Wildland Fire Management Policy Procedures, Perspectives, and Implications

The Problem Past policy has contributed to buildup of hazardous fuels. Hazardous conditions are contributing to loss of life, as well as increased suppression costs. The situation is getting worse.

The problem: Our current estimate is that approximately 39 million acres of National Forest System lands are in a condition of high fire hazard that makes them vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire. These hazardous areas have contributed to an increase in firefighter fatalities and the costs of suppressing large fires.

Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy Evolving process –fire control –fire management Policy reviews –1989 –1995 –2001 Other reviews

These increases in fatalities and costs, particularly during the 1994 fire season, led the federal wildland fire agencies to review the federal fire management policy and program in The result was a new federal fire management policy, enacted in 1995.

The new Federal Fire Policy: (1995) The first priority in wildland fire management is the protection of human life. The second priority is the protection of natural resources, cultural resources, and property. Wildland fire, as a critical natural process, must be reintroduced into the ecosystem.

Guiding Principles Firefighter and public safety is the first priority in every fire management activity the role of wildland fire as an essential ecological process and natural agent of change will be incorporated into the planning process fire management plans, programs, and activities support land and resource management plans

Guiding Principles, continued sound risk management is a foundation for all fire management activities fire management programs and activities are economically viable fire management plans are based on the best available science

Guiding Principles, continued fire management plans incorporate public health and environmental quality considerations interagency coordination and cooperation are essential standardization of policies and procedures among federal agencies is an ongoing objective

Prescribed Fire Prescribed fire plan approved Prescribed fire plan implemented Objectives accomplished UnsuccessfulSuccessful Unsuccessful Suppression Response Wildfire Prescribed Natural Fire PNF Implementation Plan Response FMP approved Prescriptive criteria appropriate Successful Unsuccessful Selected Alternative Escaped Fire Situation Analysis Successful Unsuccessful

Wildland Fire Successful Unsuccessful Selected Alternative Initial Attack Prescribed Fire Prescribed fire plan approved Prescribed fire plan implemented Objectives accomplished Wildland Fire Situation Analysis Appropriate Management Response FMP not approved or human caused FMP approved Prescriptive criteria appropriate Successful Unsuccessful

Understanding the Policy What the new policy is: A more cohesive way of approaching wildland fire management, a foundation to facilitate more efficient operations, a program of action that promotes concurrent use of all viable management strategies,

a program of action that does not automatically place priority on one strategy over another without analysis of specific information, a common planning process for all agencies, resulting in one plan, a process based on uniform budget and fiscal procedures. Understanding the Policy What the new policy is:

Wildland Fire Successful Unsuccessful Selected Alternative Initial Attack Prescribed Fire Prescribed fire plan approved Prescribed fire plan implemented Objectives accomplished Wildland Fire Situation Analysis Appropriate Management Response FMP not approved or human caused FMP approved Prescriptive criteria appropriate Successful Unsuccessful

Wildland Fire Successful Unsuccessful Selected Alternative Initial Attack Prescribed Fire Prescribed fire plan approved Prescribed fire plan implemented Objectives accomplished Wildland Fire Situation Analysis Appropriate Management Response FMP not approved or human caused FMP approved Prescriptive criteria appropriate Successful Unsuccessful

Specific actions taken in response to a wildland fire to implement protection and/or fire use objectives. Includes full spectrum of responses Not just one way of responding to circumstances Provides greatest flexibility and program balance Appropriate Management Response

Relative Risk Objectives High Low ProtectionUse Management Boundary Defensibility Partial Total External influences High Low Suppression Monitoring Monitoring + Holding Actions Monitoring + Holding Actions Monitoring + Contingency Actions Monitoring + Contingency Actions 10/3/97

Appropriate Management Response Relative Risk Objectives High Low ProtectionUse Management Boundary Defensibility Partial Total External influences High Low Suppression Monitoring Monitoring + Holding Actions Monitoring + Holding Actions Monitoring + Contingency Actions Monitoring + Contingency Actions 10/3/97

Considerations: Safety Cost effectiveness objectives Ability to accomplish objectives Environmental and fuel conditions Constraints Appropriate Management Response

Decision Criteria Checklist