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 Update of 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 authority of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) to set forth

direction for consistent implementation of the federal fire policy. It has been used since that time.

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 for wildland fire management. The modifications were tested in a number of field

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 Update of 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), is that replacement.

The U. S, Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U. S. Department of the Interior (USDOI) prohibit

discrimination in all oftheir 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.) Persons with 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 and TTY) and/or the USDOI àt (202) 652-5165.

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten

Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington,DC20250-9410 orcall (202)720-5964 (voice and

TTY). Or write to the Director, Offìce for Equal Opportunity, U. S. Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street,

NW, MS-5221, Washington, DC20240.

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 of the 1995/2001Federal Fire Policy, as directed by the Wildland Fire

Leadership Council.

Successful implementation of the Guidance requires that each of the federal wildland frre

agencies work together through 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 of wildland fire management.

o directs the federal fire directors to revise or develop 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, The Wilderness Society, and The 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 and Avíation 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 of the 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 Update of the 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 of this policy

need closer attention 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

extensive than 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 from wildland fire.

A key finding of the 2001 review of the 1995 policy was that "multiple terms for various

management options to respond to wildland fire have confused agency managers and employees,

operators, partners, and the 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 on ecological, social, and legal consequences of fire. The

circumstances under which a fire occurs, and the likely consequences on firefighter and

public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources, and values to be protected

dictate the appropriate management response to ftre."

. 1995/2001 Federal lttildland Fire Management Policy

The intent of this framework is to 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

order to 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 6
changes that have occurred since the 2003 strategy document was 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 of their

fire management programs to facilitate effective collaboration among cooperating

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 prescribed fires that are declared wildfires

b. Prescribed Fires - Planned ignitions.

6. A wildland fire may be concurrently managed for one or more objectives and objectives

can change as the fire 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.

7. Management response to a wildland fire on federal land is based on objectives

established in the applicable Land/ Resource Management Plan and/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 to firefighter 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 7
The 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 of wildland fire

management.

The federal frre directors will revise or develop 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.

Federal Wildland Fire Policy - Guiding Principles and Policy

Statements

The following guiding principles and policy statements are excerpted from the Review and

Update of the i,995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (January 2001). These remain

the foundational principles for 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 use and 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 programs to

reduce costs and increase effrciencies. As part of this process, investments in fire

management activities must be evaluated against other agency programs in order to

effectively accomplish the overall mission, set short- and long-term priorities, and

clarify management accountability.

6. Fire Management Plans and 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 all fire managers.

7. FÍre Management Plans and 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 mobile fire management work force available for the full

range ofpublic needs.

9. Standardization of policies and procedures among federal wildland fire

management agencies is an ongoing objective. Consistency of plans and operations

provides the fundamental 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 Intent of the policy statement. The right column specifies actions

needed to implement the policy statement.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Page 9
Table 1 - Policv Clarification of Manasement Intent an Actions

Policy Statement

Management Intent Implementation ActÍons

1. Safety

Firefighter and public safety is the frrst priority. All Fire Management Plans and activities must reflect

this commitment.

No natural or cultural resource, home, or item of

property is worth 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 and objectives that ensure

firefìghter and public safety.

Incident Commanders will develop and esüablish

incident objectives, strategies and operational tactics

that ensure fireñghter and public safety.

2. Fire Management and Ecosystem Sustainability

The full range of fîre management activities will be used to help achieve ecosystem sustainability,

including its interrelated ecological, economic, and social components.

"Full range of fire management activities" may include

any vegetative management heatment tool.

Ecosystem sustainability provides a supply ofgoods,

services, social values, and natural processes in

perpetuity.

Economic intent is to provide for sustainable supplies of

goods, services, and social values through

implementation of appropriate fire management

activities.

Land/Resource Management Plan's (L/RMP) will be

developed consistent with both ecological conditions,

and fire regime dynamics, and consider the short and

long term effects ofboth action and no action

alternatives for planned vegetation management

activities as well as responses to wildfrre.

Agencies will exploit the full range of fire 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

and decision analysis processes that address current and

anticipated situational conditions.

3. Response to Wildland FÍre

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 fires is based on

ecological, social and legal consequences ofthe fire. The circumstances under which a fire occurs, and

the likely consequences on firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources' and'

values to be protected, dictate the appropriate response to the fire.

The L/RMP will define and identi$ hre's role in the

ecosystem. The response to an ignition is guided by the

strategies and objectives outlined in the L/RMP and/or

the Fire Management Plan.

Values to be protected from and/or enhanced by

wildland fire are defined in the L/RMP and/or the Fire

Management Plan.

L/RMP and ftre management planning is coordinated

across jurisdictional 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 and spatial and temporal

components of the fire regime,

Responses to wildland 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. Use of 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

one tool in the restoration process and should be

integrated with other land management activities.

Preference will be given for natural ignitions to be

managed in meeting the role of fire as an ecological

process,

Decision support process encourages strategies to

manage fire 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 measured through

specifrc quantified objectives.

5. Rehabilitation and Restoration

Rehabilitation and restoration efforts will be undertaken to protect and sustain ecosystems, public health

and safety, 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 assessed to 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 protection of 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 the values to be protected, human health and safety, and the costs of

protection. Once people have been committed to an incident, these human resources become the 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 response framework 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 and canied out by the incident commander(s).

