# Guidance



# for lmplementation 

# of Federal 

# W¡ldland Fire Management

February 13,2009

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 1 

# Policy

# Foreword

The Review 

### and Updateof

### the ;,995 

### Federal 

### lüldland Fire Management 

### Policy (January 2001) is the 

### primary interagency 

### wildland fire policy document. The 

### Interagency 

### Strategltþr the 

### Implementation of 

### Federal 

### llildland Fire Management 

### Policy (June 20, 

### 2003) was developed and approved under the 

### authorityof the

### Wildland Fire Leadership 

### Council (WFLC) to set

### forth direction for consistent 

### implementation 

### of the 

### federal 

### fire policy. 

### It has been used since thattime.


### On 

### May 2,2008, the

### WFLC issued a 

### memorandum entitled 

### Modífication of

### Federal ll/íldland 

### Fire Polícy Guidance.

### This memorandum directed federal agencies

### to test and 

### implement new guidelines 

### forwildland fire management. The 

### modifications weretested 

### in a 

### number 

### offield uriits 

### in the 

### 2008

### fire season.


### In 2009 the 

### National'Wildfire Coordinating Group 

### (NWCG) issued a

### memorandum to the 

### NWCG executive board 

### (NWCG#00I-2009, January 

### 7,2009) that 1) 

### affirms the soundness

## of the 

### Review and Updateof

### the ;,995 

### Federal l\/ildland Fire Management 

### Polícy (January 2001), 2) reiterates the 

### policy changes stated 

### in the 

### May 2,2008 WFLC memorandum entitled 

### Modification of

### Federal 

### lhldland Fire Policy Guidance,3) states that the

### Wildland Fire 

### Decision Support System 

### (WFDSS) 

## will replace 

### existing analysis and

### decision processes, and 

### 4) 

### confirms that the 

### Interagency 

### Strategtfor the 

### Implementation of

### Federal Wildland 

### Fire Management 

### Policy (June 

### 20, 2003)

## will be replaced 

### in 2009.


### This document, 

### Guidancefor Implementatíon of 

### Federal lYildland 

### Fire Management 

### Policy (February, 2009), isthat replacement.

The U. S, Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U. S. Department of the Interior (USDOI) prohibit discrimination in alloftheir programs and activities on the basis ofrace, color, national origin, sex, religion, age,disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family stâtus. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Personswith disabilities who require altemative means for communication of progr¿¡m information (Braille, large prin! audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at(202) 720-5964 (voice andTTY) and/or the USDOI àt (202) 652-5165.
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USDA and USDOI are equal opportunity providers and employers.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page2

# Fire Executive Gouncil

February 

### 13,2009
Memorandum 

# To: Chief, 

### USDA Forest 

### Service



### Director, Bureau 

### of Indian 

### Affairs Director, Bureau 

### of Land Management 

### Director, Fish and

### Wildlife Service Director, 

### National Park Service 

# From: Chair, Fire Executive 

### Council 

# Subject: Guidance 

### for Implementation 

### of Federal 

### Wildland Fire 

### Policy
On February 

### 13,2009,the Fire Executive 

### Council (FEC) approved Guidance 

### for the 

### Implementation 

### of Federal

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy.This Guidance provides 

### for consistent implementation 

### ofthe 1995/2001Federal Fire 

### Policy, as 

### directed by the

### Wildland Fire Leadership Council.
Successful 

### implementation 

### of the 

### Guidance requires that each

### ofthefederal 

### wildland frre agencies 

### work togetherthrough development 

### of unified direction and 

### guidance

### for agency/bureau manuals, 

### directives, handbooks, 

### guidebooks, plans agreements and other 

### pertinent documents 

### to complete

### final implementation 

### of this guidance.


### In approving the 

### Guidance the 

### FEC: 

# o directs the 

### National

### Wildfire Coordinating Group to adopt 

### the guidance and 

### review and 

### revise, as 

### appropriate, 

### all interagency 

### training courses, 

### operational guides, standards, 

### terminology, reporting requirements, 

### skilUcompetency/qualification/certification requirements and 

### other pertinent documents. 

# o directs the 

### federal 

### fire directors to

### work collaboratively 

### with state, 

### local and 

### tribal 

### fire managers and 

### public and 

### nongovernment organizations 

### to communicate 

### direction stated 

### in the guidance 

### with internal and 

### external audiences 

### to foster understanding and

### support 

### for the

### complexity ofwildland fire management. 

# o directsthefederal 

### fire directors to revise ordevelop 

### accountability standards, 

### performance measures and

### tracking systems

### to assess 

## if resource and 

### protection objectives are 

### met

### during the course 

### of management on 

### all wildland fires.
We thank the 

### interagency team 

### that produced 

### this implementation guidance and extend special 

### appreciation to the 

### National Association 

### of State Forest, 

### International Association 

### of Fire Chiefs, 

### National Association 

### of Counties, TheWilderness Society, andThe 

### Nature Conservancy

### for the 

### support and 

### commitment 

### in completing the document.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 3

### APPROVAL

The 

### Guidancefor Implementation of the 

### Federal Wildland 

### Fire Policy (February,2009) is hereby approved 

### by the 

### Fire Executive Council. Implementation actions are 

### to begin immediately.

Forest Service, Fire &Aviation Management 

### ïom Harbour, Director

"l ,,¿

# i ' ..7' .'rt ,t- 

### ...i.ii.- 

## n

# t/n- r'ió.ßrs"t'e? Bu¡räa,iöf 

### iändrrlà-ñägriñìrnî-- 

# -** DstB-- FiÍe andAvíation ltllanagemenl Directorate Jim Douglas, Assistant Director


# ,4*"k,/ar"o

# uu"** 3 /ao

### /o

## 7 Fish and Wildlife

# Service Date National Wildlife Refuge System Division Natural Resource and Conservation Planning Andy Loranger, Chief

Department ofthe lnterior National Business Center

# - Aviation Management Directorate Mark Bathrick, Associate Director National Park Seruice Visitor and Resource Protection Karen Taylor-Goodrich, Associate Director

