On a chilly morning in November of 2013, a wildfire damaged one home and threatened several others in the Double Knob Mountain Community off of Boardtown Rd. The fire was the result of fireplace ashes, from a weekend rental cabin, being dumped out in the woods without being properly extinguished.Upon discovering the fire, several neighbors rushed into action with their garden hoses and leaf rakes to beat back the flames while awaiting the arrival of the Gilmer County Fire Department and the Georgia Forestry Commission. The fire was brought under control by Gilmer County Fire Department and the Georgia Forestry Commission, with assistance from the U.S. Forest Service, a few hours later. The first thing neighbors wanted to know was how to keep this from happening again. Rangers with the Georgia Forestry Commission completed a community risk assessment which showed the community was a high risk area for wildfires. A Georgia Forestry Commission fire prevention team, along with representatives from the Gilmer County Fire Department and the U.S Forest Service held a meeting in January of 2014 with home owners in the community to introduce the Firewise Communities/ USA program. The Firewise Communities/USA Recognition Program is a process that empowers neighbors to work together in reducing their wildfire risk. The program goal is to reduce the loss of lives, properties, and resources to wildland fire by building and maintaining communities in a way that is compatible with our natural surroundings. One of the most important things Firewise Communities/USA participants learn is neighbors can help neighbors and they are often inextricably linked together in their wildfire safety solutions. Several members of the community volunteered to serve on a Firewise committee and began taking action to gain certification. They began doing mitigation work around their homes, worked with fire prevention specialist from the Georgia Forestry Commission to develop an action plan for their community, and held a Firewise Day this past May to educate other members of their community. All of their hard work paid off on October 17, 2014 when the Double Knob Mountain Community joined the ranks of thousands of communities across the nation to receive national recognition and certification as a Firewise Community/ USA.

Landowners understandably prefer to make choices related to their surroundings. But we often believe there’s nothing we can do, that wildfire mitigation is too difficult or prohibitively expensive. Firewise Communities/USA provides up-to-date information for homeowners and communities to help change this situation. Residents who participate in the Firewise process create an action plan that commits them to a sustained program of wildfire mitigation, which is generally both physically doable and cost-effective. Ultimately, by creating your own plan, you’ll be able to develop unique solutions to your wildfire mitigation challenges.

Using a five-step process, communities develop an action plan that guides their residential risk reduction activities, while engaging and encouraging their neighbors to become active participants in building a safer place to live. Neighborhoods throughout the United States are embracing the benefits of becoming a recognized Firewise Community.

The five steps of Firewise recognition

Obtain a free wildfire risk assessment as a written document from the Georgia Forestry Commission.
Form a board or committee, and create an action plan based on the assessment.
Conduct a “Firewise Day” event.
Invest a minimum of $2 per capita in local Firewise actions for the year (volunteer/mitigation hours count toward this investment).
Submit an application to your state Firewise liaison.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Firewise Communities/ USA program and how to reduce the risk of losing your home to wildfire can contact the Georgia Forestry Commission to learn more. The Gilmer/ Pickens County Unit can be contacted at (706) 635-2363 or [email protected]

Article submitted by Seth Pierce
Chief Ranger/ District Safety Officer
Georgia Forestry Commission
Gilmer/ Pickens Unit
25 Ellington Rd
Ellijay, GA 30540
706-635-2363 Gilmer
706-692-4801 Pickens