5. Entry and Exit of Resources for Wildland Fire Management

The Agencies intend to use their best efforts and encourage the Participants to use their best
efforts to facilitate entry into and exit from the territory of Australia and the United States as
applicable, for all Wildland Fire Management Resources used or intended for use in Wildland
Fire Management activities pursuant to this Wildland Fire Arrangement, including the waiver or
reimbursement of any entry fees, duties or taxes imposed by reason of importation or

exportation.

6. Operating Plan

The Agencies understand that:

(a) The Participants intend to prepare, through their Coordinating Authorities, and sign the
Operating Plan;

(b) A Participant may discontinue its participation at any time by providing written notice to
Coordinating Authorities. This is not expected to affect the implementation of any
Wildland Fire Management Assistance initiated prior to its written notice;

(c) The Participants intend that the Coordinating Authorities:

(i)

(ii)
(iii)

finalize and obtain signatures for the initial Operating Plan as soon as possible
following the signing of this Wildland Fire Arrangement;

review the Operating Plan annually;

prepare and obtain signatures for any amendment(s) to the Operating Plan;

(d) The Participants intend that the Operating Plan:

(i)
(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

identify designated officials in charge of Wildland Fire Management;

set forth specific criteria and procedures for responding to requests for Wildland
Fire Management Assistance;

establish procedures for communication of relevant information between
designated points of contact;

identify the procedures and documentation required to allow entry into each
country for Wildland Fire Management Resources;

specify the conditions, costs and procedures for the reimbursement of the
Sending Participant(s)’ expenses incurred in the sending, refurbishing or
replacement of Wildland Fire Management Resources;


(e) Until an Operating Plan is established under this Wildland Fire Arrangement, the
Participants may continue to use the current Operating Plan and Letter signed August
21, 2015.

4. Providing Assistance for Wildland Fire Management Resources

(a) The Agencies understand that:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

(v)

(vi)

The Sending Participant(s) through their Coordinating Authority should
immediately consider the request for Wildland Fire Management Resources from
the Receiving Participant(s), and to the fullest extent practicable and reasonable,
promptly respond to such request;

The Participants should determine the specific terms and process of any such
requests for Wildland Fire Management Resources in an Operating Plan;

The Receiving Participant(s) intend to reimburse the Sending Participant(s) for
the expenses incurred in the sending, refurbishing or replacement of Wildland
Fire Management Resources in accordance with the Operating Plan;

The Receiving Participant(s) may organize and direct the Sending Participant(s)’
Wildland Fire Management Assistance as necessary to meet the Receiving
Participant(s)’ Wildland Fire Management objectives effectively and efficiently,
except that the Sending Participant(s) consent may be required for certain
assignments as detailed in the Operating Plan;

The Sending Participant(s) may withdraw some or all of their Wildland Fire
Management Resources as outlined in the Operating Plan; and

The Sending Participant(s) should provide their personnel with all the safety
equipment required to meet their requirements. If additional safety equipment is
requested by the Receiving Participant(s), it should be detailed in the request for
Wildland Fire Management Resources.

(b) The Agencies understand that activities carried out under this Wildland Fire
Arrangement should be determined:

(i) by the appropriate officials of the U.S. Agencies to be in the best interests of the

United States; and

(ii) by the appropriate officials of the Australian Agency to be in the best interests of

Australia.

(c) The Agencies understand that activities carried out under this Wildland Fire
Arrangement are subject to the availability of their respective Participants’ funds and
resources.



(vi) include provisions on liability and cross-waiver of claims for compensation for
loss, damage, personal injury or death arising in consequence of the
performance of an activity under this Wildland Fire Arrangement;

(vii) provide for the acceptance or establishment of equivalent standards for
qualifications, including physical fitness, training and experience;

(viii) provide the procedure for the withdrawal of Wildland Fire Management
Resources by the sending Participant(s); and

(ix) include provisions on the status of personnel engaged in Wildland Fire
Management.

7. Differences

The Agencies intend to resolve any differences resulting from the interpretation or application of
this Wildland Fire Arrangement through consultations with one another.

8. Status

a) The Agencies understand that this Wildland Fire Arrangement does not preclude an
Agency or Participant from working independently or with other institutions or
organisations.

b) This Wildland Fire Arrangement is not legally binding.

9. Final dispositions

(a) This Wildland Fire Arrangement is intended to become operational on the date of the last
signature by the Agencies.

(b) The Agencies may modify this Wildland Fire Arrangement upon their mutual written
consent.

(c) An Agency may discontinue its participation in this Wildland Fire Arrangement at any
time by providing written notice to the other Agencies. The Agencies understand that
withdrawal from this Wildland Fire Arrangement is not intended to affect the
implementation of any Wildland Fire Management activity initiated prior to its withdrawal.
The Agencies intend that any activity initiated prior to any Agency's withdrawal is
expected to be conducted pursuant to this Wildland Fire Arrangement, notwithstanding
the withdrawal.



