National Interagency

Coordination Center

Wildland Fire

Summary and Statistics

Annual Report

2008
1

Table of Contents

Identifier Legend........................................................................................................................ 2

Preface ...................................................................................................................................... 3

2008 Fire Season Summary...................................................................................................... 4

National Fire Activity Synopsis ................................................................................................ 11

Wildfire Activity Levels by Geographic Area ............................................................................ 13

Significant Incidents Over 40,000 Acres.................................................................................. 14

Significant Fire Activity............................................................................................................. 15

Wildfires and Acres Reported to NICC .................................................................................... 16

National Preparedness Levels................................................................................................. 31

Incident Management Team Mobilization ................................................................................ 33

Department of Defense Mobilization........................................................................................ 39

Crew Mobilization .................................................................................................................... 39

Engine Mobilization ................................................................................................................. 42

Overhead Mobilization............................................................................................................. 45

Helicopter Mobilization............................................................................................................. 49

Fixed Wing Aircraft Mobilization .............................................................................................. 52

Large Transportation Aircraft................................................................................................... 56

Light Cargo and Passenger Flights by Requesting Agency and Geographic Area.................. 58

Equipment Services Mobilization............................................................................................. 59

Average Worst Summary......................................................................................................... 63

NICC Benchmarks................................................................................................................... 64

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State ................................................ 65

Acronyms and Terminology..................................................................................................... 75
2

Identifier Legend 

Interagency Coordination Centers

NICC: National Interagency Coordination Center

NIFC: National Interagency Fire Center

CIIFC: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre 

NIK: National Interagency Radio Support Cache

AK: Alaska Area

EA: Eastern Area EB: Eastern Great Basin

NO: Northern California Area

NR: Northern Rockies Area

NW: Northwest Area

RM: Rocky Mountain Area

SA: Southern Area

SO: Southern California Area

SW: Southwest Area WB: Western Great Basin Area

GB: Great Basin Area

Federal Government Agencies

FS: Forest Service

BIA: Bureau of Indian Affairs

BLM: Bureau of Land Management

FWS: Fish and Wildlife Service

NPS: National Park Service

FEMA: Federal Emergency Management Agency

ESF4: Emergency Support Function, Firefighting

WXW: National Weather Service

DOE: Department of Energy

DOD: Department of Defense

International Partners

AU: Australia

CN: Canada

MX: Mexico

NZ: New Zealand

Other Providers/Ownership

CNTY: County

OT: Other

PRI: Private

ST: State

ST/OT: State/Other Combined
3

Preface

Statistics used in this report were gathered from the Fire and Aviation Management Web 

Applications (FAMWEB) system, which includes the Situation Report and Incident Status 

Summary (ICS-209) programs. Previous National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) 

annual reports and other sources were also used in this document. The statistics presented here

are intended to provide a national perspective of annual fire activity but may not reflect official 

figures for a specific agency. The statistics are delineated by agency and Geographic Areas. Pie 

chart figures are rounded to the nearest whole percentage point. This document is available 

electronically at the National Interagency Coordination Center web page: NICC Annual Reports.. 

For agency-specific details or official numbers contact the individual agency. 

Resource mobilization statistics used in this report were gathered from the Resource Ordering 

and Status System (ROSS), which tracks tactical, logistical, service and support resources 

mobilized by the national incident dispatch coordination system. The statistics presented in this 

report are the resources requested by one of the eleven Geographic Area Coordination Centers 

and processed through NICC. Requests by FEMA are placed to NICC through Emergency 

Support Function (ESF) #4, Firefighting. The resource ordering process and procedures may be 

found in chapter 20 of the National Mobilization Guide. The National Mobilization Guide can be 

found on the NICC website, (National Interagency Mobilization Guide).
4

2008 Fire Season Summary 

Winter (December 2007 – February 2008)

The winter (December through February) of 2007-2008 was wetter than normal over much of 

the central U.S. extending from southern California to the northeastern seaboard. The northcentral plains and the area from west Texas across to the Appalachian Mountains was drier than 

normal. Temperatures were generally colder than normal in the West and warmer than normal 

in the East. Alaska saw near normal temperatures with below normal snow packs in the eastern 

half of the state. Drought conditions persisted across portions of the West, Texas, and especially 

the Appalachian Mountains as of mid-winter. 

