Asheville, North Carolina

planning process is to consider climate-related threats and hazards (such as fire from drought or flooding/landslides from heavy rain events) with a goal of becoming more resilient, or bet- ter prepared for them, through what is called “adaptive capacity.” City departments such as such as Public Works, the Asheville Fire De- partment, and Information Technology Services have been part of this research and planning process. NEMAC and City staff have been ana- lyzing possible impacts of extreme weather by modeling the city’s vulnerabilities — things like the location of steep slopes that could wash out in a flood, how much impervious surface it has that makes rainwater travel faster, and the percent of natural areas for habitat and conservation that are susceptible to wildfires during a drought. Following completion of a Climate Resiliency Assessment, the project will include an ini- tiative to promote preparedness to climate threats through communication, education, and awareness of the results of the climate resilience planning process. That information will help identify actions the City— and its residents and businesses/industries — can take to best prepare for these hazards and oth- er future possible conditions. A team of City staff participated in workshops, facilitated by NEMAC, to identify key messages for public communication. These messages will highlight information and strategies the public can con- sider for building resilience on their properties and within their neighborhoods. The messages will be targeted towards specific public audi- ences, including neighborhoods and residents, residential properties, commercial properties, and industrial properties. The results of the staff workshops will then be used to develop a resource guide for the ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA