Join UF/IFAS Polk County Extension for an informative class on reducing the risk of wildfire damage to your home.

This class will discuss Florida fire ecology, prescribed fire, and Firewise landscaping practices that can help improve the resilience of your home and property.

Participants will learn why fire plays such an important role in Florida’s natural ecosystems, how prescribed fire differs from wildfire, and why land managers throughout Florida use prescribed burning as a management tool. We’ll also explore practical steps homeowners can take to create defensible space around their homes through thoughtful landscape design, plant selection, and maintenance practices.

Topics include:

• Florida’s fire-dependent ecosystems, habitats, and wildlife
• The differences between prescribed fire and wildfire
• Why prescribed fire is used in Florida
• Defensible space around the home
• Firewise landscape design and maintenance recommendations to reduce wildfire risk
• Plants and landscaping features to avoid near structures

Whether you live near natural areas or simply want to better understand wildfire risk in Florida, this class will provide practical information you can use at home.

Choose the Location That’s Most Convenient for You

This program occurs twice in August; once in Lake Wales and once in Mulberry. Both classes feature the same content and are designed to provide homeowners with an accessible introduction to fire awareness and Firewise landscaping.

Each class will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

Register Now:

• Lake Wales Family Recreational Center, Aug 18
• Studio 37 (Mulberry), Aug 13

Printed Materials Available

All presentation materials and resources will be provided electronically at no cost after the class.

For participants who prefer hard copies, an optional Printed Materials Add-On is available during registration. Selecting this option allows Extension staff to print the reference materials for you to take home. All resources will be available electronically, following the event, at no cost to participants. The cost for the Printed Materials add-on is $3 plus eventbrite’s fees.

Join Us

Understanding how fire functions in Florida’s ecosystems—and how landscaping choices can influence wildfire risk—can help homeowners make informed decisions that protect both their property and the natural environment.

We hope you’ll join UF/IFAS Polk County Extension this August to learn practical, science-based strategies for creating a more fire-resilient landscape.