Wildfire Mitigation Awards are sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS).
Recognizing the comprehensive challenge posed by wildfires, these awards applaud the outstanding dedication to wildfire mitigation across a broad spectrum of activities and among a variety of individuals and organizations. By honoring their achievements, the award sponsors seek to increase public recognition and awareness of the value of wildfire mitigation efforts.
Executive Director of the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County, Joanne Drummond, was honored for her efforts to mitigate catastrophic wildfire in the community. She was one of three Californians selected to receive this prestigious recognition. Only 17 awards were presented nationally. California routinely experiences large wildfires due to homes being developed in the Wildland-Urban Interface and the dry Mediterranean climate. Drummond has utilized the National Fire Protection Association’s Firewise Communities/USA® program to engaged residents to address the wildfire hazard well beyond the minimum 100 feet of defensible space required by law, with great success. Beginning in 2007, she has assisted 20 neighborhood communities in achieving and retaining the prestigious Firewise Community recognition.
“The real credit for the work being done in Nevada County goes to the countless volunteers who make the mitigation on the ground possible and our dedicated partners who help fund the Firewise Communities program. The Nevada County Board of Supervisors, local fire districts and the Allstate Insurance Foundation have generously funded the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County’s wildfire mitigation programs,” said Drummond. “We rely on these partners to make our mission a reality in our community.”
Awards will be presented at the International Association of Fire Chief’s Wildland-Urban Interface Conference (WUI) in Reno, Nevada in March 2017.