Authored by: David R. Godwin, FAC Amabassador
 <em>Where to find timely wildland fire information
Part of
being a member of a Fire Adapted Community means staying connected and staying
informed.  Do you know where to find up
to date wildland fire incident information from reliable and trusted sources?  Do you know how to monitor wildfire activity
in your state?
For many people access to
information has never been easier.  
Twenty-four hours a day many of us have the ability to tune into
televisions, radios, newspapers, magazines and the internet to find a wealth of
news and information.  This access brings
problems of filtering and screening: how do we find the best sources of
information when we need it?
For current or emerging wildfire incidents,
nearly all wildland fire management agencies have public information officers
or teams dedicated to sharing and disseminating event information. These teams often manage multiple information
streams depending on their expertise, the needs of the audience, and the scale
of the event. *For local wildland fire events, information can often be found on local
broadcast and print media websites.* In
many cases, local newspaper and television station websites often contain
timely updates on events prior to printing or the evening newscast.
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Firefighters work to manage a small wildfire in the Osceola National Forest in north Florida. Information from small local wildfires can often be found on print and broadcast media websites. For information about larger wildfires that garner national and regional attention, check out the InciWeb website. Photo Credit: David R. Godwin
*For
some wildland fire agencies, the *Twitter* social media network has become an
emerging method of providing rapid updates on fire events.* 
In Florida, the Florida Forest Service (FFS) maintains active Twitter accounts for many of its fifteen multi-county
districts.  Coordinated by local FFS
Wildfire Mitigation Specialists, these accounts have been used to provide up to
the minute public information on wildfire detections, fire spread and movement,
wildfire location maps, and suppression activities.
*Wildfire
events large enough to garner regional and national attention can be tracked
using the federal interagency *InciWeb* website.* 
InciWeb includes frequently updated information for wildland fire
incidents across the country.  InciWeb
updates vary in frequency depending on the incident and agency submitting the
information, but they typically include descriptions of the event location, evacuation
zones, fire behavior, fuel and weather conditions, management resources, maps,
photos, and links to related external websites. 
Abbreviated InciWeb updates can also be found on the Twitter account @InciWeb . </p>
As
you monitor the wildfire situation in your area this summer, be sure to also
check out the NFPA Fire Break
and the Fire Adapted Communities blogs for news and tips on preparing your home
and community for wildand fire events. 
Finally, while you’re on Twitter, connect with the NFPA Firewise program
on the account @Firewise .