Firewise USA® logo guidelines

In support of spreading the message about wildfire risk reduction in communities, NFPA encourages participation in the Firewise USA® Recognition Program and permits use of the Firewise USA® name and logos in connection with activities undertaken to achieve or maintain Firewise USA® site recognition.

Because NFPA program names and logos may not be used in any manner that detracts from the high ideals or the values, particularly fire safety values, espoused by NFPA, we’ve provided the following guidelines regarding use of the Firewise USA® name and Firewise USA® logos.

DO:

If  you are a federal employee or a state liaison for the federal forestry program, agree to the NFPA terms of use, or if you are a community organizer or member of the public, agree to the NFPA License terms before you use the Firewise USA® name and Firewise USA® logos.
The name Firewise USA® and the Firewise USA® logos are registered trademarks of the NFPA, which means you need permission to use them. You can agree to the license terms online at (insert link) and once you’ve accepted the terms, you will have free access to jpeg files.

Use the Firewise USA® name and logos in connection with Firewise USA® Program Recognition activities.
Use the Firewise USA® logos and name for these non-commercial purposes:

• Encouraging participation in Firewise USA® educational outreach activities;
• Highlighting and recognizing community efforts to become or to remain a recognized Firewise USA® site; and
• Printing on t-shirts, water bottles or stickers in connection with the activities described above.

Use the Firewise USA® name and logos exactly in the way you receive them from NFPA.
After you accept the click through license or terms of use, you will have permission to use the Firewise USA® name and logos and will be granted access to electronic image files. The name and logos must only be used exactly as they appear, which means you can’t rearrange the design elements, stretch or distort the logo (although you can increase or decrease the size proportionally). Don’t change spacing or alignment and don’t use only parts of words or design elements.

Use the specific color palette received from NFPA.
As described above, the Firewise USA® logos must be used exactly as provided to you by NFPA and this includes using precise colors. The NFPA® flame in square housemark is PMS Black (Black) and PMS 199 (Red) and the dual-colored house with leaf overlay is PMS 151C (Orange) and PMS 391C (Green). No color variation is permitted.

Remember to add the ® after the words Firewise USA® or when using the Firewise USA® logos.
The “®” in a circle is an important part of the Firewise USA® name and logos and must be included every time the words or logos appear, regardless of the format. 

Use the Firewise USA® name and logos on materials and give-away items in support of your Firewise USA® Recognition Program related activities.
We want to support you in your efforts to encourage neighbors to undertake Firewise USA® Program Recognition, so you can use the Firewise USA® name and logos on banners, newsletters, flyers, your website, on t-shirts, water bottles and stickers as long as the purpose for developing these materials and giveaways is consistent with these guidelines and not used in connection with selling a product or service.  Make sure that if you are putting the Firewise USA® name or logos on your webpage that it supports a link directly to the URL www.firewise.org/usa.

Remember that Firewise® is a registered trademark of NFPA. 
The license agreement does not provide you permission to use it as a separate term.

DON'T

Don’t use the Firewise USA® name and logos to describe general wildfire risk reduction efforts, concepts or things.
The name Firewise USA® refers to the formal Firewise USA® Recognition Program and can only be used to describe the Program or activities undertaken to achieve or maintain recognition under the Firewise USA® Program. General wildfire risk reduction efforts should not be described as Firewise USA® activities, nor should the words Firewise USA® be used to describe general wildfire risk reduction concepts or tools, even if these concepts are consistent with Firewise® guidelines.

Don’t use the Firewise USA® name and logos outside the United States.
You are only permitted to use the Firewise USA® name and logos in the United States. NFPA does work with many countries and international organizations in support of global wildfire risk reduction. If you are outside of the United States, please contact NFPA at firewise@nfpa.org for more information.