Bureau of lndian Affairs Trust Se¡vices Vicki Forrest, Deputy Director



# ,;5^no.^

# 7-l"tri7'r,6*- z,/¿,/o 

# ¡ NationalWildfireCoordinatingGroup Date Ex officio Brian McManus, Chair

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 4

# Table of Contents



# Foreword... .................,...2 

# Introduction ....................6 

### Guidance 

### for

# Implementation ...........7 

# Implementation............. ....................7 Federal 

### V/ildland Fire 

### Policy - 

### Guiding Principles and 

### Policy

# Statements. .................8 

### Guiding

# Principles ...............'8 Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management

# Policy ................9 

# Appendices ...................16 

### Appendix

### A:

# Glossary .........16 

### Appendix B: lWildland Fire

# Flowchart.............. .......18 

### Appendix C: What Changed 

### 2004to

# 2009.......... ........................19

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 5

# Introduction

The Review 

### and Updateofthe i,995 

### Federal Wildland 

### Fire Management 

### Policy (January 2001) 

### remains sound and presents a 

### single cohesive 

### federal 

### fire policy for the 

### Departments

### of the 

### Interior and

### Agriculture. However, some issues associated 

### with implementation 

### ofthis 

### policy need 

### closerattention and

### clarification to

### fully achieve the 

### intent 

### of the 

### policy.

One such

### policy area is the

### Wildland Urban Interface 

## $fUD. WUI is 

### more complex and 

### extensivethan 

### previously considered 

### in 

### the 1995 and 

### 2001 Federal 

### Fire 

### Policy reviews. Fire management 

### activities affecting 

### WUI areas 

### require closer 

### coordination and 

### more engagement between 

### with federal, state, 

### local and

### tribal land and

### fire managers 

### to ensure

### firefighter and 

### public safety and 

### mitigate property loss 

### fromwildland fire.


### A key 

### finding of the 

### 2001 

### reviewofthe 1995 

### policy was 

### that 

### "multiple terms

### forvarious management 

### options to respond 

### to

### wildland fire have 

### confused agency managers and employees, operators, partners, andthe 

### public, and have perpetuated 

### multiple fire management 

### program elements". 

### This important communications issue

### will be 

### resolved

### only through federal, state, 

### local and

### tribal engagement 

### in 

### building a

### foundation 

### for common terms (see

### Appendix

### A)with understanding and 

### support by 

### all.
The current 

### policy clearly states that 

### wildland frre analysis 

## will carefully consider the 

### long-term beneflrts 

### in relation to risks both in the short and 

### long term: 

### "Fire, as a

### critical natural process,

### will be 

### integrated 

### into land and resource management 

### plans and

### activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries. Response

### to 

### wildland 

### fire is based

### onecological, social, and 

### legal consequences 

### offire. The circumstances 

### under

### which a

### fire occurs, and

### the 

### likely consequences 

### on

### firefighter and 

### public safety and

### welfare, natural and

### cultural resources, andvalues 

### to be 

### protected dictate the 

### appropriate management response

### to

### ftre."



## . 1995/2001 Federal lttildland Fire Management Policy


### The intent 

### of this 

### framework isto

### solidify that 

### the

### full range 

### of strategic and

### tactical options are 

### available and 

### considered in the response

### to every

### wildland frre. These 

### options are

### to be used

### to achieve 

### objectives as described 

### in Land and Resource 

### Management Plans 

### and/or 

### Fire Management Plans, subject 

### to clear processes 

### defined to manage 

### fire that crosses

### jurisdictional boundaries. 

### Mutually developed objectives 

### with adjoining 

### jurisdictions for managing fires that
crosses

### jurisdictional boundaries 

## will also be 

### recognized.


### This guidance also 

### calls 

### for increased 

### dialogue and 

### collaboration between 

### federal agencies and 

### tribal, local, and state agencies as plans are updated and 

### implemented to manage 

### wildfires in orderto accomplish resource and 

### protection objectives.


### This document, 

### Guídanceþr Implementation of

### Federal 

### llildland Fíre Management 

### Policy (February 2009), replaces the 

### Interagency 

### Strategyfor the 

### Implementation of 

### Federal 

### lüldland Fire Management 

### Policy (June 

### 20,2003). This updated guidance 

### consolidates and

### clarifies

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 6changes that have 

### occurred since the 

### 2003 strategy 

### documentwas issued, and 

### provides revised



### direction for consistent 

### implementation 

### of the Review 

### and Update 

### of

### the 1995 

### Federal 

## llildland Fire Management 

### Policy (January 2001)


# Guidance

# for Implementation

The

### following guidelines should be used to 

### provide consistent implementation 

### of federal 

### wildland fire policy. Further guidance is 

### provided in the Federal 

### Wildlaird Fire Management 

### Policy section 

### Table 1. 

## 1. Wildland fire management agencies

## will use 

### common standards 

### for all aspects 

### oftheir 

### fire management 

### programsto

### facilitate effective collaboration amongcooperating agencies. 

# 2. Agencies and bureaus

## will review, update, and

### develop agreements 

### that

### clariff the 

### jurisdictional inter-relationships and

### define the 

### roles and 

### responsibilities among local, state,

### tribal and 

### federal 

### fire protection entities. 

# 3. Responses

### to

### wildland fire

## will be 

### coordinated across 

### levels 

### of government regardless

## of the

### jurisdiction at

### the 

### ignition source. 

# 4. Fire management 

### planning 

### will be 

### intergovernmental 

### in scope and 

### developed on a landscape scale. 

# 5. Wildland frre is a general 

### term describing any 

### non-structure 

### fire that occurs 

### in the 

### wildland. Wildland fires are 

### categorized into 

### two distinct types: 

# a. Wildfires 

## - Unplanned 

### ignitions or prescribedfires that are declared 

### wildfires 

# b. Prescribed 

### Fires - Planned 

### ignitions. 

# 6. Awildland fire may be 

### concurrently managed 

### for one 

### or more objectives and 

### objectives
can change asthe 

