Presented to: Bureau of Land Management

 National Interagency Fire Center

 Boise, Idaho

Prepared by: Otak, Inc.

March 19, 2010

Final Submittal

National 

Interagency 

Fire Center 

MASTER PLAN
National 

Interagency 

Fire Center 

MASTER PLAN

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

 Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

David Gary Bowers

Bureau of Land Management

Division Chief, Support Services (NIFC)

Chair, NIFC Governing Board

Date

Bureau of Land Management

National Interagency Fire Center

Boise, Idaho Timothy M. Murphy

Bureau of Land Management

Deputy Assistant Director (NIFC)

Fire and Aviation

Date
Boise - NIFC

Tim Murphy

Gary Bowers

Paul Naman

Jerry Cummings

Einar Norton

Denver - NOC

Jack Emrick

PROJECT TEAM

Tom Hamann

Chad Weiser

Stewart Thompson

Brian Nigg

Mark Shelby

Kristen Clem

Marissa Chargualaf

 

USKH

Todd Combs

Faith+Gould

Mark Petchey

Interface Engineering

Mark Jackson

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

David Gary Bowers

Division Chief, Support Services

Bureau of Land Management

Karyn Wood

Fire & Aviation Management

US Forest Service

Lyle Carlile

Director, Branch of Wildland Fire Management 

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Tom Nichols

Director, Fire Management Program Center 

National Park Service

Brian McManus

Wildland Fire Management

Fish and Wildlife Service

John Jannuzzi

Meteorologist in Charge, WFO, Boise

National Weather Service

Aitor Bidaburu

Fire Program Specialist

US Fire Administration

Dan Smith

Fire Director

National Association of State Foresters

NIFC Governing Board Bureau of Land Management Otak Team

MASTER PLAN
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) Master 

Plan is a comprehensive planning tool that provides 

a long-term strategy to address future facility needs. 

NIFC is a very unique “place” that serves nine 

federal agencies all located on one site working 

collaboratively to manage and coordinate wildland 

fire fighting and other emergency response resources 

across the United States. NIFC’s emergency 

response capabilities include response to natural 

disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, 

floods etc. NIFC has also seen an expansion of 

its mission to include emergency response to 

international disasters. This has led to cooperation 

with fire and emergency response agencies in 

Australia, Canada and most recently Haiti. The 

demand for NIFC’s services has increased throughout 

the years due to an increase in the number of 

wildland fire and emergency response incidents. This 

demand has fueled rapid growth at NIFC creating an 

increased need for on-site building space and adding 

stress to aging buildings and infrastructure. 

As an alternative to leased space elsewhere in the 

Boise community, the existing NIFC site provides 

a secure perimeter and is an operationally cost 

efficient location for member agencies and allows 

for a collaborative work environment. In addressing 

continued staffing growth by agencies on-site, NIFC 

management is constantly adjusting and shifting staff 

locations and space allocations to make room for 

new staff and resources in the most efficient way 

possible. These constant adjustments have begun to 

affect work efficiencies and left NIFC with no excess 

space or inadequate space in some instances. 

Existing site conditions were analyzed through site visits, 

management staff interviews, and document research. 

Land use, utilities, transportation and aircraft operations 

were all analyzed to understand the current function of 

NIFC. To fully understand the very complex interagency 

function and spatial relationships of the agencies at 

NIFC, the Master Plan team held workshops with 

agency managers and staff regarding the daily functions, 

interagency relationships, and future needs of each 

organization. This included a detailed count of existing 

employees and existing space being used by each agency 

as well as space needed to accommodate anticipated 

growth. An emphasis was placed on understanding how 

agencies function and interact with each other through 

the built environment because this has an impact on 

employee performance and efficiency.

The NIFC Master Plan document includes an 

inventory of space needs and serves as a road map 

to guide future growth and development on-site. 

The document is built upon as understanding of 

agency interaction and interagency functions while 

addressing specific space needs through extensive 

outreach to agency leadership and management. The 

outreach process resulted in a clear understanding 

of current and anticipated needs and ultimately a site 

plan concept to address those needs.

PREFERRED SITE PLAN CONCEPT

A preferred site plan concept was generated after a 

thorough conceptual design process. Included in the 

plan are opportunities for existing building expansions 

and locations for new site and facility improvements. 

NIFC provides great opportunities for expansion due 

to the existing utility infrastructure and availability of 

space on-site to accommodate future structures. 

The preferred site plan concept focuses on creating a 

campus identity with increased pedestrian accessibility 

through the creation of a central network of buildings in 

the interior of the site and expanding existing facilities 

located adjacent to the aircraft ramp. A campus identity 

facilitates the integration and coordination between 

member agencies. The development of this campus 

identity is strengthened through the increased density 

and connectedness of existing and future buildings. 