 

The initial seasonal outlook reports for the Southern and Eastern Areas called for above normal 

significant fire potential over central Texas, much of Florida, and from the Appalachian 

Mountains along the eastern seaboard to southern Maine. Normal potential was forecast for the 

remainder of the area (see image). 

The Glass fire, which burned nearly 220,000 acres in Texas, was the largest fire in 2008. Fire 

activity in Texas remained well above average through the winter period due to above normal 
5

fine fuel loading and very dry, windy conditions. Significant fires were usually associated with 

frontal passages with low relative humidity and wind speeds exceeding 25 mph. The Glass fire 

occurred under these conditions and burned 9 miles under a west wind before burning another 

40 miles to the south after the winds shifted out of the north. The southern Appalachian 

Mountains also experienced numerous fires due to extreme drought and very dry deep organic 

soils. 

Spring (March – May)

Spring was cooler than normal across most of the country except for warmer than average 

conditions over Texas and portions of southern California and the northeastern seaboard. 

Overall, California was far drier than anywhere else in the country and several locations in 

northern California experienced the driest spring (March – May) on record. Conversely, sections 

of central U.S. from the western Great Lakes south to Arkansas, then extending northeast into 

New York was much wetter than normal. Alaska saw drier than normal conditions across the 

east-central interior. Much of the Southwest and portions of the Southeast also experienced a 

dry spring. Mountain snowpack amounts across the West were near average in most locations, 

but well above average in the Cascades, portions of central Oregon and Washington, and 

northern Nevada. Percent of normal snow pack amounts as of May 1 across the West and in 

Alaska were dramatically higher than in 2007.

 

The Southern Area had an active spring fire season and by the end of May had experienced 

15,828 fires burning 1,070,536 acres (which is 150 percent of their normal year-to-date acres 

based on a 10-year average). Rainfall deficits were primarily centered in central Texas and the 

southern Appalachian Mountains, especially in western North Carolina (see images). Fuels were 

exceptionally dry in these areas with Energy Release Component values exceeding the 97th 

percentile or historic maximums in many locations. Large fire activity began to taper off in south 

Texas after March.
6

Wildfire activity in the Eastern Area was running below normal during the spring both in terms 

of overall fires and acres burned. By the end of May, the Eastern Area had burned only 44 

percent of their average acres. 

The Southwest Area issued a fuels advisory in early May for very heavy fine fuel loadings 

combined with very dry conditions across southern Arizona and eastern New Mexico (see 

image). By the end of May, the Southwest had burned approximately 95 percent of their 10-

year average year-to-date acres.

Up until the end of May, fire season 2008 could be described as below average nationally. 

There were 27,042 fires reported for 1,500,637 acres burned nationally. This was just 59 

percent of the 10-year average for fires, and 42 percent of acres burned to date. The Southern 

Area was the most active Geographic Area during the spring but experienced only 66 percent 

of its 10-year average for fires, but 150 percent of its 10-year average for acres burned. The 

Southwest Area, which typically experiences an early onset to fire season, reported just 40 

percent of its 10-year average for fires, and 95 percent of its 10-year average acres burned.
7

Summer (June – August)

The summer of 2008 started off very warm across the southern half of the nation and 

unseasonably cool across the northern tier of the country west of the Great Lakes. Temperatures 

were near to slightly above normal across much of the West in July through the first half of 

August. It was also drier than normal throughout much of the summer across the northwest 

quarter of the country with greatest departures in California, eastern Washington and northwest 

Montana. Dry conditions were also present over the Southeast, Texas and Oklahoma. A robust 

southwest monsoon started in early July with the main focus of moisture over Arizona and New 

Mexico and extending into the southern California mountains and the extreme southern Great 

Basin. Mid to late August rain brought some relief to the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast.
8

Winter snow packs across the mountains of northern California rapidly diminished early in the 

period from sustained hot, dry weather. This caused higher elevation fuels to dry out much 

more rapidly than normal with National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) Energy Release 

Component (ERC) values reaching critical values by mid-June. The image shown at left 

displays a 2008 ERC index trace for the Northern Sierras overlaid on the average and oneStandard Deviation bars for each day since 1990. The image shows how fuels steadily dried 

out and fire danger indices climbed and then remained well above normal into late August. 

