Managing the Impacts of Wildfires on Communities and the Environment: A Report to the President in Response to the Wildfires of 2000

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Background:  Presidential directive on August 8 th called for a plan from the Departments of Agriculture and Interior: To respond to the fires of 2000 To be developed in 30days  The plan (a.k.a., the National Fire Plan) was sent to the President on September 9 th

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Linkage of the National Fire Plan to Other Major Reports “…The National Fire Plan is intended to serve as an umbrella document for the other major tactical reports (for example, the “Cohesive Strategy”) designed to improve the effectiveness of wildland fire management and prevention”

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service National Fire Plan Key Points:  No. 1. Firefighting  No. 2. Rehabilitation and Restoration  No. 3. Hazardous Fuel Management  No. 4. Community Assistance  No. 5. Accountability

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Key Point No. 1: Firefighting “…Continue to aggressively fight fires for the rest of this season and be adequately prepared for next year.” Includes:  Preparedness  Suppression  Emergency Contingency  Workforce Development and Maintenance  New Technology Development, including the Joint Fire Science Program

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Key Point No. 2: Rehabilitation and Restoration “…Rebuild landscapes and communities damaged by the wildfires of 2000.” Includes:  Rehabilitation of Burned Areas  Restoration  Invasive Species Management  Economic Impact Analysis  Linkages to Priority Watersheds

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Key Point No. 3: Hazardous Fuels Reduction “…Invest in projects that reduce fire risk.” Includes:  Fuels Management  Analysis, Planning, and Monitoring for NEPA Compliance  Applied Research and Development

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Key Point No. 4: Community Assistance “…Work directly with communities to ensure adequate protection now and in the future.” Includes:  State Fire Assistance  Volunteer Fire Assistance  Market Development and Expansion Through the Economic Action Programs  Firewise and Other Fire Prevention Education Programs  Fuels Management and Defensible Space

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Key Point No. 5: Accountability “…Be accountable and establish adequate oversight, coordination, program development, and monitoring of performance.” Includes:  A Management Structure  Performance Measures  Budget and Program Planning  Allocations  Information Management  Communication Products and Status Reports

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service The National Fire Plan is Guided by Operating Principles: 1. Firefighting readiness 2. Prevention through education 3. Rehabilitation 4. Hazardous fuel reduction 5. Restoration 6. Collaborative stewardship 7. Monitoring 8. Local jobs 9. Applied research and technology transfer

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Additional Funding* Needs Identified and Received in the Plan:  $1,789,395,000 for both Departments  $ 1,102,821,000 for the USDA Forest Service  $686,574,000 for the US Department of the Interior  This represents an overall increase of about 135% for the programs included in the National Fire Plan. * Not yet final (9/28/00).

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Funding Specifics for the Forest Service:  The $1,102,821,000 increase includes: $207,547,000 for Preparedness (base program)* $179,000,000 for Suppression $44,000,000 for Facilities $136,000,000 for Fuels Management* $142,000,000 for Rehabilitation and Restoration $276,000,000 for Emergency Contingency $118,274,000 for the cooperative programs * Includes an additional $30,000,000 for research

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Some Estimated Outcomes for the Forest Service Portion of the Plan:  1,800,000 acres of fuels reduction on Federal lands  395,000 acres of fuels reduction on nonfederal lands  750,000 acres of rehabilitation and restoration  4,000 Volunteer Fire Departments assisted  8,000 new jobs created

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Coordinator; Deputy; and, Executive Assistant Fuels Reduction Management Structure: State Liaison Firefighting Rehabilitation and Restoration Community Assistance Planning and Analysis Business Operations Readiness Suppression Emergency Contingency Technology Development Rehabilitation Restoration Invasive Species Management Fuels Management Applied Research JFSP State Assistance Volunteer Assistance EAP Firewise Information Budget Program Development Regional Teams

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service The Management Structure (continued): Coordinator (interim) (Michael T. Rains) Executive Assistant (Mary Farnsworth) State Liaison (Jim Hubbard) Deputy Coordinator (Denny Truesdale) Business Operations Program Coordinators: Firefighting (Harry Croft) Rehabilitation and Restoration (Sally Collins) Hazardous Fuel Reduction (Mike Dudley) Community Assistance (Janet Anderson-Tyler) Planning and Analysis (Hank Kashdan) Regional Teams (Regional Forester)

US Department of the Interior USDA Forest Service Some Immediate Next Steps:  Complete the 2000 fire season safely  Continue rehabilitating burned areas  Complete Plan of Work for National Fire Plan  Secure “Point of Contact” for the Regions  Develop Regional Teams for implementation  Develop criteria for distribution of funds  Finalize listing for fuels management projects and other actions  Allocate budgets

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