Through the master plan process, needs were identified 

to support a new “Wellness Center” facility. It will serve 

as a central meeting place for NIFC staff and include 

a multi-purpose room, vending/dining area, exercise/

weight room, and meeting space. An additional site 

feature would be a restroom/shower/locker room 

facility to serve the Boise Mobilization Center (MOB) 

located on-site. This facility would provide much 

needed amenities for personnel in transit through the 

mobilization center. 

Executive Summary

Wildland Fire Crew

Wildland Firefighter
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Another goal of the master plan was to provide an 

improved public interface while maintaining high levels 

of site security. This goal is addressed through the 

re-establishment of an existing looped entry off of 

Development Avenue. This entrance was originally 

designed to provide a welcoming entry and inviting public 

face for the NIFC base. The reinstatement of the entrance 

loop provides great opportunity for public interface and 

enhancement of the NIFC presence in Boise. 

Site improvements including parking, storage space, and 

utility extensions and upgrades are key components 

of the master plan. Parking in the preferred site plan 

concept is located along the exterior of the site, 

maximizing the use of unbuildable land and focusing 

parking near its immediate users. The location of 

parking along the exterior of the site strengthens the 

campus feel of NIFC, while increasing walkability and 

maximizing the central open space. Existing utilities 

will not only need to be upgraded to accommodate 

future growth, but also upgraded more immediately 

to address utility deficiencies and ensure the safety of 

employees and proper function of site facilities.

IMPLEMENTATION 

STRATEGY

Included in the master 

plan is a strategy for 

implementing all of 

the recommended 

improvements in 

this document. The 

improvements would be 

constructed in phases 

over several years with 

phases having been 

developed to provide 

some flexibility in 

later years as facility 

needs may change. The 

phasing strategy also 

includes planning level construction cost estimates 

which define expected funding requirements to 

complete each phase. In addition to the construction 

cost estimates, the cost summary narrative describes 

other project costs to be considered on a project by 

project basis. These other costs include consultant 

design fees, sustainability integration, consultant 

construction support, BLM project management, etc. 

This information is very valuable in preparing cyclical 

maintenance and capital funding requests. 

CONCLUSIONS

The NIFC base is an ever-changing and growing facility 

which requires a well defined plan and approach to 

address building and infrastructure needs. This plan 

provides a vision for the future and a basis for continued 

future planning. It also identifies more urgent needs 

relating to a degrading and insufficient infrastructure and 

provides guidance on how to address these problems. 

Most of these deficiencies are a result of a steady 

growth in staff over the years and limited resources 

for cyclical maintenance and/or capital improvements. 

Recommended improvements generally include the 

expansion of existing buildings, new buildings, expanded 

parking, reconfiguration of entry points, and upgrades/

improvements to existing utility systems. These 

improvements not only address growth but are required 

to meet federal safety, energy efficiency, and sustainability 

requirements. The following are some of the key 

recommendations for improvements at NIFC by phase:

Phase 1:

•	 Develop new driveway and secure vehicular 

entry points, including a perimeter drive around 

the north and west sides of the site connecting 

to Robinson Road for management of primary 

vehicular circulation and a secure access point at 

the northwest corner of the site.

•	 Increase parking capacity through the addition of 

new parking areas and reconfiguration of existing 

parking areas to accommodate existing demand 

and future growth.

•	 Construct a new 10,500 square foot one-story 

office building.

•	 Construct a new 26,167 square foot Wellness 

Center and outdoor plaza to serve employees in 

maintaining fitness requirements.

•	 Construct a new water line loop, gas lines, irrigation 

mains and connect utilities to new buildings.

•	 Construct a loop trail and interconnected walkways 

to enhance pedestrian connectivity and for use by 

employees in maintaining personal fitness.

•	 Revise and enhance landscaping around and within 

and construction of new picnic pavilions to provide 

sheltered outdoor space for employees.

•	 Construct a 2,167 square foot restroom/shower/

locker room building for use by employees and 

for personnel coming to the site through the 

Mobilization Center.

Total Phase 1 Cost: $19,083,33

Phase 2:

•	 Construct a new 14,000 square foot hangar 

building for USFS and BLM aircraft and associated 

utility and staff relocation.

•	 Expand Ramp Services (Building 210) by 2,400 

square feet to accommodate growth and passenger 

waiting area.

•	 Relocate propane tank and existing water line to 

accommodate new hangar building.

Total Phase 2 Cost: $7,705,509

Phase 3:

•	 Demolition of existing USFS Hangar (Building 405) 

and Tool Shop.

•	 Expand the Great Basin Cache (Building 215) by 

25,000 square feet to accommodate the returns 

warehouse and allow off-site warehousing to be 

relocated on-site.