Don’t use the word Firewise® by itself or to describe other wildfire risk reduction efforts, concepts or things.
While the word is part of the Firewise USA® Recognition Program, Firewise® is a separate registered trademark of the NFPA and it cannot be used by itself or as shorthand to refer to the Firewise USA® Recognition Program. Firewise® cannot be used to describe wildfire risk reduction activities or concepts generally – even if those concepts are central to the Firewise USA® program guidelines.

Don’t use Firewise USA® name and logos in connection with commercial products or services or for commercial advertisement.
If you are giving away materials and items for free, but are doing so for the purpose of selling something, it is still a commercial use and is not permitted.

Don’t use Firewise USA® name and logos on fire apparatus or equipment. 
If you have printed banners, stickers or magnets using the Firewise USA® name or logos, you are not permitted to affix these to fire apparatus or other equipment (such as fire trucks, landscaping equipment, etc.)

Don’t use the Firewise USA® name or logos in a way that the general public would tend to believe NFPA sponsored, endorsed or approved your activities.
Firewise USA® is a national recognition program and should not be used generally to suggest that NFPA is either sponsoring, endorsing or approving your activities or to suggest that certain general wildfire risk reduction activities or research are part of the Firewise USA® Recognition Program.  For example, don’t use the words “certified”, “approved” or “compliant” in connection with the Firewise USA® name or logos and don’t put the Firewise USA® logo on web pages about your community’s general wildfire risk reduction activities.

Answers to frequently asked questions

Several of my neighbors and I want to achieve Firewise USA® Program Recognition, so we would like to print flyers and make t-shirts as a way to get our other neighbors involved. Can we use the Firewise USA® logo on our flyers and shirts?
After you have agreed to the license or terms of use, yes, you can use the Firewise USA® logos for flyers and t-shirts in an effort to achieve Firewise USA® Program Recognition as long as you are not selling them. Please review the guidelines for more information about the particular colors to use.

I own a nursery near a community that is working to achieve Firewise USA® Program Recognition. Can I use the logo to create a Firewise USA® label to advertise for sale certain plants that I have identified as being less flammable?
No, this is not a permitted use for several reasons; but primarily because this would constitute using the logo for a commercial purpose and you are not permitted to use the Firewise USA® name or logo on a commercial product or service. In addition, the Firewise USA® name and logos can only be used in connection with trying to achieve or maintain Firewise USA® Program Recognition or related activities.

I work for local government and would like to generate community interest in achieving Firewise USA® recognition.  I have agreed to the online license or terms of use, so can I use the Firewise USA® name to describe some of the wildfire risk reduction efforts that our town government is undertaking consistent with the Firewise USA® guidelines?
Firewise USA® can only be used to describe the Firewise USA® Recognition Program and you are not permitted to use the name Firewise USA® to describe general wildfire risk reduction efforts. We would like to support your efforts in generating community interest and would be happy to connect you with a state forest service liaison in your state.

I live a neighborhood that has achieved Firewise USA® Site Recognition and am planning to put my house on the market.  Can I advertise my property as being a “Firewise USA® compliant” home?
No, you are not permitted to use the Firewise USA® name or logos to suggest that NFPA has endorsed or approved your particular property for any purpose. The Firewise USA® Recognition Program formally recognizes your neighborhood for efforts in wildfire risk reduction but does not mean that NFPA approves or endorses any particular activity or property.

Can our group of community volunteers sell t-shirts with the Firewise USA® logo?
No, the Firewise USA® name and logos cannot be used on any products or services for sale.

I offer a service to homeowners that includes a property inspection and recommendations for actions a homeowner can take to reduce the risk of wildfire.  Can I use the word Firewise® on a t-shirt that I am giving away for free to all of my customers?
No. This is not permitted for a couple of reasons, the first of which is that even though you are not charging for the t-shirts, you are offering them in connection with a service offered for sale and the Firewise USA® name and logos cannot be used for any commercial purpose. Also, no one is permitted to use the word Firewise® alone and the license agreement or terms of use only gives permission to use the word Firewise USA® for certain purposes as more fully described in the license agreement or terms of use and in the guidelines.