While the Wildland Urban Interface, where the natural environment and communities meet, is a haven for those who want to live among nature, it is also a wildfire environment. Research tells us that the majority of homes ignite during a wildfire as a result of embers or small flames. There are steps that homeowners can take to reduce the risk, with the most important efforts occurring on and immediately around the home. Homes can be made more fire resistant by maintaining and modifying vegetation in the landscape, and by addressing vulnerabilities of a home’s construction. These practices can be applied on an individual’s property or on a larger scale to protect a subdivision or community.
The list below has the names of all those individuals who are ISA Certified Arborists and have taken the course on the reduction of wildfire risk to homes, property, and natural areas. The course is offered by the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) in collaboration with the Florida Chapter of the International Society of Arboriculture (Florida ISA). In 2016, the course was upgraded to include an assessment (test) in addition to attending the course. Those certified arborists successfully completing the two-day course and exam earn the Wildfire Risk Reduction Qualified (WRRQ) credential from the Chapter and a list of WRRQ qualified arborists will be included on the Chapter website.
The Wildfire Risk Reduction Qualification (WRRQ) signifies that the individual arborist was an ISA Certified Arborist when they took the course and has received special training on the reduction of wildfire risk to homes, property, and natural areas.