REVIE W A ND UPDATE OF T HE

1995

FEDERAL WILDLA ND

FIRE MA NA GE ME NT P OLICY

JANUARY 2001

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Land Management

National Park Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Geological Survey

Bureau of Reclamation

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

U.S. Forest Service

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration/National

Weather Service

U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL

PROTECTION AGENCY

FEDERAL EMERGENCY

MANAGEMENT AGENCY

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE

FORESTERS
Executive Summary - i

E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y

O V E R V I E W

The Interagency Federal Wildland Fire Policy Review Working Group (Working

Group), at the direction of the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture, reviewed

the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy & Program Review (1995

Report) and its implementation. The Working Group found that the policy is

generally sound and continues to provide a solid foundation for wildland fire

management activities and for natural resources management activities of the federal

government.

In this Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management

Policy (Review and Update), the Working Group recommends selected changes and

additions to the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (1995 Federal Fire

Policy) to clarify purpose and intent and to address issues not fully covered in 1995.

The Working Group further found that implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy remains incomplete in many areas, especially those that involve collaboration,

coordination, and integration across agency jurisdictions and across different

disciplines. The Working Group recommends a number of strategic implementation

actions to ensure that federal wildland fire management policy is successfully

implemented in all applicable federal agencies on a collaborative, coordinated, and

integrated fashion as quickly as possible. The revisions, additions and

implementation actions recommended in this report are presented in Chapter 3 as

the 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy.

In summary, the Working Group finds and recommends that federal fire

management activities and programs are to provide for firefighter and public

safety, protect and enhance land management objectives and human welfare,

integrate programs and disciplines, require interagency collaboration,

emphasize the natural ecological role of fire, and contribute to ecosystem

sustainability.

The 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2001 Federal Fire Policy)

contained in this report replaces the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. It should be adopted

by all federal agencies with fire-management-related programs and activities as

appropriate through directives, manuals, handbooks, and other documents.

Subsequent to the initiation of this review and update of the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture prepared a report, Managing

the Impact of Wildfires on Communities and the Environment: A Report to

the President in Response to the Wildfires of 2000 and the Congress provided

substantial new appropriations and guidance in the Fiscal Year 2001 Interior and

Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The activities resulting from the Secretaries’

report and the Congressional action are generally known as the National Fire Plan.

While this Review and Update supports and complements the National Fire Plan, the

two efforts are different. This Review and Update, with its findings and

recommendations, provides a broad philosophical and policy foundation for federal

agency fire management programs and activities, including those conducted under
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

ii - Executive Summary

the National Fire Plan. In contrast, the National Fire Plan and similar interagency

activities, focus on operational and implementation activities. A major feature of the

National Fire Plan is the interagency (especially between federal and non-federal

entities) aspect of risk reduction planning and implementation. In summary, the

2001 Federal Fire Policy contained in this report is focused on internal federal agency

strategic direction for a broad range of fire management related activities while the

National Fire Plan is a more narrowly focused and tactical undertaking involving

both federal and non-federal entities.

B A C K G R O U N D

The 1995 Report produced the first single comprehensive federal fire policy for

the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture. That review was stimulated by the

1994 fire season with its 34 fatalities and growing recognition of fire problems

caused by fuel accumulation. The resulting 1995 Federal Fire Policy recognized, for

the first time, the essential role of fire in maintaining natural systems.

In the aftermath of the escape of the Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire in May of

2000, the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture requested a review of the 1995

Federal Fire Policy and its implementation. Their charge to the Working Group

included:

● Review the implementation status of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

● Address specific issues related to interagency coordination, cooperation,

availability, and use of contingency resources.

● Provide recommendations to the Secretaries for strengthening the

organizational structure of wildland fire management programs to ensure

effective implementation of a cohesive federal wildland fire policy.

● Provide any other recommendations that would improve federal wildland fire

management programs.

● Recommend a management structure for completing implementation of the

recommendations.

P R I N C I P A L C O N C L U S I O N S

The Working Group reached the following principal conclusions:

● The 1995 Federal Fire Policy is still generally sound and appropriate.

● As a result of fire exclusion, the condition of fire-adapted ecosystems

continues to deteriorate; the fire hazard situation in these areas is worse than

previously understood.

● The fire hazard situation in the Wildland Urban Interface is more complex

and extensive than understood in 1995.

● Changes and additions to the 1995 Federal Fire Policy are needed to address

important issues of ecosystem sustainability, science, education,

communication, and to provide for adequate program evaluation.
REVIEW AND UP DATE OF T H E 1995 FED ERAL WILDLAND FIR E MAN A GE MENT POL IC Y

Executive Summary - iii

● Implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy has been incomplete,

particularly in the quality of planning and in interagency and interdisciplinary

matters.

● Emphasis on program management, implementation, oversight, leadership,

and evaluation at senior levels of all federal agencies is critical for successful

implementation of the 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2001

Federal Fire Policy).

I M P L E M E N T A T I O N

Each of the departments or agencies participating in the review should adopt the

Guiding Principles, 2001 Federal Fire Policy statements, and Implementation Actions

found in Chapter 3 of this Review and Update. All federal fire program activities

should take place in cooperation and partnership with State and other organizations.

Full implementation of many specific Action Items from the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy remains critical for the successful implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy. The Review and Update contains a detailed listing of the status of those

Action Items, along with appropriate future actions based on the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy and associated Implementation Actions.

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S

The 2001 Federal Fire Policy and its implementation are founded on the

following Guiding Principles:

1. Firefighter and public safety is the first priority in every fire management

activity.

2. The role of wildland fire as an essential ecological process and natural

change agent will be incorporated into the planning process.

3. Fire management plans, programs, and activities support land and resource

management plans and their implementation.

4. Sound risk management is a foundation for all fire management activities.

5. Fire management programs and activities are economically viable, based

upon values to be protected, costs, and land and resource management

objectives.

6. Fire management plans and activities are based upon the best available

science.

7. Fire management plans and activities incorporate public health and

environmental quality considerations.

8. Federal, State, tribal, local, interagency, and international coordination and

cooperation are essential.

9. Standardization of policies and procedures among federal agencies is an

ongoing objective.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

iv - Executive Summary

K E Y T H E M E S O F T H E R E V I E W A N D U P D A T E

● Ecosystem Sustainability: The 1995 Federal Fire Policy recognized the role fire

plays as a critical natural process. This Review and Update builds on the 1995

Report to include policies recognizing the role of fire in sustaining healthy

ecosystems, the restoration and rehabilitation of burned lands, and the

importance of sound science in fire management activities.

● Fire Planning: The 1995 Federal Fire Policy requires Fire Management Plans

for all areas with burnable vegetation. Significant work remains to complete

these plans for many areas. Many plans need updating and integration with

underlying land management plans. Agencies such as the Departments of

Defense and Energy need to coordinate their planning efforts based on the 2001

Federal Fire Policy. Fire Management Plans that address all aspects of fire

management activities remain the foundation for implementing the 2001 Federal

Fire Policy and must be completed as promptly as possible.

● Fire Operations: The 1995 Federal Fire Policy statements on operational

aspects of fire management including safety, protection priorities, preparedness,

suppression, use of wildland fire, prevention, and Wildland Urban Interface roles

and responsibilities, are carried forward in the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. The

2001 Federal Fire Policy clearly states that response to wildland fire is based on

the Fire Management Plan, not the ignition source or location of the fire. The

Review and Update recognizes the need to reach agreement on the requirements

for weather products and services, and the best means to meet those

requirements.

● Interagency Coordination and Cooperation: A key theme of the 1995 Federal

Fire Policy is the importance of standardization and interagency cooperation and

coordination among federal agencies and between federal agencies and nonfederal organizations. The Review and Update recognizes the importance of

including additional federal land managing agencies (e.g. Department of Defense

and Department of Energy) and agencies with supporting or related programs

(e.g. National Weather Service, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S.

Geological Survey, Federal Emergency Management Agency) as full partners in

wildland fire management activities and programs. The Review and Update also

adds a specific policy on communication and education to ensure that the 2001

Federal Fire Policy is well understood inside the fire management agencies and

by the public.

● Program Management and Oversight: The Working Group found that there

is no effective means of overseeing and evaluating implementation of fire policy,

especially across agency and program lines. A new policy on evaluation is

therefore included in the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. The need for a mechanism

for coordinated interagency and interdisciplinary fire management program

leadership and oversight is included in the Implementation Actions. Other

actions to improve program management include analyses of workforce

requirements and of fire management and suppression organizational structures.
Additional copies of this report may be obtained from

the Bureau of Land Management Office of Fire and Aviation

at the

National Interagency Fire Center

Attn: External Affairs Office

3833 South Development Avenue

Boise, Idaho 83705-5354

(208) 387-5457
.

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Overview..........................................................................................................................i

Background.....................................................................................................................ii

Principal Conclusions ...................................................................................................ii

Implementation.............................................................................................................iii

Guiding Principles........................................................................................................iii

Key Themes of the Review and Update.................................................................iv

CHAPTER 1 — BACKGROUND AND SCOPE

Evolution of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy.....................................1

1995 Fire Policy and Program Review......................................................................2

Charge from the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture...............................3

How the Review Was Done........................................................................................4

Important Fire Management Issues ..........................................................................5

CHAPTER 2 — FINDINGS OF THE WORKING GROUP

Introduction....................................................................................................................9

Findings ...........................................................................................................................9

Proposed Changes and Actions ...............................................................................19

CHAPTER 3 — 2001 FEDERAL WILDLAND FIRE

MANAGEMENT POLICY

Guiding Principles.......................................................................................................21

2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy ..................................................22

Implementation Actions ............................................................................................25

CHAPTER 4 — APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Bibliography..................................................................................33

APPENDIX B: Glossary and Acronyms.............................................................35

APPENDIX C: Changes to the Guiding Principles and

1995 Federal Fire Policy, with Rationale for Changes..................................39

APPENDIX D: Tabular Crosswalk between the 1995 and

2001 Federal Fire Policies...................................................................................43

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items...........................................47

APPENDIX F: Wildland Fire Flowchart.............................................................75

APPENDIX G: Working Group and Support Staff..........................................77

Chapter 1 — Background and Scope - 1

C H A P T E R 1 — B A C K G R O U N D A N D S C O P E

EVOLUTION OF FEDERAL WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

The first national fire policy came after several years of severe fires between 1910

and 1935. In the context of the ecological theory of the time, fire exclusion was

believed to promote ecological stability. In addition, fire exclusion could also reduce

commodity damages and economic losses. In 1935, the USDA Forest Service

instituted the “10 AM Policy,” wherein the objective was to prevent all human-caused

fires and contain any fire that started by 10 a.m. the following day.

By the 1960s, fire management costs were increasing exponentially. The 1964

Wilderness Act, Tall Timbers Research Conferences, and Southern Forest Fire Lab

research demonstrated the positive benefits derived from natural and prescribed fire.

As a result, national fire policy began to evolve to address both the economic and

ecological benefits of not aggressively controlling, and even using, fire. In February

1967, the USDA Forest Service permitted leeway for early- and late-season fires. In

1968, the National Park Service changed its policy to recognize the natural role of

fire, allow natural ignitions to run their course under prescribed conditions, and use

prescribed fires to meet management objectives. In 1971, the USDA Forest Service

10-Acre Policy was added, which set a pre-suppression objective of containing all

fires within 10 acres.

In 1977 a new fire policy was selected by the USDA Forest Service that replaced

both the 10 AM and 10-Acre policies. The new policy encouraged a pluralistic

approach — fire by prescription. Even for suppression, once initial attack failed,

alternatives to full suppression were to be considered. Fire suppression became fire

management.

The 1989 review of the 1988 Yellowstone fires continued fire policy evolution.

The review report affirmed the positive benefits of fire, but also identified the

inherent risks and liabilities of using fire and recommended greater planning,

preparation, cooperation, and management oversight.

The 1994 fire season with its 34 fatalities (14 at South Canyon, Colorado)

precipitated the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy & Program

Review (1995 Report). This review again affirmed the positive benefits of fire. It

recognized that fire was part of a larger problem, one of several symptoms of

natural ecosystems becoming increasingly unstable due to altered ecological regimes.

It talked about the needs for landscape-level resource management, the integration

of fire into land management planning and implementation, and the involvement of

all affected landowners and stakeholders.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

2 - Chapter 1 — Background and Scope

In light of the extensive fires in the summer of 2000, President Clinton asked the

Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to prepare an analysis of actions and

requirements. Their report, Management the Impact of Wildfires on

Communities and the Environment: A Report to the President in Response

to the Wildfires of 2000 focused on several key points: restoring landscapes and

rebuilding communities, undertaking projects to reduce risks, working directly with

communities, and establishing accountability. The Congress expressed its support

with substantial new financial resources in the two Departments’ Fiscal Year 2001

appropriations, along with direction for aggressive planning and implementation to

reduce risks of wildland fire in Wildland Urban Interface areas.

1995 FIRE POLICY AND PROGRAM REVIEW

The 1995 Report resulted in the first comprehensive statement of wildland fire

policy coordinated between the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture. In

addition to the two Departments joining together in unified policy, the 1995 Report

articulated clear direction on important issues of safety, the role of fire in natural

resource management, and the relative roles of federal and non-federal agencies in

the Wildland Urban Interface. The 1995 Report also contained significant

background narrative and documentation on the importance of these policy

positions.

This Review and Update builds on the 1995 background and rationale for the

underlying body of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. In particular, the

following ideas from the 1995 Report remain valid:

1. Protection of human life is the first priority in wildland fire

management.

2. Every firefighter, every fireline supervisor, every fire manager, and

every agency administrator takes positive action to ensure compliance

with established safe firefighting practices.

3. Fire exclusion efforts, combined with other land-use practices, have

in many places dramatically altered fire regimes so that today’s fires

tend to be larger and more severe. It is no longer a matter of slow

accumulation of fuels; today’s conditions confront us with the

likelihood of more rapid, extensive ecological changes beyond any we

have experienced in the past. To address these changes and the

challenge they present, we must first understand and accept the role

of wildland fire, and adopt land management practices that integrate

fire as an essential ecosystem process.

4. The task before us – reintroducing fire – is both urgent and

enormous. Conditions on millions of acres of wildlands increase the

probability of large, intense fires beyond any scale yet witnessed.

These severe fires will in turn increase the risk to humans, to

property, and to the land upon which our social and economic well

being is so intimately intertwined.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 1 — Background and Scope - 3

5. Agencies must create an organizational climate that supports

employees who implement a properly planned program to

reintroduce wildland fires.

6. Where wildland fire cannot be safely reintroduced because of

hazardous fuel build-ups, some form of pretreatment must be

considered, particularly in Wildand Urban Interface areas.

7. The Wildland Urban Interface is defined as the line, area, or zone

where structures and other human development meet or intermingle

with undeveloped wildland or vegetative fuels.

8. The Wildland Urban Interface has become a major fire problem that

will escalate as the nation moves into the 21st Century. People

continue to move from urban to wildland areas. They give little

thought to the wildfire hazard, and bring with them their

expectations for continuation of urban emergency services. Further,

property owners believe that insurance companies or disaster

assistance will always be there to cover losses. There is a widespread

misconception by elected officials, agency managers, and the public

that Wildland Urban Interface protection is solely a federal concern.

9. Fire protection problems in the Wildland Urban Interface are

complex. Complicated barriers must be overcome to address them.

These barriers include legal mandates, zoning regulations, fire and

building codes, basic fire protection infrastructure, insurance and fire

protection grading and rating systems, environmental concerns, and

Fire Protection Agreements. Political, social, and psychological

factors further complicate the problems. There is no one simple

solution. Leadership and cooperation are essential.

10. The problem is not one of finding new solutions to an old problem,

but of implementing known solutions. Deferred decision making is

as much a problem as the fires themselves. If history is to serve us in

the resolution of the Wildland Urban Interface problem, we must

take action on these issues now. To do anything less is to guarantee

another review process in the aftermath of future severe fires.

CHARGE FROM THE SECRETARIES OF THE INTERIOR AND AGRICULTURE

Following the investigation, and subsequent report by the Independent Review

Board, of the May 2000 Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire in New Mexico, the Secretary

of the Interior announced that he and the Secretary of Agriculture would reconvene

the Working Group that developed the 1995 Federal Fire Policy to assess the status

of the policy and its implementation.

In a June 27, 2000, memorandum the two Secretaries outlined their direction for

reviewing the 1995 Policy and its implementation. This memorandum identified five

specific review tasks:
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

4 - Chapter 1 — Background and Scope

1. Review the status of the implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy and provide recommendations to the Secretaries for

completing full implementation of the policy.

2. Address specific issues raised in the Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire

Investigation Report and the subsequent Independent Review Board

Report, and provide recommendations to the Secretaries for

resolving these issues.

3. Provide recommendations to the Secretaries for strengthening the

organizational aspects of the wildland fire management programs in

the two Departments to ensure effective implementation of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy.

4. Provide any other recommendations to the Secretaries that would

improve the wildland fire management programs in the two

Departments.

5. Recommend a management structure for completing implementation

of the recommendations.

HOW THE REVIEW WAS DONE

The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture asked that the Working Group

that developed the 1995 Federal Fire Policy be reconvened. To honor this request,

the structure and membership of the earlier group was replicated as nearly as

possible, using as many of the same individuals as available. In some cases,

individuals had retired or moved to other positions, so their successors or individuals

in similar positions or with similar backgrounds were asked to serve. As in 1994-95,

the Working Group was co-chaired by the USDA Forest Service and the Department

of the Interior.

