Successful landscape-scale management requires close cooperation and effective communications among all stakeholders, including state, local and tribal governments, agencies and local communities. Because fire is a natural component of most if not all U.S. landscapes, land managers are increasingly investing in efforts to educate the public about wildland fire and prescribed fire issues.

Strong partnerships with local communities to promote fire safety, fire prevention, Firewise community planning, and fuels management are all important. Support from the public at large can also help ensure that fire-related conservation work receives adequate funding and attention from agencies and legislators.

In wildland-urban interface areas (places where houses meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland vegetation) the goal is for all stakeholders—residents, communities, governments, state and federal agencies and landowners—to work together to understand and accept what it means to live and recreate in a fire-prone landscape and to realize the benefits of managing fire.

Resources for Communicators

• Best Practices for Wildland Fire Communication Planning
• USDA Forest Service Large Fire Management Communications Framework (includes information on national-level strategies as well as fire season messages and other tools)

Fire Messaging

• U.S. Fire Messaging Project
• Partners in Fire Education reports

Resources for the Public

• CalFire’s Ready for Wildfire program
• Firewise Communities Program
• Visit My Forest
• GoodFIRES.org