Rural Communities Increased Disaster Preparation

As wildfire acreage surpasses historical averages, rural areas focus on building local resilience.

Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Safety

Rural Communities Increased Disaster Preparation

Live Poll

Do you feel your local community is prepared to handle a natural disaster without outside help?

Rural communities have ramped up disaster preparation efforts during National Farm Safety and Health Week. This shift comes as wildfires have burned more than 8.5 million acres of vegetation nationwide this year.

Why it matters

Rural areas often possess less infrastructure and receive less outside support than urban centers when recovering from natural disasters. Building local connections and neighbor-based checks can provide a critical safety net when external resources are limited.

Wildfires have consumed 8.5 million acres of U.S. vegetation this year, well above the 5.9 million-acre ten-year average. Approximately 75% of this total acreage occurred within the Rockies, Great Basin, and Northwest regions.

The players

AgriSafe

This organization provides safety and health training to agricultural workers and rural communities.

Ian Costello

He is a disaster preparedness expert who leads educational sessions on building rural resilience.

The details

Rural communities are encouraged to strengthen local ties and develop neighbor-based disaster checks before emergencies strike. Resources include an AgriSafe webinar titled More than FEMA: Building True Rural Disaster Resilience, which offers guidance on navigating recovery in underserved areas.

National Farm Safety and Health Week occurs during September 2026.
Ian Costello discussed community resilience on September 24, 2026.
A free AgriSafe webinar is scheduled for Thursday at 3 p.m. Central.

Seasonal Patterns

This year marks a notable increase in wildfire activity compared to the historical baseline set during past observances of National Farm Safety and Health Week. These events follow a long-term trend of escalating wildfire frequency and scale across the American West.

Residents in rural areas should actively reach out to neighbors to establish a localized communication network before a disaster occurs. Those interested in planning guidance can participate in the upcoming AgriSafe webinar to learn strategies for independent recovery.

The takeaway

Disaster resilience in rural America depends on the ability of neighbors to organize and share resources during critical windows of need. Developing these local networks before a fire starts can mitigate the impact of limited infrastructure in remote regions.