Defensible Spacing
How big the home ignition zone is
What is 100 ft. ?
What is the most common cause of home ignition during wildfires?
A. Ember storms
B. Direct flame contact
C. Heat radiation
D. Soil or root combustion
A. Ember storms
What does WUI stand for?
Wildland-Urban Interface
What is defensible space?
A buffer between the house itself and anything that can catch fire
This federal agency is often called in to suppress large wildfires.
U.S. Forest Service
combustible materials that can be removed from decks, patios, and eaves
What is Patio furniture and debris in gutters?
What part of a home is most vulnerable to embers?
A. The walls
B. The floors
C. The foundation
D. The roof
D. The roof
The podcast says that repeating post-fire patterns will continue to lead to what outcome?
A. Reduced wildfire intensity and safer development
B. Continued destruction and rebuilding in high-risk zones
C. Increased forest growth and healthier ecosystems
D. Lower costs for insurance and recovery efforts
B. Continued destruction and rebuilding in high-risk zones
What is a type of vegetation management strategy used in WUI areas?
A. Planting dense shrubs near homes
B. Prescribed burning or creating fire breaks
C. Paving over vegetation
D. Removing all trees
B. Prescribed burning or creating fire breaks
Which federal agency provides post-fire recovery assistance to communities?
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency)
According to Cohen (2008), the area within 100 feet of a home that determines its likelihood of burning in a wildfire is called:
A. Wildland Buffer
B. Home Ignition Zone
C. Ember Field
D. Fire Exclusion Area
B. Home Ignition Zone
What building feature can trap embers and start fires if not cleaned regularly?
A. Eaves
B. Gutters
C. Chimney
D. Attics
B. Gutters
What does “WUI fire risk” primarily depend on?
A. Proximity to forests
B. Home design and surrounding fuels
C. Firefighter response time
D. Average annual rainfall
B. Home design and surrounding fuels
What community approach helps multiple homes collectively reduce fire risk?
Firewise USA program or neighborhood mitigation planning
The National Fire Plan and Firewise USA are coordinated under what department?
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Why doesn’t constant fire suppression stop WUI disasters?
It builds up fuels and ignores home ignition risk
Why can homes still ignite after the wildfire front passes?
Smoldering embers and spot fires
Preventing wildfire disasters means fire agencies helping property owners to:
Mitigate the vulnerability of their structures
How can communities maintain long-term fire resilience?
By enforcing building codes and continuing defensible space maintenance
Which state-level agency typically oversees wildfire prevention and mitigation programs?
Idaho Department of Lands (IDL)
According to Cohen (2008), what must be reduced to prevent WUI fire disasters, even during extreme wildfires?
Home ignition potential
According to Cohen (2008), why can extreme wildfires overwhelm firefighters even with suppression efforts?
Because multiple homes ignite at once, reducing fire protection effectiveness
According to the podcast, the WUI is “the fastest-growing land use type” in the nation, with roughly this fraction of homes located there.
One in three homes
Both sources agree that communities can’t eliminate fire but can reduce disaster risk by focusing on these two things.
Building ignition-resistant homes and maintaining defensible space
What federal act provides funding for wildfire mitigation, community preparedness, and forest restoration?
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) / Bipartisan Infrastructure Law