Helping Black Forest prepare, one neighborhood at a time

Wildfire mitigation works best when neighbors work together. Black Forest Fire Rescue’s Neighborhood Ambassador Program connects residents with tools, information, and local support to help reduce wildfire risk across our community.

Neighborhood Ambassadors are residents who help share wildfire preparedness information, encourage mitigation projects, connect neighbors with resources, and support community-wide efforts such as chipping days, evacuation planning, Firewise USA® work, and home ignition zone education.

This approach is based on the Fire Adapted Communities Neighborhood Ambassador model, which empowers local residents to become catalysts for wildfire adaptation in their own neighborhoods.

What Neighborhood Ambassadors Do & Why It Matters

Neighborhood Ambassadors help bring wildfire preparedness to life at the neighborhood level. They are community connectors who help neighbors take practical steps to reduce wildfire risk.

Ambassadors may:

• Share wildfire mitigation and evacuation resources
• Encourage neighbors to create defensible space
• Help organize neighborhood workdays or slash cleanup efforts
• Support Firewise USA® recognition efforts
• Share information about reflective address signs, emergency alerts, and evacuation planning
• Connect residents with Black Forest Fire Rescue resources
• Help identify neighborhood concerns, access issues, or common mitigation needs

Ambassadors are not firefighters, inspectors, or code enforcement. They are neighbors helping neighbors take action.

Why this matters:
Black Forest is a wildfire-prone area where homes meet forest and grassland. Reducing risk takes shared responsibility across the community.

When neighborhoods work together, they can:

• Reduce hazardous fuels
• Improve evacuation readiness
• Increase awareness of wildfire risk
• Support firefighters before a fire starts
• Build stronger, more connected neighborhoods

Who Can Become an Ambassador?

A Neighborhood Ambassador can be any resident who wants to help their neighborhood become more wildfire-ready. You do not need to be a wildfire expert. You just need to be willing to learn, share information, and help connect neighbors with resources.

This is a good fit for residents who:

• Know their neighborhood well
• Are comfortable talking with neighbors
• Want to help improve wildfire preparedness
• Are interested in mitigation, evacuation planning, or Firewise USA®
• Can help share information by email, flyers, neighborhood meetings, or community groups

Get Started

Interested in becoming a Neighborhood Ambassador for your area?

Contact Black Forest Fire Rescue to learn more, ask questions, or request resources for your neighborhood.

Together, we can help make Black Forest safer, stronger, and better prepared for wildfire.