U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

30–614 WASHINGTON : 2018

S. HRG. 115–346 

THE 2018 WILDLAND FIRE OUTLOOK AND THE 

WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS 

HEARING 

BEFORE THE 

COMMITTEE ON 

ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED FIFTEENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

JUNE 5, 2018 

( 

Printed for the use of the 

Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.govinfo.gov 
(II) 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES 

LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska, Chairman 

JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming 

JAMES E. RISCH, Idaho 

MIKE LEE, Utah 

JEFF FLAKE, Arizona 

STEVE DAINES, Montana 

CORY GARDNER, Colorado 

LAMAR ALEXANDER, Tennessee 

JOHN HOEVEN, North Dakota 

BILL CASSIDY, Louisiana 

ROB PORTMAN, Ohio 

SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

RON WYDEN, Oregon 

BERNARD SANDERS, Vermont 

DEBBIE STABENOW, Michigan 

JOE MANCHIN III, West Virginia 

MARTIN HEINRICH, New Mexico 

MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii 

ANGUS S. KING, JR., Maine 

TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois 

CATHERINE CORTEZ MASTO, Nevada 

TINA SMITH, Minnesota 

BRIAN HUGHES, Staff Director 

PATRICK J. MCCORMICK III, Chief Counsel 

LUCY MURFITT, Senior Counsel and Public Lands & Natural Resources Policy Director 

ANNIE HOEFLER, Professional Staff Member 

MARY LOUISE WAGNER, Democratic Staff Director 

SAM E. FOWLER, Democratic Chief Counsel 

BRYAN PETIT, Democratic Senior Professional Staff Member 
(III) 

C O N T E N T S 

OPENING STATEMENTS 

Page 

Murkowski, Hon. Lisa, Chairman and a U.S. Senator from Alaska ................... 1 

Cantwell, Hon. Maria, Ranking Member and a U.S. Senator from Washington .................................................................................................................... 3 

WITNESSES 

Christiansen, Victoria, Interim Chief, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department 

of Agriculture ........................................................................................................ 19 

Rupert, Jeffery, Director, Office of Wildland Fire, U.S. Department of the 

Interior .................................................................................................................. 24 

ALPHABETICAL LISTING AND APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED 

Cantwell, Hon. Maria: 

Opening Statement ........................................................................................... 3 

Map produced by Predictive Services, National Interagency Fire Center, 

dated June 1, 2018 entitled ‘‘Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook August 2018’’ ......................................................................................... 4 

Article by Jonathan W. Long, Leland W. Tarnay, and Malcolm P. North 

in the Journal of Forestry in January 2018 entitled ‘‘Aligning Smoke 

Management with Ecological and Public Health Goals’’ ........................... 7 

Chart entitled ‘‘Large Air Tanker Fleet Size on USFS Exclusive Use 

Contracts’’ ...................................................................................................... 36 

Center for Biological Diversity, et al.: 

Letter for the Record ........................................................................................ 69 

Christiansen, Victoria: 

Opening Statement ........................................................................................... 19 

Written Testimony ............................................................................................ 21 

Responses to Questions for the Record ........................................................... 52 

CoreLogic: 

Letter for the Record ........................................................................................ 71 

Murkowski, Hon. Lisa: 

Opening Statement ........................................................................................... 1 

National Association of State Foresters: 

Letter for the Record ........................................................................................ 72 

Rupert, Jeffery: 

Opening Statement ........................................................................................... 24 

Written Testimony ............................................................................................ 26 

Responses to Questions for the Record ........................................................... 64 

(1) 

THE 2018 WILDLAND FIRE OUTLOOK 

AND THE WILDLAND FIRE 

MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS 

TUESDAY, JUNE 5, 2018 

U.S. SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES, 

Washington, DC. 

The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:08 a.m. in Room 

SD–366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Lisa Murkowski, 

Chairman of the Committee, presiding. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. LISA MURKOWSKI, 

U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA 

The CHAIRMAN. Good morning, everyone. The Committee will 

come to order. 

It is nice to be able to welcome you back to the Committee, Ms. 

Christiansen. Mr. Rupert, welcome to you. 

We are here this morning to discuss the outlook for the 2018 

wildfire season. Just based on what we already know to date, it 

does not look good. Last Friday, the National Interagency Fire Center, which is a joint operation between the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Forest Service, released its monthly wildland fire 

potential outlook for June through September. Warmer and drier 

than average conditions are anticipated, and the Southwest, in particular, is at very high risk for wildfires due to elevated drought 

conditions and strong winds. I feel like a weather reporter here. 

The Tinder Fire, sparked on April 27th in central Arizona, 

marked the first large-scale wildfire of the season in the West. 

There are now several significant, active fires, including massive 

blazes in Colorado and New Mexico that are already forcing evacuations. Already this year, almost 24,000 wildfires have burned 

about 1.7 million acres across the country and this is just June the 

5th. 

The number of wildfires and acres that ultimately burn in 2018 

depends not only on wildfire potential and forest conditions but on 

the timing of lightning strikes and human-caused ignitions. 

Nationwide, people are responsible for starting 84 percent of the 

wildfires. And by starting so many fires, many through human 

carelessness, people are essentially lengthening the fire season into 

the early spring and late fall, times of the year when lightning just 

does not have a major role. The Eagle Creek Fire that raged 

through the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon in 2017 started by a 
2 

teenager that was messing around with firecrackers, just one of 

many examples. 

With the 2018 fire season upon us, I want to start with a plea 

to people everywhere, just please be smart about fire. We can make 

a measurable difference in what this wildfire season ends up looking like, and it starts with being careful. 

It is also time to execute a multipronged federal-state-local strategy to meet the increasing challenges presented by wildland fire in 

a cost-efficient manner. First is innovation. Our committee discusses innovation at length on the energy side of the policy shop, 

but we also have significant opportunities with respect to land and 

wildfire management. Last fall, we held an entire hearing on wildfire technology. 

I am particularly interested in the use of unmanned aircraft systems, or drones, which are playing a greater role in wildfire management response from detecting, mapping and even helping to 

contain wildfires. It is far cheaper to operate, maintain, and train 

personnel on drones, and it also helps reduce risks for pilots, crews, 

and firefighters. 

The Department of the Interior and the State of Alaska have 

been early adopters in the use of drones, and not just for wildfire. 

Interior is using its drones across its management functions, including to monitor the ongoing volcanic eruption in Hawaii. 

We can and should do more to embrace technology in land management, including in wildfire management. I know Senator Cantwell is very interested in this as well, so hopefully this will be an 

area where we will be able to make bipartisan progress. 

After that, we need to look for opportunities to increase efficiencies in wildland fire operations at the federal level. The Forest 

Service and the Department of the Interior have long coordinated 

aspects of their suppression programs through the National Interagency Fire Center but collaboration can still improve with respect 

to procurement, budgeting, information technology, and human 

capital. 

One program to focus on, of course, is aviation services. I still do 

not fully understand why the Forest Service and Interior have 

their own separate programs. 

I have also said, over and over, that wildfire is not just a budget 

problem, it is a management problem—meaning that we must actively manage our forests. In Alaska, we have seen the benefits of 

upfront investments in hazardous fuel reduction and fire breaks before fires start. 

Back in 2014, a large, strategically placed fuel break between the 

Kenai National Refuge and Soldotna saved homes and lives during 

the massive Funny River Fire. Then in 2015, hazardous fuel reduction treatments conducted a few years earlier around Sterling reduced the wildfire risk to that community during the Card Street 

Fire. 

In the FY’18 Omnibus, Congress provided significant funding to 

address wildfires. We also provided some new authorities, not necessarily at the level that I believe are necessary, but what we could 

characterize as a start. The agencies wanted those authorities, so 

we certainly expect them to put them to good use. So, no excuses 

there. 
3 

I want to end by saying that to effectively fight fires and manage 

the lands, you must rid your agencies of sexual harassment, bullying, and retaliation. Workplace misconduct cannot be tolerated, 

especially on the fire lines in the field. Focus on the mission and 

be professional about it or be ready to face the consequences. 

With that, again I would like to welcome the Interim Chief of the 

Forest Service, Vicki Christiansen, and the Director of the Office 

of Wildland Fire at the Department of the Interior, Jeff Rupert, to 

the Committee. 

I thank you both for being with us today. I look forward to our 

discussion this morning as we work to reduce wildfires across the 

country. 

Senator Cantwell. 

STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL, 

U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON 

Senator CANTWELL. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you for 

that very strong statement. I wholeheartedly agree with you on the 

issue of sexual harassment and what the agency needs to do to better manage and train and skill people in response to these issues. 

I also appreciate your very strong statement about drones. As we 

approach this fire season, making sure those on the fire line have 

the best possible information is going to be critical, on weather conditions, on information about fire movement, on all of that. 

I recently attended a breakfast where the Secretary of Agriculture was entering into an MOU with the Secretary of the Interior to work together on many things, including the advancement 

of the use of drones for firefighting. 

The Department of the Interior has done unbelievable work on 

our federal drone fleet. I don’t want the Department of Agriculture 

to waste one minute recreating something when it could just share 

in the same implementation for what the Department of the Interior has done. So I hope that the Department of Agriculture will 

work on that. 

I wanted to get started talking about the release over the weekend from the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). For years 

now, the Committee has heard over and over that our wildfires are 

getting worse, and climate scientists have been telling us the fire 

season is getting longer and hotter. Now this new NIFC forecast 

will have the Pacific Northwest in July/August on the side of what 

we have seen in the past few years in terms of a fire season. 

[The information referred to follows:] 
Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook 

August 2018 

,o Ct. 

. 

Puerto Ric
5 

Senator CANTWELL. Most of the West received less than 50 percent of its average precipitation for May which will likely result in 

fuels in the mountains becoming critically dry by late July. My colleague, Senator Wyden, and I were just discussing this as it relates 

to what that means for us anytime there is less precipitation: just 

a drier environment in which we all have to be very, very mindful 

of. 

Nearly all of the country experienced temperatures that were two 

to six degrees above average last month. Central Washington temperatures were ten degrees above average. Because these conditions are supposed to last through September, places like Southeast 

Washington will likely experience more large fires than they have 

in previous years, starting in July. 

I know that we have a couple of fires already started in our 

state. Hopefully people will be working very quickly to put those 

out, but it’s just a very early reminder of how challenging this season could be. 

Areas in Washington, in Oregon, and in Idaho—I know my colleague from Idaho is trying to be here... East of the Cascade Crest, 

will likely experience more large fires than we have seen in the last 

few years, starting in August. 

Given what we are looking at this summer, I want to make sure 

that we are ensuring firefighters have every tool available to them 

to help fight these fires. They need to be as safe as possible and 

as efficient as possible. 

Everyone here has heard me talk about the Carlton Complex fire 

we had in Washington a few years ago where 149,000 acres burned 

up, literally, in a single day. The following year, the fires in Washington were even worse, and we witnessed first-hand the disaster 

on what the aftermath means for people living in these communities. Our heroic men and women firefighters did everything they 

could to be ready, and we need to do everything we can to be ready 

for this upcoming fire season. 

Fires are becoming more lethal. In the speech that Chief 

Christiansen gave during last week’s International Association of 

Wildland Fire Conference, she mentioned, which really struck me, 

that since 1910, we have had more than 1,000 deaths from 

wildland fires. But the more sobering fact is that more than a 

quarter of those, 255, have occurred in the last 15 years. We can 

see that they are literally becoming more lethal. 

When we get to questions, I am definitely going to ask about our 

efforts on firefighter and safety modernization. We want to make 

sure that every tool is there for our wildland firefighters, as I said, 

with real-time information. We also want to make sure that our 

fire shelters are modernized—developed and implemented in a way 

that the safety of wildland firefighters are improved. 

We had a very unfortunate death in the Thirtymile Fire in which 

the firefighter’s shelter wasn’t really successfully deployed, and we 

bore the tragic loss of life in the Pacific Northwest. 

As you now deploy new shelters and use temporary wildland firefighters with fewer hours of training compared to our permanent 

firefighting force, we want to make sure that everybody is trained 

and also that there is not an expectation of being someplace that 

they shouldn’t be. So we want to work with you on that. 
6 

We also want to have more hasty response to wildfires. Firefighters need to be able to use those technologies that give them 

the most efficient resource. We also want to be very strategic about 

protecting these communities that are in the wildland-urban interface. 

In March, Congress took an important step by addressing part 

of the wildfire problem, and members of this Committee worked 

very hard on a Title of the Omnibus bill dedicated to wildfire, and 

many of the other people here in this room worked very hard on 

that. This law helps the Forest Service have adequate resources to 

respond to wildfires and do their necessary work. We provided significant funding for firefighting for the next 10 years to get out of 

the fire-borrowing paradox. 

So I hope that there is also enough funding for the non-fire programs that can benefit our communities as well, and we sustain 

the increase in funding that will help us do fire prevention and 

fuels treatment in advance of the fire season. That said, our law 

explicitly prevents the loss of funding from the Forest Service NonFire Accounts. 

So what was included in that package that we think will make 

things easier? Obviously, our state agencies like Washington DNR 

are able to partner better with the Forest Service. We hope the 

Forest Service takes advantage of that. I think that during the 

fires two years ago was the first time in decades that the public 

was called to the line, that’s how bad the fire season was. We hope 

the Good Neighbor projects are implemented. We hope that the 

vegetation management around power lines is implemented. We 

hope the 20-year contracts to do thinning and fuel reduction on national forests and promote the development of cross-laminated timber are implemented; and we hope the Forest Service will do all 

the things it can to reduce fuels in advance of wildfires. 

I want to highlight this interesting article that was just published in this month’s Journal of Forestry. It basically shows that 

per acres burned on a wildfire, a fire burning in August puts out 

more than five times as much smoke as a controlled burn in May 

and June. 

[The information referred to follows:] 
7 

PRACTICE OF FORESTRY 

management 

Jonathan W. long, leland W. Tarnoy, and Malcolm P. North 

Post and wrren! forest management offecls wildland fire smoke imp<~<ls on dowowincl homon populn!ions. 

However, mismotthes hetweeo the stole of benefits and risks make it difficult !o wildland 

fires to promote both etologitol and public heol!h. Building on 

and health effect., we outline o fromework to more din::cl~ quaniify and wmpare smoke impmfs on 

emissions, dispersion, and the size und vulnerability of downwind populations across time and space. We opp~ 

the fromework inn mse study to demonstrate how different kinds of fires in Colifornio's Central Sierra Nevrrdo 

hove resulted in very different smoke impa<ts. Our results indico!e tho! the Rim Fire of 2013 

probably resulted in 7 million person-cloys of smoke across California whkh was 

thon 5 times the impod per burned unit area than fwo Grouse and 

lntenfiono!ly for resource within fhe some The framework and suggest 

strotegies and for burns that wn minimize smoke impads, restore forest 

ecosystems, ond reclute !he more hazardous wlidfire and smoke events. 

Keywords: air quality, Colilornio, USA, portiwlo!e matter, sotioecologiwl systems, wildland fire 

idcr usc of ecologically bcndl~ 

cia! fire ba.:-, been suggeste·d a.s a 

critical wo[ fi1r the 

pace and scale of forest restoration for 

aV(lidlng extreme wildfires that pose threats 

to human he8!th (North et a!. 2015, 

Schwciu~r and Cisneros 2016). A of 

calkd re~ouro.' 

Tensions rcAcct long-sunding division of 

responsibilities between forest managers 

concerned >vith rurocirnrr 1i'fc'" 

RcceivcdAugnst 10, 2016; acc.;ptcd D~·ccmhcr 12.2016: pnhlishdonlincJanuary 19, 2!JF. 

76 fomTMh:fForn·try .. January 20!B 
8 

arc common to other parts of the 

where large and Kvcre wild~ 

(Wil~ 

uf fire suppression in 

past and current generations to expect less frcqm'nt fire :md 

sm.oke than dry 

It 

al. 20141. These extrcm<.: 11rcs not 

and 53,487 tons in 2011. The wildfire em is~ 

sions in 2iiOR rqm~scutcd 6B% of all Pl'v12 .s 

emissions in the .~tat<:, and 

and another 5% 

li\'ing in smalkr (US Ccnsns 

Dur\.'au 2015). 1\iany of those urban 

al"l' situated in valleys or basins that have 

blc health ct al. 2014). 

Preisler et al. An important tempontl mism"1tch 

Mnnagemenl and R'Oii~ fmplicolions 

fnuml11t~(Forcsirv" Janl!aty2(l]B 77 
9 

f (Emissions X Dispersion x Population Vulnerability) 

over time and space 

Figure 1. Framework for evaluating smoke impads using source emissions, dispersal and 

downwind populations, integrated over time and large areas of fire influence. 

tolerating 

fires 

utivc cbvs, such constraints can make it infl:asible .tu hurn the hundreds or thousands 

fines that are managed f;1r resource hcnd1ts. 

For reasons we discuss the article, shifting from an on arc:1 

78 }mrnalaf FrwNh'l' * January 2018 

<..'tTccts in Albuquerque during: the Wallow 

Fire of2011. 

heavier fuel load" and expected emissiom 

than otherwise similar ,1rcas subjected to 

fire.~. Consequently, area bnrncd, 

pwdul'tion. 

The second step in the framnvork is fo 

evaluate 

within 
10 

tnoh tP spatially and temporally f;1rccast 

smoke concentrations downstream from 

::t.nd 

Method for Applying the Framework 

to Selected Fires 

\'11/c appli(·d the framewNk 

tivdy to compare difh,rcncc.~ in smoke 

pans h~'twcen rc"ourcc ohjccrivc wildfires 

crai of the previous fires; 

of smoke monitoring data., par2007, requires a hlCus nn 

Supplementary data aJe avaibhle \Yith this article .lt http://dx.doi.org/J0.5849/)0F-20t6.042R2 

]ow'lid! a[ For!'~lrF ~ J.11mary 2018 79 
11 

5000 

m2DOO 

5 woo- !: 500 

~ 200 

~ 1~~ 

~ 20 0 10 ·~ 5 

~ 2 

.;, 1 8 05 

TirneofYear(2002-2013) 

Figure 2. Estimated daily emissions of PM2 .

5 , as generated by the FOFEM for different types 

of fire within the Tuolumne River watershed1 Colifornia1 between 2002 and 2013. Points on 

each line represent one day of estimated emissions for a specific fire. Note the log base 2 

y·axis; see Figures 4A and 4S for the nonlogarithmk version. 

ct aL l!l14). 

We nuppcd the H0AS medium- and 

-.,vho~c centroid vvas vvithin areas ofhigh- and 

80 fuunNIII{Fure\·try" January20IB 

Results of !he Case Study 

This 

smoke impacts in a 

scape compared with those a 

sion-ccntcrcd strategy. hut it illustrates 

managing fires t~>r rcs()urcc ohjcctivcs could 

reduce smoke impacts relative to those for 

enormous conscqncnccs. :md 

approache~ face num<:TntL~ clulk·nbrcs in rcpn:c>cnting the dh.·crivcnt'-SS of the 

response and the impart.<> oflow~ 

sin and San 

most of the 

In contrast, 

rc~ourcc oheithcr in rhe 

when air!.-hed 

arc often more £rvurahk. 

J\fodclcd emission<; from the Rim Fire 

and amount of accumu-

(Fi}.!;ure .3A). However, 

emissions frmn' the Rim Fire 

that 

vironmental 

Fire {Ihtkcr ct al. 2013). 
12 

Figure 3. Fuel loading and estimated emissions of PM2 .