In recognition of the importance of wildland fire in other agencies, the

Departments of Energy and Defense and the Bureau of Reclamation were invited to

join the Working Group. In addition, the National Association of State Foresters

was invited to join the group to represent the important perspectives of non-federal

wildland fire agencies. The resulting group included a broad mix of fire and

resource managers, line managers, and program managers from programs closely

associated with fire management. Professional staff from all of the participating

agencies supported the Working Group.

To respond to the tasks in the memorandum from the Secretaries, the Working

Group used the following principal sources of information:

• Status of the implementation of the specific Action Items in

the 1995 Report – each of the five bureaus with fire management

programs (USFS, BLM, NPS, BIA, FWS) was asked to report on the

status of the Action Items. Their responses were tabulated and

reviewed.

• Survey of Employees – the Brookings Institution was

commissioned to survey a random sample of fire managers, resource
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 1 — Background and Scope - 5

managers, and agency administrators in each bureau around the

country regarding their views on adequacy and implementation of

the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

• Employee Input- employees were invited to provide their views on

the 1995 Federal Fire Policy and its implementation through a Web

site.

• Non-governmental Input – letters were sent to non-governmental

organizations requesting their views on the 1995 Federal Fire Policy

and its implementation.

• Reports, Reviews, Studies – a variety of internal and external

reports, reviews, studies, and investigations of various aspects of

wildland fire were reviewed.

• Program Data – statistical and other descriptive sources of

information about wildland fire scope and activity were compiled and

reviewed.

• Issue-specific Analyses – a number of short papers or oral

presentations on specific issues were developed by professional staff.

The 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2001 Federal Fire Policy)

contained in this Review and Update replaces the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. It should

be adopted by all federal agencies with fire-management-related programs and

activities as appropriate through directives, manuals, handbooks, and other

documents.

The Working Group focused its efforts on “strategic” issues surrounding the

1995 Federal Fire Policy and its implementation. More specific implementation

issues are best addressed at the program management level. Thus, a number of

important but specific operational or policy implementation issues were raised in the

course of the Working Group’s discussions, but not addressed in this Review and

Update.

IMPORTANT FIRE MANAGEMENT ISSUES

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

Historically, fire has been a frequent and major ecological factor in North

America. In the conterminous United States during the preindustrial period (1500-

1800), an average of 145 million acres burned annually. Today only 14 million acres

(federal and non-federal) are burned annually by wildland fire from all ignition

sources. Land use changes such as agriculture and urbanization are responsible for

50 percent of this 10-fold decrease. Land management actions including land

fragmentation and fire suppression are responsible for the remaining 50 percent.

This decrease in wildland fire has been a destabilizing influence in many fireadapted ecosystems such as ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, pinyon/juniper

woodlands, southern pinelands, whitebark pine, oak savanna, pitch pine, aspen, and
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

6 - Chapter 1 — Background and Scope

tallgrass prairie. Fuels increased and understory vegetation became more dense. As

a result, those wildland fires that did occur were larger and more severe than

historical fires. Eliminating fire also affected individual plant species. For example,

Hessl and Spackman (1995) found that, of the 146 threatened, endangered, and rare

plant species found in the conterminous U. S. for which there is conclusive

information on fire effects, 135 species benefit from wildland fire or are found in

fire-adapted ecosystems.

This decrease in wildland fire has also provided positive human health and welfare

benefits by significantly decreasing natural air pollution (e.g., particulate matter less

than 10 microns in size: PM-10.).

Preindustrial 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

Wildland Fire Acreage Burned

Preindustrial 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 1995

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Total PM-10 Emissions 

Prescribed Fire Wildland Fire
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 1 — Background and Scope - 7

CURRENT CONDITION OF FEDERAL LANDS

In 1999, Hardy et al. published a preliminary course-scale analysis of current fire

regimes and land condition classes in the conterminous U. S. This analysis, for the

first time, provided a complete fuels management assessment of all federally

managed lands, and a picture of the magnitude of the ecological effects of the

exclusion of landscape-scale fire. Refinement of this preliminary data (e.g.,

chaparral) is currently underway and will eventually provide greater resolution and

improved usefulness.

The federal government has management responsibility for approximately 415

million acres of fire-adapted land in the conterminous United States. Approximately

200 million of these acres were historically subject to frequent fire regimes with fire

return intervals of less than 35 years. Included in these lands are ponderosa pine

forests, southern pinelands, and prairie grasslands. Another 215 million acres were

historically subject to infrequent fire regimes with fire return intervals greater than 35

years. Examples include lodgepole pine, northern hardwoods, and desert shrublands.

The federal lands in these two fire regimes have been further classified into three

condition classes (Hardy et al. 1999):

Condition

Class Frequent Infrequent Total

........Millions of Acres......

1 69 135 204

2 93 48 141

3 38 32 70

Total 200 215 415

Over 200 million acres of federal land are in Condition Class 1, where human

activity has not significantly altered historical fire regimes, or adequate land

management activities have successfully maintained ecological integrity. These areas

usually pose relatively low public safety and ecological risks, and need little corrective

management. However, current maintenance management actions such as

prescribed fire need to continue.

On the 141 million acres of Condition Class 2 land, human activity has

moderately altered historical fire regimes, and/or land management actions have

been ineffective, partially compromising ecological integrity. One or more fire return

intervals have been missed, resulting in moderate increases in fuel load and fire size,

intensity, and severity. These areas pose a moderate public safety and ecological risk

from severe fire, and need moderate levels of restoration treatments (e.g., mechanical

fuel removal, prescribed fire). Without any management action, these lands will

degrade to Condition Class 3. Continued maintenance treatments following

restoration are also needed to prevent severe fires and sustain ecological integrity.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

8 - Chapter 1 — Background and Scope

Ecological integrity has been significantly compromised on 70 million acres of

Condition Class 3 lands, and fires are a high risk factor because of their potential risk

to human values (public safety and health, property, economies) and natural resource

values (watersheds, species composition). Several fire return intervals have been

missed, resulting in considerable accumulation of live and dead fuels, and increasing

the potential of high-severity fires. These lands pose the greatest risk to public

safety and are in most danger of ecological decline. They require extensive

restoration and diligent maintenance.

THE 2000 FIRES

More acres burned in 2000 than in any other year in the last half-century. By midDecember, approximately 4.8 million acres had been burned by wildland fires and 1.0

million acres by prescribed fires on federal lands alone.

With a better understanding of the magnitude of the fire management problem,

the federal land management agencies are now planning aggressive actions to

mitigate the situation. The USDA Forest Service has proposed fuels management

treatments (prescribed fire and mechanical) of up to 3 million acres annually.

Department of the Interior bureaus and the Department of Defense have also

proposed similar activities. Fiscal Year 2001 fire management appropriations for the

Department of the Interior and the USDA Forest Service have been increased to

begin to address these landscape stewardship responsibilities.
Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 9

C H A P T E R 2 — F I N D I N G S O F T H E

W O R K I N G G R O U P

I N T R O D U C T I O N

After reviewing the various materials and information described in Chapter 1, the

Working Group reached several Findings regarding the overall fire management

situation, the adequacy and appropriateness of federal wildland fire policies, and the

implementation of those policies. This chapter presents those Findings. The 2001

Policy and a series of Implementation Actions follow later in this Review and

Update.

The 2001 Policy and Implementation Actions are based on these Findings. Some

Findings may result in more than one Implementation Action, and some

Implementation Actions may be based on more than one Finding. The objective of

this chapter is to identify the major areas of concern regarding fire management, fire

management policy, and implementation of fire management policy.

FI N D I N G S

The following Findings must be read as an integrated set. The first two Findings

present a summary or overview of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy and its

implementation. The remaining findings address specific aspects of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy and its implementation.

1. ADEQUACY OF 1995 FEDERAL FIRE POLICY – SUMMARY FINDING

a. The 1995 Federal Fire Policy is generally sound; however, some

aspects lack clarity and there are elements missing that would

make the policy stronger and more complete.

The review found no fundamental flaws in the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

Experience with implementation of the policy in the past five years has

demonstrated, however, that some aspects are unclear or unrealistic. Some issues,

such as science, ecosystem sustainability, ecosystem restoration, education and

communication, and program evaluation, were not explicitly addressed in 1995.

b. There is increasing recognition that the fire hazard situation is

worse than previously thought and fuels continue to accumulate.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

10 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

Fuel conditions are outside the range of historical patterns on 211 million acres

(70 million acres of condition Class 3, and 141 million acres of condition Class 2

federally managed lands). The acreage burned in fuel treatments and wildfires

continues to be materially less than the historical acreage of wildfires.

2. ADEQUACY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF 1995 FEDERAL FIRE POLICY –

SUMMARY FINDING

a. When there was organizational will and commitment about an

element of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy, that element was

successfully implemented.

The policy emphasis on firefighter safety was implemented primarily because of

organizational will and commitment to the issue, rather than an integrated,

interagency mechanism to drive implementation of the firefighter safety policy. An

outcome of this commitment was the creation of the Safety Awareness in the Fire

Environment (SAFE Initiative) program, an interagency collaborative mechanism to

implement firefighter safety policy.

b. Incomplete implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy has

hindered its success.

The 1995 Report contained over 80 specific Action Items deemed important for

implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. Inconsistent and incomplete

implementation of some items has resulted in less than successful implementation of

the overall policy. Those most successfully implemented were those exclusively in

the domain of the traditional fire management organizations. Implementation was

least successful in areas requiring coordination and agreement among agencies or

across disciplines within agencies. Some items, in retrospect, could not or should not

be implemented as originally written. Planning remains one of the most critical

items to be implemented. A summary of the status of the Action Items from the

1995 Report is found in Appendix E.

c. Adequate reviews have not been conducted to determine if all

agencies are implementing recommendations.

Agencies have implemented the policy recommendations unevenly, and there is

little evidence that managers have been held accountable for implementation.

3. SAFETY

a. Safety awareness and commitment to firefighter and public safety

continues to be the first priority in all aspects of the wildland fire

management program.

The increased emphasis on safety is one of the most successful aspects of the

implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. Most of that emphasis has occurred

in the traditional fire management activities of fire suppression and directly

associated activities. Similar commitment and awareness in related programs of fuels

treatment and rehabilitation and restoration are essential. Safety awareness must

continue to be an inherent value in fire management, not a response to mistakes or

accidents on specific incidents.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 11

b. The increased emphasis on firefighter and public safety has been

effective.

Implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy and the Wildland Firefighter

Safety Awareness Study has led to increased recognition of the need for safety

through better firefighting training, awareness, and a strong safety ethic. Public

safety awareness has been raised by such programs as FIREWISE. However, there

are still too many instances of strategies and tactics which, by their selection, put

people at risk.

4. ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY

The use of wildland fire and other treatment of fuels has increased

significantly since 1995. This increase, while significant, is far short of the

level of treatment needed to ensure sustainability of ecosystems.

Fire is an important component of ecosystem sustainability, including its

interrelated ecological, economic, and social components. Agencies have recognized

that fuels management is an important aspect of vegetation management and is

integral to restoring and maintaining ecosystems. Carefully planned and executed

fuels treatments have reduced the risk of wildland fire while improving ecosystem

conditions and providing economic benefits to communities. Desired future

conditions sought in land management plans are sometimes not achievable because

the role and influence of fire have not been adequately considered in the planning

process. In several instances, agencies have treated fuels in some areas to achieve the

greatest land management benefits at the lowest cost per acre. These may not be

areas of greatest risk, such as the Wildland Urban Interface.

5. WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE

a. The scope of the fire hazard problem in the Wildland Urban

Interface is more complex and extensive than envisioned in 1995.

Explosive growth in the Wildland Urban Interface now puts entire

communities and associated infrastructure, and the socioeconomic

fabric that holds communities together, at risk from wildland fire.

The public has greater recognition of the problem in Wildland Urban Interface

areas, but communities and homeowners are still not taking sufficient actions to

mitigate fire risks. Programs such as FIREWISE, adoption of the Urban-Wildland

Uniform Building Code, and Insurance Services Organization (ISO) pilot grading

schedule for Wildland Urban Interface are examples of successes since the 1995

Federal Fire Policy was initiated.

The potential for fire starts is also greater in the Wildland Urban Interface, which

increases risk to natural resources.

b. Federal, State, tribal, and local fire protection agencies are unclear

on their roles and responsibilities for structural fire protection and

suppression within the Wildland Urban Interface.
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12 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

The 1995 Federal Fire Policy addresses roles and responsibilities for structure

protection in the Wildland Urban Interface. However, the 1995 Federal Fire Policy

has been inconsistently implemented and there are conflicts in manual direction,

guidelines, and procedures. Large areas of Wildland Urban Interface remain with no

structural fire protection organization. In some cases, this has resulted in federal

agencies responding to structural fires despite the direction provided in the 1995

Federal Fire Policy.

6. PLANNING

a. Fire Management Plans, based on land management plans and

supported by operational plans, are essential for implementation of

the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

Fire Management Plans are fundamental strategic documents, based on land

management plans, to guide the full range of fire-management-related activities in a

unit or area. Fire Management Plans are supplemented by operational plans such as

preparedness plans, dispatch plans, prescribed fire plans, and prevention plans. Fire

Management Plans include discussion of resource management objectives and

activities, such as restoring and sustaining ecosystems and protecting communities

and public safety. Fire Management Plans also address public health and

environmental issues such as air and water quality and endangered species. Finally,

Fire Management Plans should be developed and implemented across agency

boundaries to ensure consistent approaches to similar conditions. Thus, successful

implementation of 2001 Federal Fire Policy depends on the development and

implementation of high-quality Fire Management Plans by all land managing

agencies.

b. Many areas do not have Fire Management Plans that meet the

requirements of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

Generally, the scope and completeness of Fire Management Plans completed

under the 1995 Federal Fire Policy have improved, including additional consideration

of the environmental impacts of fire management options and strategies. However,

many plans remain incomplete. Some have not been updated since 1995, some are

not based on the current approved land management plan, and some do not address

the full range of issues required. Plans must be based on underlying land

management plans to integrate fire with natural resource objectives if the desired

future conditions identified in these plans are to be achieved.

Preparation of Fire Management Plans is hindered by inconsistent or incomplete

guidance on how public health and environmental impacts are to be considered.

Recent efforts by the National Park Service and the USDA Forest Service to address

air quality and smoke management issues represent progress, but much work

remains.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 13

7. RESPONSE TO WILDLAND FIRE

Multiple terms for various management options to respond to wildland

fires have confused agency managers and employees, cooperators,

partners, and the public, and have perpetuated multiple fire management

program elements.

Policies, manuals, handbooks, procedures, and other aspects of implementation

of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy often use a variety of terms such as “wildland fire,”

“wildfire,” “fire use,” “wildland fire for resource benefit,” and “prescribed fire”

interchangeably. The proliferation of similar terms was frequently driven by

concerns about the source of ignition of the fire, the land use designation where the

fire was located, and administrative considerations such as funding sources. The use

of these many similar terms has caused confusion and misunderstanding within the

agencies and among cooperators, partners, and the public. In addition, different

systems have been developed or perpetuated (based on the “type” of fire involved)

for training, qualifications, dispatch, and other aspects of fire management.

8. SCIENCE

a. Although research and scientific activities have expanded to

support fire management programs, there are gaps in scientific

understanding, and integration of scientific disciplines is often

lacking.

Research agreements across agency boundaries, such as the Joint Fire Sciences

Program, have benefited fire management programs. However, scientific

information on many aspects is either lacking or needs to be made available. For

example, information on the relative effectiveness and consequences of different

fuel treatment methods is being developed but is not yet available. In addition, little

information exists on the effects of post-fire rehabilitation activities that fully

integrate biological, hydrological, and geological disciplines. There is also a lack of

information concerning the social science implications of fire management activities

on firefighting personnel, decision makers, and the public.

b. Individual agencies generally collect adequate fire data, but no

system exists for collecting and compiling consistent data among

agencies.

No centralized database is universally available to users and scientists for longterm monitoring, research, and planning. Information about the use of fire cannot

be aggregated because each agency uses a different system for data collection. This

overall lack of a common system raises questions about the validity of actual

accomplishments and cost data reporting.

No system exists for collecting and tracking data on air pollutant emissions

produced by biomass burning, or for assessing the air quality impacts from wildland,

prescribed, and agriculture fires on private, federal, tribal, and State lands. State air

quality regulators do not have a national database that includes biomass-burning

information. Federal land management agencies are working with the Western

Regional Air Partnership to develop an air pollution emissions tracking system that

will store federal fire data for the western region of the country. Currently there is
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

14 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

no proposal to track non-federal wildland and prescribed fire or agricultural burning

data for the western region, or biomass burning data for the remainder of the

country.

9. WORKFORCE AND ORGANIZATION

a. The existing workforce and the skills mix of that workforce are

insufficient to address changing fire management priorities and

increased fire management complexities.

Demographic trends such as an aging workforce, two-career families, changing

career interests, and other factors have significantly reduced the numbers of

personnel available for fire management activities, especially fire suppression and

fuels management. The general downsizing of federal agencies with fire

management activities has exacerbated this problem. Finding sufficient personnel

within agencies to meet annual fire season staffing requirements has been

increasingly difficult. The 2000 fire season necessitated the use of international

wildland fire managers.

Land management and regulatory agencies have not been able to keep pace with

the changing fire management priorities and complexities. New skills and additional

capabilities will be required in the future.