### fire spreads acrossthe landscape. Objectives areaffected 

### by changes 

### in fuels, weather,topography; 

### varying social understanding and tolerance; and involvement 

## of other governmental

### jurisdictions having 

### different missions and objectives. 

# 7. Management response

### to a

### wildland fire onfederal land is based

### onobjectives established 

### in the 

### applicable Land/ Resource 

### Management Planand/or the 

### Fire Management Plan. 

# 8. Initial action on human-caused 

### wildfrre

### will be

### to suppress 

### the

### fire at

### the lowest cost 

### with the 

### fewest neg¿tive consequences 

### with respect 

### tofirefighter and 

### public safety. 

# 9. Managers

### will use a

### decision support process 

### to guide and 

### document

### wildfire management 

### decisions.The process

### will provide situational assessment, analyze hazards and 

### risk, defrne 

### implementation actions, and

### document decisions and 

### rationale 

### for those decisions. 

# Implementation

Each 

### of the departments 

### or agencies 

### participating in the 

### review 

## will adopt the

### Guidancefor Implementation of 

### Federal Wildland 

### Fire Management 

### Policy (February 2009) and 

### review and 

### revise, as 

### appropriate, 

### all manuals, handbooks, gUidebooks, 

### plans, agreements and 

### other pertinent documents.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 7The 

### National 

### Wildfire Coordinating Group 

### (NWCG) 

## will adopt the

### Guidanceþr

Implementation of

### Federal 

### llíldland Fire Management 

### Policy (February 2009) and 

### review and 

### revise, as 

### appropriate, 

### all interagency

### training courses, 

### operational guides, standards, 

### terminology, reporting requirements, 

### skill/competency/qualification/certification requirements and 

### other pertinent documents.


### The federal 

### fire directors, 

### in collaboration 

### with state, 

### local and 

### tribal fire managers and 

### public and 

### nongovernment organizations,

## will communicate 

### direction stated 

### inthe 

### Guidanceþr Implementation of

### Federal 

### llildland Fire Management 

### Policy (February 2009) 

### with internal and 

### external audiences 

### to foster 

### understanding and 

### support

### for the 

### complexity ofwildland fire management.


### The federal frre directors 

### will revise ordevelop accountability standards, 

### performance measures and

### tracking systems

### to assess 

## if resource and 

### protection objectives are met 

### during the course

## of management 

### on

### allwildland fires.


# Federal

# Wildland Fire Policy 

# -Guiding Principles and 

# Policy Statements

The

### following guiding 

### principles and 

### policy statements are excerpted 

### from the Review 

### and Update ofthe i,995 

### Federal Wildland 

### Fire Management 

### Policy (January 2001). These 

### remain thefoundational 

### principlesfor Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy.


### Guiding Principles 

## 1. Firefighter and 

### public safety is

### the

### first 

## priorÍty in every 

## lire management 

### activity. 

## 2. The role of

### wildland 

### fire as

### an essential ecological process 

### and 

### natural change agent 

## will be

### incorporated into the 

### planning process. Federal agency land and resource management 

### plans set the

### objectives 

### for the useand desired 

### future 

### condition of the 

### various 

### public lands. 

## 3. Fire Management Plans, 

### programs, and activities 

### support land and resource management plans and

### their implementation. 

## 4. Sound 

### risk management is a

### foundation 

### for all

### fire management activities. Risks and 

### uncertainties relating to frre management 

### activities must be 

### understood, analyzed, 

### communicated, and managed as

### they relate 

### to the cost 

### of either doing or not 

### doing an

### activity. Net gains 

### to the 

### public benefit 

## will be an 

### important component

## of decisions.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 8

## 5. Fire management 

### programs and activities are economically viable, based



### upon values 

### to be 

### protected, costs, 

### and 

### land and 

### resource management objectives. Federal agency 

### administrators are 

### adjusting and 

### reorganizing programsto reduce costs and increase 

### effrciencies. As part

### ofthis process, 

### investments 

### in

### fire management 

### activities must be evaluated against 

### other agency 

### programs 

### in orderto 

### effectively accomplish the 

### overall mission, set 

### short- and 

### long-term 

### priorities, and 

### clarify management 

### accountability. 

## 6. Fire Management Plansand activities are based 

### upon the best 

### available science. 

### Knowledge and experience are developed among 

### all federal 

### wildland 

### fire management agencies. 

### An active 

### fire research 

### program combined 

### with interagency collaboration provides the means

### to make these 

### tools available to

### allfire managers. 

## 7. FÍre Management Plansand activities 

### incorporate public health and 

### environmental 

### quality considerations. 

## 8. Federal, State, 

### tribalr local, interâgency, and 

### international coordination and 

### cooperation are essential. Increasing costs and 

### smaller 

### work forces 

### require that 

### public agencies 

### pool 

### their human resources

### to successfully deal

### with the everincreasing and 

### more complex 

### fire management tasks. 

### Full collaboration among federal

### wildland fïre management agencies and between the 

### federal 

### wildland 

### fire management agencies and 

### international, State,

### tribal, and 

### local governments and 

### private entities result 

### in a

### mobilefire management 

### work force available 

### for the

### full range 

### ofpublic needs. 

## 9. Standardization of policies and procedures amongfederal 

### wildland

## fire management agencies 

### is 

### anongoing objective. Consistency 

### of plans and operations 

### provides thefundamental 

### platform upon

### which federal 

### wildland fire management agencies can cooperate, 

### integrate 

### fire activities across agency 

### boundaries, and 

### provide leadership 

### for cooperation 

### with State,

### tribal, and 

### local 

### fire management 

### organizations.



### Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management Policy