5 per unit area within different vegetation polygons {A) and estimated emissions of 

PM2.5 per day within daily progression polygons {B), within the Rim Fire. 

smnkc. \Vithin 

Yosemite Village, which fc1v of its typi· 

cal kvds cxcedcd the unhealthy" ~tandard t'f 150 J.Lg/n/' (Fi~;ure SB) 

on that day. 

ln c-ontr~l~t, tl1e Crouse and Harden 

modest emissions until the 

(Figure 4A). Both fires 

for resource \)bjective~ u~ing 

difll.'rcnt uctics. For the Crouse Fire, man~ 

management strategies 2. kforeffuwable dispersion and potentia/for 

founud if Forestrv ~ January 2018 81 
13 

figure 4. Comparisons betvveen three measures of potential smoke impact during the Grouse and Harden fires of 2009 (left} and the Rim 

wildfire of 2013 {right}r including estimated daily emissions {top}; estimated person-days of smoke impad associated with medium· and 

high-density smoke plumes (middle, note that the y·axis scale on the chart of impacts during the Grouse and Harden fires [CJ is 250 times 

smaller than the one for the Rim Fire [Dl); cmd 24~hour rolling average PM:u values \bottom, shown in relation to assodated levels of health 

concern) for Yosemite Village, California, and Reno, Nevada (data were not available for Reno in 2009}. 

less ozone. As maintenance hums reduce 

fuel kvds over time, nunagcrs be 

pcrsion is often more favorable and 

OZ(llW conccnrrati{ms arc low<T (Jaft{: 

aL 2013). managed for resource 3. 

objectives arc kss likely to result the 

82 fouma! of Forestry " January 20! R 

snnrcc objectives when weather and fire 

bch,:tvior conditions at<..' m.orc modcrat..: 

than under extreme wildfire~, their 
14 

Figure 5. HMSsmoke plumes from the Rim Fire on Aug. 31,2013, a day of extensive heavy 

smoke impad, overlying population density of census tracts in California and Nevada. 

ductinn. Convcrsdv, 

fif(· growth during, 

dispersion to dilute cmis.~ions. Thcy can 

burn ("black-lining'') under 

conditions. just bearrives and then ignite 

climate wnditions increase the likelihood of brgc fires, such .'-trarcgic u~c of 

fire -,viJl become 

for reducing the 

largc-scak, extreme fires like the Rim 

Fire 

to extreme events, and 

uncc-rt<~inty of climate Despite such chat-

,\moke monitoring and smoke 

essential f()f 

The frame-..vork and re~nlts of the case 

sites, rather tlnn applying prdeterarca lim.ib ur assuming a direct 

correlation 1.vith snwkc This apis human 

Public Communication to Reduce 

Smoke lmpocl and Support Use 

of Fire 

fourrutlo/Fon•;trr • January20JB 83 
15 

BATKET<., D 'z. Cl!JUSTl"'l, R. $(1[\{iJ)T, -i:\"D I. DE 

!A TO liRE. 20! 3. Tht 

101.0 Rim 

Figure 6. Fire managers pushed the Grouse Fire to spread during periods of favorable smoke dispersion, induding times at night. 0~~;-Ros, R., D. ScHW'Fi7T.R, H. PRlT;rrR, D.H 

est man<Igcnwm can 

from extreme fires 

Air Resource Advisors 

fCS\HlfC'C llhjccthT 

can facilitate public communic-a· 

and prcp<Irc documcms used by 

regulators in permitting burns and 

fnr cxn.'edanccs of 

lncenlivizing Reduction of Smoke 

Impacts Rather than Area Burned 

Rather than burned, 

disincentives for intentionally using 

fires to restort: !anchc.1pcs (Snccuwjagt 

ct 2(ll3). 

The combin.1tion of a w.1rming dimatc 

and acnimllLujou of forest fuds t'nsures a 

fumrc with more large fires and .~mrlke in dry 

\Vcstcrn US forests. \X!c have outlined a 

84 fmmUJI<{T-m·l5try '" Jamhtr)' 2018 

inevitable cmi.:>sions to conditions that minEndnotes 

2. 

calpuffl.htm. 

4. For mor~· !nfurmation, 

ben map. 

5. For mort' infornution, 

change presents increased potential fot very 

to the surfac\~ ll<.'Cll" '1:/V'ashington, DC: Injt'ction 

}. 

66(3):189-197. 

E~Cl!, K.H. 2013. Perverse ino.:ntivcs: The case 

of wildfire smoke tcgubtion. Ewl. raw Q. 

ature rc\·ic\Y. f. D:ol. Anthmpo!. 7:3'J-59. 
16 

Li~ , J.C., G. Pt.RUR.A, S.A. Um, ivLA. :GR .. \Vo, 

.\Nil M.L. DuL 20!) 

hicnt and wi!dfiK mttrCl':> from California's 

20 l2. Usim~ fire to incrcaM: the scJ.lc, hcndih 

and future ~1aintenancc nffuds treatment::. f. Fm 

o;,;entinn.s on n:duct the health and economic 

burden of wildhrc~ )'ci. Tctlmo!. 

4B( 18): l o:;:· !-1 O"i79 

RluJ,\m);;,):--;, LA., r.A 

Rt 

CR\lL. S. RuRnRJ(,, 

founttt! ofFarestry • January 20lii 85 
17 

PRPTfCTlO:--;; 

2016. AinVmu~Tcrh J)af,1iNFC. Aq_ilahle on86 fouma!o_fFomtry ~ January2018 

lim: at airno\-Yh'ch.nrgi: last J.cccsscdJe~n. I t. 

2016. 
18 

Senator CANTWELL. Now I know this probably makes sense to 

people, but at the same time this is one of the dilemmas we have 

been fighting. I guarantee if you asked people in Puget Sound, 

would you tolerate a little bit of smoke in those months (May, 

June) to reduce the constant summer-wide haze that was present 

because of August wildfires . . . I guarantee you, they would say 

‘‘yes.’’ ‘‘Let’s do the prescribed burning in the months that are wet, 

to help us control these burns in the most effective way.’’ 

Obviously we have more work to do on that, but I think that article showed us this is among the wisest spending that we could do, 

and we just need to push through on this. 

I will also be asking Chief Christiansen about the shift to callwhen-needed contracts for 35 percent of the air tankers and water 

scoopers, including Aeroflight in Spokane. I want to make sure that 

you have every tool available to you, and I want to make sure we 

are making the best, most cost-effective decisions and you are not 

just going with something because it can be funded from the newly 

authorized larger pot of money. I would feel better sleeping at 

night if you had every tool available. 

We know that water alone does not put out the fire, nor does fire 

retardant, but it does buy time until firefighters can get there. 

With this many fire starts in this dry of a season, having that kind 

of air ability to help mitigate is so, so important to these communities. With communities that are so stretched when the entire 

upper part of Northwest Washington and Northeast Washington is 

on fire, basically, communities were defending themselves. 

I understand that, well, we’ll get the air tankers. I just want to 

say that the last year fire managers requested, but did not receive, 

an air tanker 371 times because none were available. I get that 

your goal is to have the most resources. I want you to have the 

most resources too. But I don’t want you to have to give up one for 

the other. 

So let’s work together on figuring out how we get you both in 

what is going to continue to be a challenging fire environment. 

Madam Chair, we just can’t work fast enough. The changing climate and environment is making fire a more challenging environment for our Forest Service, for our wildland firefighters, for our 

communities. We put a down payment on it, but we need to do so 

much more. 

I thank everybody, and thank you for having this important 

hearing today. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Cantwell. 

We will now turn to our witnesses this morning. 

Ms. Christiansen, again, welcome, as the Interim Chief of the 

U.S. Forest Service at the Department of Agriculture. We appreciate you being here and your leadership. 

If you would please proceed. 

We would ask you both to try to keep your comments to about 

five minutes so we have opportunities for questions. 

We do have two votes that are scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m., 

but we will power through them so that we can allow members to 

ask their very timely questions to a very timely issue. 

Welcome, Ms. Christiansen. 
19 

STATEMENT OF VICTORIA CHRISTIANSEN, INTERIM CHIEF, 

U.S. FOREST SERVICE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Madam Chair, members of the Committee, 

thank you for inviting me back to testify. 

I’d like to touch on three topics today: The Wildfire Outlook and 

our preparations to respond; our progress to increase work to improve forest conditions and reduce fire risk; and then update you 

on our actions to create a safe, respectful workplace. 

Above-average wildfire activity appears to be our new normal. 

Forecasters predict 2018 will rival last year’s historic season when 

the Federal Government spent $2.9 billion fighting fires. 

They predict above-average significant fire potential in 11 Western states at various times between now and the end of September 

as Senator Cantwell displayed. 

Firefighting is not solitary work. No one organization can do it 

alone. We rely on the cooperation and shared resources with states, 

tribes, federal agencies, and local partners. With our collective resources, we maintain what we need to effectively respond. 

The Forest Service itself has 10,000 firefighters, 900 engines and 

hundreds of available aircraft. Our firefighting efforts suppress 98 

percent of all fires at ten acres or less. We are also taking steps 

to better manage costs for fire response. We know there is no blank 

check. 

We will make decisions to ensure we spend dollars in the right 

place that will make a difference. We are evaluating and reducing 

cost centers to ensure we are most effective and efficient with taxpayer dollars. 

In addition to wildfire response, our work is equally about improving forest conditions and providing for uses and experiences 

and services. 

With the help of Congress, we are equipped with new tools and 

the fire funding fix to help us get more done. It’s our time to deliver, and we are making steady progress. 

By June 8th, all of our regions will submit two-year plans that 

will demonstrate how they are going to employ the new authorities. 

They’ll include the modified Good Neighbor agreements, use of new 

categorical exclusions for wildfire resilience, and optimal locations 

for the 20-year stewardship contracts. 

We also look forward to submitting our blueprint to reduce hazardous fuels in high risk areas. 

We are already seeing increased results. 

We will sell 3.4 billion board feet of timber this year while improving resiliency and health on more than three million acres. 

We have increased the number of acres we treated by 36 percent. 

Timber harvest rose 13 percent from last year, and we are delivering it earlier in the year. At this point, we have harvested nearly 

30 percent more timber than we did last year. Our 2018 timber target is the highest it’s been in two decades. 

We have also strengthened cooperation with states and other 

partners to do more work. Our increased work with states has resulted in 150 Good Neighbor agreements in 34 states. One agreement in Utah resulted in 36 projects that will treat over 50,000 

acres. 
20 

Meanwhile, we are fundamentally reforming our internal processes and it’s paying off. We are streamlining our planning over the 

last eight months, and it’s decreased the time to authorize projects. 

This has reduced costs in just these eight months by $30 million. 

We are updating our technology to expedite timber sales and our 

shovel-ready work has also increased to build on our momentum 

for 2019. 

There is much more work to do, but we are off to a productive 

start. 

Finally, our mission success does depend highly on a skilled, motivated workforce. We will continue to act with urgency to end harassment and retaliation in the Forest Service. 

Next week, over 30,000 employees will take part in a full-day 

session called, Stand Up for Each Other. Employees will receive a 

new code of conduct and mandatory anti-harassment training with 

our broad, new policy. 

You have my personal commitment to do whatever it takes to 

bring about a permanent culture change in the Forest Service. This 

level of commitment goes for all the work we do. We will ensure 

your investments make a difference to Americans who deserve 

healthy, productive forests and a government that works for them. 

Thank you, Madam Chair, members of the Committee, I’m happy 

to answer your questions. 

[The prepared statement of Ms. Christiansen follows:] 
21 

Statement of Victoria Christiansen, Interim Chief of the USDA Forest Service 

Before 

The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

Concerning 

The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and Wildland Fire Management Programs. 

June 5 2018, 10:00 a.m. 

Madam Chairman and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify on the 

agency's efforts to prepare for and respond to wildfires and improve the condition of America's 

forests and grasslands. I appreciate the Committee's continued support and your recognition that 

this work goes beyond wildfire response, and is as much about proactively creating healthy, fireresilient conditions on National Forest System lands so they provide for the uses, experiences and 

services that meet the needs of our Nation. This Congress provided valuable tools in the 

Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (2018 Omnibus) that will allow the agency to carry out 

projects that help reduce the threat catastrophic wildfires and other forest threats pose to lives, 

homes and communities. We will take advantage of the opportunities presented in the 2018 

Omnibus and work diligently to deliver desired results. 

2018 Wildfire Year 

Last year was one of the most devastating wildfire years on record. Tragically, dozens of Americans 

were killed, including 14 wildland firefighters who perished while working to protect lives and 

property. Communities in the Great Plains, the Southeast, Southwest and the West were affected, 

with more than 10 million acres burned-an area larger than the state of Maryland-and more than 

12,300 homes and other structures destroyed. It was also the most expensive year for wildfires on 

record: For the first time ever, we spent $2.9 billion dollars to suppress wildfires across the nation. 

Early predictions indicate that 2018 will likely be another challenging wildfire year. According to 

the forecast released by the National Interagency Fire Center on June 1, 2018, significant portions 

of the western United States are predicted to have above average potential for significant wildfire 

activity between now and the end of September. States likely to be affected include Arizona, 

California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. To 

date, about 1. 7 million acres have burned, mostly in the South, Southwest and Rocky Mountain 

regions; this number is on trend with the number of acres burned last year at this time. Wildland 

firefighting is not a solitary effort, and we rely on federal, tribal, state and local partners to provide a 

sustained and effective response across jurisdictions. This year the Forest Service and our partners 

have more than 10,000 firefighters, 900 engines, and hundreds of aircraft available to manage 

wildfires. At this time, we believe these to be adequate resources to address wildfire activity but 

will continue to evaluate our needs as the fire year progresses. 

Recent trends in wildfire response data suggest that increasing suppression activity appears to be the 

new normal. In adjusting to this new normal, the authorities provided in the 2018 Omnibus are key. 
22 

I am especially appreciative of the solution to our fire funding dilemma. It is a challenge we have 

struggled with and worked on together for well over a decade. In fiscal year 2020, this 

comprehensive fire funding tix will ultimately stabilize our operating environment by addressing 

the impact of the rising suppression budget on forest management and research, and by treating 

catastrophic wildfires as natural disasters. Congress has dramatically reduced the need for 

transferring funds from our other mission programs so we can cover firefighting costs. We now 

have new tools and expanded authorities to help us do more to improve the conditions of our forests 

and grasslands. We will step up to this challenge and will do our part as an agency to get more work 

done on the ground. 

Again, we are already developing more efficient and effective ways to do our work while taking 

steps to contain fire costs and ensuring we spend dollars in the right places to make a difference. We 

expect to demonstrate this commitment as we confront the 2018 fire year. Moreover, will continue 

our internal reforms, especially in active forest management that will result in changing overly 

complex, time-consuming, outdated processes that delay our work on the ground. Coupled with the 

expanded authorities, these reforms will translate to more favorable results, production and work in 

our nation's forests. 

Forest Management 

Congress has been very helpful in recent years, providing a number of authorities to help us get 

more work done on the ground. Thank you it is helping, and we are making progress. For 

example, the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) provided in the Agricultural Act of2014, and 

expanded by the 2018 Omnibus, has dramatically increased our cooperation with states. We now 

have 150 agreements in 34 states using this authority. This shared stewardship approach has 

generated more trust and allowed significantly more work to get done. 

While the total number of GNA agreements shows real progress, that number alone does not tell the 

whole story. For example, in the State of Utah a single 10-year agreement between the Forest 

Service and the state has yielded 36 projects that will treat over 50,811 acres ofNational Forest 

System lands in Fiscal Year 2019 alone. 

The new authorities provided by Congress in the 2018 Omnibus give us more tools to increase 

forest treatments. The combination of these new tools and the fire funding fix are already changing 

the way we get work done-it's no longer business as usual. Since the 2018 Omnibus was signed into 

law, we analyzed the new tools technically and legally, provided explicit guidance to the field, and 

have required the Regions to submit their plans for implementing the authorities by June 8, 2018. 

More immediately we have directed the Regions to modify their Good Neighbor Agreements and 

use the new categorical exclusion for wildfire resilience projects. The new categorical exclusion 

will also be available for post fire treatments this year. In addition, we are actively working with our 

Regions and industry partners to identify the best areas to initiate 20-year stewardship contracting, 

thereby maximizing in the development of new infrastructure to process forest products. 

2 
23 

Outside of increasing the use of new Congressional authorities, we have been very aggressive on 

improving our processes administratively to reduce the time and cost to plan and implement work 

on the ground. It's paying off Our focus to streamline planning over the past eigbt months has 

decreased the time necessary to authorize projects, reduced costs by nearly $30 million, and resulted 

in more shovel ready work. But we know there is more to do. 

We are also putting into place a national risk-based strategy to address wildland fuels. To that end, 

this year we have increased acres treated by 36 percent and timber harvest by 13 percent over last 

year's levels. Compared to last year, we have nearly 30 percent more timber harvested at this point 

in the year. Our anticipated level of timber harvest in Fiscal Year 2018 is the highest it's been in 20 

years. In all, this year the Forest Service plans to sell 3.4 billion board feet of timber while 

improving the resiliency and health of more than 3 million acres of National Forest System lands 

through removal of hazardous fuels and stand treatments. 

Our implementation of vegetation treatment is also getting more efficient. We have trained 

personnel and industry partners in every region to use designate by prescription and description 

methods. We have also delivered updated technology to our personnel in the field, designed to 

reduce the time it takes to administer a timber sale, moving us closer to industry standards. 

While we are pleased with the progress we are making, we recognize that the successful delivery of 

services and work starts with a highly skilled, motivated workforce. Forest Service employees 

remain our largest and most important investment. They are essential to confronting the arduous 

challenges facing America's forests and grasslands. They are integral to the services and 

experiences we provide to citizens and local communities. A safe and respectful work environment 

is the foundation for everything we do at the Forest Service. We simply cannot succeed without it. 

The next step toward this end will be during the week of June 11 when every Forest Service 

employee will participate in a daylong event called Stand Up for Each Other. Our local leaders will 

convene learning sessions designed to show how we as Forest Service employees can better support 

each other so that we all feel valued and respected. We expect the following outcomes for all Forest 

Service employees from Stand Up for Each Other: employees will understand that harassment, 

assault, bullying and retaliation are absolutely unacceptable behaviors; they will all know what to 

do if we experience or witness unacceptable behaviors; and, our agency as a whole will have built a 

collective capacity among employees to Stand Up for Each Other. We will continue to work in the 

weeks and months ahead to create the work environment each and every one of us deserves. 

That concludes my testimony, Madam Chairman. I would be happy to answer any questions you or 

the Committee members have for me. 
24 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Ms. Christiansen. 

Mr. Rupert, welcome to the Committee. 

STATEMENT OF JEFFERY RUPERT, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF 

WILDLAND FIRE, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR 

Mr. RUPERT. Good morning, Chairman Murkowski, Ranking 

Member Cantwell, members of the Committee. Thank you for the 

opportunity to appear before you this morning to discuss the 2018 

outlook and the Department of the Interior’s fire management program. 

As we’ve already heard this morning, 2018 is shaping up to be 

another challenging year. The cumulative impacts of drought, 

invasive species, and the steady accumulation of vegetation are creating landscapes that are more susceptible to large, devastating, 

and costly wildfires. 

So far this year we’ve seen large fires in the South, the Midwest, 

and especially in the Southwest. And by all indications, we can expect the fire season in the West to be comparable to recent years 

as the outbreak of major wildfires over the weekend in New Mexico 

and Colorado demonstrate. 

Together with our partners, we will continue to mobilize Department personnel, to deploy engines, single-engine air tankers, and 

other firefighting assets in support of a fully interoperable firefighting effort. 

As Secretary Zinke and Secretary Perdue recently reaffirmed to 

all wildland fire leadership in both Departments, the protection of 

firefighters and public safety is the top priority for every wildland 

fire activity and management decision. 

Effective wildfire response is also built on trust, on teamwork, 

and on collaboration among firefighters and their partners. A workplace that’s free from harassment and where all members of the 

firefighting community have a strong trust relationship with their 

colleagues is critical to achieving a safe and effective response. 

The Department of the Interior’s recently implemented comprehensive anti-harassment policy takes meaningful steps to address harassment by stepping up training and establishing a clearly defined complaint and resolution process so that all employees, 

including those on the fire line, can focus on the mission. 