Guidance for lmplementalion of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Page 1 1
Policy Statement

Management Intent Implementation Actions

7. rüildland Urban Interface

The operational roles of federal agencies as partners in the Wildland Urban Interface are wildland

firefighting, hazard fuels reduction, cooperative prevention and education, and technical assistance.

Structural fire suppression is the responsibility of tribal, 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 protection authority 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 of wildfÏres from the wildlands

into the WUI area, out of the WUI area into the

wildlands, and improve effrciency of wildñre

suppression in WUI situations.

The primary responsibility for protecting private

property and rural communities lies with individual

property owners and local governments.

Recognize that many states have wildland 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 each organization'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 area with burnable vegetation must have an approved Fire Management Plan. Fire Management

Plans are strategic plans that define a program to manage wildland fires based on the area's approved land

management plan. Fire Management Plans must provide for firefrghter and public safety; include fire

management strategies, tactics, and alternatives; address values to be protected and public health issues;

and be consistent with resource management objectives, activities of the area, and environmental laws

and regulations.

Promote interagency and inter-governmental planning.

Encourage landscape scale planning across jurisdictional

boundaries,

The FMP should be interagency or intergovernmental in

scope and developed on a landscape scale, where

practical to take advantage ofeffrciency, reduce conflict

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 12
Policy Statement

Management Intent Implementation Actions

9. Science

Fire Management Plans and programs will be based on a foundation of sound science. Research will

support ongoing efforts to 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 a timely

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 and transfer of

knowledge to practitioners and decision makers.

Social sciences are a part of the research need.

Agencies will integrate science in planning and

monitoring processes,

Agencies will coordinate fire-related research to

improve fire management program capability,

Agencies will emphasize applied science including fire

and fuels, physics, social science, and operations

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 the organization to meet realistic and sustainable

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 mixes to implement a safe and

cost effective fire management program that meets the

fire management guidance identified in the L/RMP.

Agencies will develop a common process for

determining budget needs and cost sharing for all

aspects of ñre management operations.

Implement training program to meet staffing levels

(qualification requirements) with the emphasis on

managing fires for both protection and resource

management obj ectives.

Agencies will develop agreements to efficiently utilize

other federal, state, local, and non governmental

resources.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Page 13
Policy 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 process to assess conditions,

analyze risk and document 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 with their 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 and communities.

Agencies will work with all partners to develop and

implement risk assessment, prevention, and mitigation

plans to reduce the frequency of wildfires due to

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 management activities.

All processes are compatible and transparent so that

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 of fire management programs so

that planning and budgeting methodologies applied in

one situation will provide the same results in similar

circumstances.

Agencies will develop and implement common

operational field guidance and operational procedures to

deal with 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 in fire

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 consideration of all

management objectives.

Agencies will engage cooperators and affected partners

at the strategic, and program planning levels, as well as

the tactical, program implementation level.

Guidance for lmplementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

Page 14
Policy Statement

Management Intent lmplementation Actions

15. Communication and Education

Agencies will enhance knowledge and understanding of wildland fire management policies and practices

through internal and external communication and education programs. These programs will be

continuously improved through 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 and ouheach with shared messages for the

public and internal staff.

Have a public that understands the risk, benefìts and

complexity of wildland fire management.

Develop a consistent and uniform message using

comrnon terminology on importance and role of

wildland frre in natural resource management.

Develop understanding with the public on what we're

trying accomplish with fire management.

Build understanding with the public on their role when

living and recreating in fire prone ecosystems.

16. Agency Administrator and Employee Roles

Agency administrators will ensure that their employees are trained, certified, and made available to

participate in the wildland fire program locally, regionally, and nationally as the 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 in wildland 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 the wildland fire management program to

include fuels, aviation, suppression, planning,

monitoring, research, communication, finance, etc.

Agency administrators will train, qualifr, and certiff

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 a systematic method of evaluation to determine effectiveness of

projects through implementation of the 2001 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 a formal review process to 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 of terminology will be those defined in law, those defined in policy, those defined

in this guidance and then all other agency and interagency documentation. The NV/CG Glossary

of Wildland Fire Terminology will be maintained as the 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 or otherwise meets the criteria for 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 all wildland 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, prescribed frre burn plans and prevention plans. Fire Management Plan's assure

that wildland fire management goals and components are coordinated.

Initial Action - the actions taken 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 direction for land

and resource management activities for 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 of fire 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 is determined 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 actions taken 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 16
and the likely consequences on firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural

resources, and values 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 - a general 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 intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetation 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 Plan and/or Fire Management Plan for an area. This chart is

generally applicable to most agencies' 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 two wildland 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 spreads across 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 to firefighter 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) is any specific action suitable to 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: The term Appropriate Management Response is removed from

implementation guidance with "Response to Wildland Fire" as the policy area defining

the actions for managing a wildland fire.

Strategy: Operational Clarification statement 5) "The Wildland Fire Situation Analysis process is

used to determine and document the 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 is the result of a natural

event. The Land/Resource Management Plan, or the Fire Management Plan, will identi$ areas

where the strategy of wildland 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 for wildland 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 Flowchart from 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