The potential for conflict is significant, especially in bad fire years. Characteristically, conflicts with military aircraft generally occur in the Western United States where there is a concentration of military training routes and unlit operations areas. Conflicts with civilian aircraft more often occur in the higher density air traffic areas along the Eastern seaboard. The FAA, Department of Defense, and Department of Interior have already begun to work on this issue. This is especially true of unlit pilots who may be flying across the country.
Communication is the crux of the issue.
Direct coordination, especially with the military would help, but it is difficult for the NPS and other land management agencies to know with whom they should talk. A simple, national level system is needed to rapidly disseminate airspace information to all pilots. This transponder code would be available in the near future. The Department of Defense is exploring communication links for scheduling military training routes and special use airspace. As airspace over public lands becomes more congested, the potential for conflicts is increasing.