U.S. Department of the Interior

Office of the Secretary

For Immediate Release: August 17, 2001

Contact: John Wright
202-208-6416

Norton Teams Up with Entertainers, Launches Fire Public Service Campaign

- Ag. Secretary Veneman, comedienne Elayne Boosler, Willard Scott, Dick Clark, Wayne Newton and others help protect homes and communities from the wrath of wildland fire -

(SALT LAKE CITY, UT) - Interior Secretary Gale Norton announced today that she has teamed up with Agriculture Secretary Ann M. Veneman and 10 prominent public-service minded entertainers to launch an intensive public service radio campaign to promote wildland fire safety. The campaign, called Firewise - informs local residents who live near areas susceptible to wildland fires on what they can do to prevent damage to their homes.

"We want to encourage and empower people to prevent damage to their homes and property during this wildland fire season," Secretary Norton said. "Families will greatly reduce their risk to wildland fire with a few easy steps, such as clearing brush and leaves in and around the home, removing firewood stored too close to the house and keeping a wide clearing around the structure for firefighting equipment."

"Given this year's highest alert level for wildfires, it is even more critical that we do everything possible to keep our homes and communities safe," Secretary Veneman said. "By taking the proper precautions outlined in the Firewise program, we can make a big difference."

The campaign, produced by the Interior Department, includes important public service announcements from Norton and Veneman. Also providing public service announcements are singers Lee Greenwood, Andy Williams and Wayne Newton, game show host Monty Hall, television host and producer Dick Clark, comedians Elayne Boosler and Jackie Mason, actress Adrienne Barbeau of "The Drew Carey Show" and "Maude," weatherman Willard Scott, and Andrea Evans, star of the NBC daytime soap opera "Passions."

The PSA's are being sent to 6,000 radio stations around the country. The digital compact disc includes eleven 30-second- spots and one 60-second spot. The entertainers volunteered their time and energy for this project.

More than 10,000 homes have been destroyed by wildland fire since 1985. This year alone, more than 200 structures have burned; last year more than 850 structures were destroyed. Already this year, more than 54,000 wildland fires have consumed more than 2.1 million acres.

For additional information about Firewise efforts click on www.FIREWISE.org. The PSA's can be downloaded and listened to at: www5.doi.gov/firewise/

- DOI -

U.S. Department of the Interior