To reduce the threat of wildfires, it’s critical that we take a more 

active approach to the management of vegetation on our nation’s 

forests and rangelands. In a directive to all Department of the Interior field personnel, Secretary Zinke emphasized the importance of 

active management as a way to reduce hazards and establish fire 

resilient landscapes and communities. 

A cornerstone of this policy is the integration of vegetation management in all resource management planning as a way to reduce 

fuels and improve forest and rangeland health, protect people’s 

lives and their communities, and prevent catastrophic wildfires. 

Vegetation management, either done collaboratively with our 

partners or done directly by bureaus on Department managed 

lands, is one of the most effective strategies for mitigating wildfire 

risk. Coupled with more aggressive vegetation management, technology is helping us to prevent and manage catastrophic wildfires. 
25 

The use of unmanned aircraft systems, or UAS, is a perfect example of technology and leveraging it to fight wildfires in safer and 

more efficient ways. Last year, the Department conducted over 700 

UAS missions on more than 70 wildfires, and we’re on track to surpass that this year. The versatility of UAS is making a big difference in the way that we’re fighting wildfires. UASs provide real 

time data and information that’s used to improve surveillance and 

reconnaissance by assisting firefighters with detecting hot spots, 

improving mapping and increasing the effectiveness of monitoring. 

We’re also exploring a number of new technologies including applications and alert systems that improve firefighter safety and collaboration with the Department of Defense. 

I would also like to point out that the Department is widely 

using UASs to support natural resource management and for 

search and rescue missions. 

For example, last week the USGS, the U.S. Geological Survey, 

carried out a search and rescue mission in Hawaii at the Mount 

Kilauea volcano. Using infrared sensors, a UAS spotted an individual cornered by a lava flow. The remote pilot, using the UAS, 

was able to safely navigate the individual to a search crew that ultimately led the person out of harm’s way. 

So we look forward to working collaboratively with our partners 

throughout the wildland fire community to continue to build on 

these and other efforts in ways that support the safety of firefighters and the public, enhance our firefighting capabilities, and 

strengthen relationships with our partners. 

I hope it goes without saying, but I’ll say it anyway, thank you 

for the sustained support of this Committee for the entire wildland 

fire community and thanks again for the opportunity to discuss the 

Department’s program. 

I’m happy to answer any questions. Thank you. 

[The prepared statement of Mr. Rupert follows:] 
26 

Statement of 

Jeffery Rupert 

Director, Office of Wildland Fire 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Before the 

Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

Oversight Hearing on the 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Department of 

the Interior's Wildland Fire Management Program 

June 5, 2018 

Chainnan Murkowski, Ranking Member Cantwell, and members of the Committee, thank you 

for the opportunity to provide testimony on the Department of the Interior's (Department) 

Wildland Fire Management (WFM) program. 

The Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) coordinates the Department's WFM policies and budget for 

the Department's fire bureaus, including the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM), Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and National Park Service (NPS). OWF 

is also responsible for coordinating with other Federal agencies, Tribes, states, and external 

partners to establish effective program performance and oversight and ensure the programmatic 

efficiency of all aspects of the WFM program. These efforts support a collaborative approach to 

wildland fire management and promote the broad wildland fire community goals of: 1) restoring 

and maintaining fire-resilient landscapes; 2) creating fire-adapted communities that will 

withstand the effects of a wildfire without the loss oflife and/or property; and 3) safely and 

effectively responding to wildfire. 

OWF recognizes the absolute importance of collaboration if we are to significantly reduce 

wildfire risk to wildland firefighters, communities, and landscapes. The success of the WFM 

program is dependent upon successful collaboration across the program. Partnerships are vital 

to DOl's broad land stewardship responsibilities, including the implementation of fuels 

management work that helps reduce fire risk; post-fire rehabilitation work that helps restore 

landscapes and watersheds; and data, predictive tools, and the use of new technology to provide 

information needed for fire practitioners and decision makers. 

The integration of fire management with resource management planning across the Department 

is the cornerstone in Secretary Zinke's Wildland Fire Directive and a core principle of the WFM 

program. Through more active management of our nation's public lands, we can reduce the 

threat of large and costly catastrophic wildfires. For instance, fuels management including 

prescribed fire, chemical treatments, and other applications- and other land management 

activities that reduce vegetation can equally influence wildfire behavior and promote the safety 

and effectiveness of wildfire response, safeguard communities and infrastructure, and protect the 

public and our firefighters. At the same time, these projects enhance wildlife habitat and help 

watersheds become more resilient to the effects of wildfires. 

In advancing the goals of the WFM program, OWF recognizes the importance of developing and 

adopting advanced or emergent technologies. This is critical to becoming a more efficient, 

1 
27 

integrated, and effective wildland fire management organization. The Department continues to 

be the leader in the research, development, and practical deployment of Unmanned Aircraft 

Systems (UAS), or drones, on wildland fire management operations. Currently, the Department 

uses UASs to assist firefighters in gaining a tactical advantage on wildfires by allowing them to 

improve their surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The data collected by UASs is used 

to detect hotspots, improve mapping, and monitor incidents and operations. These advancements 

support the safety of our firefighters and the public and allow us to be better positioned to 

address wildfire. Through an increasingly robust UAS program, we continue to be innovative 

and improve our operational efficiency. 

Summary of the 2017 Fire Year 

The 2017 fire year was very challenging. Seattle, Washington and Missoula, Montana, set 

records for their longest historic periods without measurable rainfall. Hot and extremely dry 

conditions persisted in California from early Fall to the end of the calendar year. More than 

71,000 wildfires burned over 10 million acres of Federal, Tribal, state, and private lands. The 

Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service collectively spent $2.9 billion on 

suppression operations, the largest amount ever. There were more than 1,400 large or significant 

wildfires in 2017, compared to 1,251 in 2016. 

In 2017, our nation suffered the tragic loss of 53 civilians and 14 firefighters, while an additional 

21 persons died in debris flows in the aftermath of wildfires. Published research strongly 

suggests that smoke impacts from wildfires in 2017 have very likely caused or contributed to 

even more fatalities. Besides the direct impacts of wildfires, 2017 will be remembered as the 

"Year of the Smoke" across many communities, some well downwind of any wildfires. 

Additionally, more than 12,000 structures were destroyed, including nearly 8,100 residences and 

over 200 commercial structures. 

To supplement the Federal wildland firefighting force, in July, the National Guard mobilized C130 aircraft equipped with modular airborne firefighting systems from Washington, Colorado, 

Arizona, Nevada, and Wyoming to provide aerial support for nearly two months. In addition, 

200 soldiers and 50 support staff from the 23'd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 7'11 Infantry Division, 

from Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Washington provided additional ground support for 30 days 

fighting wildfires in Oregon. The nation also received international support from Canada in 

2017. 

The 2018 Fire Season 

Secretary Zinke and Secretary Perdue have affirmed in a joint letter to agency managers that 

was released in early May of 2018 that firefighter and public safety remains paramount in all 

firefighting operations. Before engaging in any wildland fire activity, we fully evaluate risks 

with a broad perspective and consider the people we serve and the resources we protect. Given 

predicted weather trends and vegetative conditions across many areas, we can expect another 

challenging wildfire season. 

2 
28 

The National Significant Wildfire Potential Outlook, issued by the Predictive Services Unit at the 

National Interagency Coordination Center, shows the Western fire season continued to increase 

in activity across the Southwest in May, while conditions across the central and southern Great 

Plains gradually improved. Concerns across southern California will remain high due to existing 

drought conditions; the Southwest's Four Corners region also remains in extreme or exceptional 

drought. Conditions in Alaska this spring suggest a normal seasonal transition. While some areas 

of abnormally dry conditions exist across portions of the southwestern interior of Alaska, large 

fire potential has remained near normal. 

Wildfire activity across the Southwest is expected to peak in May and June. Above normal 

significant large fire potential is expected across the southern tier of the region during this period 

as drought conditions intensify. Similar conditions will continue to promote above normal 

potential across southern California, because fine dead fuels have persisted from rains early last 

year, and because of an extended drought that continues to cause shrub mortality. In Alaska, 

above average temperatures and near average precipitation across the state's interior is expected 

to lead to significant large fire potential in June. 

Wildland Firefighting Assets 

The Department plans to deploy over 4,000 firefighting personnel this year, including 155 

smokejumpers, 16 interagency hotshot crews, 4 Tribal hotshot crews, 3 other Tribal crews, and 6 

Veteran hand crews. In addition, the Department will provide nearly 1,200 support personnel 

(for example, members ofJncident Management Teams, dispatchers, and fire cache staff) and 

will have nearly 750 pieces of specialized heavy equipment available for use, including 631 

engines, and other assets such as water tenders and dozers. 

The Department will have access to 89 single engine air tankers, 14 water scoopers, 300 

helicopters on call-when-needed contracts, and 36 additional helicopters on exclusive use 

contracts. These aviation resources are deployed in synergy with the large air tankers and lead 

planes on contract with USDA Forest Service. 

We want to emphasize that these resources complement other Federal, Tribal, state and local 

resources, as well as those specifically made available by rural fire districts. Together, these 

assets form the foundation of an interoperable, collaborative approach to joint wildland 

firefighting. As you all know, the "fire season" has become extended in many parts of the 

country, and collectively is now often referred to as the "fire year." This has become 

increasingly challenging to the Department and nearly all our wildland fire management 

partners. 

Active Management/Fuels Management 

As referenced earlier, the Secretary's Wildland Fire Directive sets the vision for the 

Department's strategy for advancing a more active management approach to the stewardship of 

the nation's public lands. It is critical that all available tools, including the use of fuels 

management, be fully integrated into our Fire Management Plans and resource management 

plans. Some of the forest management provisions included in the 2018 Omnibus support these 

3 
29 

efforts by authorizing certain activities that promote more active management. The Department 

would like to continue working with the Committee to explore opportunities for providing 

additional authorities that expand our toolbox to yield greater flexibility to more effectively 

mitigate wildfire behavior, improve forest and rangeland health, and safeguard communities, 

people, and firefighters. 

The management of fuels also plays a central role in mitigating wildfire behavior, enhancing 

wildfire response, and increasing the resiliency of Department and Tribal lands. The active 

management approach is also a strategy of adaptive management that includes monitoring, 

assessments, evaluations and adjustments based upon each treatment's level of success in 

reaching management goals. This feedback loop informs land managers of treatment 

effectiveness and facilitates any necessary changes to maximize benefits. It also affords the 

Department the opportunity to strategically target areas for fuel management work. 

For example, in 2017 a mowing treatment in the BLM Nevada Elko District protected homes 

north of Elko, Nevada, when a wildfire stopped once it intersected with this treatment. The use 

of engines, bulldozers, and hand lines was not necessary to control the wildfire because of the 

strategic placement of the fuel treatment. As a result, a community was protected, suppression 

funds were saved, and no firefighters were placed in harm's way. Equally important, this 

treatment helped spotlight an effective active management strategy to safeguard people and 

communities that could potentially be utilized in other similar areas or situations. 

The Department's WFM program works collaboratively across jurisdictions with other Federal 

agencies, Tribes, states, and local governments, and private landowners to provide a framework 

for sharing costs, resources, tools, products, lessons learned, and innovations. For example, the 

Mid-Columbia National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Washington State collaborates with the 

nearby Gifford Pinchot National Forest to implement prescribed fire projects. This joint effort 

increases capacity and strengthens efficiencies to safely reduce hazardous fuels and restore fire 

resiliency. This pooling of resources to manage areas where some of the greatest concerns exist 

allows us to focus our fuels management efforts. In FY 2018, the Department is focusing some 

of its efforts in helping the Department of Homeland Security secure the border by assisting with 

targeted fuels management work that will allow Border Patrol to more effectively carry out its 

border security operations. This work will have the added benefit of reducing the threat of 

wildfires and restoring and enhancing important wildlife habitat. 

So far in FY 2018, the Department has completed fuels treatments on 773,786 acres, of which 

397,219 acres are located within the wildland-urban interrace. The Department's total target 

level this fiscal year is 980,000 acres of treatments. Examples of fuels treatments include the use 

of prescribed fire, thinning of unnaturally overstocked forest stands and removal of encroaching 

trees onto grasslands, and targeting control of invasive species, such as Phragmites in coastal 

watersheds or cheat grass within the western interior. Fuels management also includes creating 

or enhancing defensible space around homes that meet fire safe standards to increase the chance 

for homes or other structures to survive when a wildfire moves through the community. Across 

the country, active management on Department lands and across our boundaries with our 

neighbors is critical to enhancing the safety and effectiveness of wildfire response, reducing 

wildfire risk, and safeguarding communities. 

4 
30 

Coordination & Partnerships 

Planning, active management, and coordinated operations are cornerstones of wildland fire 

management partnerships. OWF cultivates partnerships to foster collaboration with Federal 

partners, Tribes, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to significantly reduce fire 

risk to wildland firefighters, communities, and landscapes. Partnerships are key to the 

Department's land stewardship responsibilities, including the application offuels management 

work that helps reduce fire risk; post-fire rehabilitation work that helps restore landscapes and 

watersheds; and fire science that provides information needed for fire practitioners and decision 

makers. 

One such example is a partnership between the Conboy Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the 

Mount Adams Resource Stewards in southern Washington. Beginning in 2017, and again this 

year, refuge staff and the local Resource Stewards have worked together to develop prescribed 

fire treatments for hundreds of acres that benefit both the Refuge and the adjacent Mt. Adams 

Community Forest. This collaborative approach means that projects on the Refuge and the 

Community Forest are more effective at making communities safer, restoring forest health, and 

supplying sustainable local wood products and jobs. 

Community wildfire protection plans (CWPP) are a powerful tool for helping communities to 

prepare for and reduce the risks of wildfire. CWPPs help identify the local threats of wildfire 

and establish a plan for protecting public safety. community sustainability, and natural 

resources. All plans require collaboration between stakeholders, including Federal agencies, 

Tribes, and state and local agencies. CWPPs establish priorities for fire protection looking at 

where fire risk is greatest due to the buildup of burnable vegetation. Based on community input, 

the plans provide recommendations for making structures less likely to catch fire and to reduce 

impacts to other resources valued by communities. From south em Califomia to some of the 

newer plans in eastern Tennessee that were created in response to the devastating Chimney Tops 

2 wildfire in 2016, CWPPs provide a >vay for communities to increase safety and manage 

wildfire risk. 

The Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) an intergovernmental group comprised of 

Federal, Tribal, state, county, and municipal officials provides a forum for partners to 

communicate and improve collaboration on a broad range of wildland fire management issues. 

WFLC is most effective at bringing together diverse stakeholders to develop integrated and 

collaborative responses to wildland fire management policies and strategies that affect local 

communities across the country. Most recently, the WFLC partners are working together to find 

opportunities to better identify wildfire risk; address air quality issues by working collaboratively 

with the states to promote fuels management; and leverage advancement in technology to 

improve firefighting capabilities. 

Development and Use of Technology 

The UAS program is a perfect example ofleveraging technology to fight fires in safer and more 

efficient ways to ensure that the Department is protecting communities, the public, and 

5 
31 

firefighters. Coupled with more aggressive fuels management, this technology is helping prevent 

and manage catastrophic wildfires. 

Technology, especially UAS or drone technology, helps fire managers get better data to manage 

fires faster and safer than ever. The Department's Office of Aviation Services, working with the 

Department's bureaus and offices, uses drone flights to support natural resource management 

across the country. Drones are highly versatile and configured to work with a wide array of 

sensors. The Department's drone program is widely recognized as the largest, most diverse, and 

successful domestic drone program. In 2013, the Federal Aviation Administration granted the 

Department's OAS-developed drone training curriculum FAA Pilot Written Exam equivalency 

and the Department's test questions served as a foundation of the FAA regulations for 

commercial use of small drones. 

OAS leveraged approximately $25 million in excess military drone equipment to conduct 

hundreds of test and evaluation flights. Following rigorous testing, the Department now 

manages a fleet of 393 aircraft, flown by more than 300 certified pilots including 80 firequalified pilots. In May, the Department awarded a contract for four fire-specific, call-whenneeded vendors with 5 different airplanes. This means that there are aircraft and pilots available 

to support the fire community across the country. 

This past fire year, the Department conducted 707 drone missions on 71 individual wildfires. 

Drones were used by firefighters to gain a tactical advantage on wildfires by allowing them to 

improve their surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. A great example of that is the North 

Umpqua Fire in Oregon in 2017, when a drone operator wrapping up a reconnaissance flight 

noticed an undetected hotspot. They were able to contain the hotspot right away, thus preventing 

a fire escape having the potential for more than $50 million in resource and property damages. 

Drone flights, including support to firefighters suppressing wildfires, increased 82 percent from 

2016 to 2017. In the first quarter of2018, we have seen a ten-fold increase compared to the first 

quarter from 2017: a jump from 175 flights to 1, 753 flights. The Department's drones flew on 

every hurricane impacting the U.S. in 2017 and are currently operating in Hawaii to support the 

volcano emergency. Interior drones have worked on wildfires, conducted wildlife and habitat 

surveys, assisted with dam inspections, and supported search and rescue efforts. 

OWF is constantly looking at new technologies including cell phone-based applications and alert 

systems that improve firefighter safety. In conjunction with the Department of the Defense, we 

are looking at UAS-based command and control systems that provide cost effective monitoring 

and planning support for fire operations. This approach could make novel use of existing 

technology. In the near future we could see tactical drones providing real time information for 

the duration of suppression operations using applications downloaded to cell phones that are 

already in the pockets of every firefighter. 

Veterans 

United States military veterans are an invaluable segment of the Department's labor force. While 

they offer their remarkable work ethic, leadership, and integrity at all levels of the Department, 

6 
32 

veterans' contributions are most apparent in the ranks of our wildland firefighting forces. We 

feel a deep responsibility and commitment to continue hiring veterans to fill these positions. 

The Department recognizes that our veterans have unique challenges after separating from the 

military. That sentiment is shared by Team Rubicon, a partner organization which was founded 

by military veterans in search of a way to continue their service. Through collaboration with 

Team Rubicon, the BLM has provided Wildland Firefighter Type I and II training and 

certification, along with a refresher course, for over 700 veterans. The immense success of this 

partnership has necessitated additional and advanced courses, such as helicopter crew member 

training, basic timber faller training, and expanded dispatch training, as well as an added training 

location to make certification more accessible. Since the partnership's inception in 2015, over 

$1.8 million has been provided for training and fire assignments, and in 2017 alone, veterans 

were dispatched on over 120 incidents. 

In addition to the Department's partnership with Team Rubicon, the BLM has constructed fire 

crews specifically to employ veterans. The BLM currently hosts eight Veteran Fire Crews 

operating out of seven states: Arizona, California, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, and 

Wyoming. We are grateful to have these dedicated men and women in our wildland fire 

community, and we remain committed to our partnership with Team Rubicon. 

Conclusion 

This concludes my statement. Thank you for your support of the Department's WFM 

program and for the opportunity to testify before this Committee. I welcome any questions 

you may have. 

7 
33 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Mr. Rupert. 

Thank you both. 

Let me begin with the questions here. I appreciate that both of 

you have addressed the issue of workforce misconduct, harassment, 

and what you are doing to bring about the very, very necessary 

changes to rid the agencies of sexual harassment and all forms of 

workplace misconduct. 

Ms. Christiansen, you mentioned that you have a code of conduct 

that has been introduced and mandatory training. Mr. Rupert, you 

have also indicated that you have a new anti-harassment policy 

and you reference that this training includes those that are on the 

fire line. 

Chief Christiansen, regarding the outreach for the training and 

this full-day session that you referenced, does this also include 

those within the firefighting ranks? Is this only for people within 

your administrative offices? Who are we covering here and what is 

the extent of these new policies that have been put in place? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yeah, thank you very much, Senator. 

Yes, it is for every one of our permanent and seasonal employees. 