In the Fiscal Year 2001 appropriations for the Department of the Interior and

USDA Forest Service, Congress recognized that increased funding for current and

future years is needed to achieve effective preparedness and hazardous fuels

reduction capabilities.

b. The structure of fire management and fire suppression

organizations needs to be reviewed.

As the federal fire management program continues to grow in size, scope, and

complexity, new concepts in program management organizations, new approaches to

fire suppression and prescribed fire organizations, and new mechanisms for

increasing training in suppression, prescribed fire, decision-making, and support

programs may be required.

10. FUNDING

a. Lack of adequate funding has been a barrier to full

implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

Funding and budget structure for the four Interior agencies and the USDA

Forest Service have significantly improved since adoption of the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy. Budgets have increased for fire management preparedness. Changes in

budget structure have increased the flexibility of fire program managers to

implement fuels management and other activities. However, overall funding levels

have not been sufficient to meet or address all of the fire management, fuels

management, and other needed activities.

b. Adequate funding for fire management and associated programs is

essential for the future successful implementation of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy.
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Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 15

The Fiscal Year 2001 appropriations for the Departments of the Interior and

Agriculture contains additional funding for fire management preparedness, fuels

management activities, scientific support, post-fire stabilization and rehabilitation,

and support for State and local partners. This increase implements a strategic

program outlined in a report from the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture in

September of 2000. Continuing comparable funding to support all aspects of fire

management, fuels management, and related activities will be required in Fiscal Year

2002 and beyond to ensure the implementation of the Report to the President and

the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

Adequate funding for agencies not historically considered fire management

agencies is also critical. The Department of Defense, the Department of Energy,

and the Bureau of Reclamation (all of which have land management responsibilities)

do not have adequate stable funding sources to implement the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy.

Finally, stable federal support for non-federal organizations through programs

such as the Cooperative Forestry Program of the USDA Forest Service ensures that

cooperating fire organizations are able to implement the fire policy consistently.

11. INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND COORDINATION

a. Not all federal agencies with land-management or other firerelated responsibilities, and the lands under their jurisdiction, are

fully integrated into federal fire management.

The USDA Forest Service and the four principal land-managing agencies of the

Department of the Interior have traditionally been considered the “fire

management” agencies of the federal government. However, the Departments of

Defense and Energy both manage substantial acres with burnable vegetation. Other

agencies, such as the Bureau of Reclamation, also manage smaller amounts of similar

acres. These agencies have not been included under the 1995 Federal Fire Policy, nor

do they generally participate in such fire management activities as training,

qualification, and sharing of firefighting resources. In addition, other federal

agencies have programs with significant consequences for the implementation of

federal fire policy, including support services such as meteorology, scientific

information and analysis, and regulation of air and water quality. Successful

implementation of the concepts, as well as the letter, of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy

depends on the complete integration of all federal agencies with programs affecting

land management and fire management. Integration is required at the strategic,

program planning level as well as at the tactical, program implementation level.

b. Failure to fully implement the 1995 Federal Fire Policy and the

associated Action Items stems from the lack of a mechanism to

integrate actions and activities across agency, program, and

discipline boundaries.

The 1995 Federal Fire Policy presented unusual, if not unique, challenges to

traditional organizational arrangements. It required coordination, consistency, and

agreement among five operating agencies in two Departments, as well as requiring

fire managers to forge new working relationships with other disciplines within those

agencies. Implementation measures were required at the national, regional, and
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

16 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

operating unit level. Because no mechanism exists to provide leadership,

coordination, conflict resolution, or oversight on a broad scale, however, most

aspects of implementation requiring interagency or interdisciplinary solutions have

been unsuccessful. Program managers outside of traditional fire management, such

as endangered species, cultural resources, weather, and environmental protection,

have no means of regular interaction with fire program managers. Further, there is

no focal point or clearinghouse capability to provide a comprehensive picture of the

full range of fire management activities including fuels management, restoration and

rehabilitation, traditional fire management programs, and coordination with non-fire

regulatory programs.

c. Collaboration, coordination, and integration of fire management

planning and implementation between federal agencies and nonfederal agencies are incomplete and inconsistent.

Successful implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy will require

coordination, collaboration, and integration across governmental boundaries, as well

across federal agency and discipline boundaries. Fire management planning,

operational planning, and operational activities should include collaboration,

coordination, and integration among federal agencies and non-federal entities such as

State, tribal, and local governments to ensure safety, efficiency, and healthy,

sustainable ecosystems. Uneven collaboration, coordination, and integration have

hindered successful implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy.

12. COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION

a. The public, as well as some agency employees and managers, still

do not adequately understand the role of fire in maintaining

natural systems.

Since the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Program Review, agencies

have increased their efforts to provide accurate, consistent information to the public

and to employees about wildland fire. Media coverage of wildland fire incidents over

the last few years has been increasingly sophisticated in describing the importance of

fire in maintaining natural forest and range conditions, in describing the

consequences of past fire suppression practices, and in explaining use of prescribed

fire. However, many people continue to believe that fires can and should be

immediately suppressed, and fail to recognize that fire is a natural event in most

areas. Continued success in implementing federal fire policy depends on a welleducated public and agency workforce. Surveys commissioned for this review, as

well as other surveys, indicate a lack of adequate understanding of the 1995 Federal

Fire Policy among employees in key management and leadership positions.

b. The federal government lacks a standard, consistent message on

the importance and role of fire in natural resources management.

Despite significant education and communications efforts on the part of most

agencies, there is no integrated, consistent communication strategy. The use of

different terminology and emphases among agencies results in mixed messages to

the public and employees.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 17

13. EVALUATION

a. Monitoring and oversight of overall implementation of the 1995

Federal Fire Policy have not been adequate, and no effective

interagency capability for such monitoring and oversight appears

to exist.

The little monitoring and oversight of implementation that has taken place over

the last five years has been largely focused on discreet, agency-specific issues. An

early effort at broader management oversight, the Management Oversight Team, was

ineffective. At the beginning of this review there was no overall assessment available

on the status of implementation of the 80-plus specific Action Items in the 1995

Report, nor were there any agreed upon performance measures or metrics for

gauging status and adequacy of implementation. At best, there was general

information about national level status of implementation, such as the existence of

direction to field units to take certain actions. Detailed information about the status

of implementation at the field level generally remains unavailable.

b. There have been no meaningful consequences for failure by agency

administrators at any organizational level to fully implement all

aspects of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy, nor are there significant

incentives or rewards for efforts at implementation.

As noted elsewhere, implementation of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy has

been incomplete and inadequate, particularly in those areas requiring

coordination and agreement across agency and discipline boundaries. There is

no system of accountability for this failure, nor have there been significant

consequences for agency administrators and program managers at any level.

Major examples include the failure of most units to adopt Fire Management

Plans that meet the requirements of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy, the failure of

agency administrators to minimize costs of suppression on large project fires,

and the failure of the five major fire management agencies to agree upon

common program management tools and systems for resource planning and

budgeting. Of particular concern is the lack of consequences for failure to

resolve differences among agencies and disciplines, and for failing to ensure

integration among disciplines. In general, agency management has not taken

steps at either the unit level or the program management level to identify

implementation problems or to resolve those problems. There have been no

consequences for failure to take these steps. However, many individuals and

some organizations have taken important steps to implement the 1995 Federal

Fire Policy, but their efforts have largely been without incentives or rewards.

14. WEATHER SERVICES

a. Disagreement remains between the National Weather Service

(NWS) and federal land management agencies involved in wildland

fire management on the products, standards, and level of weather

services required and how they are provided.
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18 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

Weather services required for fire management activities have increased since the

1995 Report, due to such factors as a continued increase in wildland fire severity, a

threefold increase in fuel reduction projects, and increasing encroachment of

development into the wildland environment. Since the implementation of the 1995

Federal Fire Policy, the NWS has implemented a modernization and associated

restructuring using new technology and improved science. One result is that the

forecast area coverage for each forecast office has been significantly reduced, but

each forecaster now provides support to several program areas (Public, Aviation, Fire

Weather, and Marine.) In addition, the number of available NWS Incident

Meteorologists (IMETs) has been doubled to provide support for the increase in

large fire events.

Fire management agencies believe they require additional weather services from

the NWS to support the full range of fire management activities. Many fire

managers view the loss of dedicated fire weather forecasters as a reduction in quality

that is unacceptable. Fire managers also believe that most NWS forecasters do not

have the experience in fire weather forecasting to deal with site-specific spot

forecasts that dedicated fire weather forecasters have provided. The fire weather

forecaster is seen as a full partner on the fire management team, often involved

during the off season in training and coordination meetings.

The inability of NWS and the federal fire management agencies to agree on the

products, standards, and level of weather services required to support fire

management activities and the means of meeting these requirements continue to

hamper full implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. Federal fire

management agencies have identified a requirement for 20 additional fire weather

meteorologists due to inadequacy of current weather services support. The Fiscal

Year 2001 appropriations for the Departments of the Interior and Agriculture

include funding for those meteorologists. This represents an ad hoc, piecemeal

approach to addressing fire weather service issues and does not resolve the

underlying disagreement.

b. The lack of NWS support for “non suppression” fire management

activities by non-federal entities significantly hinders integrated

interagency wildland fire management programs.

The NWS interprets statutory and related committee report language to prohibit

them from providing support to non-federal organizations for wildland fires that are

being managed for beneficial uses such as hazardous fuel reduction. The 2001

Federal Fire Policy requires agencies to plan and execute wildland fire and other fuels

management treatments on a landscape basis and in partnership with State and

private landowners. Lack of specialized wildland fire forecasts to State agencies is a

barrier that increases costs and reduces overall quality of fire plans and wildland fire

treatments, as well as increasing risk to public and firefighter safety. Through

cooperative agreements, federal employees are often involved on these fires even

though they are not on federal lands.

Any fire occurring on wildland is defined as a wildland fire. The type of ignition

or wildland fire objective does not change the weather forecasting needs. Providing

the full suite of weather products and services to support all wildland fire

management actions is essential, and should not depend on the source of ignition or

location of the fire.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group - 19

The private meteorological industry has shown little interest in providing weather

services to enhance NWS products to meet fire management requirements. State

governments in Florida and Oregon have had to hire forecasters to meet their needs

although their needs are not simply State in nature but apply across all landholders.

This adds unnecessary complexity and cost.

P R O P O S E D C H A N G E S A N D AC T I O N S

To address the above Findings, the Working Group developed Guiding

Principles, Policy Statements, and Implementation Actions that are presented in

Chapter 3.

The Guiding Principles remain the same as those contained in the 1995 Report

with the addition of the word “international” to the guiding principle on

coordination and cooperation. This change recognizes the increasing role that other

countries play in assisting the U.S. and in the increasing exchange of technology,

training, skills, and knowledge of wildland fire issues between the U.S. and other

countries.

As a result of experiences since 1995, as well as greater understanding of the

complexity and seriousness of the wildland fire situation in this country, the 2001

Federal Fire Policy contains five additional policy statements along with revisions to

several statements in the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. Chapter 3 also includes strategic

Implementation Actions necessary for successful implementation of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy.

The new policy statements complement and supplement the current set,

and include:

• the role of fire in ensuring ecosystem sustainability;

• the need for restoration and rehabilitation of fire-damaged lands and

ecosystems;

• the role of science in developing and implementing fire management

programs;

• the importance of communication and education internally and

externally; and

• the critical need for regular, ongoing evaluation of policies and

procedures.

A number of the 1995 Federal Fire Policy statements were revised to

reflect experiences since 1995 and to underscore the importance of key issues.

These include:

• better recognition that Fire Management Plans identify and integrate

all fire management and related activities within the context of

approved land management plans;
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20 - Chapter 2 — Findings of the Working Group

• clearly stating that the management response to fire is based on the

circumstances surrounding the fire, not the source of ignition or

location of the fire;

• clarifying that, following protection of human life, suppression

priority decisions include considerations of human health and

consequences on communities rather than property; and

• clarifying the 1995 Federal Fire Policy on the Wildland Urban

Interface to recognize the role of wildland fire agencies in protecting

structures, but not suppressing fires in them.

Strategic Implementation Actions in Chapter 3 deal with:

• Fire Management and Ecosystem Sustainability

• Response to Wildland Fire

• Wildland Urban Interface

• Planning

• Science

• Workforce and Organization

• Funding

• Communication and Education

• Program Management and Coordination

Appendix C contains the detailed explanations for all of the new policy

statements and the recommended changes to the 1995 Federal Fire Policy

statements. Appendix D contains a side-by-side listing of the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy and the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. The Guiding Principles, Policy Statements,

and Implementation Actions can be found in their entirety in Chapter 3.
Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 21

C H A P T E R 3 — 2 0 0 1 F E D E R A L W I L D L A N D

F I R E M A N A G E M E N T P O L I C Y :

G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S , P O L I C I E S , A N D

I M P L E M E N T A T I O N A C T I O N S

The 2001 Federal Fire Policy comprises the following Guiding Principles and

discreet policies. As a whole these Guiding Principles and policy statements guide

the philosophy, direction, and implementation of fire management planning,

activities, and projects on federal lands. Many federal agencies conduct programs

and activities not directly tied to management of lands, but which have programs or

activities that support or otherwise affect federal wildland fire management activities.

These Guiding Principles and policy statements guide the direction and

implementation of those programs as well, to ensure consistency, coordination, and

integration of wildland fire management programs and related activities throughout

the federal government.

Each agency should adopt the 2001 Federal Fire Policy as agency policy through

applicable directives, manuals, and other systems as appropriate. All handbooks,

guides, workbooks, and other documents associated with wildland fire management

are to reflect the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

Non-federal agencies are encouraged to adopt and use the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy in planning and implementing their fire management activities to promote

coordination, cooperation, and efficiency.

G UIDING P RINCIPLES

The following Guiding Principles are fundamental to the successful

implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy:

1. Firefighter and public safety is the first priority in every fire

management activity.

2. The role of wildland fire as an essential ecological process and natural

change agent will be incorporated into the planning process. Federal

agency land and resource management plans set the objectives for the use

and desired future condition of the various public lands.

3. Fire Management Plans, programs, and activities support land and

resource management plans and their implementation.
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22 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

4. Sound risk management is a foundation for all fire management

activities. Risks and uncertainties relating to fire management activities must

be understood, analyzed, communicated, and managed as they relate to the

cost of either doing or not doing an activity. Net gains to the public benefit

will be an important component of decisions.

5. Fire management programs and activities are economically viable,

based upon values to be protected, costs, and land and resource

management objectives. Federal agency administrators are adjusting and

reorganizing programs to reduce costs and increase efficiencies. As part of

this process, investments in fire management activities must be evaluated

against other agency programs in order to effectively accomplish the overall

mission, set short- and long-term priorities, and clarify management

accountability.

6. Fire Management Plans and activities are based upon the best

available science. Knowledge and experience are developed among all

wildland fire management agencies. An active fire research program

combined with interagency collaboration provides the means to make these

tools available to all fire managers.

7. Fire Management Plans and activities incorporate public health and

environmental quality considerations.

8. Federal, State, tribal, local, interagency, and international coordination

and cooperation are essential. Increasing costs and smaller work forces

require that public agencies pool their human resources to successfully deal

with the ever-increasing and more complex fire management tasks. Full

collaboration among federal agencies and between the federal agencies and

international, State, tribal, and local governments and private entities results

in a mobile fire management work force available for the full range of public

needs.

9. Standardization of policies and procedures among federal agencies is

an ongoing objective. Consistency of plans and operations provides the

fundamental platform upon which federal agencies can cooperate, integrate

fire activities across agency boundaries, and provide leadership for

cooperation with State, tribal, and local fire management organizations.

2001 F EDERAL W ILDLAND F IRE M ANAGEMENT P OLICY

1. SAFETY

Firefighter and public safety is the first priority. All Fire Management Plans and

activities must reflect this commitment.
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Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 23

2. FIRE MANAGEMENT AND ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY

The full range of fire management activities will be used to help achieve

ecosystem sustainability, including its interrelated ecological, economic, and social

components.

3. RESPONSE TO WILDLAND FIRE

Fire, as a critical natural process, will be integrated into land and resource

management plans and activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries.

Response to wildland fire is based on ecological, social, and legal consequences of

the fire. The circumstances under which a fire occurs, and the likely consequences on

firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources, and values to

be protected dictate the appropriate management response to the fire.

4. USE OF WILDLAND FIRE

Wildland fire will be used to protect, maintain, and enhance resources and, as

nearly as possible, be allowed to function in its natural ecological role. Use of fire

will be based on approved Fire Management Plans and will follow specific

prescriptions contained in operational plans.

5. REHABILITATION AND RESTORATION

Rehabilitation and restoration efforts will be undertaken to protect and sustain

ecosystems, public health, and safety, and to help communities protect infrastructure.

6. PROTECTION PRIORITIES

The protection of human life is the single, overriding priority. Setting priorities

among protecting human communities and community infrastructure, other property

and improvements, and natural and cultural resources will be based on the values to

be protected, human health and safety, and the costs of protection. Once people

have been committed to an incident, these human resources become the highest

value to be protected.

7. WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE

The operational roles of federal agencies as partners in the Wildland Urban

Interface are wildland firefighting, hazardous fuels reduction, cooperative prevention

and education, and technical assistance. Structural fire suppression is the

responsibility of tribal, State, or local governments. Federal agencies may assist with

exterior structural protection activities under formal Fire Protection Agreements that

specify the mutual responsibilities of the partners, including funding. (Some federal

agencies have full structural protection authority for their facilities on lands they

administer, and may also enter into formal agreements to assist State and local

governments with full structural protection.)