The exceptionally dry spring, early snowmelt and dry fuels in northern California, set the stage 

for pronounced large fire activity during the first half of the summer. On June 20 through June 

21 widespread lightning started nearly one thousand fires in northern California. The magnitude 

of ignitions quickly outpaced initial attack capability of firefighting resources. Accessible fires with 

low resistance to control were easily contained while fires in remote and difficult terrain burned 

unstaffed for several days. Persistent dry fuels across the area caused many of these fires to 

get well established in steep mountainous terrain in the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Shasta-Trinity 

National Forests. The Fire Spread Probability map included on the previous page displays the

number and extent of the situation by the end of July.

Higher elevation snow packs across the Northwest, Idaho, and western Montana remained in 

place longer than normal due to a cool, wet spring. This helped to abate the risk of large fires 

across much of the northwestern U.S. until mid summer. 

Central Texas remained dry and saw continued above average fire activity through the majority 

of the period. With the transition of spring to summer weather patterns were characterized by 

intense drying but less frequent and weaker wind events. The bulk of the fire activity shifted into 

east/central Texas with fires spreading in cured grass with brush and timber fuels adding to fire 

intensity and persistence. 

Western Great Basin was another area that saw a significant increase in fire danger during June 

and July. Although the area had abundant dry fuels, by the end of August the Western Great 

Basin had only burned 11 percent of their normal year-to-date acres. 
9

By mid-August, fire activity picked up considerably across much of the west. Frequent lightning 

storms tracked across much of the west, and while initial attack activity remained below normal 

in most areas, numerous large fires emerged, especially in the Northwest, Idaho and Montana. 

Fortunately, Alaska did not dry out sufficiently to become a major concern during the summer, 

burning only 4 percent of normal acres by the end of August. The Rocky Mountain Area also 

had a below normal summer season in terms of large fire events. Several wet thunderstorm 

events worked their way across Colorado and Wyoming, keeping fuels from drying out to critical 

levels for any sustained periods of time. By the end of August, a lower than average number of 

fire starts were recorded in the Rocky Mountain Area. 

In the East, Ohio and the southern Great Lakes area started the period out much wetter than 

normal but then turned quite dry by the end of July into August. The southern Appalachian 

Mountains saw continued dry weather with areas of exceptional drought, especially in the 

western portions of North and South Carolina, northern Georgia and Alabama, and eastern 

Tennessee. 

The National Wildland Fire Potential Outlook, issued May 1, 2008, called for above normal 

significant fire potential across much of southern California, southern Arizona and New Mexico, 

west Texas, Florida, and portions of the central U.S. for May. Significant fire potential was 

expected to decrease across Florida, west Texas, and the southern half of the central plains 

during the June through August time period. 

Nationally, by the end of August, 64,326 fires had occurred, burning 4,674,493 acres. This 

represents 105 percent of the number of fires, but only 89 percent of total acres burned in

comparison to the 10-year national average. In 2007, 1,298 more fires had occurred, and 

2,252,222 more acres had burned as of August 31. Overall, most Geographic Areas experienced 

below average numbers of fires, except for Northern and Southern California Geographic Areas 

and the Southern Geographic Area. Northern California reported 3,796 fires and 850,579 acres 

burned, which is 130 percent of its 10-year fire average, and 880 percent of its 10-year average 

for acres burned. Southern California reported 3,788 fires and 365,500 acres burned as of 

August 31, or 124 percent of its 10-year fire average and 265 percent of its 10-year average for 

acres burned. The Southern Area reported 36,925 fires and 2,038,493 acres burned, or 129 

percent of its 10-year average number of fires and 240 percent of the 10-year average number 

of acres burned. Texas remained active through much of the summer due to persistent and 

exceptionally dry fuels.

