Firewise Town Hall Highlights MBV Wildfire Mitigation Efforts

About 75 MountainBrook Village residents gathered Monday, Nov. 3, in the Superstition Center for a Firewise Town Hall focused on wildfire prevention and community readiness. The event, part of MBV’s ongoing commitment to safety and education, featured expert speakers from both the community and state agencies.

Rich Kinkade, MBV resident and Grounds Committee vice chair and retired division chief from the Madison, Wis., Fire Department, opened the session with a detailed overview of the MBV Wildfire Mitigation Plan. He described how wildfires are increasing in our area, and the efforts already underway to manage landscaping, reduce fuel loads, and maintain defensible space throughout the community. 

He outlined the preventative mosaic approach that will soon begin around MBV to reduce potential fuel for wildfires. This additional fire mitigation work will be done by  Siphon Draw Environmental, a company that has significant expertise in this area and is used by many organizations throughout the region. 

Jim Maxwell, Board member and liaison to the Grounds Committee, discussed how MBV has ramped up its financial commitment to helping ensure wildfire safety in our community. Regular landscape maintenance funding was not sufficient to obtain the level of prevention necessary, so targeted fire prevention funding was increased.

Guest presenters Corey Guerin and Kyle Klein of the Arizona Department of Forestry & Fire Management followed with a presentation on the Firewise USA® national recognition program. They also gave examples and showed videos on how wildfires spread. 

Sherrie Collins, MBV Grounds Committee volunteer and retired emergency manager with Coconino County and Grand Canyon National Park, concluded the program with an engaging talk on “Ready, Set, Go – Your Personal Emergency Action Plan.” She outlined practical steps residents should take before, during, and after a wildfire, stressing that readiness begins at home.

The Town Hall included a Q&A session and educational materials. For residents who were unable to attend, videos of the presentations and wildfire safety resources are available on this web page.