Napa Firewise Helps Secure Firewise USA® Status for 18 Communities

Eighteen Communities Across Napa County Achieve Firewise USA® Designation as Wildfire Preparedness Efforts Expand Amid Growing Fire Risk

NAPA, CA, UNITED STATES, July 8, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As California braces for a wildfire season marked by high grass fuel loads, declining snowpack, and drier-than-normal conditions, Napa County residents are stepping up in unprecedented ways.

Eighteen neighborhoods have now earned national Firewise USA^® recognition—with four more expected to join by year’s end. This positions Napa County as a statewide leader in grassroots wildfire preparedness.

Supported by the Napa Communities Firewise Foundation (NCFF), these communities have met the rigorous standards of the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Firewise USA^® program. In a year when fire potential across California is forecast to rise steadily through summer, Napa’s proactive, community-driven efforts offer a compelling model for resilience.

“This is a powerful demonstration of what’s possible when neighbors come together with a shared mission: protect our homes, our land, and each other,” said Laurie Banducci Klip, Director of Wildfire Preparedness at NCFF. “Designation is more than a title. It’s a public statement that your community is informed, organized, and actively reducing wildfire risk.”

These nationally recognized communities include Angwin, Deer Park, Calistoga, Spring Mountain, Hennessey Rector, Hagen Oaks, Gordon Valley, Mt. George, and others. Four more including Cappell Valley and Pope Valley are finalizing applications, while St. Helena and Circle Oaks are expected to apply before year’s end.

Napa’s efforts are especially timely. According to the state’s latest wildfire outlook, dead and live fuel moisture is already below seasonal norms, with large fire activity projected to exceed that of the past two years. Napa County’s foothill and forested areas are particularly at risk. With early timber fires already reported at elevations above 7,000 feet, the pace and scale of preparedness in Napa take on added urgency. “Fire potential across California is expected to increase steadily through summer,” according to the 2025 California Fire Season Outlook from CAL FIRE. “High-elevation forests and lowland grasslands in both regions are of particular concern.”

Napa County ranks 65% better than other counties in California with Firewise sites per 10,000 residents. This places it in the top third statewide, demonstrating a concentrated effort to organize and protect communities at the neighborhood level.

While Fire Safe Councils and Firewise USA^® sites are closely connected, they serve different but complementary roles. Fire Safe Councils are locally organized groups, often volunteer-led, that promote wildfire preparedness through public education, home hardening, fuel reduction, and neighborhood collaboration. Firewise USA^® designation, by contrast, is a formal recognition by NFPA that a neighborhood has met national standards in sustained wildfire risk reduction. Firewise USA^® designation must be earned and maintained through detailed risk assessments, community-wide action plans, and ongoing mitigation efforts—reviewed and renewed annually.

“I’m proud that 18 out of our 22 Fire Safe Councils have earned Firewise recognition so far,” said Klip. “This isn’t about plaques or signage—it’s about neighbors stepping up, taking responsibility, and making changes that protect lives and property.”

Beyond earning a designation, what’s emerging in Napa County is a lasting cultural shift, a grassroots commitment to wildfire resilience that goes far deeper than signs or certificates.

What makes this shift even more impactful is that Firewise USA^® designation is recognized by insurers, including the Fair Plan. This recognition often entitles residents of Firewise communities to discounts on their insurance premiums—a tangible reward for proactive wildfire risk reduction.

The County of Napa also plays a vital role in helping communities achieve and maintain Firewise designation. Through initiatives like the county-run chipping program, residents are supported in reducing hazardous fuels and meeting recognition requirements. It not only helps reduce wildfire risk but also serves as an important tool for tracking fire mitigation activity, which is necessary for both achieving and renewing Firewise recognition.

This interconnected system of accountability exemplifies a model of shared responsibility across Napa County. Residents, local organizations, and local government working together for safer, more resilient communities.

For more information on Fire Safe Councils across Napa and Firewise Designation, visit www.napafirewise.org.

Stephanie Smithers
Napa Communities Firewise Foundation
+1 909-786-9208
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