Resources

Financial Resources for Agricultural Producers

Barnyards and Backyards Articles

• A Homeowner's Guide: Understanding Defensible Space and Wildfire Preparedness
• Creating Defensible Space Around Property is Homeowner Responsibility
• Evacuate Animals or Have Plan to Protect Them When Wildfire Looms?
• Featured Landowner: Defensible Space Against Fire Instills Peace of Mind in Mountain Living
• Firewise Landscaping
• Grassland Wildfire a Greater Threat Than Many Realize
• Reducing Wildfire Risk Through Fuel Breaks: Landowner Leading by Example
• Survive the Unthinkable if Wildfire Threatens Your Home

 

Other Wildfire Preparation Resources

• Defensible Space: Landscaping Steps to Reduce Wildfire Threats
• Don't Start a Fire With Your Vehicle (Living with Wildfire in Wyoming guide article, 2013)
• Evacuation: Prepare Your "Grab and Go" Box (Texas A&M Cooperative Extension)
• FEMA: How to be Ready for Wildfires (Ready.gov)
• Firewise Communities (National firewise site, has interactive tools on how to prepare a home and virtual tours of a firewise property, etc.)
• Living With Fire (University of Nevada Extension)
• Sign Up for Emergency Alerts (find the emergency alert sign-up page for your area- Wyoming Homeland Security)
• Wildfire: Preparing the Ranch and Farm (Oklahoma State University Extension)
• Wyoming State Forestry Division Fuels Mitigation Page (Lots of great information including links to contact info for local fuel Mitigation Coordinators- assistance and consultations for private landowners)
• Your Homeowner or Business Insurance Coverage May Need a Checkup (Living with Wildfire in Wyoming guide article, 2013)

 

Videos

• How to Create a Firewise Area Around Your Home (Barnyards & Backyards Wyoming)
• Protecting Your Home From Wildfire (2011, Forest Service)
• Reducing Wildfire Risk to Your Home (Barnyards & Backyards Wyoming)
• Wildfire! Proactive Approaches for Your Property (Barnyards & Backyards Live!)

 

Financial Resources for Community Wildfire Preparation

• Federal Wildfire Resources (Learn more about pre-disaster Federal grant and cost-share programs across USDA, FEMA and DOI that can support community-led efforts to prepare for wildfire)
• WY State Forestry Division Programs (Wyoming State Forestry has a variety of assistance programs to further strengthen the protection and safety of communities by making grants available through the State of Wyoming and the U.S. Forest Service)

Barnyards and Backyards Articles

• Survive the Unthinkable if Wildfire Threatens Your Home

 

On-going Wildfire Map Systems

• Incident Information System (InciWeb) - find info on on going wildfires. However these types of websites can get overwhelmed or be updated slowly so rely on info from officials and evacuate as soon as requested to or earlier)
• WSFD Interactive Fire Map (Wyoming State Forestry Division)
• Active Fire Map (U.S. Forest Service, NASA)
• National Interagency Coordination Center Fire Maps
• Wildfire Aware ( Provides condition information for on-going wildfires and other parts of the state)

 

Pre-Evacuation and Evacuation

• Wildfire Evacuation Checklist (U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA)
• Evacuation: Prepare Your "Grab and Go" Box (Texas A&M Cooperative Extension)
• Get Ready to Go (Cal Fire- California)
• Wildfire Preparedness Checklist (American Red Cross) 
• Wyoming Livestock Board Site (When they are issued you will find orders from WLB on this site which allow the movement of livestock without brand inspection from wildfire evacuation areas to neighboring counties in Wyoming)
• Wyoming Travel Information Service (This WYDOT site provides information on road conditions and closures across the state. Wildfires move fast, have multiple evacuation routes in mind in case a road is closed due to fire, smoke and other factors. This is their 511 Travel Info app )

 

Helping

• Check in with your neighbors if you can reach them and if you have time to do so
• These events are often traumatic. The WY Ag Stress Page (WDA) provides resources focused on supporting Wyoming producers with agriculture-related stress and mental health help.
• If someone is in immediate danger call 911. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors.