Each 

### of the seventeen 

### policy areas are assessed 

### in depth in the

### following table 

### (Table 1). The 

### policy area's 

### guiding 

### principle is restated 

### first. The 

### left column provides statements 

### to help 

### clarify the 

### Management 

### Intentof the 

### policy statement. The 

### right column specifies actions needed

### to implement the 

### policy statement.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 9Table 1

## - Policv Clarification of Manasement Intent an Actions



### Policy Statement Management 

### Intent Implementation ActÍons
1.Safety Firefighter and public safety isthe frrst 

### priority.

### All Fire Management Plans andactivities must reflect this commitment. No natural or cultural resource, home, or item

### of property isworth a human life.

### All strategies and tactics should seek to mitigate the risk to firefighters and the public. Agency administrators 

### will develop and establish process, procedures andobjectives that ensure firefìghter and public safety. Incident Commanders 

### will develop and esüablish incident objectives, strategies and operational tactics that ensure fireñghter andpublic safety. 

### 2. Fire Management and Ecosystem 

### Sustainability The 

### full rangeof fîre managementactivities

### will be usedto help achieve ecosystemsustainability, including its interrelated ecological, economic, and social components. "Full range offire management activities" may include any vegetative management heatment tool. Ecosystem sustainability provides asupplyofgoods, services, social values, and natural processes in perpetuity. Economic intent isto provide for sustainable supplies 

### of goods, services, andsocial values through implementation of appropriate fire management activities. Land/Resource Management Plan's (L/RMP) will be developed consistent with both ecological conditions, andfire regime dynamics, and consider the short and long term effects ofboth action and no action alternatives for planned vegetation management activities aswell as responses towildfrre. Agencies 

### will exploit thefull range offire management options to sustain healtþ ecosystems within acceptable risk levels as identified in the L/RMP, or Fire Management Plan (FMP), Fire management activities 

### will be based on planning anddecision analysis processes that address current and anticipated situational conditions. 

### 3. Response to

### Wildland FÍre Fire, as acritical natural process, 

### will be integrated into land and resource management plans and activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries. Response to

### wildland fires is based on ecological, social and legal consequences 

### ofthe fire. The circumstances under which afire occurs, and the 

### likely consequences on firefighter and public safety andwelfare, natural and cultural resources' and' values to be protected, dictate the appropriate response to thefire.
The L/RMP

### will define and identi$ hre's role in the ecosystem. The response to an ignition is guided by the strategies andobjectives outlined in the L/RMP and/or the Fire Management Plan. Values to be protected from and/or enhancedby wildland fire are defined in the L/RMP and/or the Fire Management Plan. L/RMP and ftre management planning is coordinated
acrossjurisdictional boundaries. FMP's assist in developing the management response to meet L/RMP objectives in designated Fire Management Units (FMU). Fire management strategies 

### will consider current landscape conditions andspatial andtemporal components of the fire regime, Responses towildland fires

### will be coordinated across jurisdictional boundaries.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 10

### Policy Statement

Management 

### Intent Implementation Actions 

### 4. Use of

### Wildland Fire Wildland fire

### will be used to protect, maintain, and enhance resources and, as

### nearþ as possible, be allowed to function in its natural ecological role. Useof fire

### will be based on 

### L/RMP and associated Fire Management Plans and

### will follow specific prescriptions contained in operational plans. Use planned and unplanned ignitions to achieve land and resource management goals. Fire management is onetool in the restoration process andshould be integrated with other land management activities. Preferencewill be given for natural ignitions to be managed in meeting the role offire as an ecological process, Decision support process encourages strategies to managefire to restore and maintain the natural fire regime where safe and possible. Incident objectives

### will identiff resource objectives for wildfires managed to achieve resource objectives. Benefrcial accomplishments 

### will be measuredthrough specifrc quantified objectives.



### 5. Rehabilitation and 

### Restoration Rehabilitation and restoration efforts 

### will be undertaken to protect and sustain ecosystems, public health andsafety, and to help communities protect infrastructure. Conduct emergency stabilization ofburned areas such that no further harm is done. Probability of success 

### will be evaluated for rehabilitation and restoration efforts. Burned areas

### will be assessedto determine suitable and effective emergency stabilization and rehabilitation needs to meet current and anticipated environmental conditions. Rehabilitation and restoration activities will be evaluated to assess effectiveness of treatments. 

