In order to achieve the objective of creating well-informed and well-prepared communities in response to the increasing intensity and magnitude of wildfires in the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI), and to facilitate the actions of civil protection services during emergencies, we have created a mobile application (app) to assess the vulnerability of homes in the WUI as a key tool to help householders adapt their homes to wildfire risk.
Moreover, we also provide additional resources to help householders adapt their immediate surroundings and follow self-protection advice in the event of a wildfire.
Resources
The FIREPRIME app
Wildfire risk to homes
The FIREPRIME app offers residents of wildland–urban interface areas an intuitive and rigorous tool to understand risk and assess the vulnerability of their homes to wildfires, enabling them to make informed decisions to improve household safety. The app is available on Google Play and the App Store for free.
Basic wildfire risk self-assessment
Wildfire risk to homes
The basic assessment is a quick and easy option designed for residents living in areas at risk of fire who has not acces the the app. It includes 10 questions with ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answers about the environment and characteristics of the home. Depending on the number of affirmative answers, a low, moderate or high risk is obtained and recommendations for each risk are provided.
Visual guide of prevention and self-protection measures
Safety tips
We provide a guide with basic information on what to do to protect your home from wildfires, what to do if a fire approaches your home, and what to do if you are ordered to evacuate. The guide is based on the official recommendations of the Catalan Fire and Rescue Service.
How to protect your home against wildfires
Mitigating factors
This resource is grounded in the context of the Nordic countries but can be adapted for use in other settings. Every year, many northern European buildings are ignited by wildfires. Not only large and intensive fires ignite buildings; on the contrary, most of these fires are small. They mainly occur during spring when land and homeowners burn garden residues or lasts season’s grass litter.
Safe burning practices
Precautions
This resource is grounded in the context of the Nordic countries but can be adapted for use in other settings. On average, many buildings are ignited and several people are annually injured in northern European wildfires. Most of these accidents occur from unexpected events during the burning of garden residues or last season’s dry grass. Through safe burning practices and simple precautions, you can reduce the risk of fire spread and serious consequences.
Household fire safety overview
Home vulnerability
Take a look at the aspects to consider regarding your home’s risk from wildfires. Learn about the structural and environmental factors you can address to reduce your home’s vulnerability.