Total Phase 3 Cost: $4,236,305

Phase 4:

•	 Construct two new office buildings, totaling 36,152 

square feet and connect to utilities installed in Phase I.

Total Phase 4 Cost: $5,681,263

Phase 5:

•	 Construct additional paved areas along aircraft 

ramp to accommodate large aircraft and enhance 

maneuverability.

Total Phase 5 Cost: $3,018,681

Total Estimated Construction Cost: $39,725,092

Wildland Firefighter
1-1

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

Project Overview 

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), maintains 

and operates the National Interagency Fire Center 

(NIFC) administrative site in Boise, Idaho to serve as 

a coordination center for fighting wildland fires across 

the nation. Since its inception in the late 1960’s NIFC 

has experienced an ever expanding role in meeting 

the program objectives of the BLM and its federal 

and state agency partners tasked with wildland fire 

management responsibilities. In addition, NIFC's 

mission has evolved to include supporting response 

to all types of emergency response including natural 

disasters, domestic terrorism, and other types of 

national or international incidents.

With NIFC’s growing role in wildland fire management 

and all hazard emergency response, there has been 

a continued increase in staffing and associated facility 

needs for office, warehouse, and workshop space along 

with increased demand for utility service, parking, 

security, information technology, and other supporting 

infrastructure. A Master Plan for NIFC is needed to 

effectively prepare for the growth expected from an evolving and expanding wildland fire management mission in 

an aging facility where the limitations of existing space and infrastructure have become a concern.

The following issues necessitate the development of a NIFC Master Plan:

•	 Need for renovation/replacement of existing facilities to meet current and future mission needs

•	 Limited facility construction and maintenance funding requires maximum efficiency

•	 Coordination with the Boise Airport (BOI) regarding its future expansion plans and infrastructure capabilities

•	 Coordination with collocating agencies on future growth expectations

•	 Continued expansion of facility mission to include emergency response to various types of disasters 

throughout the nation and internationally

•	 Continued support of natural resource missions throughout the United States

The NIFC Master Plan will be used to establish guidance for the overall programming and development of future 

facilities for NIFC. The Master Plan’s development strategy will be implemented over the years through capital 

funding requests and the application of cyclical maintenance funding. The plan will address the construction of new 

facilities where necessary to meet NIFC’s ever changing mission requirements.

Master Plan Process 

The Otak master planning team has worked closely 

over the past several months with NIFC staff, including 

BLM management and representatives from the other 

eight state and federal organizations represented 

on the NIFC base. After gathering background 

information and data from programming interviews 

and site visits, the team developed three site plan 

alternatives. These alternatives were presented 

to NIFC management through a series of concept 

development presentations. Information gathered 

at these presentations led to the identification 

and creation of the Preferred Site Plan alternative. 

Further refinement of the preferred concept led 

to preparation of this Draft Master Plan which was 

reviewed by the NIFC BLM leadership team and 

governing board made up of all agencies represented 

on the NIFC base. The Final Master Plan incorporates 

BLM and governing board review comments and 

includes an Appendix with supporting documentation.

It is recommended in the future the Master Plan 

document be reviewed and updated every three to 

five years. The Implementation Strategy section of 

the document should be reviewed annually as part of 

the yearly capital funding review process. Updating 

the plan is a necessary process, especially to account 

for factors such as cost escalation percentages. 

Escalation factors are “best estimates” for the future 

and can dramatically affect the overall cost of a 

project. Adjustments to escalation factors at the end 

of each year to reflect actual increases and revising the 

escalation estimates as appropriate in the future 

years will help assure that funding requests are in 

line with actual costs.

Fire Surpression in Action

Aerial View of NIFC Area
1-2

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 1963, The Bureau of Land Management fire program 

task force, responding to a request from the Bureau 

of the Budget, proposed that a BLM fire center be 

created in Boise. This facility would serve as the 

main support center for fire operations in the West. 

The original BLM fire center was established in a 

vacant National Guard building at Gowen Field (now 

the Boise Airport). At the same time many other 

government agencies, including the Forest Service were 

also interested in establishing an air center for fire 

suppression operations focused on aviation support. 

It was mutually agreed upon that this center and 

interagency coordination was of great importance to 

fire operations. The Boise Interagency Fire Center 

(BIFC) was then created in 1965 because the US 

Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management 

(BLM), and National Weather Service (NWS) saw the 

need to work together to reduce the duplication of 

services, cut costs, and coordinate national fire planning 

and operations. The land for this site was acquired by 

the BLM through a land exchange with the State of 

Idaho. Construction funding was also included in the 

budget, therefore BLM serves as the host agency of the 

site and maintains ownership of buildings on-site.

