About Us
Fire Prevention Community Management
Wildfire Prevention Inc., is a California Corporation doing business as the Wildfire Foundation. We assist Cities, Communities, HOAs and Residents with Wildfire Mitigation.
We do this under the guidance of NFPA® Firewise USA® Firewise Program, CAL FIRE, California Fire Safe Council, and Regional and Local Fire Departments.
Wildfire Prevention Inc. is recognized as a 501(c)(3) Public Charitable Organization by the IRS (Federal Tax ID: 99-1378178).
Wildfire Mitigation Services
Wildfire mitigation is the action taken BEFORE a wildfire ignites to reduce its severity and negative impact and destruction of homes and communities.
The Wildfire Foundation assists Cities, Communities, and HOAs in the Protection of Life and Property from Wildfire.
Strengthen Community-Wide Resilience Against Wildfire
We work with Communities to create cost-effective wildfire resilience programs to create fire-resistant homes, businesses, public buildings, and public spaces. Mitigation measures such as home hardening, vegetation management, defensible space, and other fuel modification activities provide community-wide benefits against wildfire.
Set Up and Management of Fire Prevention Communities
The Wildfire Foundation assists communities in the formation of, and the management of, Fire Safe Councils, Firewise USA® Communities, and all Fire Prevention Communities across the United States.
The Wildfire Foundation helps create grassroots community-led organizations that assists residents in protecting their homes, communities, and environments from catastrophic wildfires. Local Fire Safe Councils, often sparked by a catalyst like a recent fire, spur groups of neighbors to organize themselves and form a community council, board, or Firewise Community to spread a fire-safe message. Residents then turn their initial interest into a commitment to make their community safer.
Digital Infrastructure and Management
We assist communities with: Audience Building, Resident Engagement and Retention, Resident Management, Digital Infrastructure Development, Online-presence (Websites, Social Media, Landing Pages, Forms), Wildfire Resilience Education, Communications, Content and Messaging, Emailing, Texting, Important Document Repository, Recording of Volunteer Hours and Vegetation Removal, Reporting, and maintenance of online and digital services. These digital services communicate, educate, and engage, and establish a constant conduit with the residents.
Home-hardening and Defensible Space
We assist communities with home-hardening and defensible space requirements.
We assist in resident education as to the different regulations, materials and installation methods.
Our ability to bulk purchase certain materials allows for discounts to the communities.
Home Insurance
Home insurance cancellations and increased rates are causing hardships in many communities. We work side-by-side with communities and residents to mitigate the risks of wildfire and reduce insurance costs.
We have become a communications hub between homeowners and various fire-related and municipal agencies. This communication and feedback guides our various programs and projects.
Funding
Our funding comes primarily from State, Local, and Corporate grants. Past and current grants have supported:
- Development of a Wildfire Risk Assessment
- Development of a Community Wildfire Protection Plan
- Development of a Digital Infrastructure to support communication with our homeowners
- Performance of free Home Ignition Zone (HIZ) assessments for homeowners
- Development of a Firewise Community Plan to reduce the cost of insurance for our homeowners
OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Peter Fehler was introduced to wildfire prevention in 2022, when he successfully assisted the Oak Park Fire Safe Council in overcoming the educational and volunteer hour reporting requirements for Firewise Communities.
For the past 27 years, Peter has owned and managed marketing and publishing companies specializing in nonprofit organizations’ growth, messaging, and marketing.
Peter lives in Agoura Hills, California, where he has been evacuated from his home multiple times due to wildfire. Agoura Hills is cited by CAL FIRE as a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone.
His community and nonprofit experience in building educational websites, backend automation, social media campaigns, audience building, and market segmentation, makes him the perfect startup and growth consultant for wildfire prevention organizations.
Peter developed the Resident Management System™, a highly acclaimed wildfire prevention, educational and management tool that aligns itself with the scientific data approach by NFPA and IBHS, and delivers compliance of new legislation, Firewise and insurance requirements.
In 2023, Peter founded the Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council and Firewise Communities. In 2024 he founded the Wildfire Foundation which assists Cities, Communities, and HOAs in the Protection of Life and Property from wildfire.
Today, he is currently the President of the Agoura Hills Fire Safe Council and President of the Wildfire Foundation and continues to consult with other Fire Safe Councils and Communities.
Doug Wilson is one of the founders of the Oak Park Fire Safe Council (OPFSC) in Ventura County, California. He is also currently the Chairman of OPFSC.
OPFSC has been an innovator in the digital infrastructure of Fire Safe Councils and Firewise Communities. Doug has a wealth of knowledge in fire prevention and available grants for Fire Safe Councils.
OPFSC was the first Fire Safe Council to implement the Wildfire Foundation’s Resident Management System™.
Greg has over 45 years experience in operations management, technology, and professional services.
After receiving an MSEE degree from Stanford, Greg spent seven years in telecommunications management. From there he entered IT management in soft goods manufacturing and international banking. Greg then spent most of his career in high tech and has held positions such as CTO, VP of Operations and CIO for companies such as National Semiconductor, Analog Devices, Cadence Design Systems, as well as startups – InServ and Equinix. During this time, he also was a Principal at the international management consulting firm Pittiglio Rabin Todd & McGrath (PRTM). While there, Greg consulted in supply-chain management and product development, and helped build the customer service and support practice. While not directly in high tech, Greg was COO for Cheskin – a small market research and marketing consulting firm located in Silicon Valley with both high tech and consumer goods practices.
From 2004 until his retirement in 2020, Greg was in consulting again, with biotech, pharmaceutical and education clients.
Presently Greg serves the Bell Canyon community as President of the Fire Safe Council, Board Secretary for the Volunteer Wildland Fire Department, Vice-Chair for Water District 17 Citizen’s Advisory Committee, and Interim General Manager for the Community Services District.
OUR ADVISORS
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For over 20 years, Beth Burnam lived in Topanga Canyon (a community of 11,000 residents located in unincorporated Los Angeles County in the Santa Monica Mountains). Concurrently, for the past 25 years, she has also owned a home in Mammoth Lakes. Both these locations are cited by CAL FIRE as Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Her first experience of wildfire was the 1961 Bel Air Fire.
Beth is considered a pioneer in organizing communities to be wildfire-prepared. On a volunteer basis, she has founded, managed, and consulted with many wildfire nonprofit organizations, community groups, businesses, and residents. She is currently the Firewise Regional Coordinator for Mono and Inyo counties in the Eastern Sierra. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, TreePeople, TreePeople Land Trust, and advisor to the Wildfire Foundation.
In 2010 Beth was a founding member and became co-President of the North Topanga Canyon Fire Safe Council. In 2020 Beth worked with Firewise USA, CAL FIRE, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department to lead Topanga Canyon through the process of becoming an extraordinarily large Firewise Community.
Beth has written, received, and managed grants totaling more than $365,000—funded by the California Fire Safe Council, the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and the Edison Foundation.
Beth looks forward to using her experience to mentor other communities in the process of becoming wildfire-prepared and obtaining their Firewise designation.