Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network

 
 
 

FAC Self-Assessment Tool

 

How fire adapted is your community? What should you focus on? Use the FAC Self-Assessment Tool to find out.

We created the Fire Adapted Communities Self-Assessment Tool (FAC SAT) to help communities assess their level of fire adaptation and track their capacity to live safely with fire over time. If you’re a leader in making your community more wildfire resilient, the FAC SAT can help. This tool can be used to assess individual neighborhoods, cities and even large counties.

The FAC SAT is designed to help community members:

  • Identify their community’s values at risk;
  • Identify their community’s capacity to implement FAC activities;
  • Assess any gaps or limitations in funding, resources, partnerships and workforce/volunteers;
  • Prioritize future fire adaptation activities;
  • Complement other work plans; and
  • Increase understanding of long-term community fire adaptation needs.

The FAC SAT is solely for the use of communities. It is not a national tracking, comparison or monitoring tool, and communities will not be required to share their assessment information with the FAC Net or anyone else unless they voluntarily choose to do so.

Where is the FAC Checklist?

It doesn’t exist! You’re never “done” becoming a fire adapted community, and every community’s journey toward fire adaptation is unique.

More About the FAC SAT

The tool is a PDF document containing a series of questions. Completing the assessment is a four-step process. Detailed information about who should be involved and how long the process takes can be found in the FAC SAT User and Facilitator’s Guide.

  • Step 1: Stakeholders come together and define the community being assessed.
  • Step 2: Complete the assessment form. Questions will guide you through a process to rate your community in the following areas:
    • Wildfire hazard and response capability,
    • Community values at risk,
    • Residential and commercial properties at risk,
    • Community plans and regulations,
    • Wildfire mitigation/risk reduction programs,
    • Resources and funding,
    • Public outreach and input, and
    • Landowners and other stakeholders.
  • Step 3: Prioritize community fire adaptation needs
  • Step 4: Create a Community Fire Adaptation Action Plan

Learn more about using the FAC SAT in this brief webinar by Michelle Medley-Daniel. 

A Network Product

An earlier version of the FAC SAT was tested by FAC Net communities who provided feedback to help us improve the tool and develop guidance about different ways communities could use it. If you have feedback or questions about FAC SAT, we would like to hear from you.

Download the FAC SAT


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Disclaimer: FAC Net Staff may email you to request your feedback about the FAC SAT. Your response is optional and you will have the opportunity to opt out of further communications.