The National Park Service (NPS) and Bureau of Indian 

Affairs (BIA) joined BIFC in the mid 1970s. The US Fish 

and Wildlife Service (FWS) later joined in 1979. The 

Center's name was changed in 1993 from the Boise 

Interagency Fire Center to the National Interagency 

Fire Center to more accurately reflect its national 

mission. The U.S. Fire Administration and the National 

Association of State Foresters became partners at 

NIFC shortly after 2000; and the Department of 

Defense located a full-time liaison at the Center in 

2008. With the addition of DOD, nine different 

agencies and organizations are represented at NIFC.

NIFC now serves as the nation’s support and coordination 

center for wildland firefighting and many other hazard 

events. The NIFC base is located on approximately 54 

acres adjoining the Boise Airport. This area includes an 

assortment of twenty-two office, warehouse, shop, and 

special use buildings in addition to numerous small sheds, 

storage, or mobile structures. 

NIFC History

Located in the center of the NIFC base is the Wildland 

Firefighters Monument site. This monument is to 

memorialize and honor wildland firefighters and is 

frequently visited by both NIFC personnel and the 

general public. Due to its location and use of airport 

runways, NIFC operates its own aircraft ramp with 

two taxiways that provide direct access to the airport’s 

main taxiways and runways. The NIFC aircraft ramp 

is about 17 acres in size and includes an air tanker 

retardant base and parking areas for light and heavy 

fixed wing aircraft. NIFC is considered a tenant by 

the Boise Airport, and is required to operate under 

the airport’s requirements meeting applicable FAA 

operating and security regulations.

The agencies represented at the NIFC base employ 

approximately 900 people. However, a significant 

number of employees are currently located off-base 

in other government or commercial facilities near the 

base. Total number of staff represented on the NIFC 

base is approximately 772 people. Although that 

number can increase by approximately 30 percent 

through the employment of seasonal workers during 

peak fire season. Detailers may work in the warehouse 

and work shop areas moving equipment or may include 

temporary emergency firefighter personnel that are 

put in the field where needed. 

As previously stated, BLM is the land owner and 

maintains ownership of the majority of structures on 

thebase with the following exceptions:

•	 Air Tanker Base structures (trailers) are leased by 

the Boise National Forest.

•	 The Forest Service Aircraft Hanger (Bldg #405) is 

owned and operated by the USFS, Office of the 

Director, at NIFC. Forest Service ownership does 

not include the attached simulations room.

•	 The National Weather Service Office Building (Bldg 

#3807) was constructed with funding from the 

National Weather Service but is now owned by 

the BLM. The National Weather Service maintains 

ownership of the weather balloon inflation tower 

adjacent to their NWS building. 

NIFC Base Development Through the Years
1-3

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

In 1968, construction began on the original administration building and warehouse. 

The three agencies moved into the administration building in May 1969. By that 

fall, a mess hall, the west wing of the barracks, and the smokejumper loft were also 

completed. Remaining major construction was completed in 1970.

At that time, the Forest Service operation was administered by the Boise 

National Forest and operated the Region 4 Western Zone Air Unit, the 

National Fire Radio Cache, and the Boise National Forest’s Fire Control Branch; 

which included its dispatchers, smokejumpers, air tanker base, fire warehouse, air 

operations, and law enforcement.

The BLM organization included the Divisions of Fire Management, Standards 

and Technology, Aircraft Management, Communications, and Administration; and 

its charge was to coordinate wildfire support nationally.

Different administrative levels and missions have created interesting challenges 

through the evolution of the Fire Center. For example, at one time, a yellow 

line in the warehouse separated the BLM’s 5,000-person fire cache from 

the Forest Service’s 2,000-person cache. The dispatch office included three 

separate operations: the BLM’s national fire support staff, the Boise National 

Forest dispatcher, and a Forest Service regional coordinator. 

By 1973, the Forest Service operation was elevated organizationally to a national 

level after having been administered for a short time by Region 4. Ultimately, 

through the leadership of BLM-NIFC Director Jack Wilson and Forest Service 

Director Bob Bjornsen, a new era of cooperation and coordination evolved.

Also in 1973, the Department of the Interior established the Office of Aircraft 

Services, which was headquartered at the Fire Center. In January 1974, the 

National Wildfire Coordinating Group, composed of the top fire managers of 

the federal and state wildland fire organizations, was formed. This ultimately had 

a strong impact on Fire Center operations.

That same year, 1974, the agencies at BIFC were joined by the National Park 

Service; and in 1976, the Bureau of Indian Affairs became a permanent partner. 

Finally, in 1979, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service officially joined as a partner. 

In 1993, the Center’s name was changed to the National Interagency Fire Center 

to more accurately reflect its national mission. More recently, shortly after the 

2000 fire season, both the National Association of State Foresters and the U.S. 

Fire Administration joined NIFC, providing a connection to state and local fire 

organizations. In 2008, a Department of Defense liaison was established as a partner. 