8. PLANNING

Every area with burnable vegetation must have an approved Fire Management

Plan. Fire Management Plans are strategic plans that define a program to manage
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

24 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

wildland and prescribed fires based on the area’s approved land management plan.

Fire Management Plans must provide for firefighter and public safety; include fire

management strategies, tactics, and alternatives; address values to be protected and

public health issues; and be consistent with resource management objectives,

activities of the area, and environmental laws and regulations.

9. SCIENCE

Fire Management Plans and programs will be based on a foundation of sound

science. Research will support ongoing efforts to increase our scientific knowledge

of biological, physical, and sociological factors. Information needed to support fire

management will be developed through an integrated interagency fire science

program. Scientific results must be made available to managers in a timely manner

and must be used in the development of land management plans, Fire Management

Plans, and implementation plans.

10. PREPAREDNESS

Agencies will ensure their capability to provide safe, cost-effective fire

management programs in support of land and resource management plans through

appropriate planning, staffing, training, equipment, and management oversight.

11. SUPPRESSION

Fires are suppressed at minimum cost, considering firefighter and public safety,

benefits, and values to be protected, consistent with resource objectives.

12. PREVENTION

Agencies will work together and with their partners and other affected groups

and individuals to prevent unauthorized ignition of wildland fires.

13. STANDARDIZATION

Agencies will use compatible planning processes, funding mechanisms, training

and qualification requirements, operational procedures, values-to-be-protected

methodologies, and public education programs for all fire management activities.

14. INTERAGENCY COOPERATION AND COORDINATION

Fire management planning, preparedness, prevention, suppression, fire use,

restoration and rehabilitation, monitoring, research, and education will be conducted

on an interagency basis with the involvement of cooperators and partners.

15. COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION

Agencies will enhance knowledge and understanding of wildland fire

management policies and practices through internal and external communication and

education programs. These programs will be continuously improved through the

timely and effective exchange of information among all affected agencies and

organizations.

16. AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR AND EMPLOYEE ROLES

Agency administrators will ensure that their employees are trained, certified, and

made available to participate in the wildland fire program locally, regionally, and
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 25

nationally as the situation demands. Employees with operational, administrative, or

other skills will support the wildland fire program as necessary. Agency administrators

are responsible and will be held accountable for making employees available.

17. EVALUATION

Agencies will develop and implement a systematic method of evaluation to

determine effectiveness of projects through implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy. The evaluation will assure accountability, facilitate resolution of areas of

conflict, and identify resource shortages and agency priorities.

I MPLEMENTATION ACTIONS

INTRODUCTION

The following strategic Implementation Actions are key for the effective

implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. The bolded statements provide

broad objectives or results for agency managers to accomplish. The narrative

statement following each bolded statement is designed to explain and clarify, not

provide specific additional tasks. Monitoring and evaluation of implementation

should focus on accomplishment of the broad objectives or results over time. These

Implementation Actions are the highest priority. This list is not intended to exclude

other strategic and tactical actions necessary to implement the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy.

1. FIRE MANAGEMENT AND ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY

a. Develop a comprehensive, interagency strategy for fire management to

help achieve ecosystem sustainability.

The relationship between fire management activities and other efforts to achieve

ecosystem sustainability is unclear. The USDA Forest Service developed a cohesive

strategy to accelerate fuels management on those public lands at high risk for

significant negative impacts on ecological and human values. The Interior land

management agencies have developed strategies to increase fuels management

efforts. All of these efforts can be strengthened by the inclusion of other federal and

State agencies involved in national fire management efforts (USGS, EPA, FEMA,

NOAA, DOD, DOE) as we address long-term restoration of watersheds and

landscapes. Implementation of these existing strategies must be emphasized to

accelerate treatments. Further, these strategies must be coordinated with partners and

other federal land management agencies.

b. Fire Management Plans and land management plans will appropriately

incorporate mitigation, burned-area rehabilitation, and fuels reduction

and restoration activities that contribute to ecosystem sustainability.

There is a need to more effectively and directly integrate fire management

activities with other natural resource goals. For example, comprehensive restoration

plans, addressing both short-term and long-term needs, should be designed for
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

26 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

implementation. Since noxious and invasive weeds are a significant problem in many

fire-dominated ecosystems, rapid response strategies should be established.

2. RESPONSE TO WILDLAND FIRE

Base responses to wildland fires on approved Fire Management Plans and

land management plans, regardless of ignition source or the location of

the ignition.

The management response to fires, regardless of source, must be based on the approved

Fire Management Plan. Fire Management Plans, based on the land management objectives

of the area, guide the appropriate response through criteria and prescriptions.

Determination of appropriate response will include an evaluation of such factors as risks to

firefighter and public health and safety, weather, fuel conditions, threats, and values to be

protected. Fires in areas without approved Fire Management Plans, or with Fire

Management Plans that are not consistent with the 2001 Federal Fire Policy, must be

suppressed. Guidance for the development of strategic and operational plans, workforce

training and qualifications, resource allocation and dispatch protocols, and other activities

necessary to prepare for and respond to wildland fires are to be consistent across agencies

and not based on the ignition source or location of the fire. Agency directives, manuals,

handbooks, guides, and similar documents should be revised as necessary. Since 1995 the

budget structures for the Department of the Interior and USDA Forest Service fire

management programs have been revised so that source of ignition is no longer a factor in

response decisions. However, additional administrative or legal barriers may continue to

make it difficult to implement a single response system. Agencies should act to eliminate or

minimize these barriers to facilitate effective implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

A flow chart depicting what action will be taken after an ignition, regardless of

source, is provided in Appendix F.

3. WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE

a. Accelerate and expand ongoing efforts, such as the FIREWISE

program, to increase public awareness of the risks of building and

living in the Wildland Urban Interface.

Although public recognition and understanding of the Wildland Urban Interface

has markedly improved since 1995, communities and homeowners are still falling

short of taking sufficient action to mitigate fire risks.

b. Accelerate and expand efforts to identify Wildland Urban Interface

areas that lack formal structural fire protection, and encourage States

and local communities to form rural fire departments where none

exist.

Federal agencies have no legal authority on private land. Therefore, this effort

must be coordinated through State and local governments and with individual

homeowners.

4. PLANNING

Complete, or update, Fire Management Plans for all areas with burnable

vegetation.
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Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 27

Fire Management Plans, based on underlying land use or resource management

plans, are the principal foundation for implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

High priority must be placed on completing Fire Management Plans. Agencies such as

the Departments of Defense and Energy that previously did not endorse or follow the

1995 Federal Fire Policy should begin development of Fire Management Plans. In

some cases agencies may need to update, amend, or otherwise revise underlying land

management plans. However, the existence of obsolete land management plans

should not be reason for failure to complete or update Fire Management Plans. The

land managing agencies should continue to work with other agencies to ensure that

Fire Management Plans consistently address the effects of fire management activities

on public health and on environmental quality.

5. SCIENCE

a. Continue to develop science programs to provide the foundation for

land and Fire Management Plans and activities. These programs must

address the land and fire management information needs of land

managers, conduct basic and applied research, transfer information to

end users, and ensure that appropriate results are applied and

implemented.

The Joint Fire Science Program has made good initial efforts to meet fuels

management information needs of fire managers. However, a broader effort is

required to support all the science-related Action Items in the 1995 Report, and to

implement the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. Science activities should cover restoration and

rehabilitation programs and the social dimensions of fire management. A

partnership between managers and research scientists is needed to develop clear

procedures for identifying information needs. Since not all future information needs

can be anticipated, fire science programs should include both basic and applied

research, and address local as well as broad, nationwide needs. Critical to fire science

program success are mechanisms to ensure that the information is transferred to

land and fire managers in a usable form. Similarly, managers must ensure that land

and Fire Management Plans and actions actively incorporate and apply the new

information.

b. Develop coordinated databases for federal fire information that

support fire program development and implementation of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy.

Systems to collect essential wildland fire data and information should be

developed and implemented to support internal and external program needs. While

each agency is responsible for collecting and reporting data, consistent systems,

reporting thresholds and criteria, data fields, and terms are essential to assure the

reliability and credibility of the information for its intended use. Other information

sources related to wildland fires (such as the wildland fire information collected by

the National Fire Incident Reporting System) should be reviewed to determine

whether that information (a) is applicable and appropriate for program needs, and

(b) can and should be linked to programmatic databases.
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28 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

6. WORKFORCE AND ORGANIZATION

a. Develop an interagency strategy for wildland fire workforce

management.

A national, interagency workload analysis is needed to determine the future

workload and workforce skills mix necessary to accomplish the full range of fire

management activities. Demographic information about the current organization

should be used, along with initial attack requirements identified through agency fire

planning activities, to help develop this strategy.

b. Review the structure of fire management and fire suppression

organizations.

Federal agencies, in cooperation with non-federal partners, need to review the

structure of their operational fire management organizations to ensure efficient,

interagency implementation of the full range of fire management activities. Of

principal concern are organizations to manage large fires and organizations to

accomplish prescribed fire and other fuel treatment activities. These reviews will

require a common approach among fire management agencies.

7. FUNDING

Provide full funding for fire management and associated programs to

ensure successful implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

The individual fire management agencies, the Administration, and the Congress

must work to develop and adopt annual budgets for fire management preparedness,

fuels management activities, scientific support, post-fire stabilization and

rehabilitation, and support for State and local cooperators. Continued levels of

funding to support all aspects of the fire management, fuels management, and

related activities will be required in Fiscal Year 2002 and future years in order to

continue to implement the Report to the President and the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

Analyses by the two Departments indicate that funding for all aspects of fire

management, fuels management, and related activities needs to grow substantially.

Implementation of the Report to the President will substantially increase planning,

environmental review, and Endangered Species Act consultation workloads, requiring

increased funding for agencies and organizations with those program responsibilities.

Adequate funding for agencies not historically considered fire management

agencies is also critical. Those with land management responsibilities—the

Department of Defense, Department of Energy, and Bureau of Reclamation—do

not have specific, stable, adequate funding sources to implement the 2001 Federal

Fire Policy. Agencies with supporting programs, such as the National Weather

Service, the Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey, may

require additional funding to support implementation of fire management, fuels

management, and related activities.

Finally, increased federal support for non-federal organizations through

programs such as the State and Private Forestry Program of the USDA Forest

Service and programs in the Department of the Interior to support rural fire

districts is critical to ensure that cooperating fire organizations are able to implement

fire policy consistently.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 29

8. COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION

Develop a national, interagency communication and education program

to enhance understanding of the fire management mission for both

internal and external audiences.

A national, interagency communication and education program requires that all

federal fire agencies, along with their partners and cooperators, design consistent

messages and strategies to communicate those messages. Both internal (all levels of

the agencies) and external (public, non-federal organizations) audiences should be

targeted. Agencies should develop and implement a communication and education

program in a joint, collaborative manner.

9. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION

a. Establish a mechanism for coordinated interagency and

interdisciplinary oversight of implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire

Policy.

Successful implementation of 2001 Federal Fire Policy requires coordination,

consistency, and agreement among five traditional fire management operating

agencies in two Departments, requires fire managers to forge new working

relationships with other disciplines within those agencies, and requires the inclusion

of agencies not traditionally integrated into wildland fire management activities.

Although some interagency groups and committees exist to help facilitate

coordination, they do not include the full range of affected programs and often lack

authority to resolve differences.

A new mechanism for coordinated interagency and interdisciplinary

implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy is necessary to lead the broad array

of agencies and programs in the future. The principal functions of such a

mechanism would be to:

• provide a forum for raising and resolving issues across agency and

disciplinary lines;

• provide strategic direction and leadership for overall implementation of the

2001 Federal Fire Policy;

• provide oversight and evaluation of program effectiveness and success; and

• provide a focal point for consolidating and articulating funding and

workforce requirements necessary to implement the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

This mechanism must include the following features:

• include all agencies with fire management or directly related programs;

• ability to bring skills and resources together to reach common agreement on

interagency and interdisciplinary matters;

• authority, either directly or through access to senior agency managers, to

resolve differences in a timely manner.

This mechanism could be based on a number of different models for crossagency leadership and coordination. However, dedicated personnel responsible for

this function are essential.
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30 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

b. Expand the regular and ongoing participation in fire management

program management and implementation to all federal agencies with

fire-related capabilities and responsibilities.

Fire management has traditionally been the province of the USDA Forest

Service and the four principal land management agencies of the Department of the

Interior. However, many other agencies also have varying degrees of land

management, regulatory, or other fire-related responsibilities, capabilities, and

interests. These include (but are not limited to) the Departments of Defense and

Energy, the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration, the endangered species management programs of the National

Marine Fisheries Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Environmental

Protection Agency, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Natural

Resources Conservation Service, and the U.S. Geological Survey. The participation

and integration of these agencies in the fire management program needs to be

expanded at both the senior policy level and the operational level through

participation, as appropriate, in such organizations as the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group, and Geographic Area Coordinating Groups.

c. Improve coordination among all federal, State, tribal, and local

organizations.

Successful implementation of all aspects of fire management activities requires

improved coordination among federal agencies and a variety of State, tribal, and

local organizations. Many non-federal organizations, such as State regulatory bodies,

have not usually been included in planning and program development activities.

Other organizations with operational roles, such as State and local emergency

management agencies, have not been integrated into fire suppression activities.

Coordination can be improved through existing organizations such as Geographic

Area Coordinating Groups and Multi-Agency Coordinating Groups. In other cases,

new or ad hoc methods of coordination may be appropriate.

d. Standardize and implement operational policies and procedures.

Develop and use, to the maximum extent possible, standardized operational

procedures for wildland fire management agencies. Establish and implement a clear,

concise system of accountability based on standard job performance requirements.

e. Develop a national plan for weather services that provides products,

standards, and services to support the full range of responses required

by both federal and State wildland fire management agencies.

A national plan should be developed that articulates the weather products,

standards, and services needed to support the entire spectrum of wildland fire

responses, and the best means of meeting these requirements. The plan should

specifically address recommendations from the NWCG, the action items of the 1995

Federal Fire Policy, and support for meteorological services for State, tribal, and local

organizations involved in wildland fire management. The plan should resolve the

issue of providing non-federal organizations with meteorological services needed to

support the full range of fire management responses.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy - 31

The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology is uniquely qualified to

develop such a plan. That office can establish a process for coordinating with fire

management agencies and the NWS, and develop a plan that lays out options to

assure that adequate weather services are available to both federal and non-federal

fire management agencies.

10. EVALUATION

Establish clear mechanisms for evaluating the 2001 Federal Fire Policy

and its implementation.

Evaluation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy and its implementation will require

clear performance measures, mechanisms for collecting and analyzing data, and the

tracking of accomplishments. All of these should be developed and used on an

interagency, interdisciplinary basis.

The underlying 2001 Federal Fire Policy should be evaluated on a 3 to 5 year

cycle, without waiting for specific fire events as has happened in the past.

Evaluation of policy implementation should include both headquarters and field

organizations and activities, and their effectiveness in meeting the performance

measures. Evaluations should be linked to each agency’s existing program and project

evaluation process. However, the interagency, interdisciplinary aspects of the 2001

Federal Fire Policy may require supplemental or unique evaluation activities.

11. 1995 FEDERAL FIRE POLICY ACTION ITEMS

Complete implementation of Action Items recommended from the 1995

Report in accordance with the 2001 Federal Fire Policy and the

Implementation Actions in this Review and Update.

The 1995 Report contained over 80 specific Action Items to implement the

recommended policy. Many of these have been completed and have been

incorporated into normal agency fire management programs and activities. Many

have been partially implemented. A few have not been implemented and a few

others, upon further review and analysis, are no longer appropriate or relevant. In

general, implementation has been least successful when consistency and

compatibility across agencies was required or when integration of fire with other

disciplines was required. Appendix E contains a detailed listing of each Action Item

and the status of implementation. Included is a recommendation for future action.

Continued attention to full implementation of the concepts and principles of the

great majority of the Action Items from 1995 remains critical for implementation of

the 2001 Federal Fire Policy. In many cases, the specific language of an Action Item

is less important than accomplishing the overall objective of the item. The

recommended future action for each item in Appendix E includes discussion about

aspects requiring special attention as well as noting areas in common with other

Implementation Actions in this Review and Update.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

32 - Chapter 3 — 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy
APPENDIX A: Bibliography - 33

C H A P T E R 4 — A P P E N D I C E S

A P P E N DI X A: BI B L I O G R A P H Y

Bartos, D. L., W. F. Mueggler, and R. B.

Campbell, Jr. 1991. Regeneration of aspen

by suckering on burned sites in western

Wyoming. U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Forest Service Research Paper INT-448.

Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire (May 4-8, 2000)

Investigation Report. Fire Investigation

Team, National Interagency Fire Center,

Boise, ID. May 18, 2000. 26p.

Cerro Grande Prescribed Fire. Independent

review board report. State of Florida,

Division of Forestry; U.S. Department of

the Interior, Bureau of Land Management;

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest

Service; White Mountain Apache Tribe.

May 26, 2000. 15p.

Clements, F. E. 1916. Plant succession: an

analysis of the development of vegetation.

Carnegie Institute Publication 242.

Washington, D.C.

Collins, S. L., and L. L. Wallace, editors. 1990.

Fire in North American tallgrass prairies.