Geographic Areas that experienced below average fire seasons (for both number of fires and 

number of acres burned) were Alaska, Northwest, Northern Rockies, the Great Basin (Eastern 

and Western), and Eastern Area. The Southwest Area experienced just 63 percent of its average 

number of fires, but burned 115 percent of acres. The Rocky Mountain Area experienced 77 

percent of its average number of fires, yet burned 126 percent of average acres.

Fall (September – November)

September had warmer than normal weather across the country, except cooler than normal in 

the central states. It was quite dry in the West and Southeast with some portions of California 

reporting a record dry September. Much of the rest of the country experienced wet conditions, 

with heavy rainfall in the Mississippi River Valley and Midwest due to moisture from hurricanes 
10

Gustav and Ike. By October, much of the nation was cooler than normal except for continued 

warmth in the Southwest. The West had very dry weather, while the Plains, New England and 

portions of the Southeast were wetter than usual. November was warm in the West and cool in 

the East. Rainfall was near to above normal across most of the country, except for dryness from 

Texas northward into the Midwest. 

Resource Mobilizations

Canada provided two Type 1 crews for 17 days, and 16 fire managers and specialists to 

California. Australia and New Zealand provided 49 fire managers and specialists to California 

for 37 days. 

Eight National Guard Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) C-130 aircraft were 

deployed to California (the first on June 23) to support fire suppression operations in that state. 

These aircraft, three each from North Carolina and Wyoming, and two from Colorado flew 480

missions and dropped 1,325,000 gallons of fire retardant. The last MAFFS were released on 

August 1.

Hurricane Activity

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season experienced much above normal tropical activity. As of 

November 10, 2008, 17 named storms had occurred, including eight hurricanes, five of them 

major (Category 3 or higher). The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30, with 

August and September typically being the most active months. Normal activity for the hurricane 

season is 11 named storms with 6 becoming hurricanes, 2 of which being at least of Category 3 

strength. Early season tropical forecasts called for above normal tropical activity for the 2008 

season, with mid-season updates reinforcing the initial forecast. Seven Incident Management 

Teams were requested and/or pre-positioned in support of tropical storm activity. (Map by Unisys 

Corporation: http://weather.unisys. com/hurricane/atlantic/2008/index.html.)
11

National Fire Activity Synopsis

The 2008 fire season was near normal for both wildfires and acres burned. There were 78,949 

wildfires reported to NICC in 2008 (compared to 85,705 wildfires were reported in 2007). This is 

98 percent of the 10-year average, and 97 percent of the 20-year average. The number of acres 

burned in 2008 was 5,292,468, considerably less than the 9,328,045 acres burned in 2007. The 

number of acres burned in 2008 was 81 percent of the 10-year average, and 108 percent of the 

20-year average.

Three Geographic Areas reported an above average number of fires in 2008. Four Geographic 

Areas experienced above average acres burned in 2008. Seven Geographic Areas, Alaska,

Northwest, Northern Rockies, Eastern Great Basin, Western Great Basin, Rocky Mountain and 

Eastern Area, had below average fire seasons (both wildfires and acres burned) in 2008. The 

Southwest Area had only 67 percent of average for number of fires but burned 130 percent of 

the 10-year average number of acres.

Twenty-four fires or complexes exceeded 40,000 acres in size in 2008, compared to 53 in 2007

(page 13). These fires occurred in seven Geographic Areas (Northern Rockies, Northern and 

Southern California, Southern Area, Western Great Basin, Rocky Mountain and Southwest 

Areas). Northern California had the highest number at ten, followed by the Southern Area with

six. Half of the 24 largest fires or complexes occurred in California.

A total of 7,669 prescribed fire projects were reported in 2008, down significantly from the 

previous year’s 24,073 projects (page 25). The number of projects was significantly lower than

the 10-year annual average of 13,857 projects. The 1,935,001 acres accomplished in 2008 were

also down from the 10-year average of 2,187,642. The 2008 figure is also more than a million 

fewer accomplished acres than in 2007.

A total of 265 Wildland Fire Use incidents occurred in 2008, below the 10-year annual average

of 327 incidents (page 29). However, the number of acres burned was well above the 10-year 

average at 236,835. The 10-year annual average is 187,416 acres. 
12

The nation was at Preparedness Levels 4 and 5 for 58 days in 2008, the fourth highest number 

of days since 1990 (page 32). The 10-year average is 46 days at PL 4 and 5 combined.