That’s why we waited until the second week of June—the majority 

of our seasonal staff are onboarded now. So, this is, we are, you 

know, shutting down a business for one day, rolling each week in 

different units, one day, to focus on this training and the importance of breaking the silence and what it is really going to take to 

shift our culture sustainably. 

We started with listen and learn sessions across our whole organization. Now that did not include as many of our seasonals, but 

that really was—we needed to demonstrate as leaders what was 

really being felt in the workforce. That really fueled the design for 

our Stand Up for Each Other days next week. 

And we, about 18 months ago, passed a very broad, anti-harassment policy. And we’ve been working on this agency specific training with real agency examples, with real employees on a—we’ve recorded our own training. And there will be discussions in every 

work group across our organization, administrative staff, field staff, 

fire staff, the headquarter staff. Each work unit will identify what 

they need to make commitments to each other to improve the work 

environment. 

But that, you know, we’ve started with an enhanced reporting 

center. We opened that up in the Fall of ’17 so that the fear of retaliation, we’re trying to minimize the fear of retaliation. We want 

to hear if anyone has any concern. We’ve seen increased reporting. 

The CHAIRMAN. What action, then, is taken if it is reported and 

this is a situation out in the field. You have an active fire underway. People are working. 

How do you enforce this because it is nice to be able to say that 

we have a one-day training session and then you go out there for 

the season, but it is not like you are reporting to somebody in an 

office back here? I think this has been one of the very significant 

concerns is that out in the field it is a different environment. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. And that there is more that is ‘‘accepted.’’ 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. You’re absolutely right. That’s about getting 

under what’s in our culture. 
34 

So there’s both—being very clear about what is not accepted and 

changing those behaviors, and then there are structural things that 

will allow reporting in different ways. So, even if you’re out in the 

field, if there is cell service, a 1–800 number, 24/7, will pick up that 

someone that has a complaint can report it to and then we have 

timelines. Action must be taken within 24 hours to look into an investigation and to evaluate the situation and to take corrective action. 

The CHAIRMAN. Mr. Rupert, very quickly on DOI side. Do you 

have a similar process then for reporting and required action? 

Mr. RUPERT. Yeah, the policy that was recently put in place in 

DOI sets very rigid expectations for managers and supervisors and 

timelines to respond to complaints. And so, there’s a tremendous 

focus on ensuring that that process, that really explores and understands and, you know, provides that inquiry and investigation it’s 

rigid in expectations, go along with it, to follow through. 

I think to the point of, you know, in the field, especially in these 

areas, these incidents where we have very, sort of, diverse organizations that are all contributing as both of our departments, I 

think, have started to put in much more rigid expectations for how 

behaviors, inappropriate behavior, be treated with that we’re anticipating that that will generate more interaction when these 

things occur. 

We’ve had dialogue at senior management level, not only between Interior and Ag but also with our partners across the entire 

community, the states, local organizations, tribes, in those interagency settings to ensure that these incidents occurring—where 

this occurs on these incidents where we have this real diverse, sort 

of, community, all working together, that we don’t lose track of 

those complaints and that we are following those back to the home 

organization to, essentially, ensure that the people are being held 

responsible for their behavior. 

The CHAIRMAN. Well, I know that from an oversight perspective, 

we will be back to you on this to make sure, again, that this is 

more than a one-day training, that this really is about changing a 

culture that has been allowed to take over our agencies, that has 

been an extraordinarily black mark. We need to correct that. You 

know that, and we want to keep monitoring this. 

Senator Cantwell. 

Senator CANTWELL. Thank you, Madam Chair. 

Chief Christiansen and Mr. Rupert, we were all together at the 

Department of Agriculture to discuss this MOU between the Department of the Interior and the Forest Service, and I saw that last 

week the Department of the Interior awarded four contracts to 

companies who operate medium-sized, unmanned aerial vehicles 

for wildfires. 

I’m proud to say that one of those was Insitu from Southwest 

Washington and Northeast Oregon, a company that spans the Columbia, literally the company is on both sides, and we are so proud 

of that technology. 

But most importantly, we are proud that Interior is being very 

aggressive about using this tool on wildland fires. We want to 

make sure that there is now no barriers between the Forest Service 

and Interior working together to implement this. This is so critical 
35 

for information about fire size, starts, and the safety and security 

of our firefighters. 

So, is there anything that is holding us up from being very aggressive about this deployment during this fire season? Do you 

have to do anything else to make sure that these tools are now 

used across agencies or implemented? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Senator Cantwell, thank you for that question. 

And I’m, you know, I’m pleased to say that this is an example 

of that we’re really coordinating together. 

The Forest Service is clearly looking to the early adopters and 

the innovation that DOI has really stepped out on and we applaud 

that, instead of us spending the dollars and the time to do the innovation and the testing that they’ve done. 

We are absolutely committed. We are drafting on them, if I 

might say, with our policies, our procedures, to make sure that we 

have interoperability so that we don’t have policies and procedures 

that are different. 

The Office of Aviation Services at DOI has been extremely helpful in our policies and procedures. They have done train-the-trainer 

for our staff, and we can access their call-when-needed contracts at 

any time, as well as the states and others. 

So, we are not ashamed to say that we applaud our Department 

of the Interior colleagues, and we also see a very strong use and 

innovation and safety aspects of using UASs on fires. I look forward to when they can have additional capacity beyond just the 

surveillance. 

Senator CANTWELL. Thank you. 

Anything else, Mr. Rupert? 

Mr. RUPERT. Well, thank you for the recognition and thank you, 

Vicki, too. 

I would just say the easy answer to the question is yes, the callwhen-needed UAS contract is available, not only to the Forest 

Service, but it’s being administered as a national asset the way we 

administer other national assets. So, it’s available across, really, 

the community on those large incidents—— 

Senator CANTWELL. Well, I assure you we are going to need 

them, so thank you. 

On call-when-needed, the air tanker issue. 

[The information referred to follows:] 
so 

37.5 

25 

12.5 

0 

44 

Large Air Tanker Fleet Size 

On USFS Exclusive Use Contracts 

Beginning of Each Y(:!ar 

2018 

*Includes on<? Coast Guard / USFS HC, 1

Source: FireAvlation.

-?-.9. ? 
37 

Senator CANTWELL. I am concerned that we are shifting 35 percent of the current air tanker contracts to call-when-needed. We 

had a chance to talk about this before, Chief Christiansen, about 

the fact that call-when-needed contracts are more expensive per 

day but yet, I think, to get the planes you are going to have to call 

them every day and say you are on call. What I am trying to understand is how we are going to supplant that for the panoply of 

resources that you could have. So, I am just trying to understand. 

Is this about going deep where the resource is from a budgeting 

perspective or do you truly believe that call-when-needed, as it relates to these services, is the most cost-effective way for taxpayers? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. That’s a really good question and we, as I 

said earlier, will monitor closely that balance between the upfront 

expenditures we use for exclusive-use and how much we actually 

need them versus the yes, more expensive, but we pay for them 

when we use them, call-when-needed. It is an art and a science, 

and the science part is informed looking backward, and we have to 

look forward. 

To be honest with you, Senator, we would like to rebalance in the 

incoming years. We think that we need to have a little bit more 

balance between exclusive-use and call-when-needed. 

We were in transition this year, quite frankly, from getting the 

legacies off contract because that contract is done, and this is a 

transition year. 

Senator CANTWELL. Well, I so appreciate you saying that because 

I want you to have every single tool you need. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator CANTWELL. I want you to have air tankers. I know that 

you had one acquired from the Department of Defense and am not 

sure if you are going to use it. I want you to have these water 

scoopers. I want you to have the large retardant planes. I want you 

to have every single asset. 

So I hope that you will, given what you just said, work with us 

to figure out how to make this not a transitional season here but 

a season where you have every tool at your disposal. That is what 

people in the West want us to be doing. They want us to be giving 

them every tool possible to fight this fire season. 

So, thank you. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Cantwell. 

Senator Barrasso. 

Senator BARRASSO. Thank you very much, Madam Chairman. 

Ms. Christiansen, Mr. Rupert, thanks so much for being with us 

today. 

A couple of questions. 

The National Interagency Fire Center’s outlook for the summer 

of 2018 largely contained positive news for Wyoming. We all know 

how quickly on the ground conditions can change. 

Across Wyoming we have had above-average snow pack and 

spring runoff which has contributed to, what has been labeled as 

below level, below normal fire potential. But higher precipitation, 

as you know, can often mean rapid grass growth. It can dry and 

by August we have trouble. 
38 

So talking to our Wyoming State Forester, Bill Crapser, he has 

his rule of sixes and he said it just seems about every six years, 

and 2018 is the sixth year. But Wyoming is going to see fire this 

year and questions remain about forest health, effective use of resources, improving coordination among agency partners, and how 

we can best do that. 

And a lot of it comes down to the millions of acres of the ecosystem across the West affected by pine beetle, bark beetles, you 

know, we have had, we are no stranger to die offs than you are not 

either, of these standing dead trees which continue to pose significant threats. You both identified the need to reduce hazardous 

fuels. Both agencies have tools to take preventive action, including 

those provided in the recent FY2018 Omnibus funding bill. 

So, in places like Wyoming where a lower intensity fire season 

is expected but it may happen otherwise, do your agencies have the 

flexibility that you need to take advantage of certain years and 

adapt fuels treatments as the year goes on in real time to increase 

preventive measures to, kind of, get ahead of the curve in terms 

of all this standing fuel? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Senator, thank you for that really good question. 

And I don’t mean to burst your bubble, but the white on the map 

that Senator Cantwell put up doesn’t mean it’s below normal, it 

means it normal conditions. 

Senator BARRASSO. Yes. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. So that indicates we still will see fires on the 

white part. 

Senator BARRASSO. Yes, my point, yes. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. But yes, you don’t have as much red in Wyoming. So you’re exactly right. We have to use every tool in the toolbox for treating these hazardous fuels, that is mechanical treatments, but it is also using fire when we are in control of fire because fire will help reduce fuel loads in many of these ecosystems 

and sometimes they need both. 

When we have more favorable conditions, we need to take advantage of those operating windows, both on fire severity and smoke 

management. 

And we heard very good comments by Senator Cantwell in her 

opening statement about we are working with the public on how 

we take our smoke under terms that we, none of us, care for versus 

terms that are going to improve conditions. 

We just had a two-hour call with all of our leadership across the 

country about how we deploy resources, not only for fires, for wildfire response, but for hazardous fuel and other important treatments. We’re on that and states are a critical part of that discussion as well. 

Senator BARRASSO. Thank you. 

Mr. Rupert, you feel you have the flexibility? 

Mr. RUPERT. Yeah, so, for Interior a lot of the—so, the efficiencies, for example, in the Omnibus, largely were focused on forest authorities. And so, we’re largely still operating in the framework that we have operated in in Interior in terms of planning, 

projects, and then ultimately working to put them on the ground. 
39 

We’re very much focused in Interior on streamlining those existing, that existing, framework and that existing process and we’re 

making good headway there. 

So, ultimately, projects, there is an aspect of projects needing to 

have that planning to help drive them. We’re still very much doing 

that. 

By the same token, conditions on the ground, in addition to values that are at risk and their exposure, potential exposure, to wildfire. Yeah, weather conditions and having the right conditions to be 

able to get in there and do proactive vegetation management is 

very much a part of the equation year-to-year, season-to-season. 

Senator BARRASSO. Great, thank you. 

Ms. Christiansen, the Black Hills National Forest formed a number of years ago an advisory board to provide advice and information to the forest supervisor from the various stakeholders. The 

board is currently experiencing a number of vacancies and the 

nominations have to be approved by the Secretary, so it takes some 

time. Without approval of pending nominations, the March, April, 

and May meetings have all had to be canceled because there are 

not enough members. The board is planning to meet again in June, 

but again, with this many vacancies, that meeting is going to have 

to be canceled. Do you have an update on the situation and the 

nominations? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Senator Barrasso, we clearly hear the concern and we, too, are making this a priority to get the willing nominations in and have the vetting done and working very closely with 

the Secretary’s office. 

He, I know, is also committed because being a good neighbor is 

having everyone at the table to have a voice in how their lands are 

managed. So, it’s a priority for us. 

Senator BARRASSO. Thank you very much. 

Thank you, Madam Chairman. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you, Senator Barrasso. 

Senator Wyden. 

Senator WYDEN. Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, 

Madam Chair and Senator Cantwell, for your leadership. 

We, of course, have the fire-borrowing language on the books. I 

think that is going to be helpful for the long-term. 

Ms. Christiansen, we look forward to getting the plan at the end 

of June on how you are going to deal with the backlog on hazardous fuels reduction. That is what we talked about here in this 

Committee. 

I very much appreciated the fact that you have been in discussions with us about how you are going to be attacking that, and 

I look forward to that as well. I think the country very much wants 

to know what the game plan is for reducing those hazardous fuels. 

Sometimes it feels like all of us as individual Senators are running weather bureaus because our citizens are so concerned about 

this. For the country, May is the ominous month for the fire season. It traditionally gives you a sense of where things are, and like 

many of my colleagues, it looks like we are going to have some real 

challenges in Oregon this summer. 

By the way, our friend, Senator Heinrich, is exhibit A for this 

proposition. The reason he is not with us today is because he is in 
40 

New Mexico where he is dealing with a wildfire. So this is not some 

kind of abstract theory. 

So, let me, if I might, talk to you about this air tanker issue. In 

my state, as is the case in many places, they felt they didn’t have 

enough tankers last summer. So I think a lot of people are going 

to listen to this and say, well, they are playing a shell game back 

in DC. They are going to have this kind of tanker. They are going 

to have that kind of tanker. I know that is not your intention. 

So, let me ask it this way. You’ve got this plan. Let’s say there 

are not enough tankers, period. Lives are on the line, lives that 

sometimes can be affected by hours, not even days. What do you 

do in that kind of situation? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Well, Senator, you know, we really appreciate 

the concern of the citizens, and I would be delighted if we could 

have a little window into the intelligence, the predictive services, 

and the 24-hour decision-making that is done at the geographical 

area and at the national area. 

So when we are in those high preparedness levels, we call them 

preparedness levels 4 and 5, where nationally we have to prioritize 

the resources. Each geographic area, and for Senator Cantwell and 

you it’s the Pacific Northwest geographical area, the executives and 

their key fire leadership are meeting hourly and updating the situation and that feeds into the National Interagency Fire Center 

where the national group of all of our representatives—— 

Senator WYDEN. Can I stop you right there? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Sure. 

Senator WYDEN. Because I think that is very constructive, and 

it is also in English because so much of what goes on in fire is hard 

to comprehend by people. 

I believe what you have just said is you use your predictive services and then on an ongoing basis, really hourly, are able to deploy 

the assets you have. What if you don’t have enough assets? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator WYDEN. In other words, you make a judgment that you 

just don’t have enough assets which has been the case over the 

years where even the best people’s intentions . . . 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Right. 

Senator WYDEN. But you don’t have enough assets. What do you 

do then? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

So, it’s a prioritization. That’s what I was getting to. It’s a tiered 

prioritization. First are the most critical threats to humans and 

communities, then generally, critical watersheds and the like. Then 

we do have additional surge capacity that we can bring on. 

Senator WYDEN. Where does the surge capacity come from? Are 

these just tankers that are somewhere else? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator WYDEN. That are not part of the two categories you told 

Senator Cantwell about, that this is, kind of, a third category. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator WYDEN. Surge category that you can bring in if you just 

don’t have enough. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator WYDEN. Where do they come from? 
41 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. The Department of Defense, the mobile aviation units, the modular units. 

Senator WYDEN. How many of them are there? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. We have seven? Yes, seven, seven of those 

and then generally, by the time we are in the significant part of 

the fire year, we say fire year in the West, we can bring our partners down from Canada, our two additional surge capacities. 

And then we are putting out additional calls when needed and 

later in the summer we anticipate having at least five more on call 

when needed, so up to 30. 

Senator WYDEN. I am over my time. 

I just want to close by saying I think you are working very hard 

at this, and you are playing offense and that is really the key. 

I would just like it if you could also furnish to the Committee, 

through Senator Murkowski and Senator Cantwell, a written answer to what I just asked about when there are not enough tankers. I had never really heard a whole lot about this, sort of, surge 

capacity group of tankers and I knew a little bit about Defense. 

When I was Chair of the Committee, Senator Murkowski and I 

used to talk about this. So, if you could get that to us in writing? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Sure. 

Senator WYDEN. But I want it understood, I think you are working very hard at this. Your relations, with keeping us informed, 

have been very constructive, and we appreciate it. 

Thank you, Madam Chair. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you. 

Senator CANTWELL. If I could just—— 

The CHAIRMAN. Senator Cantwell. 

Senator CANTWELL. ——15 seconds? 

I want to make sure that NASA is the partner you want on those 

fire weather updates. Okay? We want to make sure NASA is giving 

you the satellite information you need on an hourly basis. 

Thank you. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Absolutely, we are working with NASA. 

The CHAIRMAN. Thank you both. 

Senator Daines. 

Senator DAINES. Thank you, Chair Murkowski. 

Chief Christiansen, good to see you again here before this Committee. 

Last fire season in Montana, nearly 1.4 million acres burned. 

When you break that down to national forest, it is 680,000 acres. 

We were left with a great deal of dead and dying timber which 

causes serious public safety risks, yet we see significant delays associated with completing NEPA analyses of these burned areas and 

they prevent the salvage and other long-term, post-fire restoration 

work from being completed in a timely manner. 

I have to say, Montanans scratch their heads. They say, we can’t 

even get into burned areas here to salvage that timber. And, of 

course, we all know that clock is ticking when it is still salvageable. 

Chief Christiansen, I have heard from many Montanans who 

want the Forest Service to use your Emergency Situation Determination (ESD) authority to get more post-fire work done sooner. 

As you know, I encouraged you to approve these ESD requests for 
42 

the fires in Montana last year. Could you provide an update on my 

request for these ESD approvals? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you, Senator Daines. 

I have to say I’m quite pleased with our staff in Montana. They 

activated quickly. We put together strike teams to work on the salvage, worked with the communities and with industry on what 

would be the ideal place that industry could receive this salvaged 

material. Using the Emergency Situation Determination is a very 

important tool for both health and safety and for the imminent 

threat of the product declining rapidly. 

I have signed the first one of those. I expect the Sunrise Project 

on the Lolo National Forest, I signed last week. Regional Forester 

Martin knows what I expect to see for my confidence to sign the 

next four, and I’ll have those within the next two weeks. 

Senator DAINES. That is refreshing and it is very good to hear, 

Chief. 

Given the sometimes-lengthy approval process and time with 

ESDs, what can Congress do to encourage faster and more extensive use of this tool by the agency? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you, Senator. 

You know, I think it’s just understanding the process and the 

balance. Obviously, we take this tool very seriously, but we need 

to not abuse it. We want to be strategic and really look for the 

areas where health and safety or critical decline in the product are 

in place. 

So, working, you know, your voice and the communities that we’d 

like their early involvement in the scoping so we can move out 

quickly. So, you know, we do this in a transparent way with communities and citizens that care. Your help in getting communities 

to work with us quickly, I think, will help down the line, and your 

continued support of the tool that we can sustain it and uphold it 

as it was intended to be used. 

Senator DAINES. Thank you, Chief. 

Mr. Rupert, could you discuss the economic as well as the environmental benefits of carrying out restoration efforts as quickly as 

possible following large fires on DOI lands? 

Mr. RUPERT. Sure. 

I think, so restoration, you know, just to, sort of, identify that as 

being slightly different than how we would approach say, emergency stabilization which happens immediately after the fire. So, 

restoration rehabilitation as we get into that, I think, in a lot of 

ways it’s location, location, location. There are many areas around 

the country where getting in there immediately. And this is, you 

know, so this is, sort of, it’s a local stakeholder driven need that 

I think we have here. There’s some places where getting in there 

immediately getting work on the ground, immediately getting trees 

replanted absolutely makes the most sense to get it back to, sort 

of, a healthy state that is economically supportive. 

