Interagency Fire Management Plan Template

Updated September 19, 2007

*Federal wildland fire policy requires that every area with burnable
vegetation must have a fire management plan (FMP). Fires in areas
without approved FMPs must be suppressed. Each plan will be based on the
area's approved land management plan; in the absence of such a plan, the
FMP may stand alone. Wildland fire management planning activities and
program components (e.g., fuels management, initial response, etc.) for
each agency will be coordinated across administrative boundaries. .*

Purpose of an FMP *- The fire management planning process and
requirements may differ among agencies. However, for all agencies
(Forest Service, BIA, BLM, FWS, NPS ), a common purpose of a fire
management plan is to provide decision support to aid managers in making
informed decisions on the appropriate management response (AMR). The FMP
includes a concise summary of information organized by fire management
unit (FMU) or units.*

*In addition, for the DOI agencies, the FMP contains strategic and
operational elements that describe how to manage applicable fire program
components such as; response to unplanned ignitions, hazardous fuels and
vegetation management, burned area emergency stabilization and
rehabilitation, prevention, community interactions and collaborative
partnerships roles, and monitoring and evaluation programs. The Forest
Service will have related information in separate fire management
reference documents.*

*Each FMP will evolve over time as new information becomes available,
conditions change on the ground and changes are made to land/resource
management plans.*

Purpose of the Interagency Fire Management Template*- The purpose of the
interagency fire management plan template is to provide a framework to
facilitate cooperation across administrative boundaries. This template
provides the minimum standard for FMP structure and content. The FMP has
differing audiences and detail depending upon program complexities,
agency need and direction. This template is designed for agency
flexibility. Each agency may expand on this common template to meet
agency specific needs, and that agency's approved template will dictate
the final requirements for a unit's FMP.*

*All agencies are required to use Chapters 1, 2, and 3 with the major
headings below (in bold). DOI agencies are required to use Chapters 4
and 5, and may opt to add additional chapters or sections if deemed
necessary.*

1\. Introduction

*The intent of this Chapter is to introduce the reader to the area
covered by the FMP.*

State the reasons for developing the FMP. Provide a general description
of location of the area covered by the FMP with vicinity map and
agencies involved. Briefly describe land ownership, significant
resources, mission or direction for the area and different management
designations (e.g. wilderness, timber harvest areas, research natural
areas, cultural/religious areas, habitat management areas) for agencies
participating in the planning effort.

2\. Policy, Land Management Planning and Partnerships

*The intent of this Chapter is to establish the linkage between higher
level planning documents, legislation and policies and the actions
described in the document.*

[2.1 Fire Policy]{.underline}

Identify sources of guidance and direction that relate to actions
described in the FMP.

These include:

-   national interagency and departmental policy (e.g. National Fire
    Plan, Departmental manuals)

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-   agency specific policies (e.g. Handbooks, Manuals, Direction,
    strategic plans)

-   unit specific policies may be included if they exist (e.g. tribal
    direction, unit specific CFRs)

-   compliance and authorities may be included (e.g. NEPA, NHPA, ESA and
    any programmatic agreements involved).

[2.2 Land/Resource Management Planning (LMP)]{.underline}

Identify documents that relate to the area covered by the FMP including
interagency efforts.

Examples include:

-   land management plans,

-   habitat management plans,

-   resource management plans,

-   forest management plans,

-   comprehensive conservation plans,

-   regional management plans such as the Northwest Forest Plan.

[2.3 Partnerships]{.underline}

Identify any internal and external fire management partnerships or
planning teams that helped you develop this FMP. This information
documents the level of cooperation occurring.