The demand for national Incident Management Teams was lower in 2008 than in recent years. 

Type 1 Teams were mobilized 41 times and spent 609 days on assignments. This is down 

considerably from last year when Type 1 teams were mobilized 62 times and spent 805 days on 

assignments. The 10-year average is 57 assignments annually.

Type 2 Teams were mobilized 125 times and spent 1,232 days on assignments in 2008. In 2007, 

Type 2 Teams were mobilized 159 times, and spent 1,590 days on assignments. Fire Use 

Management Teams were mobilized 18 times and spent 230 days on assignments in 2008. In 

2007, Fire Use Management Teams were mobilized 19 times, spending 295 days on 

assignments.

Four Area Command Teams were mobilized seven times and spent 122 days on assignments

in 2008. In 2007, five Area Command Teams were mobilized 11 times and spent 154 days on 

assignments. Two National Incident Management Organizations were mobilized 17 times and 

spent 246 days on assignments in 2008. This is up from last year when NIMO teams were 

assigned 11 times and spent 187 days on assignments.
13

Wildfire Activity Levels by Geographic Area

Percent of Geographic Area wildfire activity in 2008 compared to the previous 10 years. 
14

Significant Incidents Over 40,000 Acres

Name Inc. 

Type GACC State Start Date

Contain or 

Control 

Date

Size

(Acres) Cause Cost

Glass Fire WF SA TX 2/25/2008 3/2/2008 219,556 H NR

Klamath Theater WF NO CA 6/21/2008 9/26/2008 192,038 L $126,086,065

Basin Complex WF SO CA 6/21/2008 7/29/2008 162,818 L $78,096,079

Iron & Alps 

Complexes WF NO CA 6/21/2008 9/4/2008 105,805 L $73,974,917

Dunn Mtn. 

Assist WF NR MT 8/21/2008 9/2/2008 102,383 L $2,900,000

Lime Complex WF NO CA 6/20/2008 8/30/2008 99,585 L $59,329,698

Huckabee WF SA TX 4/30/2008 5/8/2008 98,200 U NR

SHU Lightning 

Complex WF NO CA 6/21/2008 7/30/2008 86,500 L $56,438,391

Siskiyou / Blue 2 

Complex WF NO CA 6/21/2008 9/13/2008 82,186 L $65,692,836

Indians WF SO CA 6/8/2008 7/12/2008 76,554 H $42,500,000

Panther WF NO CA 7/22/2008 10/8/2008 72,344 L NR

Gunbarrel WF RM WY 7/26/2008 9/8/2008 68,148 L $11,200,000

Highway 322 WF SA TX 3/14/2008 3/19/2008 67,500 H NR

Stiles Complex WF SW NM 3/14/2008 3/16/2008 67,008 H $71,644

BTU Lightning 

Complex WF NO CA 6/21/2008 10/22/2008 64,995 L $94,825,683

Ukonom-South 

Complex WF NO CA 6/20/2008 11/5/2008 58,871 L NR

MEU Lightning 

Complex WF NO CA 6/20/2008 12/1/2008 54,819 L $66,000,000

East Slide Rock 

Ridge WF WB NV 8/10/2008 9/14/2008 54,549 L $8,873,000

Porter WF SA TX 3/14/2008 3/21/2008 51,400 NR NR

Rocky WF SW NM 6/18/2008 6/25/2008 49,132 L $2,158,700

Canyon 

Complex WF NO CA 6/21/2008 11/3/2008 47,680 L NR

Bridger Fire WF RM CO 6/8/2008 7/9/2008 45,800 L NR

Hughes Ranch WF SA TX 6/4/2008 6/9/2008 45,241 U NR

Evans Road WF SA NC 6/1/2008 9/29/2008 40,704 L $18,249,415
15

Significant Fire Activity

The maps below depict large or significant wildfires and Wildland Fire Use incidents reported to 

NICC during 2008. Information derived from Incident Status Summary (ICS-209) reports.
16

