National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Division of Fire and Aviation Management

Branch of Communication & Education

NPS Fire Key Messages - 2023

Wildland Fire Key Messages

The National Park Service responds to and manages 

every fire on NPS land.

• Safety is our core value. 

1. The mental and physical safety of firefighters and the 

public is the number one priority of all NPS wildland fire 

management activities. 

2. Our goal is to ensure not only physical safety, but to 

provide mental health support for all wildland fire 

personnel, both on and off the fireline. 

3. We work to keep firefighters safe by limiting exposure 

to risks on the fireline, providing effective and accessible 

resources, and investing in wildfire prevention, including 

reducing hazardous accumulation of overgrown 

vegetation that could lead to larger and more complex 

wildfires. 

4. NPS wildland fire personnel and support staff are 

encouraged to use mental health resources provided by 

the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Mental 

Health Subcommittee, NPS employee support services, 

and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC). 

5. The LLC provides resources for peer-to-peer conversation 

around health and safety including mental health. 

6. NPS personnel follow safety guidelines from federal 

health and safety agencies to prevent the spread of 

communicable diseases or illness. Federal wildland 

firefighters and emergency responders follow guidance 

from the NWCG Risk Management Committee and 

adhere to safety protocols during incident response.

• The NPS works with interagency partners and neighboring 

communities to preserve natural and cultural resources, 

restore the land, and maintain already healthy ecosystems. 

1. Fire managers balance the risks and benefits of wildland 

fire in national parks and use fires as a tool to protect 

people, communities, property, and natural and cultural 

resources. 

2. Changing environmental conditions and increasing 

numbers of large fires require more flexibility and use of a 

wider variety of responses. 

3. NPS scientists work in partnership with other professionals 

and agencies to achieve restoration and recovery goals 

during Burned Area Rehabilitation (BAR) or Burned Area 

Emergency Response (BAER) projects. Post-fire recovery 

may include natural recovery, immediate emergency 

stabilization, or long-term stabilization and recovery 

actions. 

• Fire is a management tool used to accomplish specific 

objectives such as removing excess vegetation or stimulating 

plant growth and regeneration.

1. It is necessary to have the right response at the right time 

for the right reasons.

2. Every wildfire is evaluated and receives a response – from 

aggressive suppression to close monitoring. Fire managers 

may use a variety of approaches to manage and respond 

to a single fire based on the fire management plan for the 

area. 

3. Sometimes it may be necessary and/or beneficial for 

land managers to ignite fires in a closely monitored 

and confined area to reduce hazardous fuel loads near 

developed areas, manage landscapes, and achieve 

ecological benefits. These fires are referred to as 

“prescribed fires.”

4. Effective landscape management may include non-fire 

treatments, such as cutting and removing grass, shrubs or 

trees, in situations where prescribed fire is not feasible or 

to prepare the land for prescribed fire to be applied safely 

and effectively.

• While the response may differ from fire to fire, the NPS 

responds to all wildfires that occur within park boundaries 

and assists in firefighting efforts for our partner agencies. 

• NPS fire staff are prepared to respond to every wildfire and 

are well-positioned to make informed decisions to manage 

each fire. 

• We are committed to using the best fire management 

strategies and all tools in our toolbox to protect people, 

parks, and surrounding communities. 

The National Park Service is committed to safety, 

science, and stewardship every day.

We aggressively suppress wildfires that pose a threat to 

life, property, and/or safety.

• While fire is part of a healthy natural ecosystem, we 

aggressively suppress wildfires that threaten people, property, 

infrastructure, or key natural and historic features both inside 

and outside parks. In fact, NPS aggressively suppresses 90% 

of all wildfires on national park lands for this reason, while 

others are managed using other tactics.

1. While suppression is a top priority, it is not always the best 

choice for every situation. Suppressing all wildfires results 

in fuel buildup which can eventually make wildfires more 

severe than they otherwise would have been. 
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Division of Fire and Aviation Management

Branch of Communication & Education

NPS Fire Key Messages - 2023

Science tells the story: wildfire seasons are changing 

because of recent, rapid changes in climate.

NPS staff work to not only protect people and park 

resources from fires, but also prevent wildfires.

• Through fire preparedness programs and resources, NPS 

staff educate communities about how to reduce the risk of 

wildfire on their properties, how to recreate responsibly, and 

what to do should a wildfire occur.

1. Every visitor has a role to help prevent human-caused 

wildfires in national parks.

2. Visitors should be aware of park fire safety guidance and 

restrictions.

3. Park staff work to protect people and park resources 

from fires, as well as structures and facilities. Park staff 

collaborate with local interagency fire prevention staff 

to share consistent fire prevention messages to local 

communities and park visitors.

4. Homeowners and communities play a large role in fire 

prevention.

