Operation Water

Firewise Communities Operation Water Co-sponsored by the USDA Forest Service, the US Department of the Interior, and the National Association of State Foresters, The National Fire Protection Association's (NFPA) Firewise Communities program encourages local solutions for wildfire safety by involving homeowners, community leaders, planners, developers, firefighters, and others in the effort to protect people and property from the risk of wildfire. In cities and towns across the United States, fire departments have had years of experience creating adequate water supplies for fighting structural fires . Networks of fire hydrants and water mains provide quick access to a plentiful supply of municipal water. But what happens if you remove the hydrants and water mains, spread the homes and businesses far apart, add county roads and terrain, and dot the land with other types of structures? This is a more realistic picture of rural areas and the wildland-urban interface, and it is in these areas that water supply and distribution present an urgent challenge.