Wildfires and Acres Reported to NICC

There were 78,949 wildfires reported, which burned 5,292,468 acres in 2008. This is slightly 

above the five-year average, and near the ten-year average for the number of wildfires. The 

number of acres burned in 2008 was well below both the five and ten-year averages.
17

Wildfire Acres Reported to NICC
18

Wildfires by Agency

ST / OT – States and other non-federal 
19

Wildfire Acres by Agency

ST / OT – States and other non-federal 
20

Lightning Fires and Acres by Geographic Area

Number of Lightning Caused Fires

Number of Lightning Caused Acres Burned
21

Human Caused Fires and Acres by Geographic Area

Number of Human Caused Fires

Number of Human Caused Acres Burned
22

Significant Fire Activity

Significant fires are defined in the National Mobilization Guide as fires that are a minimum of 100 

acres in timber fuel types and 300 acres in grass and brush fuel types, or are managed by a 

Type 1, 2, FUMT or NIMO Incident Management Team. In 2008 there were 1,128 significant

fires reported to NICC (including 54 Wildland Fire Use incidents). 

Percent of Reported Large Fires by Geographic Area
22

Wildfires and Acres Burned by Agency and GACC – 2008 & prior years

* 1998 acres were reduced by one million to correct for error in that year’s data.
24

Prescribed Fire Projects and Acres

National reporting of prescribed fires began in 1998.
25

Prescribed Fire Projects and Acres by Agency
26

Prescribed Fire Projects by Agency and Geographic Area

National reporting of Prescribed Fire projects and acres began in 1998.

Prescribed Fire Projects by Agency

Comparison of current year to 10-year averages.
27

Prescribed Fire Projects by Geographic Area

Comparison of current year to 10-year averages.
28

Wildland Fire Use Fires and Acres

National reporting of Wildland Fire Use incidents began in 1998.

Comparison of current year to 10-year averages.
29

Wildland Fire Use Fires by Agency and Geographic Area

National reporting of Wildland Fire Use incidents began in 1998.

Wildland Fire Use Fires and Acres Burned by Agency
30

Wildland Fire Use Fires and Acres Burned by Geographic Area
31

National Preparedness Levels

The 58 days spent at national Preparedness Levels 4 and 5 in 2008 tied with 2003 for the fourth

longest period since 1990. The national Preparedness Level (PL) was elevated to PL 2 on May 

3, then to PL 3 on June 22 for three days. On June 25 it was raised to PL 4, and then elevated 

to PL 5 on July 1, where it remained until July 23 when it was reduced to PL 4. 

The national PL remained at 4 until August 22 when it was reduced to PL 3 and remained there 

until September 3 when it was reduced to PL 2. The national PL was reduced to PL 1 on October 

7.

Preparedness Level records of note: January 4, 2006 was the earliest PL 2 was declared; May 

12, 2000 was the earliest that PL 3 was declared; June 10, 2002 was the earliest that PL 4 was 

declared; June 21, 2002 was the earliest that PL 5 was declared; September 15, 2006 was the 

latest date in the year at national PL 5.
32

National Preparedness Level Summary

Since 1990, 2008 had the fourth highest total number of days at national Preparedness Levels 

4 and 5 (combined).
33

Incident Management Team Mobilization

Daily commitment of Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Management Teams, and Fire Use 

Management Teams during the height of the 2008 fire season are shown in the charts below. 

Figures are based on IMT information provided on ICS-209 reports.

In 2008 four Area Command Teams were activated seven times between June 21 and August 

18 to manage large fires or provide support in the Northern California Geographic Area. Area 

Command Teams were assigned a total of 122 days. Four National Incident Management 

Organization (NIMO) teams were activated 17 times between June 8 and October 1 for a total 

of 246 assignment days in 2008.
34

Type 1 Incident Management Team Mobilizations

Seventeen national Type 1 Teams were mobilized 41 times in 2008. Fifteen of those 

assignments were filled through NICC. Type 1 Teams were assigned a combined total of 609

days in 2008, down from 62 assignments and 805 assignment days in 2007. The record was set 

in 2002 when teams were assigned 85 times for a total of 999 assignment days. 
35

Type 1 IMT Assignments by Geographic Area

Number of Type 1 Teams mobilized within a Geographic Area (including out of area 

teams).

