December 29, 2025

Engineered Fire Systems’ Work Featured in the SFPE WUI Virtual Handbook, 2nd Edition

Figure 1: Wildfire burning along a hillside at night near homes in the wildland urban interface.

The Wildland-Urban Interface Virtual Handbook for Fire Risk Assessment & Mitigation, 2nd Edition, published by the Society of Fire Protection Engineers and the SFPE Foundation, is a nationally recognized resource addressing the growing challenges of wildfire risk to structures and communities. Released in August, the second edition expands upon the original handbook with deeper technical guidance and a broader focus on community and neighborhood-scale fire risk assessment and mitigation.

Engineered Fire Systems is proud to have its work featured in this effort as part of the multidisciplinary team that developed and delivered the second edition.

Engineered Fire Systems’ Role in the WUI Virtual Handbook

Our team served as web developer and creative consultants for the second edition of the WUI Virtual Handbook. In this role, the team supported the translation of complex wildfire engineering guidance into a clear, accessible, and practical digital resource intended for use by fire departments, fire prevention professionals, engineers, and community stakeholders.

This work required close coordination with engineering and risk consulting teams, Reno based Bareknuckle Branding, and SFPE and SFPE Foundation leadership to ensure technical accuracy, consistency, and usability across a wide range of wildfire mitigation topics while preserving engineering integrity.

Advancing Wildfire Risk Assessment and Mitigation

This second edition of the WUI Virtual Handbook is designed as a flexible, open access resource that can support a wide range of fire service and community needs, including training property inspectors, conducting WUI property assessments, engaging homeowners on wildfire risk and mitigation actions, and supporting conversations with community leaders and stakeholders.

It is intended to serve both more experienced and less experienced fire departments and to help fire service personnel reduce wildfire risk at the parcel, neighborhood, and community scale. The Handbook is not intended to replace existing tools or programs already in use. Rather, it is designed to function as a companion resource or supplemental guidance that can be adapted to local needs.

In addition to expanded parcel scale and community scale technical content and imagery, this updated edition introduces several new educational and implementation tools. These include a Parcel Scale Wildland Fire Assessment Checklist that fire departments and other stakeholders can use as a practical starting point for conducting property level wildfire risk assessments when other tools are not available. The second edition also includes three new educational handouts covering Structural Hardening Overview, Defensible Space Overview, and an overview of individual, neighborhood, and community scales. 

To further support adoption and consistent use, the Handbook website includes four instructional videos that demonstrate:

  1. How to use the Handbook as a training tool
  2. How to conduct property assessments
  3. How to engage with property owners
  4. How to engage with community leaders on wildfire risk and mitigation strategies

The Importance of this Work & How It Turns Technical Guidance into Actionable Insights

Reflecting on the importance of the handbook, Daniel Price PE, Principal at Engineered Fire Systems, noted,

“Effective wildfire mitigation in the WUI depends on engineering discipline and an understanding of how real systems behave under fire exposure. This handbook provides a practical framework for evaluating risk and identifying mitigation strategies grounded in fire science and engineering.”

A Shared Commitment to Fire Protection Excellence

The WUI Virtual Handbook, 2nd Edition reflects a collaborative commitment across the fire protection community to improve wildfire risk assessment and mitigation in the Wildland-Urban Interface. Engineered Fire Systems is honored to have its work featured in this effort and remains committed to advancing fire protection through engineering-led solutions and collaboration.

The complete handbook is available through the SFPE Foundation and can also be found at https://www.sfpe.org/wuihandbook/home.

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