United States Department of the Interior 

BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT 

Fire and Aviation 

3833 S Development Ave 

Boise, Idaho 83705-5354 

http://www.nifc.gov 

May 1, 2023 

In Reply Refer To: 

9210 (FA-400) I 

EMS Transmission: 05/02/2023

Instruction Memorandum, No. FA IM-2023-015 

Expires: 09/30/2025 

To: State and Center Directors 

From: Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation 

Subject: Updated Bureau of Land Management Guidance to the U.S. Department of the 

Interior Wildland Fire Program Policy Memorandum 2021-004, Wildland Fire 

Boot Stipend 

Program Area: Fire Management 

Purpose: This instruction memorandum updates eligibility requirements for Bureau of Land 

Management (BLM) employees adding a missing requirement from the U.S. Department of the 

Interior (DOI) Wildland Fire Program Policy and payment procedures for the Wildland Fire Boot 

Stipend. 

Administrative or Mission Related: Administrative 

Policy/Action: The DOI Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) has authorized an annual boot stipend 

of $167.00. Payment of the Wildland Fire Boot Stipend, a taxable benefit, is authorized for 

permanent full-time, career-seasonal, and temporary employees who: 

• Hold a current incident qualification card with a fitness rating of moderate or arduous, and

• Encumber a position that has been approved for special (firefighter) retirement, and

• As a condition of employment, are required to purchase boots that satisfy the National

Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Wildland Fire Boot Standard, and
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

• While primarily employed in one of the following categories:

o Fire operations supervisor/station manager

o Fire engine crew (including engine captain, engine operator, and engine

crewmember)

o Fire water tender crew (including fire water tender operator, and fire water tender

crewmember)

o Fire heavy equipment operator (including fire heavy equipment operator, fire

bulldozer/tractor plow operator, and firefighters/crewmembers assigned as primary

support staff)

o Helitack crew (including helicopter crew supervisor, assistant, squad leader, and

helicopter crewmember)

o Hand crew (including crew supervisor, assistant, squad leader and crewmembers of

type 1 interagency hotshot crews and type 2 crews)

o Smokejumper

o Alaska Fire Specialist (Alaska FSS)

o Fuels technician/specialist responsible for implementing prescribed fires (stipends for

these positions will be paid with Hazardous Fuels funds)

Procedures for payment of the Wildland Fire Boot Stipend information are located on BLM Fire 

and Aviation’s budget web page at: 

https://web.blm.gov/internal/fire/budget/Reference_docs/links/Boots.html 

There is no WBS requirement. 

Personnel hired under the Administratively Determined (AD) authority that hold a current 

incident qualification card with a fitness rating of moderate or arduous are also eligible for the 

Wildland Fire Boot Stipend. AD employees will receive the stipend at time of payment 

following their first fire assignment in an IQCS position requiring a moderate or arduous fitness 

rating (as per the PMS310-1 or agency requirements) in each calendar year. The Casual Payment 

Center will monitor these employees and ensure that when the criteria has been met the AD will 

receive their boot stipend. 

To allow for training attendance and fire assignments as required, employees and supervisors 

will ensure that wildland fire boots are procured prior to reporting for duty and maintained in a 

safe and serviceable condition. 

Timeframe: Effective immediately. 

Budget Impact: Continued payment of $167.00 for every qualified employee each year. 

Background: The NWCG Wildland Fire Boot standard has been adopted by the BLM as 

appropriate for safe work on the fireline. NWCG has also concluded that protective footwear is 

very personal in nature and can be used by employees off the job site. In June 2021, DOI issued 

DOI Wildland Fire Program Policy Memorandum 2021-004, Wildland Fire Boot Stipend 

authorizing payment of the Wildland Fire Boot Stipend. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: BLM Standards for Fire Business Management, 

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations. 

Coordination: This instruction memorandum has been previously coordinated with the BLM 

Fire Leadership Team and the BLM Fire Operations Group. 

Contact: David Burley, Program Analyst, Division of Budget and Evaluation, Fire and 

Aviation, (208) 387-5420. 

Signed by: Authenticated by: 

Grant Beebe Karen Jackson 

Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation Records Administrator 

Distribution: 

BLM_FA_FLT 

David Burley (FA-400) 

BLM_FA_FBMG 

BLM_FA_FOG 

BLM_FA_FATE