### 6. Protection 

### Priorities The protectionof human 

### life is the single, oveniding 

### priority. Setting priorities among protecting human communities and community infrastructure, other property and improvements, and natural and cultural resources 

### will be done based on thevalues to be protected, human health and safety, and the costs

### of protection. Once people have been committedto an incident, these human resources becomethe highest value to be protected.
Resources are allocated nationally, geographically, and locally based on protection priorities. Protection of human life ovenides all other priorities should response capability limits be reached. Local protection priorities are established in the L/RMP and/or FMP. NMAC establishes national protection priorities considering maintenance of initial attack capability; protection of communities, infrastructure, property, cultural and natural resources; costs; local agency objectives; and national responseframework and tasking. Geographic and local area coordination groups 

### will establish a process to set protection priorities. The Agency Administrator 

### will convey protection priorities, based on the L/RMP and FMP, to the geographic and national groups through an incident status report and ensure that protection priorities are known andcanied out by the incident commander(s).

Guidance for lmplementalion of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 1 1Policy Statement

Management 

### Intent Implementation Actions 

### 7. rüildland Urban Interface The operational roles of federal agencies aspartners in the Wildland Urban Interface arewildland firefighting, hazard fuels reduction, cooperative prevention and education, and technical assistance. Structural fire suppression isthe responsibility oftribal, state, or local govemments. Federal agencies may assist

### with exterior structural protection activities under formal Fire Protection Agreements that 

### speciff the mutual responsibilities of the partners, including funding. (Some federal agencies have structural protectionauthority for their facilities on lands they administer and may also enter into formal agreements to assist state and local governments 

### with structural protection).
Prevent the movement ofwildfÏres from thewildlands into the WUI area, out of the WUI area into the wildlands, and improve effrciency ofwildñre suppression in WUI situations. The primary responsibility for protecting private property and rural communities lieswith individual property owners and local governments. Recognize that many states havewildland fire responsibility while rural fire districts have structural responsibility. Agreements 

### will be developed to clarify jurisdictional inter-relationships and define roles and responsibilities among local, state, tribal, and federal fìre protection entities, based on eachorganization's enabling protection authorities and assistance/mutual aid responsibilities. Agencies 

### will support the development and implementation of Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPP).
The Federal wildland agencies

### will collaborate with tribal, state and local fire management organizations to identifv and reconcile gaps in protection responsibility. 

### 8. Planning Every areawith burnable vegetation must have anapproved Fire Management Plan. Fire Management Plans are strategic plans that define aprogram to manage wildland fires based onthe area'sapproved land management plan. Fire Management Plans must provide for firefrghter and public safety; include 

### fire management strategies, tactics, and alternatives; address valuesto be protected and public health issues; and be consistent 

### with resource management objectives, activities of the area, andenvironmental laws and regulations. Promote interagency and inter-governmental planning. Encourage landscape scale planning acrossjurisdictional boundaries, The FMP should be interagency or intergovernmental in scope and developed on a landscape scale, where practical to take advantage ofeffrciency, reduceconflict and provide understanding and cooperation. L/RMP and/or FMPs 

### will address the location and conditions under which resource beneñts and protection objectives can be met.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 12Policy Statement

Management 

### Intent Implementation Actions 

### 9. Science Fire Management Plans and programs

### will be based on afoundation of sound science. Research 

### will support ongoing effortsto increase our scientific knowledge of biological, physical, and sociological factors. Information needed to support fire management 

### will be developed through an integrated interagency fire science 

### program. Scientific results must be made available to managers in atimely manner and must be used in the development of land management plans, Fire Management Plans, and implementation plans. Increase the body ofscientific knowledge and understanding about fire management programs through the development of management tools andtransfer 

### of knowledge to practitioners anddecision makers. Social sciences are a part of the research need. Agencies 

### will integrate science in planning and monitoring processes, Agencies will coordinatefire-related research to improve fire management program capability, Agencies 

### will emphasize applied science including fire and fuels, physics, social science, andoperations research areas. Agencies 

### will seek to improve decision support tools through updated data sets and advances in technology. 

### 10. Preparedness Agencies 

### will ensure their capability to provide safe,cost-effective fire management programs in support of land and resource management plans through appropriate planning, staffing, training, equipment, and management oversight. Recognize that particular budget processes and external influences 

### will affect capability and capacity. Size theorganization to meet realistic andsustainable management objectives by effective preparedness planning on an interagency basis. Realize effìciencies by incorporating other federal, tribal, state, and local agencies and nongovemmental organizations to meet peak demands for resources. Preseason agreements are an integral part