In 1994, a new administration building was constructed, which houses the 

administrative offices of all agencies, along with the National Interagency 

Coordination Center. In 1995, this building was dedicated and named the Jack 

Wilson Building in honor of the BLM director who was instrumental in growing the 

Fire Center from a fledgling operation to the national interagency role it plays today.

Since its inception, the partner agencies at NIFC have effectively shared firefighting 

resources and associated costs. Today, through cooperative agreements, NIFC’s 

highly successful interagency concept extends to all 50 states and Canada. NIFC 

also supports fires and other emergencies in foreign nations when requested by 

the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance of the U.S. Department of State.

Source: NIFC Office of External Affairs

The Road to NIFC

NIFC Management Objectives

MISSION

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), located in Boise, 

Idaho, is the nation's support center for wildland firefighting. 

Nine different agencies and organizations are part of NIFC. 

Decisions are made using the interagency cooperation concept 

because NIFC has no single director or manager.

This agency collaboration on-site has driven 

development of interagency groups with a focus on 

developing consistent policies relating to operations, 

training, information technology and medical standards.

Due to the knowledge and experience of NIFC 

personnel in the movement of personnel and 

equipment through collaborative and coordinated 

response during fire events, it was a natural expansion 

in agency mission when NIFC was tasked to aid in 

the coordination and response for other national 

emergencies outside the scope of fire management.

This national coordination and management has recently 

been expanded to include international assistance, as 

when NIFC personnel and equipment were sent to aid 

the U.S. military in the disaster relief efforts in Haiti.

NICC

The National Interagency Coordination Center is the 

focal point for wildfire national rescue coordination 

activities throughout the United States. 

Wildfire suppression is built on a three-tiered system of 

support - the local area, one of the 11 geographic areas, 

and finally, the national level. When a fire is reported, 

the local agency and its firefighting partners respond. If 

the fire continues to grow, the agency can ask for help 

from its geographic area. When a geographic area has 

exhausted all its resources, it can turn to the NICC 

at the NIFC for help in locating needed equipment or 

personnel, such as air tankers, radios, meals and supplies, 

firefighting crews, or incident management teams. Airplane Outside the NIFC Hangar
1-4

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

Elements of NIFC

While the NIFC base is home to nine different 

agencies, each with their own mission statement 

and funding, those agencies work collaboratively to 

coordinate and manage firefighting resources and other 

hazard management resources across the United States 

and internationally. There are several interagency 

groups on the NIFC base, each with representatives 

from multiple agencies with missions ranging from 

equipment programming and standards to fire training.

NICC

The National Interagency Coordination Center 

serves as a focal point for coordinating the national 

mobilization of resources for wildland fire and other 

incidents throughout the United States and abroad. 

The NICC is currently located central to the NIFC 

base in the Jack Wilson Building (Bldg 300) and 

includes four functional areas: equipment and supply 

dispatching; overhead and crew dispatching; aircraft 

dispatching; and intelligence and predictive services. 

The NICC executes its mission using the closest 

forces and total mobility concepts, utilizing a threetiered dispatching system: local, geographic area 

(eleven geographic areas total), and national and 

are responsible for the dispatch of heavy airtankers, 

lead planes, smokejumpers, hotshot crews, Type 1 

Incident Management Teams, area command teams, 

medium and heavy helicopters, infrared aircraft, 

military resources, telecom equipment for fires, Fire 

and Project type Remote Automated Weather Stations 

(RAWS), and large transport aircraft. 

The NICC also provides intelligence and predictive 

services products designed for the use by the internal 

wildland fire community for wildland fire and incident 

management decision making. 

GREAT BASIN CACHE

The Great Basin Cache is one of eleven fire caches 

across the country (two BLM and nine U.S. Forest 

Service). This cache is the central warehouse at 

NIFC and one of the largest at approximately 80,000 

square feet. Because of its size, it functions as both a 

geographic area cache and a national cache. 

The cache maintains an inventory with the capability 

to equip 10,000 firefighters, serves as the national 

distribution center for training materials and operation 

manuals for wildland fire suppression, and constructs 

and maintains 48 different configurations of field kits. It is 

not uncommon for the cache to operate 24 hours a day 

and employ up to 150 additional seasonal staff and detail 

personnel during intense periods of high fire activity.

RETURNS WAREHOUSE

The Returns Warehouse is an auxilary warehouse 

on the NIFC base where fire equipment is returned 

from incidents in the Great Basin. The equipment is 

cleaned, refurbished, and repaired in preparation to 

be returned to the field. 