University of Oklahoma Press, Norman,

Oklahoma, USA.

Cost Containment on Large Fires: Efficient

utilization of wildland fire suppression

resources. National Association of State

Foresters, Forest Fire Protection

Committee. July 1, 2000. 36p.

Federal Wildfire Activities. Current strategy

and issues needing attention. United

States General Accounting Office. August

1999. 35p.

Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy &

Program Review. 1995. Final Report –

December 18, 1995. U.S. Department of

the Interior; U.S. Department of

Agriculture. 45p.

Ferry, G. W., R. G. Clark, R. E. Montgomery,

R. W. Mutch, W. P. Leenhouts, and G.

Thomas Zimmerman. 1995. Altered fire

regimes within fire-adapted ecosystems.

Pages 222-224 in E.T. LaRoe, G. S. Farris,

C. E. Puckett, P. D. Doran, and M. J. Mac,

editors. Our living resources. U.S.

Department of the Interior, National

Biological Service, Washington, D.C., USA.

Fire Management. Lessons learned from the

Cerro Grande (Los Alamos) Fire. GAO.

July 20, 2000. 15p.

Fire Suppression Costs on Large Fires. A

review of the 1994 fire season. USDA

Forest Service. August 1, 1995. 55p.

Glickman, Dan, and Bruce Babbitt. 2000.

Managing the impact of wildfires on

communities and the environment. A

Report to the President in response to the

wildfires of 2000. U.S. Department of

Agriculture and U.S. Department of the

Interior. 34p.

Hardy, C. C. D. L. Bunnell, J. P. Menakis, K.

M. Schmidt, D. G. Long, D. G.

Simmerman, and C. M. Johnson. 1999.

Coarse-scale spatial data for wildland fire

and fuel management. USDA Forest

Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,

Fire Sciences Laboratory, Missoula, Mt.

USDA Forest Service, Fire and Aviation

Management, National Interagency Fire

Center, Boise, Id.

http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fuelman/.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

34 - APPENDIX A: Bibliography

Henderson, R. A., and E. J. Epstein. 1995.

Oak savannas in Wisconsin. Pages 230-232

in E.T. LaRoe, G. S. Farris, C. E. Puckett,

P. D. Doran, and M. J. Mac, editors. Our

living resources. U.S. Department of the

Interior, National Biological Service,

Washington, D.C.

Hessl, A., and S. Spackman. 1995. Effects of

fire on threatened and endangered plants:

an annotated bibliography. U.S.

Department of Interior, National

Biological Service, Information and

Technology Report 2.

Heusser, C. 1979. Vegetational history of the

pine barrens. Pages 215-312 in R.T.

Forman, editor. Pine Barrens: ecosystem

and landscape. Academic, New York, New

York, USA.

Kendall, K. C. 1995. Whitebark pine: an

ecosystem in peril. Pages 228-230 in E.T.

LaRoe, G. S. Farris, C. E. Puckett, P. D.

Doran, and M. J. Mac, editors. Our living

resources. U.S. Department of the Interior,

National Biological Service, Washington,

D.C.

Leenhouts, B. 1998. Assessment of biomass

burning in the conterminous United

States. Conservation Ecology [online] 2(1):

1. Available from the Internet. URL:

http://www.consecol.org/vol2/iss1/art1.

Leenhouts, B. 2000. A comparison of historic

and contemporary wildland fire and

anthropogenic emissions. Fire Conference

2000. November 27 - December 1, 2000.

San Diego, CA

Lowden Ranch Prescribed Fire Review. Final

Report. U.S. Department of the Interior,

Bureau of Land Management. July 22,

1999. Lewiston, CA. 34p.

McCool, S. F., K. Guthrie, and J. K. Smith.

2000. Building consensus: legitimate hope

or seductive paradox? USDA FS Research

Paper RMRS-RP-25, Rocky Mountain

Research Station, Ft. Collins, Co. 14p.

Policy Implications of Large Fire

Management: A strategic assessment of

factors influencing costs. USDA Forest

Service. January 21, 2000. 43p.

Sadler Fire Entrapment Investigation. U.S.

Department of the Interior; Bureau of

Land Management. August 9, 1999. 69p.

Wildland and Prescribed Fire Management

Policy: Implementation Procedures and

Reference Guide. US Department of the

Interior and USDA Forest Service. August

1998. 82p.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX B: Glossary and List of Acronyms - 35

A P P E N DI X B: G L O S S A R Y A N D AC R O N Y M S

GLOSSARY

1995 Federal Fire Policy—1995 Federal

Wildland Fire Management Policy

1995 Report—1995 Federal Wildland Fire

Management Policy and Program Review

2001 Federal Fire Policy—2001 Federal

Wildland Fire Management Policy

Agencies—Federal agencies that have direct

fire management or land management

responsibilities or that have programs and

activities that support fire management

activities.

Agency Administrator—The official

responsible for the management of a

geographic unit or functional area.

Appropriate Management Response —the

response to a wildland fire is based on an

evaluation of risks to firefighter and public

safety, the circumstances under which the

fire occurs, including weather and fuel

conditions, natural and cultural resource

management objectives, protection

priorities, and values to be protected. The

evaluation must also include an analysis of

the context of the specific fire within the

overall local, geographic area, or national

wildland fire situation.

Burned Area Rehabilitation—the full range

of post-fire activities to rehabilitate and

restore fire damaged lands, including

protection of public health and safety.

Cooperators—Federal, state, and local

agencies and Indian tribes that participate

in planning and conducting fire

management projects and activities.

Ecosystem Sustainability—the capacity to

maintain ecosystem health, productivity,

diversity, and overall integrity, in the long

run, in the context of human activity and

use.

Fire Management Activities—include fire

planning, fire management strategies,

tactics, and alternatives, prevention;

preparedness, education, and addresses the

role of mitigation, post-fire rehabilitation,

fuels reduction, and restoration activities in

fire management

Fire Management Plan—strategic plans that

define a program to manage wildland fires

based on an area’s approved land

management plan. Fire Management

Plans must address a full range of fire

management activities that support

ecosystem sustainability, values to be

protected, protection of firefighter and

public safety, public health and

environmental issues, and must be

consistent with resource management

objectives and activities of the area.

Full range of fire management

activities—see Fire Management

Activities.

Geographic Area Coordination Center

(GACC)—interagency regional operational

centers for fire resource coordination and

mobilization.

Geographic Area Coordinating Group

(GACG)—interagency regional fire

management bodies.

Initial Attack—the aggressive response to a

wildland fire based on values to be

protected, benefits of response, and

reasonable cost of response.

Interagency—coordination, collaboration,

communication among cooperating

agencies.

Intergovernmental—coordination,

collaboration, communication between

federal agencies, Indian tribes, and foreign

governments.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

36 - APPENDIX B: Glossary and List of Acronyms

MAC Group—Multi-Agency Coordinating

Group; national, regional, or local

management groups for interagency,

intergovernmental planning coordination,

and operations leadership.

NWCG—National Wildfire Coordinating

Group; the NWCG is an interagency,

intergovernmental body that establishes

operational fire management standards

and procedures such as qualification and

certification protocols, allocation or

resources protocols, equipment standards,

training programs.

Partners—all agencies and organizations that

engage in joint decision making with

federal agencies in planning and

conducting fire management projects and

activities.

Prescribed Fire—any fire ignited by

management actions to meet specific

objectives. Prescribed fires are conducted

in accordance with prescribed fire plans.

Prescribed Fire Plan—a plan for each

prescribed fire. Plans are documents

prepared by qualified personnel, approved

by the agency administrator, and include

criteria for the conditions under which the

fire will be conducted (a prescription).

Prescription—measurable criteria that define

the conditions under which a prescribed

fire will be ignited, guide selection of

appropriate management responses, and

indicate other required actions.

Prescription criteria may include safety,

economic, public health, and

environmental, geographic, administrative,

social, or legal considerations.

Report to the President—Glickman, Dan,

and Bruce Babbitt. 2000. Managing the

impact of wildfires on communities and

the environment. A Report to the

President in response to the wildfires of

2000. U.S. Department of Agriculture and

U.S. Department of the Interior. 34p.

Review and Update—Review and Update of

the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire

Management Policy.

Values to be Protected—Include property,

structures, physical improvements, natural

and culture resources, community

infrastructure, and economic,

environmental, and social values.

Wildland Fire—any non-structural fire that

occurs on wildland.

Wildland Urban Interface—defined as the

line, area, or zone where structures and

other human development meet or

intermingle with undeveloped wildland or

vegetative fuels.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX B: Glossary and List of Acronyms - 37

LIST OF ACRONYMS USED

BIA – Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department

of the Interior

BLM – Bureau of Land Management,

Department of the Interior

BOR – Bureau of Reclamation, Department

of the Interior

DOC – U.S. Department of Commerce

DOD – U.S. Department of Defense

DOE – U.S. Department of Energy

DOI – U.S. Department of the Interior

EPA – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

FEMA – Federal Emergency Management

Agency

FWS – U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,

Department of the Interior

GACC – Geographic Area Coordination

Center

GACG – Geographic Area Coordinating

Group

IMET – Incident Meteorologist

ISO – Insurance Service Organization

JFSP – Joint Fire Science Program

MAC – Multi-Agency Coordinating Group

NASF – National Association of State

Foresters

NMFS – National Marine Fisheries Service,

Department of Commerce

NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric

Administration

NPS – National Park Service, Department of

the Interior

NWCG – National Wildfire Coordinating

Group

NWS – National Weather Service,

Department of Commerce

TWT – Training Working Team (NWCG)

USDA – U.S. Department of Agriculture

USDA Forest Service – U.S. Department of

Agriculture, Forest Service

USFS – U.S. Forest Service, Department of

Agriculture

USGS – U.S. Geological Survey, Department

of the Interior

WFSA – Wildland Fire Situation Analysis
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

38 - APPENDIX B: Glossary and List of Acronyms
APPENDIX C: Changes to the Guiding Principles and 1995 Federal Fire Policy - 39

A P P E N DI X C: C H A N G E S T O T H E G U I D I N G P R I N C I P L E S A N D

1 9 9 5 F E D E R A L FI R E P O L I C Y , W I T H R A T I O N A L E F O R C H A N G E S

GUIDING PRINCIPLES

Rewrite the existing guiding principle on coordination and cooperation to add

“international” coordination and cooperation.

POLICY

New Policies

a. Ecosystem Sustainability

• The full range of fire management activities will be used to

achieve ecosystem sustainability including its interrelated

ecological, economic, and social components.

Rationale:: The concept of ecosystem sustainability was not fully considered in

the original concept of fire management, as incorporated in the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy. Using the full range of fire management activities is essential for achieving

ecosystem sustainability, including ecological sustainability and socio-economic

considerations. Under this policy, fuels management activities will be designed to

support ecological and socio-economic sustainability.

b. Rehabilitation and Restoration

• Rehabilitation and restoration efforts will be undertaken to

protect, and sustain ecosystems, public health, safety, and to

help communities protect infrastructure.

Rationale: Rehabilitation and restoration activities are essential components of

achieving ecosystem sustainability when areas are not expected to recover through

natural processes Protection of community infrastructure, public health and safety,

endangered species habitat, and other resource values must be considered in

developing rehabilitation and restoration strategies and plans.

c. Science

• Fire management plans and programs will be based on a

foundation of sound science. Research will support ongoing

efforts to increase our scientific knowledge of biological,

physical, and sociological factors. Information needed to

support fire management will be developed through an

integrated interagency fire science program. Scientific results

must be made available to managers in a timely manner and

must be used in the development of land management plans,

Fire Management Plans, and implementation plans.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

40 – APPENDIX C: Changes to the Guiding Principles and 1995 Federal Fire Policy

Rationale: Scientific information is essential to develop and implement land

and fire management programs and to evaluate their potential benefits and

consequences. Information will be developed through an interagency, integrated fire

science program. The fire science program should include federal science agencies,

academic institutions, and independent research groups. The program needs to

support ongoing efforts to increase our scientific knowledge of biological, physical,

and sociological factors. Science organizations must produce tangible, accessible,

and useful research products that can be incorporated in Fire Management Plans and

programs. It is incumbent on fire managers to actively incorporate and implement

the results of scientific research.

d. Communication and Education

• Agencies will enhance knowledge and understanding of

wildland fire management policies and practices through

internal and external communication and education programs.

These programs will be continuously improved through the

timely and effective exchange of information among all

affected agencies and organizations.

Rationale: The 1995 Federal Fire Policy is not fully understood by internal and

external audiences. Shortfalls exist in disseminating the information and integrating

the policy into affected disciplines needed to implement the policy. The addition of

more cooperating agencies into the wildland fire management mission makes

coordinated and enhanced communication programs essential.

e. Evaluation

• Agencies will systematically evaluate the effectiveness of

projects through implementation of the 2001 Federal Wildland

Fire Management Policy. The evaluation will assure

accountability, facilitate resolution of areas of conflict, and

identify resource shortages and agency priorities.

Rationale: There is no systematic method or program for evaluating federal fire

policy and its implementation, especially across agency and program or discipline

boundaries. No performance measures or other means exist to determine the status

of implementation or the effectiveness of the policies. The review of the 1995

Federal Fire Policy found substantial actions that were not completed. There is no

ongoing or established process for tracking status of policy implementation within

or among agencies.

Modifications to the 1995 Federal Fire Policy Statements

These are explanations of changes to the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. The full text

of the original 1995 and the new 2001 statements are in Appendix D.

a. Safety: No change.

b. Planning:
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX C: Changes to the Guiding Principles and 1995 Federal Fire Policy - 41

Rationale: This policy statement was changed to clarify the role and nature of

Fire Management Plans as the fundamental strategic documents, based on land use

plans, to guide the full range of fire management related activities in a unit or area.

Fire Management Plans are supplemented by operational plans such as preparedness

plans, dispatch plans, prescribed fire plans, and prevention plans. Resource

management objectives and activities addressed in Fire Management Plans include

activities to restore and sustain ecosystems or to protect communities or public

safety. Fire Management Plans must address concerns and discuss consequences for

air and water quality, endangered species, and similar issues. Fire Management Plans

should be developed and implemented across agency boundaries to ensure consistent

approaches to similar conditions.

c. [Response to] Wildland Fire:

Rationale: The policy statements for Wildland Fire and Use of Fire were

modified to more clearly distinguish between the two. The Wildland Fire policy

statement was re-titled as Response to Wildland Fire and clarifies and emphasizes

that the context or circumstances of the fire are to dictate the appropriate response,

based on an approved Fire Management Plan. This policy is intended to minimize

the use of different personnel, qualification systems, dispatch and resource allocation

protocols, and so on for different “types” of fire. Rather, emphasis is on preplanning by agencies to determine the appropriate management response to the

occurrence of fire, regardless of ignition source or location. The term “be based on

best available science” was dropped from this policy statement since a new policy

statement on science has been added.

d. Use of [Wildland] Fire:

Rationale: The use of Fire Policy Statement was re-titled to the Use of

Wildland Fire. Along with the above change in Wildland Fire, this policy statement

now clarifies and emphasizes the critical importance of Fire Management Plans and

operational plans in determining the appropriate response to a fire, regardless of its

source of ignition or location.

e. Preparedness:

Rationale: This statement was revised to include a reference to management

oversight. There is no process for ongoing integrated, interagency oversight and

monitoring of preparedness activities. This change clarifies and emphasizes the

importance of oversight and monitoring to ensure that fire management

preparedness activities are appropriate, especially across agency lines.

f. Suppression: No change.

g. Prevention:

Rationale: This statement was changed to clarify the intent of the 1995 Federal

Fire Policy, not to change it substantively. The addition of the word “partners”

makes the revised policy statement more inclusive.

h. Protection Priorities:

Rationale: This policy statement was revised to clarify policy related to human

health and protection of structures. The 1995 Federal Fire Policy statement on
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

42 – APPENDIX C: Changes to the Guiding Principles and 1995 Federal Fire Policy

protection priorities provides a solid framework for decision making in fire

situations. Conflicting protection priorities are resolved through the Wildland Fire

Situation Analysis (WFSA) and through the process of allocating resources at the

geographic and local levels. However, two significant protection considerations are

not specifically recognized in the 1995 Federal Fire Policy. First, human health,

including the potential effects of smoke, is not explicitly considered in either the

WFSA process or the process for allocating resources. Second, the 1995 Federal Fire

Policy does not distinguish between the concept of property and the concept of

community and community infrastructure. Recent experience has dramatically

demonstrated the threat that uncontrolled wildland fire poses to human

communities. While property may simply represent isolated structures, communities

and their associated infrastructure are the social and economic fabric that supports

life in rural areas. However, the primary responsibility for protecting private

property and rural communities lies with individual property owners and local

governments. This responsibility is usually achieved through proactive pre-fire

actions such as those promoted in the FIREWISE Communities program.

i. Interagency Cooperation:

Rationale: This policy statement was revised to highlight education, prevention,

restoration, and rehabilitation in interagency cooperation. This highlights the

importance of doing prevention and education initiatives in an interagency,

collaborative environment.

j. Standardization: No change.

k. Economic Efficiency: Dropped

Rationale: This statement was dropped because it duplicated a Guiding Principle.

l. Wildland Urban Interface:

Rationale: This statement was changed to clarify the 1995 Federal Fire Policy,

not to change it substantively. The revised policy more accurately distinguishes

between the terms “structure protection” and “structure suppression.”

m. [Agency] Administrator and Employee Roles:

Rationale: This statement was changed to recognize that wildland fire

management is not the sole responsibility of dedicated fire management personnel.

