The national Firewise Communities Program is calling for nominations for its third annual awards program to recognize outstanding efforts to promote a cooperative approach to reducing the loss of lives, property, and resources in the wildland urban interface. The Firewise Leadership Awards are open to individuals and organizations conducting wildland fire mitigation activities in residential developments in the wildland/urban interface.

Eligible Firewise efforts may include, but are not limited to innovations in engineering; program communications, advertising, exhibits, and other informational programs; success in involving communities; collaboration across agency jurisdictions; and special partnerships.

Beyond recognition, the Firewise Leadership Awards program helps program administrators capture success stories and share best practices across the country, between all types of interests — public, private and tribal.

The awards are open to a maximum of the following every year:

• Two regional awards for impact in more than one state.
• Three state awards for state-level impact, with relevance in a majority of the state measured by land or population.
• Three local awards for city and municipal, county or regional impact within a single state.

The winners will be announced in November at the bi-annual National Wildland/Urban Interface Fire Education Conference, "Backyards and Beyond," in Tampa, Fla. All entries must be submitted by June 30. Visit www.firewise.org/awards for entry guidelines and forms. Questions about the program may be sent by e-mail to firewiseawards@nfpa.org.