### of preparedness. Agencies 

### will identify and realign organizational staffing and equipment mixesto implement a safe and cost effective fire management program that meets the fire management guidance identified in the L/RMP. Agencies will develop acommon processfor determining budget needs and cost sharing for all aspects of ñre management operations. Implement training programto meet staffing levels (qualification requirements) with the emphasis on managing fires for both protection and resource management obj ectives. Agencies will develop agreements toefficiently utilize other federal, state, local, and non governmental resources.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 13Policy Statement

Management 

### Intent Implementation Actions 

### 11. Suppression Wildland fires are suppressed at minimum cost, considering firefighter and public safety, benefits, and values to be protected, consistent

### with resource objectives. Suppression considerations will be addressed in L/RMP and FMP's. Notwithstanding protection of life, the cost

### of suppression, emergency stabilization and rehabiliøtion must be commensurate with values to be protected. Use a decision support processto assess conditions, analyze risk anddocument decisions. Predictive services products 

### will be used to support prepositioning resources. Agencies 

### will coordinate stafhng levels through common trend analysis of environmental indicators 

### 12. Prevention Agencies 

### will work together and

### withtheir partners and other affected groups and individuals to prevent unauthorized 

### ignition of wildfrres.
Prevention focuses on the activities needed to reduce human-caused ignitions. Prevention includes mitigating risks and loss to ecosystems andcommunities. Agencies will work with all partners to develop and implement risk assessment, prevention, and mitigation plans to reduce the frequency ofwildfires dueto human-caused ignitions..


### 13. Standardization Agencies 

### will use compatible planning processes, funding mechanisms,training and qualification requirements, operational procedures, values-to-be- protected methodologies, and public education programs for 

### all fire managementactivities. 

### All processes are compatible and transparent sothat individuals from cooperating agencies (federal, hibal, state, and local) can more effectively work together. Enhance public and cooperator understanding 

### of wildland frre management processes. To the extent possible, agencies

### will use common süandards in all aspects offire management programs so that planning and budgeting methodologies applied in
onesituationwill provide the same results insimilar circumstances. Agencies 

### will develop and implement common operational field guidance and operational procedures to dealwith all aspects of ñre management operations. Agencies 

### will sheamline interagency transfer of funds to reduce frscal inconsistencies. 

### 14. Interagency Cooperation and 

### Coordination Fire management planning, preparedness, prevention, suppression, fire use, restoration and rehabilitation, monitoring, research, and education 

### will be conducted on an interagency basis 

### with the involvement

### of cooperators and partners. Involve all participating agencies, federal, tribal, state, local, and non-governmental organizations infire management activities. Get everyone working in concert, rather than in opposition to each other. Ensure that fire management program actions are implemented in collaboration with cooperators and affected partners with due considerationof all management objectives. Agencies 

### will engage cooperators and affected partners at the strategic, and program planning levels, aswell as thetactical, program implementation level.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 14Policy Statement

Management 

### Intent lmplementation Actions 

### 15. Communication and 

### Education Agencies 

### will enhance knowledge and understanding ofwildland fire management policies and practices through internal and external communication and education programs. These programs 

### will be continuously improvedthrough the timely and effective exchange of information among all affected agencies and organizations. Knowledge and understanding reach all personnel in the freld, across agencies. Develop and provide consistent communication, education andouheach with shared messages for the public and internal staff. Have a public that understands the risk, benefìts and complexity ofwildland fire management. Develop a consistent anduniform message using comrnon terminology on importance and role

### of wildlandfrre in natural resource management. Develop understanding with the public on whatwe're trying accomplish with fire management. Build understanding with the public on their rolewhen living and recreating in fire prone ecosystems. 

### 16. Agency 

### Administrator and Employee Roles Agency administrators 

### will ensure thattheir employees aretrained, certified, and made available to participate inthewildland fire program 

### locally, regionally, and nationally asthe situation demands. Employees 

### with operational, administrative, or other skills 

### will support the

### wildland fire program as necessary. Agency administrators are responsible and

### will be held accountable for making employees available. Employees participate inwildland fltre operations to obtain understanding, expand capabilities, and increase organizational capacity. Assure that we maximize use of the local workforce for efficiencies of knowledge, cost and involvement. Maintain a competent and capable workforce to implement thewildland fire management programto include fuels, aviation, suppression, planning, monitoring, research, communication, finance, etc. Agency administrators

### will train,qualifr, andcertiff available personnel for local fire needs and interagency fìre management priorities. Agencies 

### will consider adjustment of annual performance expectations based on employee and program contribution to the fire effort.



### 17. Evaluation Agencies 

### will develop and implement asystematic method of evaluation to determine effectiveness 

### of projects through implementation of the2001 Federal Fire Policy. The evaluation 

### will assure accountability, facilitate resolution ofareas 

### ofconflict, and

### identiff resource shortages and agency priorities.
Use adaptive management process to evaluate and improve the frre management program at all levels. Provide aformal review processto monitor and evaluate performance, suggest revisions, and make necessary adaptations to the implementation guidance at all organizational levels on a regular basis. Conduct interagency, internal and periodic reviews

### of the frre management program (all agencies) to determine: 

### l) consistency of policy implementation; 2) effectiveness of interagency coordination; 3) progress towards ecosystem sustainability; 4) cost management; 5) safety.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 15