In the past in federal land management agencies, wildland fire activities took

precedence over all agency functions and activities except the safeguarding of human

life. The notion that a broad cross-section of employees need to be trained, certified

and available for wildland fire assignment has gradually diminished over time, both

on the part of Agency Administrators and employees themselves. Further, because

of the diminishing federal workforce, the need to mutually support each other for

wildland fire activities—locally, regionally and nationally—is increasingly important.

The intent of the policy is to require every employee to be available to support

wildland fire if the situation demands. Also, the intent is to strike a common-sense

balance between requiring every employee of any agency to be trained, certified, and

available for wildland fire assignment, and the notion that only fire management personnel

have any responsibility to respond to wildland fire activities.
APPENDIX D: Tabular Crosswalk - 43

APPENDIX D: TABULAR CROSSWALK BETWEEN THE

1995 AND 2001 FEDERAL FI RE POLICIES

FEDERAL WILDLAND FIRE POLICIES

POLICY ELEMENT 1995 POLICY 2001 POLICY

Safety Firefighter and public safety is the first

priority. All Fire Management Plans

and activities must reflect this

commitment.

Firefighter and public safety is the first

priority. All Fire Management Plans and

activities must reflect this commitment.

Ecosystem

Sustainability

--- The full range of fire management

activities will be used to achieve

ecosystem sustainability including its

interrelated ecological, economic, and

social components.

Response to

Wildland Fire

Fire, as a critical natural process, will be

integrated into land and resource

management plans and activities on a

landscape scale, across agency

boundaries, and will be based upon

best available science. All use of fire

for resource management requires a

formal prescription. Management

actions taken on wildland fires will be

consistent with approved Fire

Management Plans.

Fire, as a critical natural process, will be

integrated into land and resource

management plans and activities on a

landscape scale, and across agency

boundaries. Response to wildland fires

is based on ecological, social and legal

consequences of the fire. The

circumstances under which a fire occurs,

and the likely consequences on

firefighter and public safety and welfare,

natural and cultural resources, and values

to be protected dictate the appropriate

response to the fire.

Use of Wildland

Fire

Wildland fire will be used to protect,

maintain, and enhance resources and,

as nearly as possible, be allowed to

function in its natural ecological role.

Wildland fire will be used to protect,

maintain, and enhance resources and, as

nearly as possible, be allowed to function

in its natural ecological role. Use of fire

will be based on approved Fire

Management Plans and will follow

specific prescriptions contained in

operational plans.

Rehabilitation and

Restoration

--- Rehabilitation and restoration efforts

will be undertaken to protect and sustain

ecosystems, public health, safety, and to

help communities protect infrastructure.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

44 - APPENDIX D: Tabular Crosswalk

POLICY ELEMENT 1995 POLICY 2001 POLICY

Protection

Priorities

Protection priorities are (1) human life

and (2) property and natural and

cultural resources. If it becomes

necessary to prioritize between

property and natural and cultural

resources, this is done based on relative

values to be protected, commensurate

with fire management costs. Once

people have been committed to an

incident, these resources become the

highest value to be protected.

The protection of human life is the

single, overriding suppression priority.

Setting priorities among protecting

human communities and community

infrastructure, other property and

improvements, and natural and cultural

resources will be done based on the

values to be protected, human health

and safety, and the costs of protection.

Once people have been committed to an

incident, these human resources become

the highest value to be protected.

Wildland Urban

Interface

The operational role of federal

agencies as a partner in the Wildland

Urban Interface is wildland firefighting,

hazard fuel reduction, cooperative

prevention and education, and technical

assistance. Structural fire protection is

the responsibility of tribal, State, and

local governments. Federal agencies

may assist with exterior structural

suppression activities under formal Fire

Protection Agreements that specify the

mutual responsibilities of the partners,

including funding. (Some federal

agencies have full structural protection

authority for their facilities on lands

they administer and may also enter into

formal agreements to assist State and

local governments with full structural

protection.)

The operational role of federal and State

agencies as partners in the Wildland

Urban Interface are wildland firefighting,

hazard fuels reduction, cooperative

prevention and education, and technical

assistance. Structural fire suppression is

the responsibility of tribal., State, or

local governments. Federal agencies may

assist with exterior structural protection

activities under formal Fire Protection

Agreements that specify the mutual

responsibilities of the partners, including

funding. (Some federal agencies have

full structural protection authority for

their facilities on lands they administer

and may also enter into formal

agreements to assist State and local

governments with full structural

protection.)

Planning Every area with burnable vegetation

must have an approved Fire

Management Plan. Fire Management

Plans must be consistent with

firefighter and public safety, values to

be protected, and land and resource

management plans and must address

public health issues. Fire Management

Plans must also address all potential

wildland fire occurrences and include

the full range of fire management

actions.

Every area with burnable vegetation

must have an approved Fire

Management Plan. Fire Management

Plans are strategic plans that define a

program to manage wildland and

prescribed fires based on the area’s

approved land management plan. Fire

management plans must provide for

firefighter and public safety, include fire

management strategies, tactics, and

alternatives; address values to be

protected and public health issues; and

be consistent with resource management

objectives, activities of the area, and

environmental laws and regulations.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX D: Tabular Crosswalk - 45

POLICY ELEMENT 1995 POLICY 2001 POLICY

Science --- Fire management plans and programs

will be based on a foundation of sound

science. Research will support ongoing

efforts to increase our scientific

knowledge of biological, physical, and

sociological factors. Information needed

to support fire management will be

developed through an integrated

interagency fire science program.

Scientific results must be made available

to managers in a timely manner and

must be used in the development of

land management plans, fire

management plans, and implementation

plans.

Preparedness Agencies will ensure their capability to

provide safe, cost-effective fire

management programs in support of

land and resource management plans

through appropriate planning, staffing,

training, and equipment.

Agencies will ensure their capability to

provide safe, cost-effective fire

management programs in support of

land and resource management plans

through appropriate planning, staffing,

training, equipment, and management

oversight.

Suppression Fires are suppressed at minimum cost,

considering firefighter and public

safety, benefits, and values to be

protected, consistent with resource

objectives.

Fires are suppressed at minimum cost,

considering firefighter and public safety,

benefits, and values to be protected,

consistent with resource objectives.

Prevention Agencies will work together and with

other affected groups and individuals

to prevent unauthorized ignition of

wildland fires.

Agencies will work together and with

their partners and other affected groups

and individuals to prevent unauthorized

ignition of wildland fires.

Standardization Agencies will use compatible planning

processes, funding mechanisms,

training and qualification requirements,

operational procedures, values-to-beprotected methodologies, and public

education programs for all fire

management activities.

Agencies will use compatible planning

processes, funding mechanisms, training

and qualification requirements,

operational procedures, values-to-beprotected methodologies, and public

education programs for all fire

management activities.

Interagency

Cooperation

Fire management planning,

preparedness, suppression, fire use,

monitoring, and research will be

conducted on an interagency basis with

the involvement of all parties.

Fire management planning,

preparedness, prevention, suppression,

fire use, restoration and rehabilitation,

monitoring, research, and education will

be conducted on an interagency basis

with the involvement of cooperators

and partners.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

46 - APPENDIX D: Tabular Crosswalk

POLICY ELEMENT 1995 POLICY 2001 POLICY

Communication

and Education

--- Agencies will enhance knowledge and

understanding of wildland fire

management policies and practices

through internal and external

communication and education programs.

These programs will be continuously

improved through the timely and

effective exchange of information

among all affected agencies and

organizations.

Agency

Administrator and

Employee Roles

Employees who are trained and

certified will participate in the wildland

fire program as the situation demands;

employees with operational,

administrative, or other skills will

support the wildland fire program as

needed. Administrators are responsible

and will be accountable for making

employees available.

Agency administrators will ensure that

their employees are trained, certified and

made available to participate in the

wildland fire program locally, regionally,

and nationally as the situation demands.

Employees with operational,

administrative, or other skills will

support the wildland fire program as

necessary. Agency administrators are

responsible and will be held accountable

for making employees available.

Evaluation --- Agencies will develop and implement a

systematic method of evaluation to

determine effectiveness of projects

through implementation of the 2001

Federal Wildland Fire Management

Policy. The evaluation will assure

accountability, facilitate resolution of

areas of conflict, and identify resource

shortages and agency priorities.

Economic

Efficiency

Fire management programs and

activities will be based on economic

analyses that incorporated commodity,

non-commodity, and social values.

---
APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 47

A P P E N DI X E: DI S P O S I T I O N O F 1 9 9 5 AC T I O N I T E M S

Note: Continued attention to full implementation of the concepts and principles of the great

majority of the action items from the 1995 Report remains critical for implementation of the

2001 Federal Fire Policy. The recommended disposition for each item in this Appendix includes

discussion about aspects requiring special attention as well as noting areas in common with

specific Implementation Actions in the Review and Update.

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

ROLE OF FIRE IN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

01 Use a compatible fire management

planning system that recognizes

both fire use and fire protection as

inherent parts of natural resource

management; this system will

ensure adequate fire suppression

capabilities and support fire

reintroduction efforts.

Agencies have made some

progress in implementing

this item, but significant

work remains. Due to

changes in agency missions

and organizations, no

single interagency system is

anticipated.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Agencies must continue

to pursue development

and application of

compatible fire

management planning

systems. See also

Implementation Action

1b.

02 Develop Fire Management Plans

for all areas subject to wildland

fires. These plans will use

information about fire regimes,

current conditions, and land

management objectives as a basis

to develop fire management goals

and objectives; address all

potential wildland fire occurrences

and include a full range of fire

management actions; use new

knowledge and monitoring results

to revise fire management goals,

objectives, and actions; and be

linked closely to land and resource

management plans.

Agencies are updating

plans; however, a

significant number of plans

remain out of date or

inconsistent with the 1995

Federal Fire Policy. In

some cases underlying land

management plans require

revisions before fire

management plans can be

fully written or revised.

See Implementation

Action 1b.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. Fire

Management Plans that

implement Federal Fire

Policy must be completed

as soon as possible. All

land management

agencies should place a

high priority on

completion of these

plans. If necessary, land

management plans should

be updated, revised, or

amended to allow full

implementation of

Federal Fire Policy.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

48 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

03 Develop research programs that

provide a sound scientific basis for

the integration of wildland fire

into land-use and resource

management.

The Forest Service-Interior

Joint Fire Sciences

Program (JFSP) represents

significant progress in

making scientific

information available to

support the fuels program.

The Fiscal Year 2001

appropriations bill includes

additional funding for the

JFSP to address post-fire

rehabilitation and

restoration and fire

management issues.

Science and research

programs in agencies

such as the U.S.

Geological Survey and

the USDA Forest Service

should continue to be

integrated into the federal

wildland fire management

community. Future

research should include

social issues such as

individual and

organizational

psychology. See also

Implementation Action

5a.

04 Create a system for coordination

and cooperation among land

managers and regulators that

explores options within existing

laws to allow for the use of fire to

achieve goals of ecosystem health

while at the same time protecting

individual components of the

environment, human health, and

safety. This system will allow for

early collaboration during the

process of developing new land

management plans and provide a

mechanism for incorporating

input as existing plans are

implemented or revised; and

encourage land managers and

regulators to enter into

agreements that set forth the

actions each will take before and

during the time fire is

reintroduced in their area of

responsibility.

No formal system(s) have

been created. However,

there have been some

opportunities for

coordination and

cooperation such as the

Western Regional Air

Partnership and the

development of EPA’s

Interim Air Quality Policy

on Wildland and

Prescribed Fires. Some ad

hoc coordination and

cooperation has occurred

at Geographic Areas and

other locations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Continue to improve the

coordination and

cooperation between the

land managing agencies

and regulators,

particularly in the

development of plans

related to fire

management. Land

managing agencies have

an affirmative

responsibility to involve

other agencies

collaboratively in

planning activities. See

also Implementation

Action 1b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 49

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

05 Continue ongoing efforts to

jointly develop compatible,

ecosystem-based, multiple scale,

interagency land management

plans that involve all interested

parties and facilitate adaptive

management. This process will

fully integrate ecological concepts

that consider long-term dynamics

and cross agency boundaries;

effectively incorporate current

fire-related information, including

scientific knowledge, risk

assessment, social and economic

concerns, and public health

considerations; and ensure that

existing land management plans

are revised or updated to address

the above actions.

In general, compatible,

ecosystem-based, multiple

scale, interagency land

management plans have

not been developed. Some

efforts have been made at

large-scale land

management planning that

integrate ecosystem

concepts across agency

boundaries, including the

Interior Columbia Basin

Ecosystem Management

Project and the Sierra

Nevada Ecosystem Project.

Some unit-level cross

boundary efforts is

underway.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with understanding that

the original action item

should be a long term

goal and is not likely

achievable in the short

run. See also

Implementation Actions

1a and 1b.

06 Expedite the decision-making

process by jointly developing

criteria for evaluating ecosystem

condition by ecosystem type and

for prioritizing areas for the

reintroduction of fire to meet

resource objectives and reduce

hazards. This process will identify

those ecosystems where fire does

not need to be reintroduced (fire

is not a significant natural

component, or the fire regime has

not been altered); where fire is

unlikely to succeed (fire would be

adverse, such as areas significantly

altered by fuel accumulations and

species changes) - determine

appropriate, ecologically sound

alternatives for these areas; and

where treatment with fire is

essential or potentially effective

(fire is needed to improve

resource conditions or reduce risk

and hazard).

The JSFP is sponsoring

work that will provide tools

and information that will

support this type of work.

However, criteria for

evaluating ecosystem

condition by ecosystem

type and for prioritizing

areas for the reintroduction

of fire to meet resource

objectives and reduce

hazards have not been

developed. Research is

beginning to yield some

results.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with understanding that

the original action item

should be a long term

goal and is not likely

achievable in the short

run. See also

Implementation Actions

1a and 1b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

50 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

07 Jointly implement

ecosystem-based fire management

programs to accomplish resource

or landscape management

objectives when consistent with

land management plans. These

programs will strive to maintain

the long-term integrity of the

natural resources and minimize

the undesirable effects of fire;

address the highest-priority needs

in ecosystem assessment,

monitoring, and management and

determine the appropriate scope

of fire use, consistent with

historical fire regimes, including

extent, timing, and risks and

consequences; use existing tools

and develop new ones to address

today’s more fragmented

landscapes and to enhance our

ability to manage wildland fires of

varying size and intensity; and

illustrate the management actions

and their results by establishing or

expanding fire management

demonstration areas.

Various individual actions

have been taken by some

agencies to improve

planning processes and

coordinate some plans. In

broad terms,

ecosystem-based fire

management programs to

accomplish resource or

landscape management

objectives when consistent

with land management

plans have not been

implemented. However,

some examples of such

planning do exist:

Northwest Forest Plan,

Interior Columbia Basin

Management Plan, and

Sierra Framework.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with understanding that

the original action item

should be a long term

goal and is not likely

achievable in the short

run. See also

Implementation Actions

1a and 1b.

08 Conduct a collaborative fire

research program to improve the

predictive understanding of

wildland fire and its relationship to

ecosystem dynamics and to

strengthen the technological

capabilities and organizational

framework necessary to sustain

the role of fire in natural

ecosystems.

The JFSP addresses the

fuels management aspects

of this action item. The

recently expansion of the

JFSP will allow additional

issues to be addressed.

See Implementation

Action 5a.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 51

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

09 Establish an interdisciplinary team

that includes all agencies,

regulators, and other partners to

design a consistent fire- role and

fire-use message for decision

makers and the public. This

message will describe and clearly

explain issues such as ecosystem

condition, risks, consequences

(including public health impacts),

and costs in open dialogue with

internal and external constituents

and be designed to maximize open

communications and reduce

polarization among conflicting

interests regarding the use of fire.

Under the leadership of

the National Wildfire

Coordination Group a joint

message was developed.

This message has not been

incorporated into agency

policies and activities.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. See also

Implementation Action 8.

10 Build on existing interagency

efforts to develop and implement

a strategic plan that educates the

general public and agency

personnel about the role of fire.

As part of this effort, agencies will

develop and widely transmit a

clear message about the important

role of fire as a natural process

and the risks and consequences of

its use and exclusion; integrate this

message into existing agency

communication systems, agency

and partner initiatives (such as

forest health, ecosystem

management, etc.), and all external

outreach efforts, including

television, magazines, newspapers,

and public meetings; encourage,

create, and coordinate

partnerships to achieve

consistency in messages, build

public trust, and obtain public

opinion; and develop mandatory

national and regional interagency

training programs to instill in all

employees an understanding of

the role of fire in natural systems.

Various agencies have

taken actions to provide

information internally and

externally regarding the

role of fire. However, no

interagency strategic plan

has been developed.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. See also

Implementation Action 8.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

52 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

USE OF WILDLAND FIRE

11 Jointly develop programs to plan,

fund, and implement an expanded

program of prescribed fire in

fire-dependent ecosystems.

Various joint planning and

operational activities have

taken place.

Continue to plan, fund,

and implement

interagency prescribed

fire activities.

12 Facilitate the planning and

implementation of landscape-scale

prescribed burns across agency

boundaries. Seek opportunities to

enter into partnerships with tribal,

State and private land managers to

achieve this objective where

appropriate.

Various joint planning and

operational activities have

taken place.

Agencies should continue

to place a priority on

cross boundary and

landscape scale prescribed

fire projects.

13 Require appropriate treatment of

fuel hazards created by

resource-management and

land-use activities.