ARRANGEMENT BETWEEN THE DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE AND THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR OF THE UNITED STATES, ON THE ONE
SIDE, AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA,
ON THE OTHER SIDE, CONCERNING THE EXCHANGE
OF WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

The Department of Agriculture and the Department of the Interior of the United States (together,
the “U.S. Agencies”) and Emergency Management Australia (the “Australian Agency”),
hereinafter jointly referred to as the “Agencies”,

CONSIDERING the common shared values and the breadth and depth of collaboration between
the United States and Australia in foreign policy, trade, and development issues, including in the
areas of natural resources and safety and security;

WISHING to enhance their collaboration with a view to provide mutual wildland fire assistance
and exchanges on firefighting issues;

CONSIDERING that successful wildland fire management depends on effective fire prevention,
detection, and pre-suppression, having an adequate fire suppression capability, and
consideration of fire ecology relationships;

RECOGNIZING that it is desirable and in the public interest to formalize the provision of mutual
assistance in wildland fire management, including pre-suppression, suppression, post-fire
restoration, information sharing, training, research, innovation, and exchange of resources for
combating fire;


k

+) 7

Signed, in the original at Couls<sexthis 24 day of peforr
\

ofthe United States of America
On behalf of the Department of Agriculture of the United

States and the Department of the Interior of the United
States

ra
Signed, in the original at cukeare — this2{day of bu 2017



Have reached the following understanding:
1. Purpose

The purposes of this Arrangement concerning the Exchange of Wildland Fire Management
Resources (“Wildland Fire Arrangement”) are:

(a) to set out the procedures for the exchange of Wildland Fire Management Resources
between Australia and the United States, and

(b) to establish a framework encouraging the Agencies to support mutual assistance and to
facilitate cooperation between the Agencies.

This Wildland Fire Arrangement replaces the Wildfire Arrangement between the Department of
the Interior and the Department of Agriculture of the United States and the Australian
Participating Agencies signed in 2002.

2. Definitions
For the purposes of this Wildland Fire Arrangement:

(a) “Operating Plan” means the Operating Plan referred to in paragraph 6 of this Wildland
Fire Arrangement;

(b) “Participant” means

a. a Recognized Wildland Fire Management Organization, and

b. any other legally constituted body whose objectives include Wildland Fire
Management, provided its participation is approved by both Coordinating
Authorities;

(c) “Receiving Participant” means a Participant receiving Wildland Fire Management
Resources under this Wildland Fire Arrangement;

(d) “Recognized Wildland Fire Management Organization” means a federal, state,
territory or provincial government agency with legal responsibility for Wildland Fire
Management;

(e) “Sending Participant” means a Participant furnishing Wildland Fire Management
Resources under this Wildland Fire Arrangement;

(f) “Wildland” means an area in which urban development is essentially non-existent,
except for roads, railroads, power lines, and similar transportation facilities and where
structures, if any, are widely scattered;

(g) “Wildland Fire” means any planned or unplanned fire occurring in the wildland,
regardless of the ignition source;



(h) “Wildland Fire Management” means all activities for the protection of forest and other
vegetation values from fire, and the use of fire to meet forest management goals and
objectives. It involves, but is not intended to be limited to, the strategic integration of
such factors as knowledge of fire regimes, probable fire effects, values at risk, level of
forest protection required, cost of fire-related activities, and prescribed fire technology
into multiple-use planning, decision-making, and appropriate activities to accomplish
stated resource management objectives;

(i) “Wildland Fire Management Assistance” means assistance in the prevention or
management of wildland fire, including sharing personnel, Wildland Fire Management
information, technology, skills, training, research and innovations for the purpose of
improving their Wildland Fire Management capabilities and knowledge to provide
effective assistance to one another when necessary;

(j) “Wildland Fire Preparedness” means all activities in advance of fire occurrence to
ensure effective suppression action, including participation in prescribed burns, planning
and organizing Operating Plans, recruiting and training personnel, procuring equipment
and supplies, maintaining fire equipment and fire control improvements, and negotiating
cooperative and mutual assistance arrangements; and

=z

“Wildland Fire Management Resources” means human resources, equipment, and
supplies, including aircraft, available or potentially available for Wildland Fire
Management.

3. Request for Wildland Fire Management Resources

The Agencies understand that:

(a) Agencies with front-line responsibility for Wildland Fire Management, and Participants,
may request Wildland Fire Management Assistance;

(b) Agencies and Participants intend to transmit and receive such requests through their
respective Coordinating Authority:

(i) The U.S. Agencies designate the National Interagency Coordination Center as
their Coordinating Authority;

(ii) The Australian Agency designates the National Aerial Firefighting Centre Ltd as
its Coordinating Authority;

(c) In case of urgency, the Participants may make requests for assistance verbally, but
intend to confirm in writing within 24 hours;

(d) The Participants intend for requests for assistance for Wildland Fire Management
Resources to meet the requirements set out in the Operating Plan; and