• Virtually all vegetation types in the United States can 

experience wildland fire.

• Fire has helped shape landscapes for thousands of years and 

is important for the survival of many plants and animals.

1. Fire reduces accumulation of vegetation that can inhibit 

new plant growth.

2. Many healthy ecosystems depend on wildland fire as a 

natural process. In many cases, periodic fire stimulates 

growth, reproduction of plants, and provides wildlife 

habitat.

3. Excess vegetation unchecked by periodic fires in some 

areas is threatening plant and animal life.

• Every wildfire is different, and many factors and 

considerations go into the decision-making process for 

managing each wildfire. Depending on fuels, terrain, 

weather, and risk for firefighters, fire managers may 

implement a combination of strategies to manage the 

wildfire. 

1. Every wildfire season is different due to annual and/ or 

seasonal variations, as well as local conditions.

2. Fire behavior is affected by weather, terrain, and the types 

and density of vegetation in the area.

Many healthy ecosystems depend on wildland fire as a 

natural process.

1. Climate change is exacerbating conditions conducive to 

large wildfires, with implications for places like Rocky 

Mountain National Park, Lassen Volcanic National Park, 

Mojave National Preserve, and Santa Monica Mountains 

National Recreation Area (all burned significantly in recent 

years).

2. Climate change is affecting wildfire probability, frequency, 

and seasonal duration.

3. Parks vulnerable to drought and insect infestation due to 

climate change may also see higher occurrence of wildfire 

incidents with destructive potential.

• Wildfires have serious implications for regional air and water 

quality, visitor access and safety, and the protection of natural 

and cultural resources.

• Management strategies for wildland fire over the past 

century have focused on preventing and suppressing the 

majority of wildfires. This has led to a dangerous build-up of 

vegetation in our wildlands.

• NPS wildland fire management is grounded in science. We 

continue to learn and now have a more comprehensive 

understanding of the essential role fire plays in our 

environment.

• When paired with the right terrain, extreme weather 

conditions exacerbated by climate change is leading to 

wildfires that burn hotter, last longer, and spread faster. 

These wildfires become difficult to manage and can threaten 

residential development and other vulnerable infrastructure.

2. Fires may be monitored when they don't pose a risk to 

human life or structures and would have positive effects 

on natural areas.

3. Wildland firefighting has inherent risk. When determining 

the best approach to managing a wildfire, managers 

prioritize safety of people as they weigh the risks of 

specific firefighting tactics.

4. NPS fire managers evaluate and respond to every wildfire 

in a way that balances wildland firefighter safety and 

people, park resources, and surrounding communities.

5. We regularly work with other agencies to fight wildfires 

outside of parks.

• Climate change is bringing extreme warm temperatures 

to most parks compared to historical conditions, with 

implications for parks like Glacier National Park and Denali 

National Park (loss of snow and ice); and parks in the 

Southwest as well.
National Park Service

U.S. Department of the Interior

Division of Fire and Aviation Management

Branch of Communication & Education

NPS Fire Key Messages - 2023

The National Park Service works with neighbors and 

partners to balance the risks and benefits of wildland 

fire in an ever-changing environment.

• The NPS works with other agencies, Tribes, nongovernmental 

organizations (NGOs), local fire departments, and 

communities near parks to develop and implement fire 

management plans. 

1. The NPS works with other agencies and Tribes to manage 

and respond to fires under an interagency plan called the 

Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. 

2. The NPS works with other agencies, Tribes, local 

governments, and property owners to make property 

more defensible against wildfire. 

3. The NPS considers and includes Traditional Ecological 

Knowledge (TEK) in fire management in conjunction with 

Tribes where appropriate.

• People can safely coexist with fire, if aware of the potential 

risks and actions are taken to be prepared for local fire 

conditions. 

1. Be sure to contact your local park or other local, state, or 

federal agencies, or Tribal fire management organization 

to determine your community’s fire conditions and learn 

tips to prevent fires.

2. The more populated and closer a community is to fireprone areas, the greater the need for proactive fire 

management. 

• Smoke from prescribed fire is a sign that steps are being 

taken to reduce risks and realize benefits of fire. 

1. During prescribed fires, fire managers work to mitigate 

impacts of smoke. 

• The more the NPS and other land management agencies 

can plan and manage fire, the more we can reduce smoke 

impacts. 

1. Breathing smoke is not healthy for anyone, but there 

are ways park residents and neighbors can reduce their 

exposure to smoke. 

2. The NPS Air Resources Division provides information 

about smoke and air quality to inform fire management 

decisions and help communities prepare for air quality 

impacts. 

• Fire burns where and when conditions are right. So, the 

NPS works closely with other agencies, Tribes, and our 

communities to protect people and park resources from 

catastrophic fires. 

Prescribed fire in Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. NPS/M JOHNSON