Required by each agency’s

policies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

14 Conduct all prescribed fire

projects consistent with land and

resource management plans,

public health considerations, and

approved prescribed burn plans.

Required by each agency’s

policies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

15 Implement the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group (NWCG)

interagency prescribed fire

qualification and certification

standards.

Standards have been

established and are being

utilized.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

16 Train and maintain a qualified and

adequate work force to plan and

implement interagency prescribed

fire projects safely and effectively,

and make these personnel

available when needed.

NWCG training and

qualification standards are

in place to support the

training.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. See also

Implementation Action

6b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 53

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

17 Jointly develop simple, consistent

hiring and contracting procedures

for prescribed fire activities.

The Department of the

Interior has approved the

use of Administratively

Determined hiring

authority to conduct

hazard reduction

prescribed fire operations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. USDA

Forest Service needs to

develop simple,

consistent hiring and

contracting procedures

for prescribed fire

activities. Procedures

should be consistent and

applicable across

agencies.

18 Conduct research and

development on fuel treatment

alternatives and techniques.

The JFSP specifically

addresses this issue.

Continue to implement

the JFSP and through

Implementation Action

5a.

19 Seek authority to eliminate

internal barriers to the transfer

and use of funds for prescribed

fire on non-federal lands and

among federal agencies.

Report language in the

1998 appropriations bill

reduces barriers to use of

funds for prescribed fire

among federal agencies by

eliminating cross billing for

personnel costs. Nonfederal partnerships can be

developed to do prescribed

burning through some type

of an agreement but there

has to be benefit to the

federal bureau to justify

spending on private lands.

Language in the 2001

appropriations bill allows

use of funds for fuels

treatments on non-federal

lands.

Agencies must continue

to remove internal

administrative barriers

related to “types” of fire.

Agency procedures

should be based on

appropriate response to

fire, not source of

ignition or location.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

54 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

20 Seek authority or provide

administrative direction to

eliminate barriers to carrying over

from one year to the next all funds

designated for prescribed fire.

The House Report on the

1998 appropriations bill

eliminates the problem of

carryover of prescribed fire

funding by providing

funding authority identical

to that for wildland fire

suppression. Up front

allocation or budgeting for

prescribed fire is no longer

necessary.

No further action

required.

21 Work with the Office of

Personnel Management to acquire

authority for hazard pay to

compensate employees exposed to

hazards while engaged in

prescribed burning activities.

The Interior and Forest

Service fire program

managers do not support

hazard duty pay for

prescribed fire operations.

Drop this as an Action

Item. However, to the

greatest extent feasible,

ensure that employees

engaged in fire

management activities are

treated comparably,

regardless of source or

location of ignition.

Address as a pay

administration issue based

on type of work

employees perform.

22 Clarify that prescribed fire

positions qualify for primary

coverage under special firefighter

retirement, and issue appropriate

guidance to field offices.

Firefighter and law

enforcement retirement

specialists within the

bureaus concurred that

prescribed fire positions

and work qualified for

primary coverage under

special retirement coverage

for fire. Bureaus have

issued memorandums to

this effect.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. In

particular, ensure that

employees engaged in

fuels management work

are treated comparably.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 55

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

23 Jointly develop an assessment

process for determining the

probability of success and/or

failure associated with the use of

prescribed fire and evaluating

potential positive and negative

consequences. As a part of this

process, the effects of not

conducting the project will also be

evaluated.

An adequate assessment

process has not been

developed.

Bureaus need to continue

to develop and refine

assessment processes.

These processes should

be developed consistently

so that joint reviews are

possible and so that

results are comparable

across agency lines. Give

emphasis to identifying

consequences of failure.

See also Implementation

Actions 9a and 10.

24 Jointly develop tools to identify,

assess, and mitigate risks from

prescribed fires.

Adequate tools to identify,

assess, and mitigate risks

from prescribed fires have

not been developed.

Bureaus need to continue

develop tools to identify,

assess, and mitigate risks

from prescribed fires.

These tools should be

developed consistently so

that joint reviews are

possible and so that

results are comparable

across agency lines. Give

emphasis to identifying

consequences of failure.

See also Implementation

Actions 9a and 10.

25 Create an organizational climate

that supports employees who

implement a properly planned

prescribed fire program.

Agencies have developed

awards and other

recognition programs for

the prescribed fire

program. Some agencies

have taken specific efforts

to ensure that roles and

responsibilities are clear.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

56 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

26 Reevaluate prescribed burn

planning and execution

requirements to ensure adequacy

of direction without unnecessary

constraint.

Department of the Interior

Manual, DOI Bureau

manuals and USDA Forest

Service manuals have been

updated to eliminate

unnecessary constraints.

Work continues with EPA

and states to reduce

constraints where

appropriate. Manuals and

handbook guidance will be

continually evaluated to

eliminate constraints.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

26a The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture will seek

legislation providing for prompt

reimbursement to private

landowners for damages resulting

from escaped prescribed fires

originating on federal lands.

Upon further review,

amending the Tort Claims

Act for this purpose is not

of significance for the

implementation of the

prescribed fire program.

Drop this as an Action

Item.

PREPAREDNESS AND SUPPRESSION

27 Establish fire management

qualifications based on program

complexity, and staff existing and

future agency administrator and

fire management vacancies with

individuals who meet these

qualifications and who are

committed to accomplishing the

total fire management program.

The Interagency Fire

Program Management

Qualification Standards

and Guidelines as been

approved by the FFALC

and has been sent to the

Departments of the

Interior and Agriculture for

transmittal to the Office of

Personnel Management for

approval.

After OPM approval

agencies should

implement as part of

normal agency activities.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 57

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

28 Develop appropriate tools

(training, handbooks, job

performance guidelines, planning

documents) necessary to assist

administrators and fire

management personnel to develop

and manage a safe and effective

fire management program.

Interagency tools such as

Behave, FARSITE, the

Implementation of Fire

Policy handbook, the

Interagency Fire Program

Management Qualifications

Standards Guidelines,

Prescribed Fire Planning

and Implementation, and

Fire Effects Monitoring

have been developed are in

use by all agencies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

29 Through training, job details, or

other methods, increase

experience and fire qualifications

of Agency Administrators and fire

management personnel.

Agencies are implementing

this recommendation

through a variety of

training actions. Some

agencies have mandated

particular courses for

agency administrators.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

to ensure that all Agency

Administrators and fire

management personnel

are appropriately qualified

as quickly as possible.

30 Enforce a system of

accountability to manage a safe

and efficient fire management

program based on standard job

performance requirements. These

requirements should include items

specifically related to safety and

will recognize and reward success

and provide disciplinary action for

failure.

Agencies are implementing

this recommendation on an

individual basis. Standard

job performance

requirements are developed

but not yet implemented

throughout all agencies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

58 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

31 Establish partnerships with

contractors; cooperators, such as

rural and volunteer fire

departments; and others, which

encourage and assist them to

adopt and implement federal

standards for training,

qualifications, firefighting

equipment, personal protective

equipment, etc.

A number of national and

local efforts are underway

in each agency to improve

training, assistance, and

other means of working

with cooperators. The

September 2000 Report to

the President and the

subsequent 2001

appropriations bill includes

additional funding to

support improved

cooperation with state,

rural, and volunteer fire

organizations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

32 Define values to be protected,

working in cooperation with State,

local, and tribal governments,

permittees, and public users.

Criteria will include

environmental, commodity, social,

economic, political, public health,

and other values.

The agencies developed

and adopted a Wildland

Fire Situation Analysis

(WFSA) to address values

to be protected and the

other criteria identified in

this action item. This

document is used by all

agencies on incidents that

escape initial attack and

require a greater

commitment of firefighting

resources.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Agencies should ensure

that the WFSA process

appropriately defines

values to be protected

and is a useful tool for

incident commanders.

33 Develop long-range interagency

wildland fire management

objectives, based on values to be

protected, across geographic and

agency boundaries.

Implementation of this

action item is carried out at

the local level as an

ongoing, long-term effort

during fire management

planning. Guidance is

contained in bureau

manuals. Implementation

across agency and

geographic boundaries has

been limited.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with emphasis on

developing objectives

across geographic and

agency boundaries.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 59

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

34 Develop interagency preparedness

planning based on established

interagency wildland fire

management objectives.

A national preparedness

plan is incorporated in the

National Interagency

Mobilization Guide, which

is adopted on an

interagency basis annually.

Annual preparedness plans

are developed and included

in each Geographic Area’s

Mobilization Guide.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with emphasis on the

local, unit level.

Continued work on cross

agency fire management

planning at the local, unit

level is required.

35 Develop interagency strategies to

implement preparedness plans.

These strategies must consider

both initial attack and extended

attack capability and should

include the full range of available

cooperator and contractor

resources.

Preparedness plans are

implemented at the

geographic and local levels.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures

with emphasis on

developing objectives

across geographic and

agency boundaries.

36 Develop consistent language to be

included in budget appropriations,

enabling the full spectrum of fire

management actions on wildland

fires.

The Department of the

Interior and the USDA

Forest Service have worked

together to develop

consistent language for

wildland fire

appropriations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. All

agencies should continue

to develop consistent

budget requests and

implement consistently at

the national and field

level. As new agencies,

such as DOD and DOE,

join the interagency

program, their budgets

should be consistent with

those of DOI and

USDA.

37 Work together and with other

affected cooperators, groups, and

individuals to develop and

implement fire prevention plans to

prevent unauthorized ignition of

wildland fire.

All agencies have

developed and

implemented various fire

prevention plans, in

conjunction with

cooperators, partners, and

other groups.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

60 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

38 Provide first for firefighter and

public safety. Once people are

committed to an incident, those

resources become the highest value

to be protected and receive the

highest management considerations.

All agencies have

implemented strong

programs to emphasize

that public and firefighter

safety is the primary

objectives on a wildland

fire incident.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. This

message needs continual

re-enforcement and

emphasis.

39 Protect property and natural and

cultural resources secondary to

firefighter and public safety.

Changes have been made

in the National

Mobilization Guide and in

bureau policy statements.

Training materials have

been revised and

developed.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. See also

the new policy statement

on Protection Priorities

(changed from 1995).

40 Base the second protection

priority on the relative values of

property and natural and cultural

resources when firefighting

personnel and equipment are

limited.

Changes have been made

in the National

Mobilization Guide and in

bureau policy statements.

Training materials have

been revised and

developed.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. See also

the new policy statement

on Protection Priorities

(changed from 1995).

41 Use standard criteria to assess

overall suppression and support

requirements.

Interagency standards and

criteria have been

developed and are in use by

all agencies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

42 Examine and identify, on an

interagency basis, employee

availability at each organizational

level, based on fire qualifications

and other necessary skills to

provide needed suppression and

support. This will include

planning for both initial attack and

extended attack at the local level.

Some agencies have

conducted some workload

analyses. However, there

has been no interagency

effort.

Implement as part of

Implementation Action

6a.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 61

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

43 Develop and utilize, to the

maximum extent possible, the

concept of closest initial attack

forces and interagency staffing for

wildland fire suppression and

support, optimizing the use of the

federal and non-federal work

force. Qualified contractors are a

component to be considered in

suppression and support planning.

Resource coordination is

carried out through the

Geographic Areas and at

local levels through

dispatch organizations.

Local MOU’s for sharing

resources, including state

and local government,

continue to be developed.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

44 Use an analysis and decision

making process that considers, on

an interagency basis, existing and

potential fire severity; suppression

resource commitment and

availability; prescribed fire activity;

environmental, social, and political

concerns; and other pertinent

factors.

The interagency Wildland

Fire Situation Analysis

(WFSA) is used on

incidents that escape initial

attack and require a greater

commitment of firefighting

resources. The interagency

Allocation of Resources

protocols are used to

address multiple incidents

and complex situations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

45 Develop interagency severity plans

to provide increased fire

suppression capability in

emergency situations, including

accessing additional resources,

pre-positioning resources, and

training emergency firefighters.

Local units and interagency

partners coordinate

resources as dictated by the

severity of local conditions.

National Preparedness

Levels dictate the need for

national-level

contingencies.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. Ensure

that severity requests are

handled on an

interagency basis.

46 Develop a standard interagency

planning, budgeting, and staffing

process.

Fire management planning

and budgeting systems

used by the agencies utilize

similar terms, common

goals, values and

assumptions to gain similar

results within the planning

and budgeting process. A

single, standard system is

not feasible due to the

difference in missions of

bureaus, but outcomes

from the process can be

compared.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

62 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE PROTECTION

47 Adopt an operational role in the

Wildland Urban Interface that

includes wildland firefighting,

hazard fuels reduction,

cooperative prevention and

education, and technical

assistance.

Bureau manual updates

contain language defining

the operational role in

Wildland Urban Interface

areas. In some areas

significant progress has

been achieved with

implementing the federal

operational role.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. In

particular, SubGeographic Areas and

local units, as appropriate,

should work actively with

partners and cooperators.

See also Implementation

Actions 3a and 3b.

48 Identify and fund, on a cost-share

basis, high-priority fuels

management activities on federal

lands adjacent to Wildland Urban

Interface areas identified through

a fire protection assessment

process that considers relative

values to be protected. These

activities may involve adjacent

non-federal lands.

Additional funding for

fuels management activities

has been included in

Department of the Interior

and the USDA Forest

Service wildland fire

management budgets since

1995. The 2001

appropriations bill includes

both substantial new

funding for fuels

management activities and

direction to identify highpriority areas.

Continue to implement

fuels management

activities, especially the

program proposed in the

September 2000 Report

to the President and the

subsequent Fiscal Year

2001 appropriations.

49 Lead by example in utilizing

fire-safe standards at federal

facilities.

All agencies adhere to local

building codes, but fire-safe

standards have not been

considered in the design of

their facilities.

Agencies must follow fire

safe standards at all new

and existing facilities.

50 Ensure that all Wildland Urban

Interface areas are covered by Fire

Protection Agreements;

renegotiate existing agreements as

needed to reflect a federal

responsibility that is compatible

with federal policy and to ensure

that State and local responsibilities

are apportioned appropriately.

Agreements will address all

partners in these areas.

Agencies have developed

and updated fire protection

agreements in many areas.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Develop agreements

where none exist. Note

that role of federal

agencies is limited to

entering into agreements

with non-federal entities.

Establishment of Fire

Protection Agreements

and organizations among

non-federal entities is a

non-federal responsibility.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 63

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

51 Incorporate Wildland Urban

Interface considerations into

agreements, operating plans, land

management plans, and agency

Fire Management Plans.

Agencies are incorporating

Wildland Urban Interface

considerations into

agreements, operating

plans, land management

plans, and agency Fire

Management Plans.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

52 Charge the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group with

identifying and establishing a

data-collection mechanism, in

coordination with tribal, State, and

local governments, insurance

industry, National Fire Protection

Association, and others, to better

assess the nature and scope of the

Wildland Urban Interface fire

problem.

No national level data

collection mechanism, or

strategic effort for such,

has been developed.

Implement, as

appropriate, as part of

Implementation Action

5b.

52a Charge the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group with

identifying specialized skills and

training that are needed by both

wildland and structural fire

agencies in the interface and

incorporating those requirements

into the Wildland Fire

Qualification System to provide

for safe and efficient operations in

the Wildland Urban Interface.

Agencies use NWCG

approved training including

the Fire Operation in the

Urban Interface (S-205)

course to meet this need.

Additional planning and

operations course work is

being developed as a tiered

approach with the S-205

course.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. Adopt

tiered courses as they

become available.

52b Charge the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group with

developing operational curricula,

in cooperation with the National

Fire Academy, for protection in

the Wildland Urban Interface.

One course developed and

in use; additional course

and a workbook still under

development (expected in

2001)

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

64 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

52c Charge the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group with

implementing training through

interagency systems and joint

training activities and augmenting

fire training not available at the

State and local levels. Staffed to

NWCG TWT for implementation

monitoring.

Federal fire management

training courses are

available to personnel from

non-federal agencies. WUI

issues also incorporated

into standard NWCG

curriculum.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

52d Charge the National Wildfire

Coordinating Group with

identifying and implementing

equipment standards for Wildland

Urban Interface operation.

Completed No further action

required beyond normal

updating of standards as

appropriate.

53 Increase emphasis on cost-share

program assistance in the

Wildland Urban Interface through

the USDA Forest Service State

and Private Cooperative Fire

Program, including training and

equipping of State and local

agencies. Assess and revise, as

needed, other mechanisms to

ensure funding is directed to

agencies with Wildland Urban

Interface responsibilities.

The USDA Forest Service,

in cooperation with the

National Association of

State Foresters and

National Volunteer Fire

Council, is implementing

this action item through

the Federal Excess Personal

Property, Rural Community

Fire Protection, and Rural

Fire Prevention and

Control programs. Over a

half million dollars in

grants were provided to the

states to assist with

Wildland Urban Interface

projects in 1999. This

included providing

equipment and training to

local fire agencies. More

grants are planned in future

years.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Additional funding and

expanded programs for

USDA Forest Service and

DOI in the Fiscal Year

2001 appropriations will

enhance implementation

of this action item.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 65

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

54 Educate agency personnel on

federal cost-share and grant

programs, Fire Protection

Agreements, and other related

federal programs so the full array

of assistance available to States

and local agencies is understood.

The USDA Forest Service

Cooperative Fire Program

Coordinators in each

region are sharing

information on assistance

available to communities

and states through the use

of Agency personnel. The

BIA provides this

information to the tribes

through its respective

programs. Not applicable

to other agencies.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

policies and procedures,

including new programs

in the Department of the

Interior.