CN – Canada

Number of Type 1 Teams mobilized by Geographic Area (including out of area 

assignments).
36

Type 2 Incident Management Team Mobilization

Of 125 total Type 2 Team assignments in 2008, 18 were filled through NICC. Teams were 

assigned a combined total of 1,232 days, down from 159 assignments and 1,590 assignment 

days in 2007. The charts and tables below summarize total requests by agency and Geographic 

Area. 
37

Type 2 IMT Assignments by Geographic Area

Number of Type 2 Teams mobilized within Geographic Areas (including out of area 

teams).

CN – Canada

Number of Type 2 Teams mobilized by Geographic Areas (including out of area 

assignments).
38

Types 1 and 2 IMT Summary 2008

Incident Management Team summary: The tables below depict total Type 1 and Type 2 Incident 

Management Teams requested through NICC.

By Requesting Agency

 

By Requesting Geographic Area
39

Department of Defense Mobilization

No battalions or task forces were mobilized by the Department of Defense in 2008. Number of 

Army battalions and task forces deployed annually is shown below.

 

Crew Mobilization

NICC processed 2,113 crew requests in 2008. Of these requests, 1,097 were filled, 301 requests 

were canceled, and 715 were UTF. There were 1,058 Type 1 crew requests, 556 Type 2 crew 

requests and 499 Type 2 IA crew requests.
40

Tactical crews include Type 1, Type 2 and Type 2 IA.
41

Crew Summary by Requesting Agency and GACC
42

Engine Mobilization

The NICC processed 2,184 engine requests in 2008. Of total requests, 1,530 were filled, 199 

were canceled and 455 were UTF. Of 47 requests for water tenders placed to NICC, 13 were 

filled.

In 2008:
43

Engine Summary by Requesting Agency and Type
44

Engine Summary by Requesting Geographic Area and Type
45

Overhead Mobilization

Requests are categorized into seven functional areas: Command, Coordination & Support, 

Finance, Logistics, Operations, Prescribed Fire and Technical Specialist. A total of 16,198

requests for overhead positions were processed by NICC in 2008. Of these requests, 10,169

were filled, 1,716 were canceled and 4,313 were UTF.
46

Overhead Mobilization (cont.)

Chart below shows annual total overhead requests filled through NICC.
47

Overhead Requests Summary by Requesting Agency and Function
48

Overhead Requests Summary by Requesting GACC and Function
49

Helicopter Mobilization

A total of 845 helicopter requests were processed by NICC: 509 were filled, 123 were canceled 

and 213 were UTF. Of the 359 Type 1 helicopter requests placed to NICC: 211 were filled, 49 

were canceled and 99 were UTF. Of the 370 requests placed to NICC for Type 2 helicopters: 

254 were filled, 43 canceled and 73 were UTF. Of the 116 requests placed to NICC for Type 3 

helicopters: 85 were filled, 31 canceled and 41 were UTF. 
50

Helicopter Summary by Requesting Agency and Type
51

Helicopter Summary by Requesting Geographic Area and Type
52

Fixed Wing Aircraft Mobilization

The categories for fixed wing aircraft requests include: air tankers (types 1 to 3), single engine 

air tankers (SEAT), lead planes, aerial supervision modules (ASM), air attack, infrared, and 

smokejumper aircraft. A total of 2,498 aircraft requests were received at NICC: 1,832 were filled, 

147 were canceled and 519 were UTF. 
53

Air Tanker Mobilization

A total of 372 heavy air tanker requests were processed by NICC in 2008. Of total requests, 225

were filled, 55 were canceled and 92 were UTF. 

Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems (MAFFS)
54

Aircraft Summary by Requesting Agency and Type (Through NICC)
55

Aircraft Summary by Requesting Geographic Area and Type
56

Large Transportation Aircraft

In 2008 there was one exclusive use contract for large transportation aircraft. The contract was

filled with a B737-200 jet aircraft. The NICC processed a total of 84 requests for transportation, 

and the exclusive use jet flew 76 times. There were eight additional charter flights.
57

Exclusive Use and Charter Large Transport Summary by 

Requesting Agency and Geographic Area
58

Light Cargo and Passenger Flights by Requesting Agency and 

Geographic Area
59

Equipment Services Mobilization

A total of 128 requests for mobile food services were processed at NICC: 114 requests were

filled, six were canceled and 8 were UTF. A total of 171 shower units were requested: 152

were filled, 11 were canceled and 8 were UTF. A total of seven commissary requests were 

filled.
60

Equipment Services Requests Summary by Requesting Agency 

and Geographic Area
61

Radio and Weather Equipment Mobilization

A total of 1,621 requests for radio kits and weather equipment were received at NICC in 2008. Of that total, 1,496 requests were 

filled, 88 were canceled and 37 were UTF. Note: Micro REMS have been replaced by RAWS.

Radio and Weather Equipment Summary by Requesting Agency and Type
62

Radio and Weather Equipment Summary by Requesting Geographic Area and Type
63

Average Worst Summary

Averaging the data from very active years (1996, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2007) selected from 

the previous 12 years, average worst case fire season numbers were derived. Based on these

data, NICC can expect as a worst-case average (categories in bold mean that the average worst 

cases were equaled or exceeded in 2008):
64

NICC Benchmarks

Records set for the year of this report are in bold.

Category Year Record 2008 Stats

Wildfires 2006 96,385 78,949

Wildfire Acres Burned 2006 9,873,745 5,292,468

Significant Fires 2006 1,801 1,128

Wildland Fire Use Fires 2005 437 265

Wildland Fire Use Acres Burned 2005 489,186 236,835

Days at Preparedness Level 4 2005 41 36

Days at Preparedness Level 5 2002 62 22

Type 1 IMT Mobilizations 2002 85 41

Type 2 IMT Mobilizations 2000 58 18

Dept. of Defense Battalions/Task Forces 1994 7 0

MAFFS (millions of gallons delivered) 1994 5.03 1.33

Crew Mobilizations 2003 1,796 1,097

Engine Mobilizations 2007 2,267 1,530

Overhead Mobilizations 2000 17,898 10,169

Type 1 Helicopter Mobilizations 2006 288 211

Type 2 Helicopter Mobilizations 2006 323 254

Air Tankers 2000 387 340

Large Transport Flights 1994 552 84

Mobile Food Units 1994 195 114

Shower Units 1994 256 152

Of the 20 benchmarks above, records were set in the following years: Six in 2006, Six in 2002, 

Five in 1994, Four in 2005, Four in 2000.
65

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned 

by State

Figures from the Fire and Aviation Management Web Applications Program.
66

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
67

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
68

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
69

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
70

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
71

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
72

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
73

National Report of Wildland Fires and Acres Burned by State (cont.)
74

- END –
75

Acronyms and Terminology

Air Attack: Light aircraft (airplane or helicopter) that carries the ATGS.

ASM: Aerial Supervision Module, light twin-engine airplane that combines the lead plane 

function and tactical supervision (pilot and Air Tactical Supervisor - ATS). 

CWN: Call When Needed, refers to aircraft that have a call when needed contract.

DRTI: Distributed Real-Time Infrared aircraft (operated by DOD).

EXCL: Exclusive-Use Contract. Refers to aircraft that have an exclusive-use contact with 

an agency.

IA: Initial attack.

IMT: Incident Management Team.

Infrared: Aircraft outfitted with infrared sensing equipment.

Large fire: A large fire is defined as 100 acres or greater in timber, 300 acres or greater in 

grass/brush, or a Type 1, Type 2 or NIMO team is assigned.

LAT: Large Airtanker.

Lead Plane: Twin-engine airplane that guides airtankers over a fire.

MAFFS: Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (military C-130 aircraft). 

NIMO: National Incident Management Organization.

Pax: Passengers.

RAWS: Remote Automated Weather Station.

ROSS: Resource Ordering and Status System.

Starter: Type of portable radio kit. 

Repeater: Type of portable radio kit.

Tactical: Type of portable radio kit.

SEAT: Single engine airtanker.

TFR: Temporary Flight Restriction.

UTF: Unable to Fill resource request (the requested resource couldn’t be filled).

UAS: Unmanned aircraft systems.

VLAT: Very Large Airtanker.