REMOTE AUTOMATED WEATHER STATIONS (RAWS)

RAWS are self-contained, portable, battery/solar 

powered weather stations that provide real time local 

weather data used in fire management. Weather data 

is critical to predicting fire behavior, which is critical 

to effective fire management including suppression, 

and prescribed burning, as examples. There are 

approximately 2,300 RAWS located throughout the 

country that transmit data hourly to the National 

Weather Service personnel at NIFC via the GOES 

satellite receiver dish on base. 

RADIO CACHE

The wildland fire community's national radio and 

repeater cache contains three elements: radios and 

telecom, avionics, and infrared.

Radios and Telecom

The NIFC Radio Cache maintains the largest 

inventory of non-military radios in the world 

consisting of 11,000 handheld radios, 200 repeaters, 

Radio Cache Great Basin Cache
1-5

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

and 15 portable satellite systems. This equipment can 

support approximately 32,000 firefighters or 53 major 

disasters at one time. The Radio Cache has supported 

a large variety of incidents including the Columbia 

shuttle disaster, Oklahoma City bombing, Winter 

Olympics, Exxon Valdez oil disaster, Hurricane Katrina 

response, drug wars, natural disasters, etc. 

Every year, the Radio Cache sends out kits to fires 

across the country. The returned radio kits are cleaned, 

reprogrammed, tested, and repaired as needed. 

Systems can be processed and sent back out within 

four to six hours of being returned. Typically, there 

is approximately a three percent breakage rate on 

returned radio equipment. 

Avionics

The avionics division of the Radio Cache maintains and 

installs aircraft communication systems in firefighting 

aircraft. Avionic technicians annually inspect avionics in 

contracted large airtankers and heavy helicopters for 

contract compliance and maintain avionics on two US 

Forest Service infrared aircraft.

Infrared

The infrared division of the Radio Cache support fires 

with airborne heat detection and mapping technology. 

Infrared scanners can detect a hotspot (over 600 

degrees) on the ground that is six inches across from 

14,000 feet above ground. Infrared scanning is done at 

night due to favorable temperature contrasts. Scanners 

can cover almost 1 million acres in one hour of flight 

time. This information is transmitted to the NICC 

and provides valuable information on the patterns, 

reach and containment of active fires. Infrared flights 

are flown by two US Forest Service aircrafts that are 

housed and maintained on the NIFC base, a King Air 

and Cessna Citation jet. 

BOISE BLM SMOKEJUMPERS

Smokejumping in the United States dates back to 1939. 

Smokejumpers are firefighters who are transported 

to fires by airplane and parachute. They are important 

because they can get to remote fires safely and quickly, 

helping keep high-risk fires small. The US has a total 

of about 400 smokejumpers with approximately 80 

to 85 employed out of the NIFC jump base. Boise is 

one of two BLM jump bases with the other located 

in Fairbanks, Alaska. The US Forest Service has seven 

jump bases (Winthrop, Redmond, Redding, McCall, 

Grangeville, Missoula, and West Yellowstone). 

Smokejumpers require specialized training and physical 

fitness and, while not in the field, are required to 

excercise as part of their daily work tasks. Additionally, 

BLM smokejumpers at the NIFC base are responsible 

for keeping their gear in working order and ready for the 

next fire mission, including sewing repairs of jump suits 

and packs. A load of smokejumpers takes about eight 

minutes to get suited up and into the air after being 

dispatched; therefore they must always be ready. Once 

they have completed their fire mission, out in the field 

smokejumpers usually have to pack out their gear, which 

can weigh 110 pounds or more. 

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS' MONUMENT

The Wildland Firefighters' Monument is located in the 

center of the NIFC base and was built with donations 

and volunteer labor to honor all past, present, and future 

firefighters. The monument was built in the late 1990s and 

dedicated in May of 2000. It features a ribbon-like walkway 

through vegetation native to the Great Basin landscape 

with bronze statues of firefighters. The monument was 

designed by a National Park Service volunteer.

The monument is visited throughout the year by 

NIFC employees and the general public including: 

firefighters, colleagues, and family members of those 

involved with wildland fire. Wildland Firefighters Monument Bronze Statue Wildland Firefighters Monument Bronze Statue
1-6

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

Master Plan Goals & Objectives

Establishing goals and objectives for the Master Plan 

is an integral part of a successful process. The mission 

of the agencies located at NIFC has changed over the 

years from individual agency driven directives to more 

commonality between agencies. The agencies realized 

there were efficiencies and better coordination by 

working more collaboratively in fighting wildland fire, 

since fire doesn’t follow jurisdictional boundaries. 

With this shift in approach, the emphasis on the NIFC 

base as stronger centralized fire coordination and policy 

center has led to significant growth on the campus. 

There is also more recognition that the model created 

at this site provides the ability to address other types of 

critical response needs beyond just wildland fire. 

