[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 95-96]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-32265]



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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

[WO-550-0-111-24 1A]

National Park Service

Fish & Wildlife Service

Bureau of Indian Affairs


Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and Program Review

AGENCIES: Forest Service, USDA; Bureau of Land Management, National 
Park Service, United States Fish & Wildlife Service, and Bureau of 
Indian Affairs, Interior.

ACTION: Notice; initiation of a Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy 
and Program Review.

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SUMMARY: An Interagency Steering Group has been formed to examine 
wildland fire management policies, goals, and objectives and to ensure 
that uniform policies and cohesive programs are in place to carry out 
an effective, efficient, and safe program. This effort will ultimately 
result in a report to the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior 
containing recommendations on federal wildland fire management policy 
and strategic goals and objectives.

DATES: Comments must be in writing and will be accepted until (February 
2, 1995.)

ADDRESSES: Comments should be directed to: Federal Wildfire Policy 
Review, Department of the Interior, 18th & C Streets NW, Mail Stop 
7355, Washington, D.C. 20240, or via electronic mail to: Fire @ IOS . 
DOI . GOV.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Hartzell, Bureau of Land 
Management, phone (202) 208-5472; or John Chambers, USDA-Forest 
Service, phone (202) 205-1505.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Interagency Steering Committee will 
examine the full range of wildland fire management issues and policies, 
with special emphasis on:
    <bullet> The role of fire in natural resource management, including 
appropriate strategies for integrating fire into the management of 
ecosystems as a whole;
    <bullet> Wildland fire protection and preparedness capabilities and 
resources needed to meet national needs;
    <bullet> Use of prescribed fire and other fuel treatments needed to 
meet resource management objectives;
    <bullet> The appropriate role of Federal, State, local, and private 
organizations in the wildland/urban interface. [[Page 96]] 
    The committee is seeking public input in identifying key issues 
associated with these topics, related concerns, and suggestions on how 
those issues and concerns may be resolved.
    A number of related efforts are currently under way, or have been 
completed, that will also help in identifying issues and making 
recommendations, including:
    <bullet> Report of the Interagency Management Review Team, South 
Canyon Fire-October 17, 1994
    <bullet> Rural Fire Protection in America, National Association of 
State Foresters-1991
    <bullet> Oversight Hearing; Fire Suppression, Fire Prevention, and 
Forest Health Issues and Programs; Committee on Agriculture and the 
Committee on Natural Resources, House of Representatives-October 4, 
1994
    <bullet> National Commission on Wildfire Disasters; Sampson, Chair-
1994
    <bullet> Western Forest Health Initiative Report, USDA-Forest 
Service-1994
    <bullet> Fire Management Strategic Assessment Report, USDA-Forest 
Service (draft)-1994
    <bullet> Fire Management and Ecosystem Health in the National Park 
system, DOI-National Park Service-1994
    A draft report is expected to be issued by April 24, 1995. At that 
time the public will have an additional opportunity to review the draft 
report and make comments. The report shall contain recommendations on:
    <bullet> Federal wildland fire management policy and strategic 
goals and objectives for the federal wildland fire management program;
    <bullet> Barriers and obstacles (administrative, regulatory, and 
statutory) that prevent accomplishment of recommended fire management 
policy and strategic goals and objectives;
    <bullet> Specific actions necessary to overcome those barriers and 
obstacles.
    The final report is expected to be forwarded to the Secretaries of 
Agriculture and the Interior by August 15, 1995.
Claudia Schechter,
Co-Chair Steering Group, USDI.
Dr. Charles Philpot,
Co-Chair Steering Group, USDA, Forest Service.
[FR Doc. 94-32265 Filed 12-30-94; 8:45 am]
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