# Appendices

Appendix 

### A: Glossary
The hierarchy 

### ofterminology

### will bethose 

### defined 

### in law, those 

### defined in 

### policy, those 

### defined 

### in this guidance andthen 

### all other agency and 

### interagency documentation. The 

### NV/CG Glossary 

### of Wildland Fire 

### Terminology

## will be 

### maintained asthe source 

### of record. 

### Controlled burn

## - synonymous

### with Prescribed 

### Fire. Escaped 

### Prescribed 

### Fire

# - a

### prescribed 

### fire that has exceeded 

### or is expected 

### to exceed 

### prescription parameters 

### orotherwise meets the 

### criteriafor conversion to

### wildfire. Criteria is 

### specified 

### in "Interagency Prescribed 

### Fire

## - Planning and 

### Implementation Procedures Reference 

### Guide".


### Fire Management Plan 

### (FMP)

# - a

### plan that 

### identifies and integrates 

### allwildland fire management and 

### related

### activities

### within the 

### context 

### of approved land/resource management 

### plans. 

### It defïnes a 

### program to manage 

### wildland fires 

### (wildfire and 

### prescribed 

### fire). The 

### plan is supplemented 

### by operational plans, 

### including but not 

### limited to preparedness plans, preplanned 

### dispatch plans, 

### prescribedfrre burn plans and 

### prevention 

### plans. Fire Management Plan's assure that 

### wildland fire management goals and components are 

### coordinated. 

## Initial Action 

## - the 

### actionstaken 

### by the 

### first resources 

### to arrive at a

### wildfire.
Land/Resource Management Plan 

### (L/RMP) 

# - a

### document prepared 

### with public participation and 

### approved by an agency 

### administrator that 

### provides general 

### guidance and 

### directionfor land and resource management 

### activitiesfor an 

### administrative 

### area.The 

### L/RMP identifies the need 

### for 

### fire's role 

### in a

### particular area and 

### for a

### specific 

### benefit. The objectives 

### in the 

### L/RMP provide the basis 

### for the 

### development 

### offire management 

### objectives and

### the

### fire management 

### program in the designated area. 

### Planned 

### Ignition -the intentional 

### initiation of a

### wildland fire by hand-held, mechanical or aerial device where the distance and 

### timing between 

### ignition lines or 

### points and the sequence 

## of igniting them isdetermined 

### by environmental conditions (weather,

### fuel,topography), 

### firing technique, and 

### other factors

### which influence 

### fire behavior and

### fire effects (see 

### prescribed

### fire).
Prescribed 

## Fire-is a

### wildland fire originating from a 

### planned 

### ignition to meet 

### specific objectives 

### identified in a

### written, approved, prescribed

### fire plan 

### for which NEPA requirements 

### (where applicable) have been met 

### prior to 

### ignition (see 

### planned 

### ignition).


### Protection -the 

### actionstaken 

### to 

### limit the adverse 

### environmental, social, 

### political, and 

### economical effects

### of flrre 

### (FEC 

### BriefÏng Paper, 3/1412008). 

### Response

### to

### wildland 

### fire -the 

### mobilization of the necessary services and responders 

### to a

### fire based

### on ecological, social, and 

### legal consequences, the circumstances 

### under

### which a

### fire occurs,

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 16and

### the 

### likely consequences 

### on

### firefighter and 

### public safety and

### welfare, natural and 

### cultural

resources, andvalues 

### to be protected. 

### Suppression -

### all the

### work of extinguishing a

### fire or

### confining fire spread. 

### Unplanned 

### Ignition

## - the 

### initiation of a

### wildland fire by lightning, volcanoes, unauthorized and 

### accidental human-caused 

### fires (see

### wildfire).

Use 

### of

### Wildland Fire - management 

### of either

### wildfire or prescribed

### fire to meet resource 

### objectives specified 

### in Land/Resource 

### Management Plans. 

## \ilildfire 

## - unplanned 

### ignition 

### of a

### wildland fire (such as a

### fire caused

### by lightning, volcanoes, 

### unauthorized and 

### accidental human-caused 

### fires) and escaped 

### prescribed fires. (See 

### unplanned 

### ignition and escaped 

### prescribed

### fire). 

### Wildland Fire

# - ageneral 

### term describing any 

### non-structure 

### fire that occurs in the

### wildland. 

### Wildland Urban Interface $ryUI)

## - The line, area, 

### or zone 

### where structures and

### other human 

### development meet 

### or 

### interminglewith undeveloped

### wildland orvegetation fuels.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 17

### Appendix B:

### Wildland Fire 

### Flowchart

This chart 

### depicts, in general, 

### the process

### to be

### taken given an 

### ignition, regardless 

### of source. 

### Management actions depend on

### the provisions in the 

### approved Land, Resource and 

### Fire Management Planand/or Fire Management Plan 

### for an area. 

### This chart is 

### generally applicable to mostagencies' frre management 

### programs. However, specific exceptions may exist.


### Wildland Fire Ignition Identify



## Situation/Objectives 

# Strategic Implementation



# _ Response 

### Outcome

L/RMP or FMP allows protection objectives 

### only Implement Response 

### to 

## wildfire

Objectives 

### Not Met Develop Response 

### through decision support process 

### L/RMP or FMP allows resource and 

### protection objectives Planned 

### Ignition
"Prescribed 

### Fire" Implement Prescribed 

### Fire Plan

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 18

### Appendix C:What Changed 

### 2004to2009

The

### following provide some

### of the 

### significant modifications that 

### were made 

### to the guidance 

### in the 

### "Interagency Strategy 

### for the 

### Implementation 

### of Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy (2004)" in drafting the 

### "Guidance 

### for Implementation 

### of Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy (2009)." To

### simplify the discussion the 

### "Interagency Strategy 

### for the 

### Implementation 

## of Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy (2004)"

### will be 

### referred to as 

### "Strategy" and the 

### "Guidance 

### for Implementation 

### of Federal 

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy (2009)"