 

Governmental Coordination Resources

• Wildfire Aware (provides condition information for on-going wildfires and other parts of the state)
• Rocky Mountain Area Coordination Center ( Site provides National, Regional, and Statewide wildfire coordination. RMACC is the focal point for coordinating the mobilization of resources for wildland fire and other incidents throughout the area. The Center also provides Intelligence and Predictive Services related-products designed to be used by the internal wildland fire community for purposes of wildland fire and incident management decision-making)
• Wy Game & Fish Department Contacts (scroll down and click on Regional Offices to get in touch with local personnel)
• Casper Interagency Dispatch Center
• Cody Interagency Dispatch Center
• Great Plains Interagency Dispatch Center
• Teton Interagency Fire

Helping

• Wildfire Recovery Assistance in North Eastern Wyoming
• Wyoming Stock Growers
• These events are often traumatic. The WY Ag Stress Page (WDA) provides resources focused on supporting Wyoming producers with agriculture-related stress and mental health help.
• If someone is in immediate danger call 911. 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers 24/7 call, text and chat access to trained crisis counselors.

 

Getting Started With Recovery Efforts- Communities

• Recovery & Rebuilding The healing process for a community requires extensive resources and support. This page provides links to resources that can help
• After the Fire USA  A 501(c)3 organization created by wildfire survivors and experts to support communities of all sizes as they prepare for wildfires and recover, rebuild, and reimagine a more resilient future after a wildfire.
• Post Fire Recovery- National Interagency Fire Center NIFC provides information about post-fire recovery programs for the Forest Service and Department of the Interior, including for Burned Area Emergency Response on federal lands, which can impact adjacent non-federal lands, and Burned Area Recovery programs.
• USDA Rural Development Toolkit- Disaster Resiliency and Recovery Resources for Rural Communities Learn more about USDA Rural Development’s disaster assistance programs for rural communities
• Disaster Assistance Programs at a Glance Brochure  Learn more about USDA Farm Production & Conservation’s disaster assistance programs for farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners (Spanish Version)
• Wyoming Game and Fish Department: Wildfire Response Guide This guide, developed in 2019 outlines best practices for post wildfire response. Find your local WG&FD personnel on this page

 

Getting Started with Recovery Efforts- Individual

• What to Expect Following a Wildfire
• Wildfire Has Rolled Through, What Do You Do Now? A Natural Resource Perspective

Assessing the Situation

• Understanding Burn Severity  Knowing how severely a wildfire has burned your land can help you choose what to do (and what not to do). It is one of the keys to what techniques will or won't be successful. This chart shows signs that can help you determine burn severity.

 

Financial Resources from Federal Agencies

• USDA Rural Development Resources USDA Rural Development Disaster Assistance is crucial for rural communities affected by crises and disasters. It offers essential support to homeowners, businesses, and communities to aid in their recovery and rebuilding process.
• Natural Resources Conservation Service: Disaster Recovery USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service provides disaster recovery assistance to farmers, ranchers, landowners and communities through a variety of USDA programs.
• Farm Service Agency: Disaster Assistance Programs USDA Farm Service Agency offers a variety of programs to help farmers, ranchers, communities, and businesses that have been hard hit by natural disaster events.
• Food and Nutrition Service: Disaster Assistance Coordinates with state, territory, tribal, and voluntary organizations to provide nutrition assistance to families and individuals affected by a disaster or emergency.
• USDA: Disaster Assistance Discovery Tool Learn about the USDA disaster assistance programs that might be right for you by completing five simple steps.

 

Financial Assistance for Agricultural Producers

Organizational Contact Information

• Wyoming 211 Wyoming 211 connects people with community, health and disaster services through a free phone service and searchable online database.
• Wyoming Conservation District Office Map For help with natural resources issues like water, air, soil, and more, you can contact your local Conservation District office for information.
• Wyoming NRCS's Office and Contacts Contacts across the state from the NRCS to learn about programs available.
• Farm Service Agency Locator Information on the State Office and contacts for local FSA offices across the state to learn about programs available.
• Wyoming Weed and Pest Council: District Offices For help with noxious weeds issues during the recovery process, contact your local Weed & Pest District.
• University of Wyoming County Offices With offices in every county and WRIR Extension staff can help landowners on a wide variety of topics.