55 Participate in the development and

execution of a national Wildland

Urban Interface fire hazard

mapping scoping study in

cooperation with tribal, State, and

local governments and the private

sector.

Combined with Action

Item 83.

See Action Item 83

56 Increase communication with

Wildland Urban Interface

property owners, planners, elected

officials, and others through

education and awareness messages

about the role of fire in wildland

ecosystem health, inherent risks in

Wildland Urban Interface areas,

available prevention and

protection measures, and federal

disaster assistance programs.

Agencies have ongoing

activities with geographic

and local prevention

programs and teams. The

National FIREWISE

Communities program has

initiated a series of national

and regional workshops

designed to help local

officials understand the risk

associated with the

interface and the potential

solutions. The workshops

bring together all levels of

program managers and

decision makers.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

66 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

57 Expand programs, curricula, and

distribution systems for Wildland

Urban Interface educational

materials in cooperation with

structural protection agencies.

Various ongoing agency

and interagency efforts

through the NWCG

Wildland Urban Interface

Working Team and through

such activities as the

interagency, public-private

FIREWISE program.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

58 Support and participate in public

education efforts in cooperation

with the Insurance Institute for

Property Loss Reduction (IIPLR)

and fire and building code

organizations.

Through the FIREWISE

program and other

activities, the agencies have

worked with insurance and

fire and building code

organizations.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

59 Utilize the recently rechartered

National Wildland Urban

Interface Fire Protection Program,

which includes the Department of

the Interior, Department of

Agriculture, FEMA’s U.S. Fire

Administration, National

Association of State Foresters,

National Association of State Fire

Marshals, and National Fire

Protection Association, to focus

on Wildland Urban Interface fire

protection issues and actions.

The NWCG Wildland

Urban Interface Working

Team continues to address

Wildland Urban Interface

fire protection issues and

actions

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

60 Utilize the Western Governors’

Association (WGA) as a catalyst

for involving State agencies, as

well as local and private

stakeholders, with the objective of

developing an implementation

plan to achieve a uniform,

integrated national approach to

hazard and risk assessment and

fire prevention and protection in

the Wildland Urban Interface.

The National Association

of State Foresters (NASF)

agreed to monitor progress

on various

intergovernmental and

non-governmental

implementation activities in

the WGA report.

Continue to use WGA,

NASF, and other nonfederal organizations to

develop uniform,

integrated national

approaches to hazard and

risk assessment and fire

prevention and protection

in the Wildland Urban

Interface.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 67

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

61 Work with the States to develop

viable and comprehensive

wildland fire hazard mitigation

plans and performance-based

partnerships.

Principal effort to

implement this action item

has come through the

Federal Emergency

Management Agency’s

(FEMA) pre- and postdisaster mitigation planning

programs and guidance.

All agencies should

continue to work with the

States to develop viable

and comprehensive

wildland fire hazard

mitigation plans. FEMA’s

mitigation planning

programs, including the

Project initiative, should

continue to be a key

aspect of implementing

this action item.

COORDINATED PROGRAM MANAGEMENT

62 Develop and utilize consistent fire

management qualification

standards and specific selection

criteria for fire program managers.

The Interagency Fire

Program Management

Qualification Standards

and Guidelines as been

approved by the FFALC

and has been sent to the

Departments of the

Interior and Agriculture for

transmittal to the Office of

Personnel Management for

approval.

Departments of the

Interior and Agriculture

concur with the

Interagency Fire Program

Management

Qualification Standards

and Guidelines and seek

OPM approval. After

approval agencies

implement as part of

normal agency activities.

63 Establish job performance

standards for Agency

Administrators and fire managers

that clearly reflect the complexity

and scope of fire management

responsibilities.

Agency performance

appraisal systems generally

do not allow specific fire

management job

performance elements.

The Bureau of Land

Management has identified

performance standards in

its fire management

operations guide, but there

remains no means of

assessing consequences of

poor performance.

All agencies should

identify fire management

job performance

standards (consistent

across agencies). Agencies

must determine how to

link these performance

standards with

performance appraisal.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

68 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

64 Provide consistent and adequate

training for Agency

Administrators commensurate

with their roles and

responsibilities in fire

management.

The Fire Management

Leadership course at the

National Advanced

Resource Technology

Center (NARTC) provides

training for unit level

managers and similar

Agency Administrators.

Similar training for other

Agency Administrators is

often not available.

All Geographic Areas

need to regularly offer the

Fire Management

Leadership course for

Agency Administrators in

their Geographic Areas.

65 Ensure that Agency

Administrators and fire program

managers are held accountable for

conducting the fire program in

accordance with established

policies, procedures, standards,

and direction.

Each agency conducts

regular readiness and

program reviews within its

overall organization. These

reviews provide the

information necessary to

hold Agency

Administrators and fire

program managers

accountable.

Continue to conduct

regular reviews of

programs and

implementation at various

organizational levels.

Agency leaders must hold

Agency Administrators

and fire program

managers accountable for

the results of those

reviews.

66 Ensure that trained and certified

employees participate in the

wildland fire program as the

situation demands; employees

with operational, administrative,

or other skills support the

wildland fire program as needed;

and administrators are responsible,

accountable, and make employees

available.

In general agencies are

experiencing difficulties

with widespread training,

certification, and

availability of employees.

This action item has not

been successfully

implemented.

Implementation is an

ongoing process.

Agencies should place an

emphasis on training

employees and making

them available. See also

Implementation Action

6a.

67 Jointly manage fire use and

suppression resources and

activities to achieve

accomplishment of both

programs concurrently.

The interagency Allocation

of Resources protocols

provide the means for

implementing this action

item.

The Allocation of

Resources protocols must

be implemented

nationally, at each

Geographic Area, and at

the sub-Geographic Area

level.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 69

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

68 Jointly develop a standard

methodology for measuring and

reporting fire management

efficiency that includes

commodity, non-commodity, and

social values. This methodology

should specifically address, among

other considerations, the costs and

benefits of large-fire suppression.

Not done. Drop as a specific action

item. This issue should

be addressed through

ongoing interagency

program management

and evaluation activities.

See Implementation

Actions 9a and 10.

69 Develop criteria to be used in

evaluating alternative fire

management organizations. Some

examples of criteria include:

meeting land management

objectives, reintroducing fire in

the ecosystem, ensuring cost

effectiveness, effectively dealing

with wildland urban interface fire

protection, and using partnerships

and cooperative relationships.

See #70 See #70

70 Use these criteria to analyze, with

cooperators, a broad range of

organizational alternatives on a

national, regional, and local basis.

Examples of alternatives include a

single federal fire organization;

contracts with States, private

sector, tribal governments,

military, or combinations thereof;

and status quo.

Each agency conducts

ongoing reviews of its fire

management organizations.

The USDA Forest Service

sponsored a detailed

analysis of options for its

organization. No broad

scale interagency analyses

or reviews have taken

place. Recently an

interagency effort has

begun to look at alternative

approaches for large fire

organizations.

Address issues of

organizational structure

and coordination through

individual agency reviews

and evaluations and

through Implementation

Actions 6a & 6b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

70 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

71 Jointly identify the legal context

for reintroducing fire into

wildlands and develop options for

accomplishment. Options may

include modifying regulations to

address ecological processes

where appropriate; exercising

broader interpretations of policy;

or resolving obstacles at regional

and local levels, including those on

non-federal lands. Based on this

interpretation, develop

standardized agreements or new

agreements that permit these

activities.

Not done. This type of analysis no

longer necessary for

implementation of

Federal Fire Policy. No

further action required.

72 Clarify and differentiate between

agency liability and personal

liability resulting from prescribed

fire, based on legal review and

interpretation of tort law.

This type of information

has been developed for

specific presentations at

various fire management

courses, but has not been

generally documented.

Include standard

information clarifying and

differentiating between

agency liability and

personal liability in fire

management courses and

other materials for

employees and agency

administrators.

73 Early in the process, involve

public health and environmental

regulators in developing the most

workable application of policies

and regulations.

Various efforts have taken

place on a national and

local level to involve public

health and environmental

regulators. These activities

have focused on air quality

issues.

Implementation is an

ongoing process. Land

managing agencies must

continue to include all

federal and non-federal

regulatory agencies in

development of policies,

procedures, plans and

other aspects of

implementing Federal

Fire Policy.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 71

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

74 The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture will direct the

Office of the Solicitor and the

Office of the General Counsel, in

coordination with the Department

of Justice and other appropriate

federal agencies, to conduct and

publish a comprehensive legal

review on Wildland Urban

Interface fire protection to

provide the legal foundation for

federal actions. This review will

address current authority under

federal laws such as the Organic

Act, National Forest Management

Act, Robert T. Stafford Disaster

Relief and Emergency Assistance

Act, and the Federal Land Policy

and Management Act.

Not completed. Upon

further consideration this

review was determined to

be unnecessary to

implement the wildland

urban interface aspects of

the Federal Fire Policy.

No further action

required.

75 The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture will direct the

Office of the Solicitor and the

Office of the General Counsel, in

coordination with the Department

of Justice and other appropriate

federal agencies, to conduct and

publish a comprehensive legal

review on Wildland Urban

Interface fire protection to

provide the legal foundation for

federal actions. This review will

address the subjects of tort

liability, budget authorities,

cooperative agreements,

mitigation activities, and natural

resource protection and

environmental laws.

Not completed. Upon

further consideration this

review was determined to

be unnecessary to

implement the wildland

urban interface aspects of

the Federal Fire Policy.

No further action

required.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

72 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

76 The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture, together with the

Secretary of Commerce, will

assess current and projected

requirements for fire weather

products necessary to support

total wildland fire management

program needs.

The NWCG Fire Weather

Working Team has

attempted to assess current

and projected requirements

for fire weather products as

part of its ongoing efforts

to address fire weather

issues. To date it has not

completed this overall

assessment.

See Implementation

Action 9e.

77 The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture, together with the

Secretary of Commerce, will

evaluate alternative methods,

including non-federal sources, to

provide weather service to the

agencies’ fire management

programs.

The NWCG Fire Weather

Working Team has

attempted to develop a

national strategy that would

include an evaluation of

alternative methods to

provide weather service to

the agencies’ fire

management programs.

To date it has not

completed this national

strategy.

See Implementation

Action 9e.

78 The Secretaries of the Interior

and Agriculture will seek

commitment from the Secretary

of Commerce to research and

develop technology to provide

accurate, long-range weather

forecasts.

Not completed. See Implementation

Action 9e.

79 Standardize fire statistics and

develop an easily accessible

common database.

Not completed. This is part

of National Interagency

Fire Statistics Information

Project (NIFSIP) of

NWCG. NWCG has

placed a low priority on

this relative to other

projects.

Implement, as

appropriate, as part of

Implementation Action

5b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items - 73

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

80 Jointly identify, develop, and use

tools needed for ecosystem-based

fire management programs with

mechanisms to integrate

fire-related databases with other

systems. These tools will include

the collection of

ecosystem-related data such as

disturbance regimes, historical fire

patterns, response to management

actions, and others; consistent

methods to track and access

fire-use statistics and

administrative costs; and

mechanisms to transfer and

exchange fire management

systems information.

Some work sponsored by

the JFSP addresses the

issue of the collection of

ecosystem-related data

such as disturbance regimes

and historical fire patterns.

No other work on this item

has occurred.

Implement, as

appropriate, as part of

Implementation Actions

5a and 5b.

81 Cooperate with tribal, State, and

local governments to establish a

data-collection mechanism to

better assess the nature and scope

of the Wildland Urban Interface

fire problem.

This has been incorporated

into the work of the

National Interagency Fire

Statistics

Information Project

(NIFSIP). See Action Item

79.

Implement, as

appropriate, as part of

Implementation Action

5b.

82 Take a lead role in the adoption of

the National Fire Incident

Reporting System standards for all

fire agencies that operate in the

Wildland Urban Interface and

modify existing reports to reflect

Wildland Urban Interface fire

protection data.

States have been

encouraged to participate

in the National Incident

Reporting System

established by the National

Fire Administration. More

work needs to be done to

establish a national

reporting system with

involvement of both states

and federal agencies.

However, little progress has

been made in incorporating

wildland urban interface

data into NFRS.

Implement, as

appropriate, as part of

Implementation Action

5b.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

74 - APPENDIX E: Disposition of 1995 Action Items

ACTION ITEM FROM 1995 REPORT STATUS

RECOMMENDED

DISPOSITION

83 Complete a national Wildland

Urban Interface fire hazard

scoping and mapping study in

partnership with the Western

Governors’ Association; tribal,

State, and local governments; and

the private sector.

Not done. Implementation

of the September 2000

Report to the President

and the programs funded

in the 2001 appropriations

may result in additional

hazard scoping and

mapping. However, this is

not expected to be

performed at a national

scale.

Continue to implement as

part of normal agency

programs and procedures.
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

APPENDIX G: Working Group and Support Staff - 77

A P P E N DI X G: FI R E P O L I C Y W O R K I N G G R O U P M E M B E R S

Jim Douglas, Co-Chair, Emergency Coordinator

Office of Managing Risk and Public Safety

Department of the Interior

Tom Mills, Co-Chair, Director

Pacific Northwest Research Station

USDA Forest Service

Don Artley, Montana State Forester

National Association of State Foresters

Dan Ashe, Chief

National Wildlife Refuge System

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Ann Bartuska, Director

Forest & Rangelands

USDA Forest Service

Dick Black, Director

Office of Nuclear and Facility Safety Policy

Department of Energy

Stan Coloff, Physical Scientist

Biological Resources Division

U.S. Geological Survey

Jose Cruz, Director

Fire and Aviation Management Staff

USDA Forest Service

Mike Edrington, Director

Regional Fire and Aviation Staff

USDA Forest Service/Bureau of Land

Management

Jack Edwardson, Deputy Director

Air Quality Strategies and Standards Division

Environmental Protection Agency

Rick Gale, Chief

Fire and Aviation

National Park Service

Larry Hamilton, Director

Office of Fire and Aviation

Bureau of Land Management

Bob Landis, Chief

Meteorological Services Division

National Weather Service

Brad Powell, Regional Forester

Pacific Southwest Region

USDA Forest Service

Steve Robinson, Assistant Administrator

U.S. Fire Administration

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Sherri W. Goodman, Deputy Under Secretary

Environmental Security

Department of Defense

Ronald J. (Rusty) Schuster, Manager

Land, Recreation & Cultural Resources Office

Bureau of Reclamation

Jim Stires, Chief

Branch of Fire Management

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Jan Van Wagtendonk, Research Forester

Western Ecological Research Center

U.S. Geological Survey

Patricia K. Stahlschmidt, Director

Infrastructure Division, Response and

Recovery Directorate

Federal Emergency Management Agency
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

78 - APPENDIX G: Working Group and Support Staff

FI R E P O L I C Y S U P P O R T I N G ST A F F

The following personnel supported the Fire Policy Review Working Group:

Lee Banicki

Department of Energy

Jim Bisker

Department of Energy

Peter E. Black

Department of Defense

Lorine Boardwine

Federal Emergency

Management Agency

Mike Dietrich

USDA Forest Service

Roger Erb

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Gay Ernst

Bureau of Land

Management/USDA Forest

Service

Lynn Findley

Bureau of Land Management

Bob Ford

Bureau of Indian Affairs

Bob Hamre

USDA Forest Service, retired

Al Hyde

The Brookings Institution

Jennifer Jones

Bureau of Land Management,

retired

Wally Josephson

Department of the Interior

Robert Kuhn

USDA Forest Service

Bill Leenhouts

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Carol LoSapio

Beyond Words

Irene Mora

Bureau of Land Management

Jennifer Ortega

Bureau of Land Management

Robert Praytor

Department of Defense

Andy Ringgold

National Park Service

Edwin J. Singleton

Bureau of Land Management

Janelle Smith

Bureau of Land Management

Peg Sorensen

Bureau of Land Management

Charlene E. Spells

U.S. Environmental

Protection Agency

Sarah Spurrier

Bureau of Land

Management

Paul Stokols

National Weather Service

Jim Stumpf

Bureau of Land

Management, retired

Joe Stutler

USDA Forest Service

Jay Thietten

Bureau of Land

Management

Lindon Wiebe

USDA Forest Service

Glenda Womack

USDA Forest Service

Dan Wood

USDA Forest Service

Kenneth R. Woodard

U.S. Environment

Protection Agency
depicts, in general, what action will be taken given an iginition, regardless of source. Management actions depend on the

oved Fire Management Plan for an area. The chart recognizes that not all agencies or areas will have such plans completed

rt is generally applicable to most agencies’ fire management programs. However, specific exceptions may exist. A more

r supporting materials will be developed as part of implementation of the 2001 Federal Fire Policy.

Wildland fire

regardless of

ignition source or

location

Implement

prescribed

fire plan

APPENDIX F: Wildland Fire Flowchart

Management

Action

Initial

attack

Outcome

Appropriate

management

response

Successful

UnsuccessfulUnsuccessful

SuccessfulSuccessful

Unsuccessful

Wildland

Fire

Situation

Analysis

Fire in

prescription

 for

management

area

Fire out of

prescription

for

management

area

Situation

Ignition

Wildland fire

regardless of

ignition source or

location
REVIEW AND UPDATE OF THE 1995 FEDERAL W ILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT POLICY

76 - APPENDIX F: Wildland Fire Flowchart