### will be 

### referred to as 

### "Guidance". Strategy: Provided seven

### operational 

### clarification statements


### Guidance: Provides nine statements 

### of guidance

### for implementation. Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 1)

### "Only one management 

### objective 

### will be applied 

### to a

### wildland 

## fire. Wildland fires

## will either be managed 

### for resource 

### benefits or suppressed. 

### A wildland fire cannot be managed 

### for both objectives 

### concuffently. 

## If twowildland fires converge, 

### they

## will be managed as a

### single

### wildland 

### fire."
Guidance: 

### "A wildland fire may be 

### concurrently managed 

### for one 

### or more objectives and 

### objectives can change as the 

### fire spreadsacross the landscape. Objectives are affected 

### by changes 

### in fi.rels, weather, topography; 

### varying social understanding and tolerance; and 

### involvement of other governmental

### jurisdictions having 

### different missions and objectives." 

### Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 2) 

### "Human caused

### wildland fires

## will be suppressed 

### in every instance and

## will not be managed 

### for resource 

### benefits.
Guidance: 

### "Initial action on human-caused 

### wildfire 

## will be

### to suppress

### the

### fire at the 

### lowest cost 

### with the 

### fewest negative consequences

### with respect 

### tofirefighter and 

### public safety." Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 3) "Once a

### wildland fire has been managed 

### for suppression 

### objectives, 

### it may never be managed 

### for resource 

### benefit 

### objectives."
Guidance: 

## "A wildland fire may be 

### concurrently managed 

### for one 

### or more objectives and 

### objectives can change as the frre spreads across the landscape. Objectives are affected 

### by changes 

### in fuels, weather, topography; 

### varying social understanding and tolerance; and 

### involvement 

### of other governmental

### jurisdictions having 

### different missions and objectives." 

### Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 4) 

### "The Appropriate Management Response 

### (AMR) isany specific action suitableto meet 

### Fire Management 

### Unit (FMU) objectives. 

### Typically, the

### AMR ranges across a spectrum 

### of tactical options 

### (from monitoring to intensive management 

### actions). The

### AMR is developed 

### by using 

### FMU strategies and 

### objectives 

### identified in the 

### Fire Management 

### Plan."

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page 19

### Guidance: ThetermAppropriate Management Response is 

### removed 

### from implementation guidance 

### with "Response 

### to

### Wildland 

### Fire" asthe 

### policy area 

### defining the actions

### for managing a

### wildland fire. Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 5) 

### "TheWildland Fire Situation Analysis process is used

### to determine and 

### documentthe suppression strategy 

### from the

### full range 

### of responses 

### available 

### for suppression 

### operations. Suppression strategies are designed 

### to meet the 

### policy obj ectives 

### of suppression."
Guidance: "Managers 

### will use a

### decision support process

### to guide and

### document

### wildfire management 

### decisions.The process

### will provide situational assessment, analyze hazards and 

### risk, define implementation actions, and 

### document decisions and 

### rationale 

### for those decisions. 

### Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 6) 

### "Wildland fire use 

### isthe 

### result 

### of a 

### natural event. 

### The Land/Resource Management Plan, 

### orthe 

### Fire Management Plan, 

## will identi$ areas 

### where the 

### strategy

### ofwildland fire use 

### is

### suitable. The

### V/ildland Fire Implementation Plan 

### (WFIP) is the

### tool that examines the 

### available response strategies 

### to determine 

## if a

### fìre is 

### being considered 

### forwildland fire use."
Guidance: "Managers 

### will use a

### decision support process 

### to guide and 

### document

### wildfire management 

### decisions. The process

## will provide situational assessment, analyze hazards and 

### risk, define implementation actions, and 

### document decisions and 

### rationale 

### for those 

### decisions." Strategy: Operational 

### Clarification statement 

### 7) 

### "When a

### prescribed 

### fire or a

### fire designated 

### for wildland fire use is 

### no longer achieving the 

### intended resource management 

### objectives and 

### contingency or 

### mitigation actions have 

### failed, the 

### fire

## will be declared a

## wildfire. Once a 

### wildfire, it cannot be 

### returned to a 

### prescribed

### fire or

### wildland fire use

### status."
Guidance: "Managers 

### will use a

### decision support process

### to guide and 

### document

### wildfire management 

### decisions. The process

## will provide situational assessment, analyze hazards and 

### risk, define implementation actions, and 

### document decisions and 

### rationale 

### for those 

### decisions." Strategy: 

### Policy Implementation 

### Flowchart
Guidance: Updated

### Appendix F: TVildland Fire 

### Flowchartfrom Review and 

### Update

## of the 1995 

### Federal

### Wildland Fire Management 

### Policy (2001) to 

### reflect implementation 

### terminology of planned and 

### unplanned 

### ignitions. (See 

### Appendix 

### B)

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Page20