About Learn what the Firewise Program is and what it can do for Malvern.
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FIREWISE 2020 PROGRAM:
You must notify the Firewise Coordinator that you are participating in the program.
You must keep a Firewise Activity Log of your "in-kind" work hours!
See below for the log form and additional instructions, including how and where to place materials.
Important message about in-kind work hours: We need to report our volunteer work hours to help us pay 20% toward our share of the costs of the grant. Please make note of how much time you spend working on cutting or dragging branches, clearing brush, mowing, cleaning out gutters, picking up branches and sticks trimming bushes and trees etc. on your Firewise Log. Logs may be emailed to firewise@malvernofmadison.org as completed or at the end of the program.
Firewise Coordinator: Susan Korfanty — (540) 543-3913
Email: firewise@malvernofmadison.org
Activity Log Print the log form required to record in-kind activities and hours (PDF)
Activity Log Download the log form required to record in-kind activities and hours (Microsoft Word)
VA Forestry Virginia Department of Forestry—Firewise videos and publications.
Be FireWise Download brochure—Be Firewise Around Your Home.
Plant List View and download publication—Firewise Landscaping for Woodland Homes.
Landscaping Download brochure—Guide to Firewise Landscaping & Construction.
Help! Download brochure—Things to know if you get caught in a wildfire!.
Newsletter Latest National Fire Protection Association Fire Break Newsletter.
Firewise History
In 2012, Malvern became a "Firewise" Community by participating in the Virginia Department of Forestry's wildfire prevention program. The Department of Forestry conducted a fire hazard/safety evaluation on Malvern. The primary purpose of the evaluation was to determine the level of risk to our homes and residents in the event of forest fire or natural disaster.
The Firewise rating system ranges from low to extreme risk; Malvern received a "Moderate Risk" rating. Individual lots may have higher or lower risk ratings of surviving a wildfire.
There are a number of things that we can do to lower our community wildfire risk. Did you know that open burning is the main cause of wildfire and that you can utilize the Madison Transfer Station during March and October's free drop off for yard debris instead of burning. Here are a few more tips taken from the Firewise.org web site:
Clear brush and limb up trees to 15' on the sides of the road to allow unencumbered access for fire trucks.
Move your firewood pile out of your home's defensible space (30' around your house).
Clean your roof and gutters of leaves and pine needles (best done in October).
Trim all tree branches if they overhang your house and from within 20' of all chimneys.
Trim all tree branches within the defensible space to 6'.
Remove trees along the driveway to make it 12' wide and 15' high.
Thanks to the Firewise program, our community received grants in 2012, 2013, & 2014-2015 to help us reduce our wildfire risk.
Fire in Malvern
Play this 3-minute video to see what happens when an errant cigarette butt is carelessly discarded.