Be Diligent Looking for Hidden Dangers on Property Following Fire

Canned Food Precautions Can Keep You Safe After Fire

Drinking Water and Septic Systems: What You Need to Know After the Fire

Eliminate Refrigerator or Freezer Odors

Example Property Shows Considerations Following Wildfire

Hazards, Dead Trees Are Only a Few Issues to Consider Following Wildfire

Recovering After the Fire: Erosion Control

Reseeding After Fire: If, When, and How

Scorched Habitat Forces Animal Behavior Changes

The Science Behind Wildfire Effects on Water Quality, Erosion

To Graze or Not to Graze

Weeds Are Really Not Waiting for a Wildfire to Pounce on Your Property- But Sure Can Seem So

What Do I Do After the Fire? Economic Considerations

Wildfire Burn Severity Classification

Cleanup

• Be Diligent Looking for Hidden Dangers on Property Following Fire
• Drinking Water and Septic Systems: What You Need to Know After the Fire
• Hazards, Dead Trees Are Only a Few Issues to Consider Following Wildfire
• Safe Cleanup of Fire Ash
• Wildland Fire Chemical Clean-Up: Fire Retardant After the Fire (UC Cooperative Extension Sonoma County)

 

Erosion Control

• Contour Wattles also known as straw wattles, fiber rolls, bio-logs, or straw tubes are used to form a continuous barrier to intercept water running down a slope. When installed properly, they can increase water infiltration and reduce soil erosion.
• Log Erosion Barriers  Log Erosion Barriers (LEBs) are logs placed in a shallow trench on the contour to intercept water running down a slope and trap sediment. This treatment may also be known as contour log felling, log terraces or terracettes.
• Sand Bag Barriers - inexpensive temporary walls, one to two feet high that are constructed by stacking sand-filled or earth-filled sandbags and placing them to divert mud and other debris flows away from buildings.
• Soil Erosion Control After Wildfire There are several steps to take to reduce the amount of soil erosion. A landowner, using common household tools and materials, can accomplish most of these methods in the aftermath of a wildfire.

 

Reseeding Trees and Plants

• After the Fire-Hand Raking is used on severely burned slopes with hydrophobic soil properties that will also be treated by mulching for erosion control, and may also include seeding to reestablish vegetation.
• Reseeding After Fire: If, When, and How 
• Seeding Re-establishment of permanent vegetation (such as grasses and forbs) provides long-term erosion control, may restore lost habitat values, and may help suppress noxious weed invasion after a wildfire. However it takes time and favorable climatic conditions to establish vegetation from seeding operations. There are other considerations as well. Read this document for more information.

 

Replacing Fencing- wildlife considerations

• A Wyoming Landowner's Handbook to Fences & Wildlife Practical Tips for Fencing with Wildlife in Mind.
• Improving Fence Passage for Migratory Big Game Provides context, guidance for inventory, conservation planning, decision support, and implementation, along with references to dozens of relevant scientific papers in an easy-to-digest package.
• Visit our Forage, Pastures, & Grazing Resource Page for more info on fencing

 

Weed Control 

• Visit our Weeds Resource Page for more info
• Cheatgrass Management Handbook: Managing an Invasive Annual Grass in the Rocky Mountain Region
• Institute for Managing Annual Grasses Invading Natural Ecosystems (IMAGINE) This web site provides info on identification, management & control of invasive annual grasses (cheatgrass, medusahead, ventenata, etc).
• Weeds Are Really Not Waiting for a Wildfire to Pounce on Your Property- But Sure Can Seem So
• Wyoming Weed & Pest Council web page (variety of resources, noxious weed ID, etc)

Videos

• Renewal After Fire (UWyo Extension 2009)
• Fire, Ash and Nutrient Management (UWyo Extension 2009)
• Ponderosa Pine Fire Ecology (UWyo Extension 2009)
• Succession After Fire (UWyo Extension, 2009)
• Succession After Fire 2  (UWyo Extension, 2009)
• Plant Regeneration After Fire (UWyo Extension, 2009)