Fire is a natural part of the Dare County environment. But now, more and more homes are mixed in with areas of natural vegetation that are designed to periodically burn. Many homes are built and maintained without regard to wildfire. With more people using our wildlands, more fire ignitions are likely, this leads to greater loss of property, damage to natural resources, and greater expense for control and repair.

The reality today is that fire agencies cannot solve the problem alone.  Firefighters do not have the resources to defend every home during a wildfire, so personal responsibility is key.  We know that using Firewise strategies residents can take steps to reduce their risks. There are no guarantees that our communities will be fireproof, but if we take action to be firewise, we greatly increase the chances that our homes and communities will withstand a wildfire.

With adequate planning and cooperation among varying interests, wildfires can occur without disastrous loss of life, property, and resources. Recognizing the nature of fire protection in the wildland-urban interface, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, NC Division of Forest Resources, and Dare County Fire Marshal have formed a local partnership with community leaders and agency representatives called the Dare County Firewise Council.