As wildfire season approaches, the Scottsdale Fire Department is ramping up its efforts to educate the community about mitigation steps people can take to reduce the risks.

Scottsdale residents are invited to a community town hall at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, where the department's wildfire experts will lead a discussion on a topic that is more top of mind than ever in the wake of catastrophic fires in California and other parts of the country.

• Wildfire preparedness community town hall
  6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19
  The Homestead at DC Ranch (18600 N. 98th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85255)

“We have all watched wildfires devastate Los Angeles,” said Scottsdale Mayor Lisa Borowsky, "due, in part, to the accumulation of underbrush and dead foliage which increased the danger. While not at a comparable scale, Scottsdale, particularly in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve, faces similar risks with invasive species growth and highly flammable overgrowth."

At the town hall discussion, participants will learn about the Scottsdale Fire Department's response and prevention strategies, city policies in Natural Area Open Space areas, and ways homeowners' associations and residents can work to mitigate risks and enhance wildfire resilience.

Scottsdale Fire Chief Tom Shannon stressed the importance of community members as partners in strengthening the city's ability to prevent and contain fires.

"By working together, we can better prepare our neighborhoods and protect our homes and residents from the growing threat of wildfires."

Learn more about wildfire preparedness at ScottsdaleAZ.gov, search “wildfire prevention.”