Quail Creek Firewise Program

Overview

What is Firewise?
Firewise is a voluntary national program by the NFPA, supported by agencies like the U.S. Department of the Interior, to help communities reduce wildfire risk. In Arizona, it’s managed by the Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM). The program encourages and recognizes the efforts property owners take to implement community-based solutions in creating defensible space around homes, implementing vegetation management, and fostering public awareness and education on mitigating risks from wildfire and reducing the chances of home ignition by wildfires.

Why Firewise for Quail Creek?
Quail Creek residents showed interest in the Firewise Program due to rising wildfire concerns linked to their desert surroundings. Community members are now exploring ways to assess and reduce wildfire risk. The advantages of becoming a Firewise Recognized Community include becoming eligible for community grants to help fund efforts to reduce wildfire risks at Quail Creek, opening the opportunity for homeowners to be eligible for homeowner insurance premium discounts by participating insurance companies such as USAA, and helping to improve property values in the community through the reduction of wildfire risks.

Community Engagement and Expert Collaboration
After months of discussion with residents, the POA Board, experts, and Firewise communities, Quail Creek committed to a wildfire risk assessment, supported by the Santa Rita Fire District and conducted by Arizona DFFM and the Tucson Bird Alliance.

Formation of the Quail Creek Firewise Task Force
A Firewise Task Force of about nine members—including POA Board/Management, seven residents, and GM Melani Caron—has been formed to lead the effort. (See Task Force Description for details.)

Initial Steps

Quail Creek's initial Firewise Program activities included professional wildfire risk assessments, community education, and the development of a Firewise Action Plan. The program featured two community assessments and the application to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the State Department of Forestry and Fire Management (DFFM) to become a recognized Firewise community:

 Arizona DFFM Firewise Assessment: This free assessment evaluated factors such as community planning, home construction, topography, and general characteristics of vegetation growing in the community that can contribute to risk of property damage by wildfires.

 Tucson Bird Alliance Assessment: This assessment, which required Board approval and cost around $6,200, focused on common areas and washes to identify invasive species and unhealthy vegetation that increase wildfire risk.

 Application to Become a Recognized Firewise Community: Following completion of the Assessments, a community Action Plan was developed as part of an application to the NFPA and DFFM to become a Firewise community. The Action Plan was prepared by the Quail Creek Firewise Task Force in response to the Risk Assessment recommendations.

Next Steps

Following a decision by the NFPA and DFFM regarding our Firewise application, implementation of the Action Plan will begin, starting with the planning of community education events in early 2026. The education events will provide an opportunity for residents to understand the community Assessments and the Action Plan to reduce our wildfire risks. Most Firewise plans developed by communities take at least three years to implement, with some activities becoming part of regular landscape maintenance.

Community-wide Educational Events
Educational events for residents, which will cover wildfire risks and planned follow-up activities, are expected to be scheduled in early 2026, when most seasonal residents have returned.