Introduction:

Following the correct format for a press release, use the information below to write something persuasive and newsworthy. Pay special attention to the headline and the overall angle.

Directions:

The U.S. Forest Service has launched its website, https://wildfirerisk.org/ Now we want to get broad press coverage of the website to help publicize it to the users we're trying to reach: government officials, planners, and fire management employees.

Details to consider:

• This is the first time community wildfire risk has been mapped nationwide
• This is part of the Wildfire Risk to Communities project
• The U.S. Forest Service was directed to lead the Wildfire Risk to Communities project by Congress in the 2018 Consolidated Appropriations Act
• The site shows risk to homes, exposure types, wildfire likelihood and vulnerable populations.
• The site has advice for home hardening, wildfire preparedness, fuel treatments and more
• The site is free, interactive and easy-to-use
• The release should come out on November 13

Quotes to consider:

• "This robust tool provides excellent materials for our community members to better understand what they can do to reduce their own risk at home, while also providing county leaders with access to the data and maps we need to ensure our communities are protected," said Will Smith, senior planner for Wasco County, Oregon.
• "Wildfire Risk to Communities is an interactive website that the Forest Service is proud to implement," said USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen. "As the challenge of catastrophic wildfires and growing populations converge, we need more cross-boundary, collaborative tools to manage and mitigate risk. This website provides community planners, community leaders and fire managers more information at their fingertips, creating opportunities to better understand, assess and prepare for wildfire risk."

Contact information: US Forest Service 1400 Independence Ave., SW Washington, D.C. 20250-0003 Phone: (800) 832-1355 https://www.fs.usda.gov/

Boilerplate (this may be copied and pasted into your documents):

The mission of the USDA Forest Service is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the nation's forests and grasslands to meet the needs of present and future generations. The agency manages the 193 million acres of National Forest System land, provides stewardship assistance to non-federal forest landowners, and maintains the largest forestry research organization in the world. For more information about the U.S. Forest Service visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/