Wildfire & Resilient Design:
Reducing Risk in Santa Fe’s WUI
Santa Fe sits at the edge of one of the highest wildfire‑risk zones in the American West, making effective Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) planning essential to public safety.
This course, led by the City of Santa Fe’s Urban Interface Specialist, provides architects, planners, and design professionals with a detailed understanding of the City’s wildfire‑mitigation strategies and the technical frameworks guiding WUI risk reduction.
Participants will learn how the City evaluates wildfire hazards, conducts home‑hazard assessments, and implements defensible‑space and fuels‑management practices that directly influence residential design, site planning, and community resilience.
The session will also highlight the City’s collaboration with the Greater Santa Fe Fireshed Coalition, the “Know Your Zone” evacuation‑readiness platform, and current hazardous‑fuel reduction projects supported by federal and state grants. By examining real conditions in Santa Fe’s WUI neighborhoods, attendees will gain practical insight into how design decisions affect ignition vulnerability, ember exposure, and occupant safety.
This course equips professionals with actionable knowledge to integrate wildfire‑resilient strategies into projects, strengthening both life‑safety outcomes and long‑term community protection.
1.0 LU/HSW