There are other parts of the country where, quite frankly, we 

probably don’t want to get in there immediately because the conditions that are going to really lead to successful restoration may not 

be in place until later in the year or a different season or after we 

have rain. I mean, a whole, just a variety of different circumstances. 
43 

So, I think, it sort of depends based on location, but there are 

absolutely many examples where the faster we can do it, the faster 

we can get in there, the better. 

Senator DAINES. Chief, could you address what impact litigation 

has on the region’s ability to meet its timber and restoration targets? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yeah. Litigation clearly takes focus away 

from getting our work done. It prevents the critical restoration to 

create the fire resiliency that we all are trying to achieve and it, 

quite frankly, gives pause to our staffs to be pretty risk averse. 

So if we could work with folks early in the collaborative process, 

if everyone would come to the table, we are always willing to hear 

everyone and to work it out, but litigation on the back end really 

slows down the important critical work that we’re trying to do. 

Senator DAINES. It is awfully expensive too. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yup. 

Senator DAINES. Wrapping up, Chief, as you know, the most recent forecasts from the National Interagency Fire Center predicts 

above-normal fire potential for Montana. I just saw your chart, and 

took a quick picture of it. It was sitting there for a moment. Oh, 

there it goes. 

Here we are in Montana experiencing snow packs well above average with flooding in many parts across our state. As you mentioned to us in our briefing here a few weeks ago, there are a lot 

of variables that go into that outlook, but it looks like we need to 

buckle up for what looks to be another tough fire season. 

Congress recently provided new authorities to the Forest Service 

but much more needs to be done to address the significant threats 

of wildfire. I look forward to working with you to build additional 

support for some of these litigation protections and reductions in 

red tape so restoration projects can get done sooner. 

Thank you. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you. 

Senator CANTWELL [presiding]. Senator Cortez Masto. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Thank you. 

Thank you, Ranking Member, and thank you both for being here. 

Let me initially just associate myself with the comments the 

Chair made with respect to sexual harassment and addressing that 

issue in both of your agencies. 

Ms. Christiansen, I could not agree with you more. It is a cultural change, so we have to be vigilant and constant and we have 

to have policies and procedures in place. I look forward to working 

with you, supporting you, and making sure we are constantly addressing this issue. 

Let me talk about Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe is important for both 

Nevada and California. And I know, Ms. Christiansen, this is an 

issue that we have talked about in the past. Over 74 percent of the 

area around Lake Tahoe is public land managed by the Forest 

Service, and after decades of fire suppression, the Tahoe Basin’s 

overstocked forests are highly vulnerable to insect, disease, and 

catastrophic wildfires. They lack the diversity in age, structure, 

and species distributions to support a healthy forest ecosystem. 

Forest management projects are essential to the safety of Tahoe’s 

communities and the health of its forests. The threat of a cata-
44 

strophic wildfire at Lake Tahoe is a top concern for the entire community in both states. 

So with the increasing outlook for above-normal, significant 

wildland fire potential in Northwestern Nevada, as we can see from 

the maps, what precautions is USFS undertaking to safeguard this 

area in particular? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you, Senator. 

Let me just make one quick comment on work environment. It’s 

not a one-day training and we’re done. This is a starting point of 

a long journey. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Thank you. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. In regards to Lake Tahoe, it’s an emblem of 

a community at high risk with high populations and it is a good 

example of a community that is working across boundaries together. 

I hate to say this, but it’s working way up front of any fire that’s 

in sometimes several years of working across boundaries on both 

getting the resiliency of the lands in better shape, as you suggested, and the communities prepared to have fire, being fire 

adapted. 

The tools added to the Farm Bill tools, from 2012 to what was 

just recently passed in the Omnibus, are a great step forward for 

us to be able to move more swiftly to get more done and to stabilize—when the fire funding fix goes into effect—our operating environments so we can do the investments on the ground. 

Additionally, the reforms we’re doing ourselves, internally, will 

help us to get more work done. I’m proud of the 36 percent increase 

in the work across these lands and that means with Interior, and 

with our state and local partners. 

So, the principles of what we call the National Wildland Fire Cohesive Strategy, where we need to create the resilient landscapes, 

fire adapted communities, and have an effective risk space response to fire. 

I know I have an invitation, and I want to get out, to Lake 

Tahoe. I was there a couple years ago, and it is a great example. 

You have some great leadership of working across boundaries. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Thank you. 

We appreciate you being participants and the focus on that area 

because it is an area where both of the Senators from California 

and Nevada have come together—— 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. ——with the local community to really 

address this issue. So we appreciate you being there. 

Let me jump back to the top of the conversation that Senator 

Cantwell talked about which is haze. I do not think people realize 

that when there are fires going on in the Northwest, and in a particular state, it is not just addressing and impacting that state. If 

there are fires in California, we see the smoke and the haze in 

Southern Nevada or Reno. So it has an impact on the region. 

For that reason, I am curious... what is it that you look to to address the health effects when it comes to that haze and the issues 

affiliated with any type of a wildfire? Let me bring this up because 

I know you have an Office of Environmental Health that studies 
45 

the events and their impacts on people’s health, in particular, but 

my understanding is that is being defunded. Is that correct? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. From—where? 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Office of Environmental Health? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. I’m—— 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Is that not true? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. I’m sorry, I’m not familiar— 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. With that? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. No. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Okay. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. I can speak to a partnership that we, the 

Greater Wildland Fire Community, we’ve entered into with the 

Center for Disease Control and they’re really helping us study both 

the fuel type from prescribed fire and wildfire and the time of year 

and to not only show that the quantity of smoke is different, as 

Senator Cantwell expressed in this report, but the type of the particulate matter, looking that closely at the particulate matter between wildfire smoke and prescribed fire smoke. 

We’re really pleased that we have such a solid partnership with 

the Center for Disease Control because that’s going to really accelerate us having the public conversation about how we handle 

smoke. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. Thank you. 

I know the Department I was talking about is in Interior. 

Mr. Rupert, do you have any comments? 

Mr. RUPERT. Yeah, so I’m not familiar with this and I’m happy 

to look more specifically into and give you a good response to that 

particular question about that office. 

I would just say that as we look, sort of, where we’re at now and 

where, sort of, where we want to go in the future to start to deal 

with this issue, there’s lots of interaction between the wildland fire 

community and air managers, EPA, and others. Essentially, I 

think, the shared vision here is that we’re much better off under 

a prescribed-fire scenario where we control the circumstances and 

the volumes and the character of the smoke that’s in the air as opposed to catastrophic, uncontrolled wildfire where we have no control whatsoever. We’re stuck with it. 

Senator CORTEZ MASTO. I agree. 

Thank you. Thank you both. 

The CHAIRMAN [presiding]. Thank you, Senator. 

Let me ask about the vegetation management provisions that we 

included in the Omnibus. Chief, can you give me, kind of, a status 

report on the implementation of these provisions that we included? 

I think we recognize that when we are thinking about the physical integrity of transmission and distribution infrastructure, this 

is key to protecting the security and reliability of our energy grid 

when we are talking about a wildfire. So give me a quick update 

here. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Certainly, Senator. 

We have moved swiftly. We have done the full analysis of these 

provisions, and we’ve given really specific direction to our regions. 

As you know, they’ll be submitting to us their plans by the end 

of this week on the utility right-of-way. Vegetation management, 

that’s more opportunistic. I’ve asked every one of our regional for-
46 

esters to describe how they’re prepared to meet the response times 

that those utilities will require so that we can be timely in allowing 

the vegetation management projects to move forward. It’s basically 

direction to our region to be ready and show us how they are 

prioritizing when those requests come in from the utilities and to 

work with them in advance to know what that workload is going 

to look like. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay. 

Mr. Rupert, are the folks at BLM and Forest Service coordinating on this implementation effort? 

Mr. RUPERT. Excuse me, thank you. 

There’s been very active, ongoing engagement and coordination 

looking at coming up with consistent approaches to this. BLM is 

well into the process and is very close to releasing an IM, informational memorandum, which is a policy essentially reinforcing side 

boards, timelines, and expectations for implementation. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay, good, good. 

There has been discussion already with regards to the unmanned 

aerial systems. How does DOI and the Office of Wildland Fire coordinate with Forest Service in terms of the drone program? 

Do you both operate them separately and is there some level of 

communication or coordination that goes on with these assets? 

Mr. RUPERT. Well, sure. Maybe I’ll start. 

In Interior, UAS drone operations aren’t strictly wildfire. In fact, 

the majority of the drone missions that are flown in Interior are 

actually resource missions—surveys and inspections. 

In the case of wildfire though, we have a fleet. I think we’re approaching 500 DOI-owned drones, and we have several hundred 

certified operators. Many of those operators are qualified then to 

operate on a wildland fire incident. 

As you know, the coordination that occurs with that wildfire 

focus is really similar in terms of establishing those interoperable 

standards that allow us to go into these incidents, that we know 

we have certified, qualified operators that are capable of piloting 

these drones in that environment to support the incident response. 

In a lot of ways it’s very similar to how we coordinate all other 

assets in the wildland fire world. I think that’s been one of the 

really successful parts of this drone implementation is that we really have taken that wildland fire community-wide sort of implementation standard, interoperable approach. 

The CHAIRMAN. Do we have any sense as to the savings that we 

might be able to obtain by using drones? Obviously, from a safety 

perspective, I mean, it is clear there. But in terms of using the traditional aircraft versus drones for some of the more traditional 

wildfire tasks. Do we have a sense as to what that cost savings 

might be? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. We don’t have specific dollar figures, Senator, 

but like any buildup investment, we imagine what we can get to. 

As Mr. Rupert says in both a resource end of things, you know, 

the forest health detections that we do across this nation, when we 

can get that to having drones instead of the aerial surveys, then 

it’s in the magnitudes of tens that the potential savings is, but 

we’re in that innovative stage to how far we are going to be able 
47 

to go replacing people with the cameras. We imagine it can be 

great, and we’re going to incrementally work ourselves there. 

The CHAIRMAN. Let me ask a little bit about that. I was up in 

South Central Alaska and I was struck by the amount of spruce 

bark beetle kill that we are seeing up beyond the Mat-Su Valley, 

up toward Denali. It is an area that I had not really noticed the 

kill. 

Obviously, the Kenai Peninsula was decimated some years back 

and, unfortunately, we are seeing some evidence of that again and 

this is done through the aerial surveillance, but we are seeing evidence that the beetle may be back. 

It is my understanding the spruce bark beetle has already decimated over 1.3 million acres, more than 30 million spruce trees on 

the Kenai Peninsula alone. Again we pay very, very close attention 

to this because of the potential for increased fire threat, particularly down on the Kenai Peninsula right now. 

But it is not just the Kenai Peninsula. I was looking at my clips 

this morning and just in this morning’s newspapers around the 

state we had a fire down in Gustavus, of all places. This is in the 

Tongass National Forest. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. One up in Talkeetna this morning, a small one, 

and then the first big fire up in Interior, off of Rosie Creek Road 

which is just up from the area where I grew up. 

It is fire season for us. I know that we are projected to have a 

normal year, but for us, normal is still over, oftentimes, one million 

acres. So this is something that we watch with great, great interest. 

What are the agencies doing to work together, again, not just 

within DOI and Forest Service, but working with the state, as we 

are dealing with some of the beetle kill issues and, again, this resurgence that we are seeing whether it is down on the Kenai or 

whether it is now moving more into South Central and into Interior? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Senator, the recent aerial detection survey in 

2017, there were 27 million acres flown in Alaska and there were 

over 840,000 acres that was recorded forest damage. 

You’re correct, it’s in South Central. There was over 400,000 in 

this recent survey, largely in the Susitna Valley, in that area, as 

you described. 

It’s across all lands, so we are working collectively. We have put 

together a Spruce Beetle Working Group, research group, in Alaska 

with the Division of Forestry and the Alaskan—— 

The CHAIRMAN. Now, as I understand that that task force was 

focused on the Kenai Peninsula. Are you expanding this to a broader area in the Susitna region or the Mat-Su region as well? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. That’s my understanding. 

And you know, there’s a spruce beetle website stood up and we’ve 

also awarded special technology development grant to develop 

Landsat methods for having a broader look, both spatially and temporally at the detecting both the past and the present disturbances 
48 

across Alaska. This will help us monitor the insects and disease activity on a larger scale, kind of, let us get behind this. 

We are working in Southeast Alaska, the largest area, where 

there are smaller pockets of spruce beetle activity, but the largest 

area is in Glacier Bay National Park. So our Forest Health Protection Program is collaborating with park staff about monitoring and 

traps this summer. We are clearly working across boundaries in 

the park as well. 

The CHAIRMAN. Well, as we all know, and it is not just in Alaska, 

where we have the beetle kill, it has been raised by other colleagues. 

So, again, making sure that these forest management tools that 

we provided you in the Omnibus to really do more when it comes 

to, whether it is the thinning, the prescribed burning, just every effort that we can do to reduce that fire risk, but also really working 

to address the management reforms that we all believe are critically important, as I know you do as well. 

We have one more vote and thus the absence of other colleagues 

here this morning, but if folks do have questions for the record, we 

will make sure that they come to your attention and would ask 

that you respond to their concerns as well. 

I do want to ask one more question and this relates to the 

Roadless Rule there in the Tongass. You know my position on it. 

I have always said I did not think that the Roadless Rule made 

any sense in a place where it is an area that is just made up of 

islands, 32 island communities. 

As we are looking for access within the Tongass, the big focus 

has been, of course, on the limitations that are provided by the 

Roadless Rule. You have a petition from the State of Alaska that 

asks for that exemption from the Roadless in the Tongass. 

Last time you were here we had a conversation about this and 

the Forest Service plans. Can you give me an update on the status 

of the State’s petition and when the Forest Service might act on 

that petition? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Thank you, Senator, absolutely, I can. 

Senator or excuse me, Secretary Perdue and Governor Walker 

just spoke on Friday, this past Friday, June 1st. They agreed to 

pursue a state-specific Roadless Rule to address the concerns as 

swiftly as possible on the Tongass National Forest and the access 

for timber, energy development, and many other forms of access on 

the Tongass. We are working closely with the state to align the resources, to get started immediately. We, the Forest Service, have 

identified funding and actually the resources in people and staffing 

and expertise to get started. We’re in close contact with the state, 

and we’ll be glad to keep you up to date. 

The CHAIRMAN. I appreciate that and perhaps what we need, 

might, want to do is schedule a meeting with yourself and the Secretary, if he is available, to further discuss this matter. 

I am cognizant that with the state petition (my good friend, Senator Risch from Idaho, was one that led that in his state and he 

has made clear to me that this is not an easy process), it is not 

a quick process, and it is not a cheap process. Making sure that 

there is a good understanding as to what this process is, basically 

moving forward with the State’s petition, is how that is clearly out-
49 

lined. It is certainly my hope that whichever, whatever, that process looks like it does not result in anything that is less than a full 

exemption from the Roadless for the Tongass. 

I would like to be able to speak with both you and the Secretary 

about that petition—but again, understanding how we can move 

forward in a way that does acknowledge the reality of the situation 

that we face within the Tongass. I look forward to more discussion 

on that. 

With that, I think, as I am looking through this, maybe this 

question was asked when I was out on the vote, but have you provided the status on the aerial firefighting use and effectiveness 

study? That was back in 2012. It is my understanding that the 

agency launched this use and effectiveness study five years ago. It 

is also my understanding that we really have not seen any information that has been released from that work which does not make 

any sense. That is not acceptable if we have requested it and five 

years later we still have not seen that release. Again, I do not 

know if you have addressed this already and if you have, I apologize, but can you just tell me where we are with that? 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Certainly, Senator. And no, I have not addressed it yet. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. As you know, that’s a study to look over a variety of different fire situations, the use and effectiveness. Are we 

using it appropriately? 

The CHAIRMAN. Right. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. And how effective is retardant? 

This is a major investment. Retardant is a critical tool, but we 

want to know if we’re using it correctly. And like all studies, I get 

frustrated as well, but it takes the amount of time and the variety 

of fires and different types of fires to have a reasonable study. And 

it was always intended to be five years of field data. So they are 

collecting that now into a report, and we will see a draft report in 

the coming months with the final report in 2019. 

The CHAIRMAN. Final report—well, I understand what you are 

saying about how we want it to be comprehensive, but I think we 

also recognize that we, the Congress, have worked to provide you 

with some resources and some tools that you have been asking for, 

for a long time. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Right. 

The CHAIRMAN. But you acknowledge in your own statement that 

this is not a blank check to us. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Right. 

The CHAIRMAN. And so, making sure that we are doing right by 

these reforms, we are doing right by these additional dollars that 

are coming your way, these additional resources—we want to be 

guided by things that are going to make some sense. 

One of the things I hear is that when it comes to aircraft to 

achieve certain suppression objectives that it is a somewhat random thing. It is like well, what do we have over here? You pull this 

in. That is not cost efficient. That is not using our money smartly. 

I would hope that you are trying to get this into alignment. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 
50 

The CHAIRMAN. That we are not going to just blow through the 

resources that we have this year because we have it and next year 

we promise to do it smarter because we are going to have the results of the study. If you have information that can help point you 

in a better direction now, I would hope that you are setting yourself up to do just that. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes, Senator, we are. 

We actually implemented last year—the longer study is ongoing 

and we look forward to those results and getting preliminarily 

briefed here soon. But we also have the technology now with our 

scientists to, within a 12-hour turnaround, have real-time maps to 

our incident management teams where they can see the effectiveness of the prior burning, the window of response and was that effective, did we just burn through the retardant drops that we 

thought were going to be effective. So we’re doing some real-time 

learning as well as the longer-term, a view study. With both of 

those we are making adjustments, and we will have more information and be glad to work with you on that. 

The CHAIRMAN. Well, I would appreciate that. I think you heard 

similar concerns from both Senator Cantwell and Senator Wyden 

on this. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yes. 

The CHAIRMAN. Again, we see that yes, these are extraordinarily 

important assets. We want you to have those aviation assets, but 

we also want to know that we are being smart with all of this. And 

thus, the request for the study back in 2012 and thus, the frustration. Actually, if my math is correct, if we really did put this in 

place in 2012, we are beyond our five years now. 

So—— 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yeah, the first field season, I believe, was in 

2013. 

The CHAIRMAN. Okay, alright. 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Yeah. 

The CHAIRMAN. Hurry it up. 

[Laughter.] 

Ms. CHRISTIANSEN. Okay, we will. 

The CHAIRMAN. Alright. 

I have no further questions at this point in time, but again, if 

colleagues have submissions you will see them. 

I know it is not a policy but maybe we just pray for rain this 

summer and we also pray for the safety of the men and women 

who are out there on the front lines. I think we all know that this 

is very dangerous, and we have lost far too many as they have been 

out there on the front lines. Hopefully it will be a safe season. 

With that, the Committee stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 11:36 a.m. the hearing was adjourned.] 
(51) 

APPENDIX MATERIAL SUBMITTED 
52 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natuml Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department o_fthe Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Questions from Senator Ron Wyden 

Question 1: At the hearing, I asked what the Forest Service would do if it found itself in the 

position of not having enough air tankers for a given situation. You mentioned having additional 

"surge capacity" that the Forest Service could bring on. I would like to understand this better. 

How are surge tankers deployed, how many surge capacity tankers are available, where would 

they come from, and how quickly could they be deployed to a wildland fire? 

