Hi all,
Wildfires have swept across the world in recent decades, becoming more severe and moving from seasonal events into full-scale disasters that threaten lives, livelihoods, and the environment. In a few hours, a tiny spark can become an uncontrollable inferno. This is what happened in Washington state, United States, in 2020 and 2021. During these years, the wildfires that occurred were some of the worst in the state’s history. In 2021, the Washington Department of Natural Resources partnered with the social marketing agency C+C to create the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program. Three years later, they launched the program in San Juan County, which is one of the largest island communities in Washington state and a high-risk area for wildfires. The objective of the program is to ensure that people, homes, buildings, and wildfire-prone landscapes are more wildfire-ready.
During the research phase of the program, interviews with residents, fire districts, and community leaders revealed that:
· People were aware of wildfire risks, but many didn’t know what actions to take
· Those who were trying to mitigate risk needed tailored advice corresponding with their property, budget, and lifestyle
· Time and money were significant barriers. People needed low-cost, step-by-step instructions
· Residents trusted local experts – not the government – to deliver the program
· People were open to having an in-person property visit to receive advice from an expert
Another important finding was that the word ‘neighbor’ kept coming up. That could mean those who live next door, or a trusted community organization, the local fire department or a local newspaper. The trust that existed among these groups was paramount. The island community was close-knit, so the program needed to come up with conversation starters that would encourage messages about wildfire preparedness to spread by word-of-mouth. This could happen on the street, in coffee shops, or even on the ferry.
The target audience/priority group for the campaign was all residents in San Juan County, with a focus on homeowners. The program was implemented in both English and Spanish, and the campaign budget was $68,000, including $25,670 for advertising.
When the program launched in San Juan County, it began with a six-week intensive campaign during peak wildfire season in May and June. This prepared the way for the program to operate year-round through partners promoting at community events and across their own social media channels using a partner toolkit with templated posts and graphics.
The launch included:
· Press conference & community event: the San Juan Island Fire Department hosted a press conference that was timed with Wildfire Awareness Month in May when wildfires were top of mind
· Demo Wildfire Home Assessment: During the press conference, a local resident allowed their property to be used as a demonstration home assessment. A local conservation leader showed the common risk factors homeowners should be aware of, such as leaves in the gutter, and actions they can take to mitigate risks, such as trimming trees
· Earned Media: Press coverage during the launch event resulted in 30 stories in local newspapers, blogs, and radio stations. Three of the four major Seattle news stations covered the event
· Direct Mail: An educational pamphlet was sent to over 7,000 households in San Juan County with details on how to get started by visiting the website or calling to obtain a free action plan
· Advertising: A six-week marketing campaign ran alongside the launch event with one call-to-action: sign up for a free action plan
· Incentives: The campaign included an incentive for each community that would help them become more wildfire-ready, including a $300 gift card to a local hardware or outdoor store to get supplies
Results? In six weeks, the campaign had 336 program signups (68% above goal) and 270 home visits (170% above goal). In total, participants committed to take over 1,755 actions to prepare themselves for wildfires. Of all San Juan signups in 2024, 82% were from the six-week campaign. In terms of building awareness, the campaign had over 3 million total impressions (1, 272,300 media impressions from press coverage and 1,815,898 paid impressions through advertising). Digital ads alone resulted in 1,906 clicks to the website.
To view a Community Wildfire Resilience Resource Library, click here.
Wildfires have swept across the world in recent decades, becoming more severe and moving from seasonal events into full-scale disasters that threaten lives, livelihoods, and the environment. In a few hours, a tiny spark can become an uncontrollable inferno. This is what happened in Washington state, United States, in 2020 and 2021. During these years, the wildfires that occurred were some of the worst in the state’s history. In 2021, the Washington Department of Natural Resources partnered with the social marketing agency C+C to create the Wildfire Ready Neighbors program. Three years later, they launched the program in San Juan County, which is one of the largest island communities in Washington state and a high-risk area for wildfires. The objective of the program is to ensure that people, homes, buildings, and wildfire-prone landscapes are more wildfire-ready.
During the research phase of the program, interviews with residents, fire districts, and community leaders revealed that:
· People were aware of wildfire risks, but many didn’t know what actions to take
· Those who were trying to mitigate risk needed tailored advice corresponding with their property, budget, and lifestyle
· Time and money were significant barriers. People needed low-cost, step-by-step instructions
· Residents trusted local experts – not the government – to deliver the program
· People were open to having an in-person property visit to receive advice from an expert
Another important finding was that the word ‘neighbor’ kept coming up. That could mean those who live next door, or a trusted community organization, the local fire department or a local newspaper. The trust that existed among these groups was paramount. The island community was close-knit, so the program needed to come up with conversation starters that would encourage messages about wildfire preparedness to spread by word-of-mouth. This could happen on the street, in coffee shops, or even on the ferry.
The target audience/priority group for the campaign was all residents in San Juan County, with a focus on homeowners. The program was implemented in both English and Spanish, and the campaign budget was $68,000, including $25,670 for advertising.
When the program launched in San Juan County, it began with a six-week intensive campaign during peak wildfire season in May and June. This prepared the way for the program to operate year-round through partners promoting at community events and across their own social media channels using a partner toolkit with templated posts and graphics.
The launch included:
· Press conference & community event: the San Juan Island Fire Department hosted a press conference that was timed with Wildfire Awareness Month in May when wildfires were top of mind
· Demo Wildfire Home Assessment: During the press conference, a local resident allowed their property to be used as a demonstration home assessment. A local conservation leader showed the common risk factors homeowners should be aware of, such as leaves in the gutter, and actions they can take to mitigate risks, such as trimming trees
· Earned Media: Press coverage during the launch event resulted in 30 stories in local newspapers, blogs, and radio stations. Three of the four major Seattle news stations covered the event
· Direct Mail: An educational pamphlet was sent to over 7,000 households in San Juan County with details on how to get started by visiting the website or calling to obtain a free action plan
· Advertising: A six-week marketing campaign ran alongside the launch event with one call-to-action: sign up for a free action plan
· Incentives: The campaign included an incentive for each community that would help them become more wildfire-ready, including a $300 gift card to a local hardware or outdoor store to get supplies
Results? In six weeks, the campaign had 336 program signups (68% above goal) and 270 home visits (170% above goal). In total, participants committed to take over 1,755 actions to prepare themselves for wildfires. Of all San Juan signups in 2024, 82% were from the six-week campaign. In terms of building awareness, the campaign had over 3 million total impressions (1, 272,300 media impressions from press coverage and 1,815,898 paid impressions through advertising). Digital ads alone resulted in 1,906 clicks to the website.
To view a Community Wildfire Resilience Resource Library, click here.