Examples include:

-   interagency planning teams (e.g. local groups that share boundaries,
    FPA partners)

-   non-federal agencies/departments

-   tribal government

-   internal interdisciplinary planning teams

3\. Fire Management Unit Characteristics

*The intent of this Chapter is to articulate specific objectives,
practices and considerations common to all FMUs and unique to individual
FMUs.*

*The primary purpose of developing FMUs in fire management planning is
to assist in organizing information in complex landscapes. The process
of creating FMUs divides the landscape into smaller geographic areas to
more easily describe physical/biological/social characteristics and
frame associated planning guidance based on these characteristics (see
NWCG glossary for the definition of FMU). If possible, FMUs should be
developed through interagency efforts and interactions to facilitate
common fire management across boundaries.*

*As a plan is being written, each area will determine the amount of
detail located within the area-wide considerations section below (3.1)
versus the separate detailed FMUs section (3.2). For example, if an area
is of low complexity or small size, then the area-wide description may
contain most of the information and little is needed for each FMU.
Conversely, large complex landscapes may have few common characteristics
and may have most information contained in the FMU specific section.*

*The following sections provide guidance on what to include in this
Chapter.*

[3.1 Area-wide Management Considerations]{.underline}

*The intent of this section is to document overall wildland fire
management program guidance and characteristics common to all FMUs.*

-   Describe fire management related goals, objectives, standards,
    guidelines, and/or desired future conditions as found in the
    appropriate LMP(s) that apply across all FMUs. Include fire
    management related goals that may come from non-fire program areas
    within the LMP or other planning documents.

> Examples of these goals, objectives, standards, guidelines, and
> desired conditions are:

-   firefighter and public safety,

-   using fire to restore ecosystem health,

-   use of appropriate management response (AMR),

-   cost containment,

-   desired plant community composition and structure,

-   constraints common to all FMUs (e.g. restrictions on retardant use,
    preventing spread of invasive species through washing of vehicles)

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-   Identify area-wide guidance, such as regional initiatives that
    contain additional fire management goals or objectives (e.g. sage
    grouse strategies)

-   Describe any common characteristics (e.g. topography, fuels,
    prevailing winds) that may occur across all FMUs.

    [3.2 Fire Management Unit - Specific Descriptions]{.underline}

*The intent of this section is to describe the characteristics of the
FMU. The organization of this section is at the discretion of the
agency*

FMU characteristics must be described. Examples are:

-   physical and biological description of FMU (e.g. topographic
    features, fuel types, special conditions that may result in extreme
    fire behavior, access, FRCC, high value concerns, special areas),

-   jurisdictional boundaries (e.g. adjacent or intermingled federal,
    private, tribal, state, county ownership),

-   communities and other values at risk within and adjacent to FMU,

-   fire behavior and weather descriptions (e.g. ERC tables, past fire
    behavior and perimeter histories, control problems).

FMU management guidance must be described. Examples are:

-   FMU specific objectives (e.g. appropriate management response
    objectives, fire intensity levels, fire frequency concerns),

-   FMU specific desired conditions (e.g. desired vegetation
    conditions),

-   description of approved wildland fire management strategies (e.g.
    AMR, fuels treatments: prescribed fire or mechanical/other
    treatments allowed, wildland fire use),

-   FMU specific guidelines, constraints, or mitigation considerations
    (e.g. MIST, minimum suppression in special areas, retardant or
    chemical limitations, etc.),

-   Burned area emergency stabilization and rehabilitation
    considerations if applicable (e.g. seeding requirements or
    treatments in special areas).

FMU safety considerations must be described. Examples are:

-   gas lines,

-   power lines,

-   mine shafts,

-   aviation hazards,

-   restricted access due to hazards,

-   poisonous plants and venomous animals.

Also, operational information may be detailed or added as an appendix,
such as:

-   permanent repeater locations, recommendations of successful
    temporary sites,

-   radio frequencies,

-   radio 'dead spots',

-   communication plan,

-   evacuation plan,

-   water dip sites,

-   helispots,

-   remote automated weather stations (RAWS).

-   potential fire camp locations for Type 3 to Type 1 organizations

    4\. Wildland Fire Operational Guidance

    *This chapter applies to DOI agencies only*. *Forest Service
    guidance is available separately*.

*The intent of this chapter is to document the procedures used in the
area covered by the FMP to implement the wildland fire management
program. The following sections 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4 should be addressed
either in this section, or a reference should be cited as to where this
type of information can be found.*

[4.1 Appropriate Management Response]{.underline}

Describe or reference program procedures that should be in place for
planning and responding to fires. Procedures to be included are
dependent on local and interagency agency needs.