Answer: As we did last year, the USDA Forest Service currently has up to 25 Next Generation 

airtankers available for wildfire suppression nationwide (13 through Exclusive Use contracts, up 

to 11 through Call When Needed Basic Ordering Agreements, and one HC-130 aircraft on bail 

from the U.S. Coast Guard). When surge capacity is needed, the Forest Service will also have the 

capability to mobilize up to seven military HC-130s equipped with Modular Airborne Fire 

Fighting Systems, two Convair 580 airtankers through an agreement with the state of Alaska, and 

up to four additional Convair 580 airtankers from Canada. Also available for wildfire 

suppression, are four Call When Needed CL415 Water Scoopers, up to nine Water Scoopers 

available through an agreement with Canada, and one single engine airtanker through an 

Exclusive Use contract 

The National Interagency Coordination Center, in conjunction with Forest Service leadership and 

the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group, determine when Call When Needed airtanker 

services are needed, as well as where to allocate these resources. This evaluation is done on a 

daily basis and the Forest Service uses predictive services and projected resource requirements to 

anticipate surge capacity needs well ahead of critical timelines. 

When airtanker services are needed, the Federal government follows the Mission Ordering 

Procedures outlined in the Basic Ordering Agreements to determine best value for the order. 

Once issued, the order forms a contract with the airtanker vendor. Contractors are required to 

keep the aircraft desk at the National Interagency Coordination Center informed on the location 

and availability of their aircraft for assignments, and the process can be completed within a few 

hours. 

Question 2: During the hearing you mentioned the work the agency is doing through its use of 

science in its Predictive Services. The Joint Fire Science Program is critical for understanding 

how wildfires act, and has a big impact in Oregon. Researchers have used the funding to look at 

the effectiveness of different kinds of prevention and suppression tactics. It also enabled local 

ranchers to share their know-how with federal officials, which improved the government's 

response to wildfires. This program costs very little, but pays big dividends by helping the Forest 

Service make smarter decisions when it comes to wildfire. I am disappointed to see that 

President Trump proposed zeroing out this program again for FY19. 
53 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior ami U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Does the Forest Service believe it can produce the same type of fire research without the Joint 

Fire Science Program, or this program on the chopping block again because funds are stretched 

thin~ 

Would any capabilities be affected if the Joint Fire Science Program is cut? 

Answer: The Joint Fire Science Program has developed valuable projects that help land 

managers make critical decisions during the wildfire season. Our capability to conduct fire 

research will not be impacted as a result of the loss of funding for the Joint Fire Sciences 

Program, but the primary focus of this research will be on supporting implementation of the 

National Fire Plan. 

Question 3: I want to know what the Forest Service is doing to better protect Americans from 

wildfires. Two weeks ago, the Oregon Department of Forestry released a new web tool called the 

Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer. This tool lets you enter any location in the state, and it shows 

you the wildfire risk. I think this is a terrific new capability, and I'm glad to see the Forest 

Service partnered with folks in Oregon to make it happen. There's also a multi-agency program 

called Predictive Services that helps to anticipate major fires and determine the best allocation of 

resources 

How will the Forest Service use these tools, and the larger suppression budget that came out of 

the FY18 Omnibus, to better plan for and manage wildfires? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service currently provides information similar to that found in the 

Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer through applications like the Enterprise Geospatial PortaL This 

information, coupled with the predictive services information and products provided by the 

Wildland Fire Assessment System and lnciWeb, provide data on both fire danger and fire 

location, and size information. There are several technology enhancements in development to 

provide more finite, near real-time fire, weather, fire danger, and fire behavior information. 

These efforts will also improve the wildland fire data and information exposure provided to 

interagency firefighters, the public, and interagency decision makers. 

There are 11 predictive services units throughout the nation. Each unit contains personnel from 

both USDA Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. The units closely monitor 

conditions in their local area to provide better information about weather and fuel conditions that 

help predict the incidence of wildfires. The data produced by the predictive services units are 

shared via public web sites from each Geographic Area Coordination Center. 

2 
54 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Question 4: What is the Forest Service doing to get the new forest management authorities, like 

the 20-year stewardship contracts, up and running quickly? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service is undertaking a number of activities to implement the new 

authorities in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018. The agency has developed templates 

that incorporate the Good Neighbor Authority road maintenance provisions. The Washington 

Office has provided guidance to the regions on the scope of the wildfire resilience categorical 

exclusion, and, in tum, the regions are developing plans outlining how they intend to use this 

new authority. We are also actively working with our partners to develop pilot projects utilizing 

the 20-year stewardship agreements and contracts authority. On May 31, 2018, the Forest 

Service and the National Forest Foundation hosted an online session with agency, industry, nonprofit, community, and other stakeholders to solicit information that will help inform agency 

guidance for strategic use of this new authority and selection of forests to carry out the pilot 

projects 

Questions from Senator Joe Manchin III 

Question 1: I was glad we were able to get a much-needed fire-borrowing fix in the 2018 

Omnibus in March, as well as providing $1.37 billion to the Forest Service to go towards forest 

restoration and to improve forest health and reduce the risk of wildfire. A lot of restoration 

efforts are underway in the Monongahela, whether it be timber projects supporting the local 

communities and improving forest health and prescribed burns. In fact, the Forest Service 

planned and conducted prescribed fires on 5,000 acres and six different locations in the 

Monongahela from Mid-March through May. 

Are similar efforts, such as what I just described, being replicated in other regions of the 

country? 

Answer: Yes. The USDA Forest Service is expanding our forest management activities 

throughout the country, and we have several efforts underway to replicate the best practices that 

have been used on some of the highest performing units like the Monongahela National Forest. 

For example, we have increased targets for prescribed bums and timber harvest across the 

country. We began a national effort to increase the efficiency of our environmental analysis and 

decision making and forest products delivery systems, including a Business Operations Cadre 

focused on increasing use of the grants, agreements and innovative contracting mechanisms. Our 

regional staff are also developing strategies to implement the new forest management authorities 

in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, which will further advance our restoration efforts. 

Question 2: Ms. Christiansen, as you mentioned in your opening statement, the 2017 fire season 

was one of the worst on record with millions of acres burned and thousands of homes and other 

structures destroyed. The final tally I saw for 2017 was 71,500 fires at a total cost of$2.9 billion 

3 
55 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natuml Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department o_fthe Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

dollars. I would like to hear your thoughts on education efforts being done by the Forest Service 

to inform the public on the dangers of wildfire and what the public can and should do to reduce 

fire danger. The Forest Service has at its disposal one of the most recognizable mascots for 

public education, Smokey Bear, to help drive the point home. 

What sort of public awareness and education campaigns have you considered and are they 

effective? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service works in collaboration with many partners to promote 

wildfire prevention education awareness. Some of these efforts utilize Smokey Bear's name and 

image; others do not. 

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group Communications, Education and Prevention 

Committee, with representation from all federal agencies and the National Association of State 

Foresters, develops training and maintains and promotes resources to ensure personnel are aware 

of wildfire prevention planning and education techniques. Fire Prevention Education Teams are 

utilized throughout the United States and have proven to successfully reduce the number of 

human-caused wildfires by increasing wildfire prevention education and awareness campaigns in 

high risk areas. 

The Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention program is made of representatives from the Forest 

Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Ad Council. This group manages 

and leads the official, national Smokey Bear wildfire prevention campaign. In 2016, the program 

launched a redesigned Smokeybear.com website that is compatible for mobile devices and 

available in both English and Spanish. This year we are adding a feedback feature to learn more 

about the usefulness of the website. In 2016 and 2017, the program focused the Smokey Bear 

wildfire prevention campaign on causes of wildfire beyond those started by campfires. In 2019, 

we will celebrate 75 years of the Smokey Bear wildfire prevention campaign. Research indicates 

that for every dollar spent on wildfire prevention activities, 3 5 dollars is saved in wildfire 

suppression costs and losses. If more dollars are devoted to wildfire prevention, the agency 

strongly believes a reduction in human-caused wildfires will follow. 

Questions from Senator Steve Daines 

Question 1: Has the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior coordinated their internal 

environmental analysis review efforts to identify potential areas for improving one or both 

agencies' planning processes? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service participates in a quarterly federal planning/National 

Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) meeting with the Department of the Interior. To date, much 

of our discussion at these meetings has focused on information sharing and relationship4 
56 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wild/anti Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Serl'ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

building. For example, in October 2017, we coordinated the development of Federal planning 

presentations to the Association ofFish and Wildlife Agencies. We have also shared the results 

of internal surveys regarding implementation of the 2012 Planning Rule. 

With respect to NEPA coordination, the Forest Service has attended monthly meetings with 

officials from the Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management and the Council of 

Environmental Quality to discuss opportunities for creating more efficient NEPA processes. 

Question 2: On May 301

h, the Forest Service announced plans to issue solicitations for Call 

When Needed Basic Ordering Agreements (BOA) and any resulting orders for Next Generation 

Large Airtankers (Sol.# 12-024B-18-R-9014) and Very Large Airtanker services (Sol. #12-

024B-18-R-9015). Please provide an update regarding plans by the Forest Service to solicit and 

award contracts for Call When Needed and Next Generation 3.0 Exclusive Use contracts for 

Large Airtankers and Very Large Airtankers under the BOAs. 

Answer: In May 2018, the USDA Forest Service began the acquisition process for additional 

large and very large airtanker services to meet the fiscal year 2018 Call When Needed 

requirements. The Request for Proposals for Call When Needed services was released on June 

15, 2018, and the proposal due date will be extended to allow interested parties adequate time to 

review responses to submitted questions. The agency anticipates releasing the Next Generation 

3.0 Exclusive Use Request for Proposal later this summer. 

The agency also held a meeting with industry representatives on June 8, 2018, in Boise, Idaho to 

discuss the airtanker requirements and possible improvements to Federal contracting 

mechanisms. A follow-up meeting with vendors is scheduled for the fall of 2018. 

Questions from Senator Mazie K. Hirono 

Question 1: Funding from one of the Forest Service's Wildland Fire Programs, the State Fire 

Assistance Program, is very important to supporting pre-suppression, prevention, and training 

efforts in Hawaii. As you know, Hawaii does not have a National Forest so funding from 

programs such as this that assist state efforts is critical to helping our state and local communities 

prepare for and respond to wildfire. 

The Administration's FY19 budget proposes to decrease funding to this program by nearly 20 

percent, which I strongly oppose. How does the Forest Service plan to continue supporting 

states' pre-suppression, prevention, and training efforts amid these significant cuts~ 

Answer: State Fire Assistance funding is available for an array of activities that reduce risk and 

help communities become more fire adapted, and to build local capacity for effective response to 

wildfires. This funding is allocated using a methodology that incorporates the tenets of the 

5 
57 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen,ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Cohesive Wildland Fire Strategy, which promotes an "all hands, all lands" approach and 

encourages local collaboration and innovation to address wildland fire challenges. Each state, 

including Hawaii, is provided a base amount of funding, and states are granted flexibility in how 

they use State Fire Assistance funding to meet the highest priorities identified within each state. 

In addition, there are State Fire Assistance competitive grant funds available to address specific 

wildland fire requirements. Sixty percent of the funds allocated for these competitive grants are 

available to the states in the western United States, including Hawaii. In fiscal year 2017, Hawaii 

received $500,000 of State Fire Assistance competitive grant funds to address priority needs; in 

fiscal year 2018, Hawaii will receive just over $434,000 in funding for State Fire Assistance 

competitive grants. Both amounts are in addition to the base funds Hawaii received. 

Question 2: As I'm sure you are aware, as it has gained international attention, communities 

along the Lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea on Hawaii Island are currently dealing with an active 

lava flow. While we understand the direct impact oflava burning and destroying whatever it 

comes into contact with, there are side effects associated with a volcanic eruption that include the 

impacts of air pollution known as vog and ashfall on vegetation in surrounding areas. 

Does the Forest Service conduct research on how vog and ashfall could contribute to hazardous 

fuel loads and wildfire threats to communities near lava flows? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service is not directly researching the impacts ofvog and ashfall on 

vegetation or its link to fire threats. However, anecdotal observations suggest that fuel loads 

would increase due to plant and tree mortality associated with vog. Moreover, the Forest Service 

is collaborating with Massachusetts Institute of Technology scientists, who have built a low cost 

vog monitor, on a citizen science program to install many of these devices around the island. 

Once in place, these monitors will provide a measure of vog by which the agency may examine 

its impacts on the environment. 

Questions from Senator Catherine Cortez Masto 

Question 1: Invasive species, climate change, and the effects of prolonged drought are creating 

conditions that are leading to larger, more frequent, and more intense fires in Nevada, and 

generally across the West. What have we learned over these past few years of rising wildfire 

frequency and intensity to anticipate and suppress wildfires, and what can we do to ameliorate 

their intensity? 

Simply put, are we ready to combat another intense fire season? 

Answer: Yes, we stand ready to deal with this year's fires, managing for public and firefighter 

safety and protecting America's resources to the best of our ability. At this time, the USDA 

6 
58 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natuml Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department o_fthe Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Forest Service believes the number of firefighters, engines, aircraft, and other wildfire 

suppression assets are appropriate to meet its needs within available funding. 

The Forest Service continues to make progress in reducing wildfire risk. Prioritizing hazardous 

fuels treatments to reduce wildfire risk can have an immediate impact to protecting communities 

and improving forest conditions. The passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 

brought a suite of new authorities to accelerate the scope and scale of improving forest 

conditions and reducing wildfire risk. The Chief directed each region to develop an 

implementation strategy to make improvements to how we do business. 

The agency works closely with our partners to ensure we are making risk informed decisions in 

preparing and responding to wildland fire using the best available science. The agency is rolling 

out an updated National Fire Danger Rating System to better gauge current and predicted fire 

danger levels and make informed, interagency decisions in responding to wildfire. The Forest 

Service is also utilizing Risk Management Assistance Teams to apply existing and emerging 

decision support tools to improve the effectiveness of the agency's fire management response. 

Question 2: In 2017, 53 percent of fires in Nevada were caused by humans. What do individuals 

need to know to be more conscientious and more cautious in preventing wildfires? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service has a very active wildfire prevention program. It is 

estimated that 80 to 90 percent of all wildfires are human-caused and, therefore, potentially 

preventable. The agency prevention program uses a number of techniques to reduce humancaused wildfires. They include providing environmental education; actively patrolling high risk 

areas and making public contact; working with industry to engineer better outdoor equipment; 

and raising public awareness through signage and enforcement of fire use and safety regulations. 

Individuals need to be conscientious any time they are in burnable areas. They can ensure this by 

making sure chains or other metallic objects do not drag on paved roadways when driving; 

assuring equipment is outfitted properly with spark arrestors; being aware of the conditions 

around them; and paying attention to no burn days, as well as weather forecasts that warn of high 

fire danger. 

Question 3: We have now entered an era where we do not refer to wildfire season as "fire 

seasons" anymore- we live in a time when wildfire is now "year-round." The National 

Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook issued by the National Interagency Fire Center on 

June I, estimates that above normal significant wildland fire potential is possible over parts of 

western/northwestern Nevada. As wildfires become more constant and the threat of potential 

wildfire increases, are there concerns about resources and staffing'7 

• If so, why decrease the number of full-time employees by six percent? 

7 
59 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen,ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Answer: In fiscal year 2019 the USDA Forest Service plans on staffing the same number of 

firefighters, 10,000, as it has in previous years. Maintaining core firefighting capacity is a 

primary objective of the agency, and significant effort is placed on ensuring that both permanent, 

seasonal and contracted firefighting assets are available throughout the fire year to support 

operations. The agency continues to look to increase programmatic efficiencies, including 

decreasing overhead, to maximize our ability to deliver firefighting capability. 

Question 4: Under President Trump's budget, cuts to the Forest Service would impact state and 

private forestry budgets. In fact, the Nevada Division of Forestry (NDF) could experience a 

substantial funding loss, which would have a huge impact on wildland fire suppression and fire 

prevention. Can you elaborate on those potential impacts and concerns? 

Answer: Decreased funding to State and Private Forestry programs does not diminish our 

commitment to longstanding partnerships with federal, state, Tribal, local, and non-profit groups 

to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of the Nation's forests. The fiscal year 2019 

Budget requires greater emphasis on shared stewardship with states, communities, and private 

landowners to accomplish forest management goals and prioritize hazardous fuels treatments to 

reduce wildfire risk. 

Question 5: Over 74 percent of the area around Tahoe Lake is public land managed by the 

Forest Service. After decades of fire suppression, the Tahoe Basin's overstocked forests are 

highly vulnerable to insect, disease and catastrophic wildfire. They lack the diversity in agestructure and species distribution to support a healthy forest ecosystem. Forest management 

projects are essential to the safety of Tahoe's communities and the health of its forests. The 

threat of a catastrophic wildfire at Lake Tahoe is a top concern for the entire community. With 

the increasing outlook for an above normal significant wildland fire potential in northwestern 

Nevada, what precautions is USFS undertaking to safeguard this area, in particular? 

Answer: The agency is utilizing all available tools to reduce the threat of catastrophic wildfire 

caused in part by the unprecedented mortality occurring in California's National Forests. From a 

forest management perspective, we are utilizing the categorical exclusion from NEP A for insect 

and disease projects authorized in the Agricultural Act of 2014 and the categorical exclusion for 

wildfire resilience projects in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018 (the Omnibus bill). 

These categorical exclusions will allow us to implement treatments in areas on a quicker basis to 

reduce the hazardous conditions that have been created. We are also looking to expand the use of 

the Good Neighbor Authority program to partner with the state to implement restoration 

treatments. 

We have engaged in normal preseason preparedness meetings with partners and cooperators to 

ensure the highest level of readiness for operational firefighting resources. In addition, the 

Pacific Southwest Region of the Forest Service received the highest percentage offunding for 

hazardous fuels treatments of any region in the agency. This funding will be directed to the 

highest priority areas. Also, $2.5 million is dedicated to Lake Tahoe Restoration Act Forest 

8 
60 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natuml Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department o_fthe Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Health and Fire Protection projects in the Lake Tahoe Management Unit. The agency intends to 

take full advantage of the new authorities passed in the Omnibus bill to accelerate the 

improvement of forest conditions and reducing fire risk. This will have a significant impact this 

fire season and in years to come. 

Question 6: Nevada is a naturally fire prone state which last year burned 1.2 million acres and 

has approximately $10 billion in moderate to very high risk of potential community exposure to 

wildfire damage. Nevada has invested in research activities to better predict the risk of wildfire, 

address those risks with prevention strategies, use technology to fight fires, and analyze the 

threat to communities post-fire. Yet the President's budget continues to cut wildfire research 

programs through the U.S. Forest Service R&D accounts and the Joint Fire Science Program, an 

innovative program specifically designed to perform and deliver research and recommendations 

at the land managers' request to help them combat wildfire conditions and effects. This program 

is directly responsive to their needs. How does this Administration plan to support research 

funding to provide decision-support for planning and operations in what is expected to be a 

significant wildfire year as well as in future years? 

Answer: USDA Forest Service Research and Development is the nation's leader in the 

development and implementation of tools and systems to support planning, decision-making, and 

operational support for wildland fire. The reduction or elimination of funding for fire research 

programs within the Research and Development appropriation, including the National Fire Plan 

and Joint Fire Sciences Programs will result in more focused leveraging of funds with other 

Forest Service deputy areas and also with our partners in the fire community. For example, 

Forest Service Research and Development is funded by the State and Private Forestry Fire and 

Aviation Management program to maintain the National Fire Decision Support Center for 

developing, training, and implementing fire decision support for Nevada and the entire country. 

Forest Service Research and Development is also actively engaged with multiple western 

communities in their development of Community Wildfire Protection Plans. 

• How are you coordinating these research activities between federal agencies and with 

academic partners, especially those in our Western States which have firsthand 

knowledge of wildfire? 

Answer: USDA Forest Service Research and Development is a full partner with all signatories 

of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. Forest Service Research and 

Development also collaborates with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey, the Department 

of Defense's Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, and the national, 

collaborative network of 15 regional fire science exchanges (or Fire Science Exchange Network) 

to deliver science and tools to a variety of end users for practical applications. In addition to our 

federal partners, universities are critical partners, particularly regarding western wildland fire. 

From 2013 through 2017, Forest Service Research and Development has administered nearly 

100 agreements with units comprising the Nevada System of Higher Education, totaling over $22 

million. 

