What is Firewise USA  ?

The Firewise USA program, developed by the National Fire Protection Association, provides simple, effective steps to help communities reduce the risk of destruction from wildfire. Your neighbors, with the help of CALFIRE and Firewise USA, have formed Starlite Firewise. Would you like to join us in making Starlite a safer community? Please give us your contact information so that we can all work together to make Starlite a Firewise Community:      Contact/Sign-Up

Fire Video - Short: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYvwogREEk4

Fire Video - Long:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vL_syp1ZScM

What Could a Firewise USA Designation Mean for Starlite ? 

  • Recognition as a Firewise USA Community would mean that the people living in Starlite have recognized their vulnerability to wildfires, and taken smart, sustained action to lower their risk. It would mean we have recognized our responsibility for protecting our homes, and those of our neighbors.  
  • The measures presented by the Firewise USA program will, with sustained application, reduce the number of homes damaged or destroyed by fire, whether that fire originates on the Inyo National Forest, on Highway 168, or in one of our homes.
  • California has enacted "Safer from Wildfires" regulations that require insurance companies to recognize Firewise USA designated communities by providing discounts to property owners in those communities.  As homeowners insurance becomes more difficult to access in California, a Firewise USA designation could help each of us. 

How Do We Become a Designated Firewise USA Community ?

We have already started !  As of January, 2025 : We have formed a committee of neighborhood volunteers, .... we have had CalFire and Firewise USA complete a Community wildfire Risk Assessment (CWRA), ....... and we have entered Starlite Firewise into the Firewise USA portal.

Now, the work begins. Firewise designation requires:

  1. An Action Plan.  The Starlite Firewise Committee will work on this once the (CWRA) is completed.  This plan will be updated every 3 years. 
  2. An Education Outreach Event. We are planning an event for Spring, 2025.
  3. Vegetation Removal Documentation.  We must show quantity of vegetation removed and the time spent removing it as well as the costs of removing that vegetation.   
  4. Home Hardening Costs.  We must show the costs associated with hardening our homes. 

Look on the Resources page for instructions and forms to use when documenting your work !