> Examples include:

-   preparedness (including training, qualifications, readiness,
    detection and aviation),

-   cooperative or mutual aid fire management agreements,

-   cost apportionment agreements

-   protection agreements,

-   cross-boundary fire agreements,

-   size up, initial response and extended response procedures,

-   WFIP and WFSA procedures,

-   dispatching/obtaining resources (e.g. interagency dispatch centers,
    interagency teams, MAC groups),

-   prioritizing allocation of resources,

-   large fire cost management ,

-   processes for complying with regulatory requirements (e.g. smoke,
    SHPO, ESA)

-   public interaction (e.g. information plans, CWPPs) ,

-   reporting requirements (forms such as 209s, 1202s),

-   records management,

-   suppression damage repair.

    [4.2 Fuels Management]{.underline}

Describe or reference planning and implementation processes for fuels
treatments by mechanical, chemical, biological or prescribed fire
methods. Procedures to be included are dependent on local needs.

> Examples include:

-   processes to identify and prioritize fuels treatments (e.g.
    consultations with communities, use of community wildfire protection
    plans - CWPPs), interdisciplinary teams, risk assessments and
    mitigation plans),

-   potential size and scope of vegetation treatments to meet both fire
    and land management goals,

-   procedures for implementing prescribed fire (e.g. requirements for
    development of burn plan, responsibilities for preparing and
    approving Rx fires, requirements for safety, qualifications,
    interagency prescribed fire guidance),

-   process for complying with regulatory requirements (e.g. NEPA,
    smoke, SHPO, ESA) ,

-   treatment effects monitoring description,

-   reporting requirements (NFPORS) and agency specific systems,

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-   fuels committees or local coordinating or special interest groups,

-   funding processes,

    [4.3 Emergency Stabilization and Burned Area
    Rehabilitation]{.underline}

Describe or reference emergency stabilization (ES) and post-fire burned
area rehabilitation (BAR) planning and implementation. Use the
Departmental Manual (620 DM 3) and agency-specific direction for
guidance.

> Examples include:

-   process and thresholds for determining ES and BAR teams,

-   regional coordinator contact information,

-   local resource specialist positions that may assist the teams,

-   considerations that should be addressed (e.g. values to be protected
    such as T&E species, cultural concerns, wilderness),

-   potential treatments that should be considered (e.g. programmatic
    plans),

-   anticipated post-fire recovery issues,

-   allowable actions or local restrictions,

-   standardized monitoring protocols,

-   requirements for planning,

-   funding processes,

-   reporting requirements (accomplishment reports and NFPORS).

    [4.4 Prevention, Mitigation and Education]{.underline}

Describe or reference wildland fire prevention, education, and
mitigation strategies. Procedures to be included are dependent on local
agency needs.

> Examples include:

-   human caused ignition patterns and problems,

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-   fire investigation policies and procedures,

-   closures/restricted access process,

-   burn permit systems,

-   law enforcement operating procedures and agreements,

-   community involvement,

-   Firewise,

-   annual meetings with public, other agencies and local fire
    districts,

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-   education programs,

-   community grant programs and assistance,

-   CWPPs,

-   memorandum of understanding (MOU),

-   funding processes,

-   reporting requirements.

    **5.** **Monitoring and Evaluation**

    *This chapter applies to DOI agencies only. Forest Service guidance
    is available separately.*

The intent of this chapter is to document processes for determining
whether the FMP is being implemented as planned and fire-related goals
and objectives are being achieved. Information obtained from monitoring
and evaluations is used to update the FMP and land management plans.

Describe monitoring processes that will be used to measure achievement
of FMP objectives. Procedures to be included are dependent on local
agency needs.

Processes may include:

-   fire and non-fire treatment effects monitoring including broader
    scale long-term monitoring based on fire and land management
    objectives,

-   collaboration with other disciplines for monitoring broader resource
    management objectives,

-   information on annual performance (e.g. annual targets),

-   annual process to review and/or update the FMP, including triggers
    for major revisions.

Glossary

Use NWCG on-line glossary for common terms. Include full definition and
references for agency or unit specific terminology.

Appendices -- Optional