9 
61 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior ami U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

Question 7: How are you making use of other federal programs such as NOAA's Regional 

Climate Centers and inter-agency drought monitoring programs to help federal, state and local 

agencies and emergency planners better predict the incidence of wildfires? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service has a long-standing relationship with regional climate 

centers such as the Desert Research Institute at the University of Nevada, Reno, a partnership 

that has been in existence for more than 30 years. We work closely with the Desert Research 

Institute to develop better forecasting models for both fire weather and smoke dispersion, such as 

the California and Nevada Smoke and Air Consortium model known as CAN SAC. 

There are 11 predictive services units throughout the nation. Each is interagency in nature, with 

personnel from both USDA Forest Service and Department of the Interior. The units closely 

monitor conditions in their local area to provide better information about weather and fuel 

conditions that help predict the incidence of wildfires. The Forest Service has several agreements 

in place with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) agencies, including 

the National Weather Service to provide better forecasting tools. USDA partners with NOAA 

and others to produce the United States Drought Monitor, a tool fire behavior specialists utilize 

frequently. The data produced by the Predictive Services units is shared via public facing 

web sites from each Geographic Area Coordination Center. 

Question 8: How are you supporting research to help communities that fall victim to wildfire 

better assess the potential risk of post fire emergency situations, such as flash floods and 

mudslides? 

Answer: USDA Forest Service Research and Development works with Forest Service National 

Forest System and key partners such as Tribes, the Environmental Protection Agency, the 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Bureau of Land Management, the National 

Forest Foundation, and the UK Natural Environmental Research Council to advance this 

research. We have developed tools that support post fire erosion and flood predictions in all of 

the western states, including Nevada. We have also developed online tools to allow federal, state 

or local agencies to make such predictions without our direct assistance. Forest Service Research 

and Development continues to provide decision support tools and information for post-wildfire 

management efforts to Burned Area Emergency Response teams and to enhance forest land 

management. These tools are widely used by the Forest Service and other federal, state and 

Tribal agencies to identify areas most vulnerable to post-fire erosion and flood prediction. 

Question 9: How can we make better use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and other technologies 

to help predict and prevent fires and fight those fires when they occur? Where are monitoring 

and response operations lacking in utilizing the full extent of our technological and data sharing 

capabilities? 

Answer: The USDA Forest Service has been working closely with the Department of the 

Interior's Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) offices and personnel for years. The Forest Service 

10 
62 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

is currently negotiating an agreement to expand the scope and simplify the process of accessing 

this support. 

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group, an interagency body representing Department of the 

Interior Bureaus with wildland fire responsibility, the Forest Service, and states, published the 

Interagency Fire UAS Operations Guide, which was developed by the National Interagency 

Aviation Committee's Interagency Fire UAS Subcommittee. Department of the Interior, Forest 

Service and State Subcommittee members all contributed to the Guide. Service First agreements 

and the interagency Resource Ordering and Status System facilitate immediate UAS support for 

wildland fire management. UAS fire management missions include tactical reconnaissance, 

situational awareness, mapping, infrared detection and fire crew operational support. 

Question 10: The Forest Service is projecting a very strong probability for Northern Nevada to 

see wildfires early this summer. In what ways is the Forest Service coordinating with state 

firefighters~ 

• What are ways in which the Forest Service can improve coordination between other 

agencies and state partners7 

Answer: Through the State Fire Assistance and Volunteer Fire Assistance programs, the USDA 

Forest Service provides financial assistance to state and local response agencies for the 

prevention, mitigation, control, and suppression of wildfires on non-Federal lands. The programs 

emphasize pre-fire planning and hazardous fuels mitigation near communities at risk. In addition, 

training funded by these programs provides more effective and safer initial response to wildfire. 

The National Wildland Fire Cohesive Management Strategy emphasizes collaboration and 

coordination across jurisdictional boundaries. There are dozens of examples around the country 

where the Forest Service is working closely with our state and local partners to reduce wildfire 

risk. These include the Blue Mountains in Oregon, the Greater Okefenokee area in Georgia and 

Florida, the Flagstaff Watershed Protection Project in Arizona and the Mashpee Collaborative in 

Massachusetts, to name a few. 

In Nevada, Northeast Nevada Interagency Fire Management is an early Cohesive Strategy 

Success Story. The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest partners with the Bureau of Land 

Management under a Service First Agreement to provide dispatching, fire preparedness, and fire 

suppression support in the state. The Service First interagency partners, the Nevada Division of 

Forestry, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Duck Valley Tribe constitute the Northeast 

Nevada cooperators. Other agreements are in place to share resources with the Nevada Division 

of Forestry and other local entities throughout the state. 

The Great Basin Coordination Center as well as the National Interagency Coordination Center 

work to assure there are appropriate resources available to meet the anticipated needs for 

11 
63 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natuml Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department o_fthe Interior and U.S. Forest Service 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Chief Vicki Christiansen 

wildland fire management. We also use the provisions in the Good Neighbor Authority on a 

regular basis to work with state partners. 

12 
64 

U.S. Senate Committee on Ene1·gy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: Tlte 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen•ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Mr. Jeff Rupert 

Questions from Senator Mazie K Hirono 

Question 1: As I'm sure you are aware, as it has gained international attention, communities 

along the Lower East Rift Zone of Kilauea on Hawaii Island are currently dealing with an active 

lava flow. While we understand the direct impact oflava burning and destroying whatever it 

comes into contact with, there are side effects associated with a volcanic eruption that include the 

impacts of air pollution known as vog and ashfall on vegetation in surrounding areas. 

Does the Department of the Interior conduct research on how vog and ashfall could contribute to 

hazardous fuel loads and wildfire threats to communities near lava flows? 

Answer: While the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Park Service 

(NPS) have not yet conducted vog and ashfall research related to wildfire risks, they are 

monitoring and documenting the current sequence of events at Kilauea in coordination with the 

State of Hawaii. The eruption is very complex and dynamic and, in general, scientific resources 

are more engaged with aspects of the eruption that pose more immediate threats to life and 

property. With the eruptions at Kilauea scientists recognize the unique opportunity to address 

the question of the interaction ofvog, laze and ashfall with wildfire. Currently, we're 

considering opportunities to work with our partners to capture data and information that will help 

us address this question. 

Question 2: Last month the Department of the Interior announced that it awarded a Call When 

Needed contract to four companies that allows the Department to obtain contractor-operated and 

maintained drones to support wildfire management activities. However, the contract only covers 

the Contiguous 48 states and Alaska. 

Given the challenging terrain throughout our islands, it seems that the option for additional 

drones would be very helpful to wildfire management activities. What led to this service not 

being available in the state ofHawaiiry Are there challenges unique to Hawaii that prevented our 

inclusion in the contract and does the Department have future plans to expand the contract to 

cover all 50 states? 

Answer: In FY 2017, there were no Department of the Interior (DOl) drone, or unmanned 

aircraft system (UAS), flights in Hawaii. In FY 2018, so far there have been more than 221 

flights. The DOl UAS fleet in Hawaii has expanded to 14 aircraft on Hawaii, Maui, Oahu, and 

Molokai. The DOI drone program continues to support resource monitoring and emergency 

services at Kilauea with 12 aircraft from the fleet stationed on Hawaii. As you are aware, a DOl 

drone recently assisted with a search and rescue operation in an area adjacent to the eruption. 

This quick adaptation to both emergency and traditional resource monitoring needs is the 

hallmark of the DOl's growing UAS program. 

The contract for the call when needed services is currently under modification to allow the 

vendors to deploy aircraft to Hawaii. This development will provide call when needed UAS 

support in all 50 states. 
65 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen•ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Mr. Jeff Rupert 

Questions from Senator Catherine Cortez Masto 

Ouestiou 1 As you know, cheatgrass is an invasive, fire-prone plant that has a tendency to 

spread even more rapidly after a wildfire, displacing sagebrush, which is crucial habitat for sage 

grouse, and is important for ranching as well. Interior's "Sagebrush in Prisons" program, in 

which prison inmates cultivate sagebrush seedlings to be provided to public land management 

agencies to restore sage grouse habitat destroyed by wildfire and invasive cheatgrass, has had 

positive outcomes and has been met with positive feedback. In 2017, Nevada inmates cultivated 

210,000 plants. However, the Administration seems to have suspended this program. What is 

the status of this program? 

Answer: In FY18, the BLM expended $330,000 ofFY17 funds to support the Institute for 

Applied Ecology to run the Sagebrush in Prisons Program in 5 prisons in 3 states (NV, ID, OR). 

This is reduced from previous years which funded 11 prisons in 6 western states. 

The BLM is working in a partnership with the Institute of Applied Ecology in support of the 

Sagebrush in Prisons Program. Currently, all agreements are being reviewed to ensure that they 

are an efficient tool for management of the public lands and that they properly follow the federal 

procurement process. This review is being conducted in coordination with each of our state 

offices. The Sagebrush in Prisons program is included in this review because it has been funded 

through agreements in the past. 

A. Would it not be more expensive to cultivate sagebrush seedlings through other means? 

Answer: Different sagebrush species grow in different environments, thus BLM provides 

locally adapted sagebrush seed for inmates to grow into seedlings. The other sources of 

sagebrush seedlings are state and federal nurseries in Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada. 

B. What other measures are being undertaken to cut down on post-fire invasive species? 

Answer: The BLM takes seriously the threat of invasive species following wildland fire. The 

following are some of the measures BLM is taking to limit the spread of invasive species: 

The BLM Plant Conservation & Restoration Program has established an ecoregional 

program for the Great Basin that is working to increase availability of native seed for 

restoration and rehabilitation (CA, ID, NV, OR, UT). 

BLM is working with Dr. Beth Leger (UNR) to investigate native forbs that can compete 

with cheatgrass. Preliminary results indicate that native plant populations are adapting to 

cheatgrass and these can be selected for commercial production. 

The BLM's weed and invasive species management program utilizes weed prevention, 

early detection and rapid response to reduce post-fire return in combination with invasive 

species inventory, treatments, restoration, and monitoring that includes fuels reductions, 

emergency fire stabilization, and coordinates weed treatments with private, state and 

2 
66 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Serl'ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Mr. Jeff Rupert 

county cooperators. The BLM uses an integrated pest management approach (IPM) using 

a combination of chemical, biological, mechanical and prescribed fire treatments. 

Question 2: Nevada is a naturally fire-prone state which last year burned 1.2 million acres and 

has approximately $10 billion in moderate to very high risk of potential community exposure to 

wildfire damage. Nevada has invested in research activities to better predict the risk of wildfire, 

address those risks with prevention strategies, use technology to fight fires, and analyze the 

threat to communities post-fire. Yet the President's budget continues to cut wildfire research 

programs through the U.S. Forest Service R&D accounts and the Joint Fire Science Program 

(JFSP), an innovative program specifically designed to perform and deliver research and 

recommendations at the land managers' request to help them combat wildfire conditions and 

effects. This program is directly responsive to their needs. How does this Administration plan to 

support research funding to provide decision-support for planning and operations in what is 

expected to be a significant wildfire year as well as in future years? 

Answer: Working within budget parameters that are in-line with the President's priorities to 

reduce spending while increasing efficiency, the USGS and the Bureau of Land Management 

(BLM) continue to research fire risk in Nevada. In partnership, they are exploring the 

interrelationship of wildland fire risk, cheatgrass, and the sagebrush ecosystem. More broadly, 

wildland fire science partners, including the DOI, U.S. Forest Service, Department of Defense 

(DOD), NASA, Tribes, states, universities and non-government organizations, extensively 

collaborate to provide wildland fire science support for planning and operational decisionmaking. 

A. How are you coordinating these research activities between federal agencies and with 

academic partners, especially those in our Western States which have firsthand 

knowledge of wildfire? 

Answer: National level coordination continues through the Wildland Fire Leadership 

Council, which includes fire management agencies in DOl and the Department of 

Agricultures, partners in the Department of Homeland Security, DOD and USGS, as well 

as representatives of state foresters, governors, local government and Tribes. At regional 

and local levels, the DOl's bureaus continue to coordinate closely with state and local 

governments, community groups and other stakeholders on mutual concerns or shared 

issues, often through the regional Fire Science Exchanges. Regarding Nevada, the 

"Integrated Rangeland Fire Management Strategy Actionable Science Plan" provides a 

common resource for federal, state and local governments, non-governmental 

organizations, and communities interested in addressing priority research needs. Within 

DOl, the USGS and BLM coordinate through regular communications at the stafflevel 

and through venues convened by regional organizations such as the Great Basin 

Consortium. 

3 
67 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at the Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen•ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Mr. Jeff Rupert 

In addition, Federal scientists regularly collaborate on research projects with academic 

partners. The SageSTEP research program, initially established through JFSP funding, is 

an example of scientists from different federal agencies and universities studying the 

management of wildland fire, cheatgrass and sagebrush. They regularly meet at field and 

national levels with fire and land management programs to share research results on 

challenges of the sagebrush steppe and gain feedback from managers. 

Question 3: How are you making use of other federal programs such as NOAA's Regional 

Climate Centers and inter-agency drought monitoring programs to help federal, state and local 

agencies and emergency planners better predict the incidence of wildfires? 

Answer: The Predictive Services Unit of the National Interagency Fire Center relies extensively 

on NOAA and interagency drought monitoring efforts. During fire season, the Predictive 

Services Unit uses NOAA data to produce a monthly National Significant Wildland Fire 

Potential Outlook that is used by wildland fire managers to inform wildland fire management 

decisions and proactive strategies. Regional Predictive Services staffs within the Geographic 

Area Coordination Centers also coordinate with and rely on state and regional climate and 

drought monitoring centers. 

Question 4: How are you supporting research to help communities that fall victim to wildfire 

better assess the potential risk of post fire emergency situations, such as flash floods and 

mudslides? 

Answer: The DOI supports post fire risk research though a number of avenues. Monitoring and 

emergency stabilization efforts are initiated for large wildfires even while Incident Management 

Teams are actively managing an incident. Local and regional line managers decide if Burned 

Area Rehabilitation Teams should be deployed to conduct wildfire severity and post-fire risk 

assessments. USGS programs provide support to teams and communities that are addressing 

post-fire risks with information on burn severity, debris-flow risk assessments and monitoring, 

satellite imagery, flood potential assessments and stream flow (with existing stream gauge 

network, or add additional temporary gauges). Specialists use these tools in concert with NOAA 

weather information and warning systems, and hydrologic monitoring. USGS also leads 

extensive hydrologic, debris flow, and vegetation recovery research across Federal and State 

agencies. For example, researchers with Northwest Climate Science Center modeled future 

wildfire activity though 2050 and used these projections to produce an assessment of fireinduced soil erosion for the West. 

Question 5: How can we make better use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems and other technologies 

to help predict and prevent fires and fight those fires when they occur? Where are monitoring 

and response operations lacking in utilizing the full extent of our technological and data sharing 

capabilities? 

4 
68 

U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 

June 5, 2018 Hearing: The 2018 Wildland Fire Outlook and tlte Wildland Fire Management 

Programs at tlte Department of the Interior and U.S. Forest Sen•ice 

Questions for the Record Submitted to Mr. Jeff Rupert 

Answer: The DOl's use ofUASs to gather data for fire prediction models, weather forecasts, 

and real-time fire behavior during active fire suppression is a technological leap forward in using 

aircraft to support wildland fire management. The DOl's UAS program continues to explore the 

potential for quickly integrating new sensor technology to improve operational capabilities of 

UASs. The most recent example of this integration comes from emergency support for the 

Kilauea eruption where drones monitored the concentration of toxic gases with air sensors. 

While the current drone program has grown to one of the largest, most diverse, and most 

successful domestic programs in the United States, it is still expanding. The DOI is preparing for 

field tests of UASs designed for use as an aerial ignition device for prescribed fire. This 

approach has the potential to increase effectiveness of fire management while reducing risks for 

fire managers on the ground. The DOI is also testing the feasibility of adding optionally piloted 

helicopters to its aerial support fleet. The same helicopters we already use for wildfire support 

would return to the helibase at the end of the day, get quickly reconfigured for remote flying, and 

then serve night operations while pilots rest. This means tripling the support these aircraft 

provide. 

Question 6 The Department of the Interior is projecting a very strong probability for Northern 

Nevada to see wildfires early this summer. In what ways is the Interior coordinating with state 

firefighters? 

A What are ways in which the Interior can improve coordination between other agencies 

and state partners? 

Answer: The DOl improves coordination between wildland fire protection agencies as an 

ongoing process in the Great Basin. The fire program managers of the various state and federal 

agencies involved in wildland fire protection meet regularly as the Great Basin Coordinating 

Group. This group focuses on developing plans that ensure a coordinated approach for wildland 

fire protection within the Great Basin Geographic Area. 

Annual operations procedures and plans guide Great Basin Multi-Agency Coordinating Group 

activities when unusual or critical fire activity and resource mobilization requires continuous, 

daily interaction between agencies. This ensures that decisions not covered in existing plans and 

guides are responsive to the priority interests of the geographic area as a whole. 

5 
69 

Center for Biological Diversity* Conservation Northwest 

Defenders of Wildlife* Earth Justice* KS Wild 

National Parks Conservation Association * Sierra Club 

The Wilderness Society* Western Environmental Law Center 

June18,2018 

The Honorable Usa Murkowski 

Chairman 

U.S. Senate 

Energy and Natural Resources Committee 

304 Dirksen Senate Office Building 

Washington, D.C. 20510 

The Honorable Maria Cantwell 

Ranking Member 

U.S. Senate 

Energy and Natural Resources Committee 

304 Dirksen Senate Office Building 

Washington, D.C. 20510 

Dear Chairman Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell, 

We write to provide our views on the full committee hearing to examine the 2018 Wildland 

Fire Outlook and the Wildland Fire Management Programs at the Department of the 

Interior and the U.S. Forest Service. We respectfully request that you include this letter in 

the hearing record. 

We appreciate you taking the time to examine these important issues. Wildland fires play 

an important role in regulating ecosystems, but climate change, decades of fire 

suppression, unsustainable logging, and other activities have altered natural processes on 

our national forests and interconnected public lands. Meanwhile, more residential 

development near wildlands has increased the likelihood that fire will impact people and 

property, often with devastating consequences. 

Last year's record setting fire season contributed to a tragic loss of life and property that 

drained federal, state, and local resources. The stories and images of wildland fire 

engulfing homes and communities are heart wrenching, and those impacted often look to 

lawmakers and land management agencies wanting to know what, if anything, could have 

been done to prevent these losses. 

Forttmately, Congress recently took meaningful action by including a bipartisan fire 

funding agreement in the FY18 Omnibus. For years prior, the rising cost of wildland fires 

had forced the Forest Service and other land management agencies to borrow funds from 

other programs, including those intended to reduce fire risk near communities. By finally 

fixing how the federal government plans for and funds 'Aildfires, Congress has provided the 

Forest Service with a unique opportunity to use their existing management tools and work 

with the public, states, and communities to address the needs of our national forests. 

Despite the wildfire funding fix having strong bipartisan support in both the House and 

Senate, this commonsense policy solution lingered for years, hamstrung by the demand to 

pair the budget fix with controversial forest management policies. vVhen properly applied, 

science-based forest management tools can help restore national forests and' other lands 
70 

where needed and when paired with initiatives to create defensible space and community 

readiness, protect against the loss of life and property from wildland fire. 

However, proposals to undermine bedrock environmental laws and recklessly promote 

logging over clean water, recreation, and wildlife do nothing to improve the health of our 

national forests, while creating public controversy and opposition. 

Congress should resist legislating unsound logging projects and practices and allow the 

Forest Service to use the many existing tools it has at its disposal to help keep our 

communities safe from wildfire and preserve the priceless values that our national forests 

provide. The future of our national forests and public lands and the health and safety of our 

communities depend on the availability of adequate resources, science-based forest 

restoration, efforts to improve community readiness, and an understanding of the risks 

inherent to more development in fire prone areas. Reckless rollbacks of bedrock 

environmental laws like the National Environmental Policy Act, Roadless Rule, and 

Endangered Species Act are simply the wrong approach. 