All of this history and evolution in the function of the 

base creates the basis for the goals and objectives of this 

master plan process. The plan’s goals and objectives 

embody the mission of the NIFC organization and provide 

a common basis for evaluating the potential option for 

future development at the base. The goals also reflect 

the changing mission and the need to better communicate 

the importance and role of the facility to the public.

The following are goals and objectives for the NIFC 

Master Plan:

•	 Align facility planning with interagency mission. 

•	 Assemble all pertinent site and facilities 

programming data into one planning document to 

provide a complete picture of the current use and 

future needs of each agency.

•	 Develop a coordinated facility planning document 

to manage response to future facility growth and 

infrastructure needs.

•	 Develop infrastructure planning and cost guidance 

for future capital funding requests.

•	 Provide design guidance for future facilities with an 

emphasis on cost effectiveness and sustainability.

•	 Create a stronger identity for the base and the 

NIFC organization.

NIFC Ramp and Smokejumpers Building
1-7

INTRODUCTION & PROJECT BACKGROUND

National Interagency Fire Center Master Plan

Boise, Idaho March 19, 2010

NIFC in Boise

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION/REGIONAL OVERVIEW

The National Interagency Fire Center currently occupies a 54-acre site located 

adjacent to the Boise Airport in Boise, Idaho. Boise is located in southwestern 

Idaho along the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Boise, the capitol of Idaho, has a 

rich past as a destination along the Oregon Trail during the Gold Rush.

GENERAL COMMUNITY DESCRIPTION

The City of Boise is the largest metropolitan community in the State of Idaho and 

third largest metropolitan community in the Pacific Northwest at an estimated 

population of 241,000 people in 2007. Boise has much to offer, as home to many 

corporate headquarters, above average per capita income and below average cost of 

living, nearby national forests and trails, and a moderate climate.

Environmental Context

Climate

The climate in Boise is moderate with temperatures 

reaching 100 degrees in the summer months to 

lows of below 0 degrees with snow in the winter. 

Precipitation averages 12.5 inches a year.

Topography

The City of Boise is approximately 2,800 feet 

above sea level at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. 

The NIFC base is located, adjacent to the Boise 

Airport. The topography of the site is generally flat, 

with a gentle slope.

Geology and Soils

Soils within the NIFC site are classified as Elijah 

Silt Loam.

Vegetation

There are no known threatened or endangered 

species in the project area. Over time, development 

has displaced much of the natural vegetation on 

the site, which has been replaced with landscaping 

consisting of trees, shrubs, and grass. Vegetation native 

to the Boise area is typical of high desert landscapes 

with species such as Juniper, Sage and grasses.

Entry Sign at NIFC Gate

0 2,850 5,700

NIFC Master Plan

NIFC Property

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IDAHO

STATE

CAPITAL

BOISE AIPORT/

GOWEN FIELD

BOISE STATE

UNIVERSITY

NIFC

BOISE

ZOO

BOISE 

NATIONAL 

FOREST

Boise 

City

BOISE

Garden

City IDAHO

STATE

CAPITAL

BOISE AIPORT/

GOWEN FIELD

BOISE STATE

UNIVERSITY

BOISE RIVER

S CAPITOL BLVD S CAPITOL BLVD

BROADWAY AVE BROADWAY AVE

VISTA AVE VISTA AVE

S ORCHARD ST

N CURTIS RD

N ORCHARD ST

N ROOSEVELT ST

N CURTIS RD S CURTIS RD

S COLE RD S COLE RD S COLE RD

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

W GOWEN RD

E GOWEN RD

N COLE RD N COLE RD

N MAPLE GROVE RD S MAPLE GROVE RD S MAPLE GROVE RD

N MITCHELL ST

N MAPLE GROVE RD

S 5 MILE RD S 5 MILE RD S 5 MILE RDS CLOVERDALE RD S CLOVERDALE RD S CLOVERDALE RD

S EAGLE RD S EAGLE RD S EAGLE RD

N EAGLE RD

N CLOVERDALE RD

N 5 MILE RD

N MILWAUKEE ST

GLENWOOD ST

N MILWAUKEE ST

S ROOSEVELT ST

N LATAH ST S LATAH ST

W BOISE AVE

E MYRTLE ST

W MYRTLE ST

E FRONT ST

W FRONT ST

MAIN ST

MAIN ST

W FAIRVIEW AVE

FAIRVIEW AVE

E FAIRVIEW AVE FAIRVIEW AVE

NORTHVIEW ST

GODDARD RD

MOUNTAIN VIEW DR

W USTICK RD W USTICK RD

E MCMILLAN RD MCMILLAN RD

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W IDAHO ST

W STATE ST

W STATE ST

W HILL RD

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W STATE ST

W FORT ST

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S CAPITOL BLVD

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S 15TH ST

S 16TH ST

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N 27TH ST N 28TH ST

N 36TH ST

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S FEDERAL WAY

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ECKERT RD

BEACON ST

UNIVERSITY DR

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E BERGESON ST

E PENNSYLVANIA ST

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E BOISE AVE

LAW AVE

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GEKELER LN E LINDEN ST LINDEN ST

