We Minnesotans love our cabins and secluded homes. Building in remote or rural areas means living in the danger zone for wildfires. That’s why the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources adopted and supports the national Firewise Program. Through Firewise, we partner with agencies, municipalities, organizations, and homeowners to identify, plan for and reduce wildfire risk. Additionally, we manage grant funding intended to empower and support local groups to prepare Community Wildfire Protection Plans, reduce the amount of burnable materials around homes and in communities, and evaluate subdivisions and individual homes to help homeowners reduce their wildfire risk. More than 300 communities identified as at risk for wildfire in the Federal Register now operate under a Community Wildfire Protection Plan—a success we credit to the strong partnerships we’ve built. We also reduce the risk of wildfire by managing the state’s burn permit system, issuing 65,000 open burning permits each year. And, of course, we work with Smokey Bear to spread the prevention message to people throughout Minnesota. We oversee the Smokey Bear program in Minnesota, ensuring he makes appearances throughout the year at schools, parades, and the State Fair to remind everyone, “Only you can prevent wildfires!”