We encourage Congress to continue the important oversight needed to ensure that our 

land management agencies are properly funded, equipped to respond to wildland fire, 

appropriately applying forest management tools, and protect the clean water, wildlife, and 

recreational values of our public lands. 

Thank you for considering our views. 

Sincerely, 

Center for Biological Diversity 

Conservation Northwest 

Defenders of Wildlife 

Earth Justice 

KSWild 

National Parks Conservation Association 

Sierra Club 

The Wilderness Society 

Western Environmental Law Center 
71 

UK Semler ti"' :l>itri:D\Wlci 

<m.Eaergy ~mil :N"tur;i!lll:.es""""'s 

SnmtPmtt 

G!ooal Head, Public Policy md wm<lll>]' &.l,.;i,""" 

CoreLogi<: 
72 

June 5, 2018 

The Honorable Lisa Murkowski 

Chairman 

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee 

US Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

The Honorable Maria Cantwell 

Ranking Member 

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee 

US Senate 

Washington, DC 20510 

Dear Chainuan Murkowski and Ranking Member Cantwell: 

The heads of state forestry agencies around the country have been key partners with tl1e Agriculture 

Departmenfs Forest Service and the Interior Dcpartrnent"s Bureau of Land Management for many years. 

Collectively, we arc represented by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) and share with 

our federal partners the common goal of promoting the health and well-being of all of the nation's forest 

resources. This letter is to express our gratitude for the \vork of your committee in support of increasing 

active forest management on federal lands and our appreciation of the steps the Forest Service ~nd 

Interior Department arc taking to begin implementing newly enacted authorities. 

Notably, recent improvements to the Good Neighbor Authority (GNA) have strengthened the ability of 

State Foresters to work \Vith federal land managers to achieve even more results on the ground. We fully 

embrace this role and sec it continuing to grow. Attached is a report we completed that assessed current 

and fi1ture work by state foresters under GNA. As noted in the report, 28 states have entered into GNA 

agreements and six more intend to do so. It is likely the remaining states do not have significant portions 

of federal land. Since the report and passage of the legislation, the agencies have provided additional 

training and the number ofGNA projects continue to increase. 

At the time we collected the infonnation, 133 GNA agreements had been executed. TI1cse agreements led 

to a number of important projects that reduced fire risk, restored forests. curtailed invasive 

species/insect/disease, and allO\ved for important trail work, commercial timber sales, and fire salvage 

operations to occur. The Forest Service utilized categorical exclusions on many of these projects. On 

average, over 400 acres per vegetation management project \Vcre treated. W c would expect this average 

to increase with the new authorities recently provided. lfs also important to note that states invested 

some thirty percent of the project costs as many of these were cross boundary projects. 

NASF believes significant improvements have been made through recent legislation and will continue to 

be made with the commitment from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to work with the 

nation's State Foresters to more fhlly utilize this authority. l11esc improvements will have lasting 

positive implications for America's forests. We expect to resurvey our Members within the next two 

years and find a significantly increased level of GNA participation and accomplishment. State Foresters 
73 

do. however, believe GNA could be utilized to even greater effect if all Interior Department agencies 

were allowed to pmtieipatc in GNA projects and if State Foresters were able to partner with the Forest 

Service on forest inventory \Vork on federal lands. 

Again, thank )/OU for your efforts in providing expanded authorities to improve all of our nation's forests. 

We are encouraged hy the results of GNA efforts to date and look fon:vard to an even stronger partnership 

vdth the Forest Service and the Department of Interior as we move fonvard. 

George Geissler 

Washington State Forester 

President. National Association of State Foresters 
74 

Background 

NASF Forest Resource Management Committee 

Survey of Good Neighbor Authority Implementation 

January 24, 2018 

The Good Neighbor Authority was made permanent under the 2014 Farm Bill and allows the 

Forest Service to enter into contracts and agreements with states to perform work on federal 

lands. As everyone searches for ways to increase the scope and scale of needed vegetative 

management on federal lands this authority has become an increasingly prominent tool. 

To get a comprehensive view of the extent of use, and to collect suggestions on how it may be 

improved for even greater use, the Forest Resource Management Committee developed a 

questionnaire which was distributed to all NASF members in the fall of 2017. 

Results 

The following 38 states provided responses. 

West 

Montana(V) 

Colorado(V) 

Wyoming(V) 

Nebraska(N) 

Alaska(V) 

Hawaii(N) 

ldaho(V) 

Kansas(N) 

Washington(V) 

South Dakota(V) 

Nevada(V) 

New Mexico(V) 

North Dakota(V) 

California(V) 

Utah(V) 

Northeast 

Ohio(V) 

New Hampshire(N) 

Wisconsin(V) 

lllinois(N) 

Minnesota(V) 

Delaware(N) 

Pennsylvania(V) 

Michigan(V) 

West Virginia(N) 

Connecticut(N) 

Vermont(V) 

Missouri(N) 

South 

Virginia(V) 

Alabama(V) 

North Carolina(V) 

South Carolina(N) 

Mississippi(V) 

Arkansas(N) 

Kentucky(V) 

Texas(V) 

Florida(V) 

Georgia(V) 

Tennessee(N) 

1. Has your state entered into a Good Neighbor Authority Agreement 

YES- 27 NO- 11 Specific states are indicated by (V) or (N) above. 

11 
75 

It's likely that a few non-responding states have, in fact, participated in GNA and it would be 

helpful to hear from them yet. Most of the 12 that have not responded, probably have not 

participated, but it would also be good to have that verification. 

2. Do you foresee using GNA anytime in the future? 

Of those 11 states who have not used GNA yet, 6 said yes, they thought they would. 

3. Do you feel you have an adequate understanding of GNA, what the 

authority allows and how to go about initiating a project? 

Of those who had not used GNA to date, 7 said they did not feel they had an adequate 

understanding ofthe tool. 4 of those 7 were ones who thought they might use it in the future: 

NE, MO, AR & WV 

4. With which agency have you worked under a GNA Agreement? 

21 states had worked solely with the USFS, while 6 had worked with both USFS and BLM. 

5. How many agreements have you participated in? 

In total GNA participants had entered into 129 agreements with the USFS and 4 with BLM, for 

an average of roughly 4 per participant. The highest number reported were: 

Wl-40 

Ml-31 

C0-10 

ID-10 

UT-9 

Everyone else actually had just used 1 or 2 agreements. 

6. What were the primary vegetative management objectives? 

We are currently underway in developing two SPAs to conduct vegetative 

management for salvage, insect and disease, and fuels reduction. We have, to date, 

no signed SPAs. 

forest health, fuels reduction, forest restoration, invasive species control with the 

projects we are considering 

21 
76 

Fuels Reduction, landscape Resilience, & Pine Beetle Salvage/Sanitation 

-Timber Stand Improvement -Fuels Mitigation -Timber Sale -Trail work 

Watershed forest management and management of invasive plants 

Southern pine beetle control and invasive species control 

Timber sale for young growth timber on the Tongass National Forest. The project 

sold 28 MMBF oftimberfor $2.8 million. Purchaser layout of about 2/3 of the sale is 

a unique feature of the project and an additional cost savings for us, thus the value 

of the sale exceeds the amount listed. 

All ofthe >40 projects have been timber sales on multiple timber types (e.g., 

northern hardwood, red pine, aspen) with a variety of treatments as described in the 

national forest's plan (e.g., selection, thinning, clearcuts) 

*Fire Salvage * Forest thinning for forest health (commercial thin) *Data collection 

for NEPA analysis on designated projects 

We are engaging slowly and have begun a 800 plot inventory for data purposes so 

that other forest management objectives can begin. 

Not applicable 

Our GNA agreement was recently signed, August 2017. We have been awarded one 

project with the BLM in the Southern Nevada District Office. The management 

objectives are to improve forest and rangeland health and reduce hazardous fuels 

adjacent to the Wildland Urban Interface in southern Nye County and Clark County. 

Timber harvest and regeneration of overage Aspen stands and some first and second 

thinning of Red Pine stands. 

Southern pine Beetle spot ID and mapping. 

1. Activities on and off NFS land to treat insect and disease infected trees; 2. 

Activities to reduce hazardous fuels; and 3. Other activities to restore or improve 

forest, rangeland and watershed health. 
77 

Both GNA supplemental project agreements contain vegetation management 

objectives developed to protect the many values at risk threatened by complex fire 

issues associated with drought, climate change, fuel loading, insects and disease. 

Protected values include communities, infrastructure, private timber, water, power, 

recreation, protected species, and improved fire frequency. The values and cobenefits to be protected in these watersheds are critical to the local and regional 

economies and to ecosystem health. Emphasis was placed on connecting 

treatments across all lands designed to defend hardened infrastructure points, high 

value investments and critical habitats. The focus areas are largely at the Wildland 

Urban Interface/Intermix (WUI) zone. The overarching objectives are to implement 

landscape-level projects that will demonstrate cross jurisdictional cooperation for 

fuel modification in high fire hazard areas of the State within existing statuary and 

regulatory frameworks ultimately leading to 1) resilient landscapes, 2) fire adapted 

communities and 3) safe and effective wildfire response. 

fuels treatments 

Forest health 

Timber management: red pine thinning and early successional habitat (Aspen) 

Thinning of overstocked stands of pine for forest health and fuels reduction. 

Shared resources on both state land and the GMNF related in timber inventory and 

marking 

fuel reduction forest health with thinning's wildlife improvements endangered 

species enhancement 

Thinning pine stands for forest health 

7. How many federal acres have been treated? 

States reported treated 54,032 acres af federal/and to date ...... about 406 acres per 

project. 

8. Haw many associated private or state acres were involved? 

There were an additional 8700 acres of state or private land treated. 

9. How many federal dollars were used by your agency to implement the project(s)? 

So far, $5,988,500 federal dollars were reported spent by state agencies, for an average of $45,026 

per project. 

41 a e 
78 

10.How many state dollars were used? 

In addition, states spent $2,893,118 oftheir dollars .... though state dollars were not reported as spent 

on every project. 

11.1/ you utilized other funds, please specify the amount and identify the source: 

We are currently engaging two mills to provide in-kind work to get a minimal amount of 

road construction ($20,000 to 30,000} complete so we will be able to use GNA for a sale. 

Funds to work on establishing the Master Agreement and SPAs were from a Challenge Cost 

Share Agreement with State and Private Forestry for Tongass National Forest plan and 

transition from old growth to young growth work. Field work for the timber sales will be 

reimbursed, so we are using state funds to do this work. 

Total acreage treated: >12,000 acres 

Three Forest Industry partners have pledged $200,000/year for a 3-5 year period. They 

provided an additional $59000 in year one so IDL could purchase vehicles and computers 

for GNA staff. 

USDA Forest Service, Dakota Prairie Grasslands- noncash contribution- $15,660. 

12. Were commercial harvests on federal lands involved? 

YES -11 NO -8 NO ANSWER- 8 

13.Was Stewardship Contracting involved? 

Only 1 indicated that Stewardship Contracting was involved. 

14. What other projects besides vegetative management were involved? 

Increased community safety, job creation, and landscape resilience. 

Trail work 

Sl 

Identification of invasive plant locations and species on federal lands and adjacent state 

lands, as well as invasive plant eradication in the high-elevation alpine zone. 

None- this was a timber sale straight up. There was some road maintenance work as 

part of the sale. 
79 

Timber cruising, marking, boundary establishment, contract development and 

administration, project design (with oversight by the FS). IDL is adding NEPA planning 

capacity by hiring contractors to perform data collection and analysis with oversight by 

the FS. 

Yes. Brush Disposal in the form of piling will be included as part of one of the 

agreements currently underway. 

Taking inventory plots to provide data in order to begin other work. 

The project is awarded but not implemented at this time we are not sure on this yet. 

What we are expecting is increased water quality and erosion control, noxious weed 

abatement, and community education and wildfire protection planning. 

Other project accomplishments include cooperative landscape planning, optimal and 

efficient use of funding and resources, joint environmental compliance and improved 

communication between agencies and local cooperators. 

pile burning, roadside & other hazard tree 

Forest Health, Fire, Recreation 

None to date. Probably starting in 2019. 

Enhancement of state staff's experience and skill sets related to timber sale prep and 

administration. 

Stand evaluation 

lS.Have you encountered issues that have prevented the project from 

being successful or effective? 

It has been very difficult to get USFS to see GNA as a priority. Our staff has had to do 

much of the work to initiate discussions, meetings, and progress on developing SPAs. 

Also, it has been very difficult in finding a project that has potential to produce 

program income and can be done without road construction or reconstruction. 

Just signed in September 2017 and have not initiated a project to date. 

Some of the proposed projects have been delayed due to local (i.e. county) issues not 

originally anticipated. Also, lack of local collaboration and social license to do certain 

forestry treatments in some areas have delayed some potential Supplemental Project 

Agreements. 

lack of understanding on the part of federal staff as to what is GNA what isn't 

We are using a federal grant as "seed" money to get the program started by using a 

61 2 g 
80 

71 

shared forester position that works on both federal and state lands. However, 

because the federal grant has an end date (basically a term position) it has been hard 

to keep a person in that position as they apply for other permanent jobs, so turnover 

has been an issue. WE are hoping to get the position to be self-funded in the future 

through timber sale proceeds. 

None to date. If the DOF didn't have the CCSA in place, we would have found it 

difficult to do the upfront work on development of the Master Agreement and SPAs. 

very successful, but have had to redirect effort toward GNA and identify staff 

specifically for these efforts; Requires good communication and interest by both state 

and forest service 

To date, we have had a very positive experience partnering with the FS to implement 

GNA in Idaho. Two timber harvest projects are in progress, and there have been no 

significant issues. The most significant challenge is inability to include road 

construction/reconstruction in our projects. This issue limits the utility of GNA in two 

ways: 1. It limits opportunities for GNA commercial timber sale restoration projects 

since some degree of road reconstruction is almost always required to rehabilitate FS 

roads to suitable hauling standards. 2. It prohibits the use of potentially millions of 

dollars in Idaho GNA program income which could be spent on maintenance of 

existing FS roads thereby reducing sedimentation and enhancing water quality and 

aquatic habitat. In the short term, Forests are attempting to complete road 

reconstruction in advance of GNA timber sales using public works contracts. 

There are a few overarching challenges with successfully implementing the GNA 

across different forests. Specifically, the alignment of a number of a different groups 

who have input into seeing a project actual take shape and executed. From USFS 

district level staff and state field staff, to leadership at the forest supervisor's level and 

equivalent state manager level, broad agreement and support is crucial for successful 

selection and execution of a project. This extends to external stakeholders as well on 

both industry and conservation sides of the aisle. The perspective of the use and 

benefit of GNA varies widely from forest to forest, ranging from total agreement to 

seeing no use at all. This creates a unique challenge for state managers who must 

develop a diverse campaign to address these perspectives . The concept of 

"additive" in WA is also a component of the GNA that is a challenge. In WA, we are 

choosing to implement the GNA while not impacting our current state of business, 

therefore work associated with the GNA becomes difficult at the initial stages due the 

additional workload. The federal language translation and learning processes involved 

for state employees, as well as finding current staff who have the right mind set also 

capacity to undertake new work present other challenges. 

Not to date. 

No. 
81 

no 

No. 

Environmental compliance can result in project implementation delays and funding 

availability can prevent implementation. Both may have an impact on where projects 

are developed. There is no current definition of "incidental" to explain or define to 

what extent private lands affiliated with federal lands may be treated. The GNA 

doesn't allow federal resources (crews or equipment) to access state/private lands. In 

CA we have used the Wyden authority to allow federal resources access to 

state/private lands. Combined both authorities act to blend jurisdictional boundaries 

and optimize resource use. 

lack of industry, so can't pursue timber management 

Inaccurate FS forest inventory data. 

We have just started the process. To date, only N20 hours of labor have been 

performed but no issues up to this point. 

no 

16.Have you encountered legal issues because of state laws/rules? 

Yes, some of the federal verbiage from the Supplemental Project Agreement 

templates did not "fit" with our state/university contracting procedures. These have 

all been or are being resolved with our US Forest Service partners at all levels 

(district, forest, and regional). 

statutory issues preventing us from hiring staff even if we have the money 

None to date. We're learning with every project we engage, so this would be a great 

question to ask again in a year. 

In Washington, the State Environmental Protection Act, or SEPA, is a topic that we 

have been exploring with our legal advisors. This is an ongoing discussion as to 

whether the State should trigger SEPA for actions on federal lands, with federal 

decisions. 

No state law issues were identified in developing GNA projects. For Wyden 

Authority agreements, it was unclear if Federal resources could access multiple 

state/private properties under one agreement. 

81 
82 

Yes, state did not have authority to "work" on federal lands. 

17. What solutions would you propose for addressing any of the identified issues? 

Support the Good Neighbor Authority Improvement Act to remove the prohibition 

on road construction and road reconstruction. We very much need leadership 

within the USFS Region to make this a priority for the various Forests and to 

dedicate planning time and resources to making these projects possible on their 

respective work units. 

Developing improved and open communication between all administrative levels in 

all involved organizations. Other levels and types of government (local, other state, 

etc.) may have to become involved at earlier junctures than originally anticipated. 

For one of the more complicated projects (involving multiple SPAs) we have 

instituted a periodic steering committee conference call. GNA program managers 

may also have to become involved with local collaboratives in order to communicate 

program objectives and procedures. 

utilizing other partners to fill needed positions 

Unknown at this time. 

Ensure there is a mechanism for funding the upfront work necessary for such 

agreements. Our state is experiencing a fiscal downturn and it is very difficult to get 

new funding to do work. Without a federal funding source upfront, this project 

would not have happened. 

*Congressional fix needed for GNA roads issue. *The 10 year term of GNA 

agreements is another important limitation that needs to be addressed at the 

congressional level. Idaho's Master GNA agreement expires in 2026. At that time all 

SPAs will also expire regardless of when each agreement was originally signed. Upon 

expiration all unspent program income must be returned to the US Treasury. This 

will not provide enough time to use all of the program income that has been 

generated since we expect ongoing GNA timber sales over the course of the 10 year 

agreement. IDL is exploring ways around this problem such as entering into a FS1500-36 "Stand Alone" GNA agreement. Ideally this issue will be addressed in the 

2018 Farm Bill by increasing the term of GNA Master Agreements or by allowing 

perpetual extensions thereby extending the SPAs. 

9 I a e 
83 

Opportunities to create broad outreach have been effective to communicate how 

the GNA works. Often, due to the familiarity of Stewardship contracting, comparing 

GNA to the Stewardship authority can create an immediate understanding of both 

its ability and inability to accomplish work. Development of consistent guidance 

and messaging between states, at the state level, on what the authority can and 

cannot do, combined with the support of the Regional and Washington USFS offices 

will help to alleviate the disparate opinions on if forests should engage in GNA. 

Currently, it is almost fully dependent on the state's efforts to initiate projects across 

the state. There are forests with innovative leadership who actively engage which is 

often an important component of the alignment needed to successfully implement a 

project. Creating full-time, dedicated positions for GNA will be critical moving 

forward. However, this is directly dependent on the development of a federal 

project queue. A diverse understanding of what the GNA can do and properly 

communicated, should allow for development of these project lists. 

To resolve the issue, the state acted as the liaison with private landowners to gain 

access rights. The state access agreements were then referenced in the Wyden 

Authority agreement. 

legislature passed an Act allowing PA to work on federal lands. Signed by Governor. 

Now conducting stand examination as part of some GNA projects. 

Conclusion 

Engagement in the Good Neighbor Authority seems to be increasing and 

should do so even more as several states have indicated an interest in getting 

involved in the future. 

10 I 

Project objectives have been wide ranging. 

Commercial timber harvests are common components, but not Stewardship 

Contracting. 

Some more education on what it is and how it works would probably be 

useful. 

There are several suggestions for improvement and a few state issues to 

address, but overall most seem to be getting the authority to work. 

0