MSU Extension Planning

As more and more people find opportunities to acquire their “little piece of heaven” in rural Michigan, the interaction between Michigan’s wild lands and developed areas (often called the wildland-urban interface) increases. One characteristic of these wild lands has always been fire — wildfires have shaped the landscape’s vegetation since long before European settlement. The potential for loss of life and property from wildfire exists wherever homes and structures are built in these areas.

Though most communities maintain effective fire prevention personnel and systems, they may not have enough firefighters or emergency vehicles to reach a threatened home in time to prevent damage, especially if the fire is large. Individual homeowners can take steps to reduce this threat. In fact, research has shown that the condition of the home and its immediate surroundings determines the home’s survival. As the owner of this property, you can legally and effectively act to help your home survive a threatening wildfire.