W OVERLAND RD

ROSE HILL ST

EMERALD ST

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OVERLAND RD OVERLAND RD

W VICTORY RD W VICTORY RD

W AMITY RD E AMITY RD

W LAKE HAZEL RD E LAKE HAZEL RD

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W DESERT AVE

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FRANKLIN RD

E FRANKLIN RD

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S SURPRISE WAY

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E GRAND FOREST DR

S 9TH ST W GOWEN ST

S ORCHARD ST

BROADWAY AVE BROADWAY AVE

VISTA AVE VISTA AVE

S ORCHARD ST

N CURTIS RD

N ORCHARD ST

N ROOSEVELT ST

N CURTIS RD S CURTIS RD

S COLE RD S COLE RD S COLE RD

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

W GOWEN RD

E GOWEN RD

N COLE RD N COLE RD

N MAPLE GROVE RD S MAPLE GROVE RD S MAPLE GROVE RD

N MITCHELL ST

N MAPLE GROVE RD

S 5 MILE RD S 5 MILE RD S 5 MILE RDS CLOVERDALE RD S CLOVERDALE RD S CLOVERDALE RD

S EAGLE RD S EAGLE RD S EAGLE RD

N EAGLE RD

N CLOVERDALE RD

N 5 MILE RD

N MILWAUKEE ST

GLENWOOD ST

N MILWAUKEE ST

S ROOSEVELT ST

N LATAH ST S LATAH ST

W BOISE AVE

E MYRTLE ST

W MYRTLE ST

E FRONT ST

W FRONT ST

MAIN ST

MAIN ST

W FAIRVIEW AVE

FAIRVIEW AVE

E FAIRVIEW AVE FAIRVIEW AVE

NORTHVIEW ST

GODDARD RD

MOUNTAIN VIEW DR

W USTICK RD W USTICK RD

E MCMILLAN RD MCMILLAN RD

E USTICK RD

W IDAHO ST

W STATE ST

W STATE ST

W HILL RD

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W STATE ST

W FORT ST

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S CAPITOL BLVD

S 15TH ST

S 15TH ST

S 16TH ST

VETERANS PKWY

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N 27TH ST N 28TH ST

N 36TH ST

COLLISTER DR

E BOISE AVE

S FEDERAL WAY

S FEDERAL WAY

S FEDERAL WAY

E WARM SPRINGS AVE

ECKERT RD

E AMITY RD

E BERGESON ST

E PENNSYLVANIA ST

E WARM SPRINGS AVE

E WARM SPRINGS AVE

E BOISE AVE

LAW AVE

APPLE ST

GEKELER LN E LINDEN ST LINDEN ST

W OVERLAND RD

ROSE HILL ST

EMERALD ST

EMERALD ST

OVERLAND RD OVERLAND RD

W VICTORY RD W VICTORY RD

W AMITY RD E AMITY RD

W LAKE HAZEL RD E LAKE HAZEL RD

E VICTORY RD

E OVERLAND RD

W DESERT AVE

FRANKLIN RD

FRANKLIN RD

E FRANKLIN RD

E PARKCENTER BLVD

S SURPRISE WAY

E LAKE FOREST DR

E GRAND FOREST DR

S 9TH ST W GOWEN ST

S ORCHARD ST

UNIVERSITY DR

BEACON ST

84

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26

30

20

26

BOISE AIPORT/

GOWEN FIELD

BOISE STATE

UNIVERSITY

NIFC

BOISE

ZOO

Boise 

City

BOISE

BOISE AIPORT/

GOWEN FIELD

BOISE STATE

UNIVERSITY

BOISE RIVER

S CAPITOL BLVD S CAPITOL BLVD

BROADWAY AVE BROADWAY AVE

VISTA AVE VISTA AVE

S ORCHARD ST

N ORCHARD ST

N ROOSEVELT ST

PLEASANT VALLEY RD

W GOWEN RD

E GOWEN RD

S ROOSEVELT ST

N LATAH ST S LATAH ST

W BOISE AVE

E MYRTLE ST

LE ST

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S CAPITOL BLVD

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S FEDERAL WAY

S FEDERAL WAY

E WARM SPRINGS AVE

ECKERT RD

BEACON ST

UNIVERSITY DR

E AMITY RD

E BERGESON ST

E PENNSYLVANIA ST

E WARM SPRINGS A

E WARM SPRINGS AVE

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N ORCHARD ST

N ROOSEVELT ST

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S ROOSEVELT ST

N LATAH ST S LATAH ST

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S CAPITOL BLVD

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S FEDERAL WAY

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