As wildfires grow in intensity and frequency across the globe, facility managers are being called to step beyond traditional roles and confront a fast-emerging threat: wildfire smoke and its infiltration into our built environments and protecting buildings from wildfires. Laurie Gilmer, president and COO of FEA, is addressing this challenge head-on in her session titled “Beyond the Flames: Protecting Buildings & Occupants from Wildfire & WUI Risks,” scheduled for Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 9:45 to 10:30 AM CDT at IFMA’s World Workplace.
A Burning Issue: The Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) Threat
The intersection of developed communities and wildland areas—known as the wildland-urban interface or WUI—is where risk intensifies. It’s not just the flames that pose a danger, but the smoke, fine particulates, and toxic gases that can travel miles, infiltrating ventilation systems, seeping into wall cavities, and compromising air quality indoors. Gilmer’s session offers facility managers the tools to recognize and respond to these risks before the air turns acrid and systems are overwhelmed.
What Facility Managers Will Learn
This session isn’t about fire suppression or evacuation routes—it goes deeper. Gilmer will equip attendees with:
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A Scientific Understanding of Smoke Infiltration
How wildfire smoke enters buildings and what happens to HVAC systems when they are forced to filter contaminated outdoor air. -
Health Impacts on Occupants
A close look at the science behind particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, and other harmful byproducts of wildfire smoke—and how they threaten occupant wellness, especially those with asthma, heart conditions, and other vulnerabilities. -
Improving Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Strategies for assessing and improving IEQ during smoke events, including real-time monitoring and response protocols. -
Filtration and Monitoring Solutions
Gilmer will highlight practical solutions for upgrading air filtration (e.g., MERV and HEPA filters), deploying indoor air quality monitors, and retrofitting building systems to handle sustained smoke intrusion. -
Emergency Preparedness for Facility Systems
Guidance on incorporating wildfire response into emergency preparedness plans, with an emphasis on proactive, rather than reactive, strategies.
A Proactive Path Forward
Gilmer’s session is deeply rooted in empowering action. Rather than waiting for the next red-flag warning to light up the horizon, she urges facility professionals to make smart investments now: in training, technology, system upgrades, and communication protocols. The goal is to keep facilities operational, occupants safe, and indoor air breathable—even when the skies outside turn orange.
Her insights are particularly timely as more jurisdictions implement building codes and resilience standards that address WUI exposure. Facility managers attending this session will leave with a better understanding of the threat landscape and a concrete toolkit for adapting their buildings to our warming, burning world.
Attend the Session
📍 IFMA’s World Workplace 2025
📅 Thursday, September 18, 2025
🕘 9:45 AM – 10:30 AM CDT
Whether your facility is nestled in a fire-prone area or downwind of one, this is a session on protecting buildings from wildfires you won’t want to miss. It’s not just about preparing for disaster—it’s about redefining resilience.
