December 17, 2021
The Departments of the Interior, Agriculture and Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced the establishment of a new Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission, which is required by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, H.R.3684, signed by the President on November 15, 2021, which became Public Law Number 117-58.
The Commission is tasked with recommending federal policies and strategies to more effectively prevent, mitigate, suppress and manage wildland fires, including the rehabilitation of land affected by wildland fires. It will include representation from federal, state, Tribal, county and municipal governments as well as non-governmental stakeholders from private industry.
The legislation authorized $600 million for management of fire personnel and approximately $600 million for fuel management, pre-fire planning, satellite fire detection, research, radio interoperability, and other uses.
The new law is very specific and detailed in laying out the deliverables of the new Commission, perhaps worrying that if it was too vague not much would get done. The 27 members of the commission will have their work cut out for them — 9 from federal departments and 18 non-federal stakeholders, plus an Executive Director they can hire. They may also bring on staff if needed. The members will serve “without compensation” but can be reimbursed for travel expenses and per diem.
The appointments of the members of the Commission are to be made no more than 60 days after the date the legislation became law, which works out to January 14, 2022. Their initial meeting is to be held within 30 days after all members have been appointed — no later than February 13, 2022. They are to meet at least once every 30 days, in person or remotely.
Their assignments fall into two broad categories; here are some of the highlights:
1. Develop recommendations to mitigate and manage wildland fires
By February 13, 2023 develop a report describing recommendations to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires; consider protection of human life, short- and long-term forest management; wildland-urban interface; utility corridors; rehab after fires; streamlining environmental reviews; and, recommendations for modernizing and expanding the use of technology, including satellite technology, remote sensing, unmanned aircraft systems, and any other type of emerging technology to prevent, mitigate, suppress, and manage wildland fires.
2. Report on aerial wildland firefighting equipment, strategy, and inventory
By March 30, 2022 prepare an inventory of surplus cargo and passenger aircraft that may be used for wildland firefighting purposes.
By June 28, 2022 develop an assessment of the number of aircraft needed to fight wildland fires through 2030. The report will include an assessment of the federal government’s authorities to provide or sell surplus aircraft to Federal, State, or local organizations to be used for wildland firefighting, and, identify any additional authorities that are needed. The Commission is directed to consider all private and public sector options for accessing necessary aircraft and aircraft parts, including procurement, contracting, retrofitting, and public-private partnerships.
Update December 18, 2021:
One of the comments on this article left today by Professional WFF mentioned that the Quadrennial Fire Reviews in 2005, 2009, and 2014 would be a good place to start. Links to them are HERE. Excerpts from the fire aviation section of the 2014 QRF are HERE.
The FS thinks that in order to make a dead horse run faster you just need to put a new rider on it. Maybe have a committee study the dead horse or send the dead horse some acronym festooned emails.
1st thing, do away with the FS regulation regarding that only FAA certified aircraft (fixed wing and helicopters) can be used on federal lands. This FS regulation is in total conflict with FAA’s Public Use Exception.
Those that remember Tony Kern, here is a Kernisum. We will commission a study to agree with the decision we have already made.
Do y’all remember the Seinfield episode where Seinfield is trying to reserve a car? ‘You take the reservation, but you don’t reserve the car!” I think that episode sums up the FS/NPS nicely. They create these Commissions, they have tons of meetings, lots of ideas are written down, lots of tax dollars are wasted, reports are created (not submitted…How many years has Congress requested the numerous reports? 8 years? 10 years? 12 years?), but nothing ever gets implemented. Maybe, just maybe that’s because they fired many of the people who can make it happen!!! Reinstate the 634, so we can do our jobs!!! Stop wasting our time and money so that you can look like you are solving the problem!!! Solve the actual problem!!! I’m tired of helping the FS/NPS for free! Merry Christmas everyone and Happy New Year! Peace! Joy! Love!
You mean like all the airtanker studies of the 1990’s and the AFUE projects that still cannot define the puuurfect aircraft for retardant delivery??
#monitormonkey, exactly!!!
If we still use the input from the same “experts” are we expecting different results?
Roger Jaegel
Deja vu all over again.
Another new administration, another blue ribbon commission to study the wildfire problem. .
Save the taxpayer money and just implement the recommendations of all the previous commissions. oh yeah… that won’t happen. The real changes need legislation to implement and require funding. Neither will occur. Congress will look at the massive deficit created by all the massive social engineering programs now being rammed through, and realize they need to save money elsewhere. Wildfire issues are important to the readers of this website, but in the big scheme of national priorities wildfires are a small annoyance and very minor issue. 83% of all people in the US live in urban areas and are only occasionally and indirectly affected by wildfires. Fires are a very low priority issue to the entire northeast and large cities. The voters in New York, Chicago, Miami, Houston et al really do not care if the western US burns up or not. Congress will follow the whims of their constituents, and let’s face it, the people that are affected most by wildfires have little to no influence in Congress and Congress doesn’t care. In the current political environment rural fire-prone communities are pariahs and outcasts in Washington.
It the same in our jurisdiction as our small population means Wildfires are little more than a splashy headline. The vast majority who ultimately “pay the freight” know next to nothing about the Bush and frankly don’t care as it doesn’t effect them and this is true of all of N America.
UUUUHHHHHGGGGGG!!!!! We have already done this!!! We gave them a 23-page proposal and they did NOTHING!!! So much money has already been wasted. This is the definition of insanity! Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome!!!
Capt., that’s the problem with in-house Reviews. They have to be led by an “outsider.”
In reply to The Pro, in reading #1 above, I would say they are definitely asking for Recommendations that will lead to decisions, as it should be. The QFRs are another “animal” altogether. The first is “tactical” while the QFRs are “strategic” or more obtuse. I say this for line officers who eventually will be responsible to implement any changes; not one of those who pontificates about it.
What I am trying to say in my first note, and in reply to Barbara, is that “the right people” must be selected for this Commission; not political-types, staffers, et al. True professionals, highly experienced in such matters as described. We need a “no nonsense” type of Report or Findings; something that either directs certain actions or that is crystal clear about what needs to change or re-directed, as an example. To use military terms, the makeup needs to be of Colonels and MasterSargents, not Generals.
Amen to that!
Barbara
My point was just to highlight one of many examples of extensive assessment, analysis and recommendations to improve the federal wildfire system. The DOI and FS at the top do not want to improve the system because it would require doing the very things that make them look like an emergency response organization.
What is the one thing either organization has done from the top levels of leadership that has improved the response capability without it being mandated by political pressure?
….and who are these colonels and masterSargent equivalents? The FS is managed by non-firefighters line officers that have no background in the field anymore much less firefighter experience. The last firefighter a firefighter works for in the FS is a GS 11 Division Chief. From that point all the way to the head of the agency’s their chain of command is “line officers”.
Could Imagine the civilian leadership of the military down to the battalion command level, or the city council managing down to the company officer level?
An 1800’s model from when Rangers were Rangers.
Besides, you already have the WFLC, Wildland Fire Leadership Council, that was created to handle these issues. But It was unfortunately loaded with TOO Fed Chiefs who NEVER once listened to the few non Feds on the Council. I would know, I was one of the non Feds on the Council.
WFLC? ? Yeh, that sounds about as useful as a square tire.
They can start with the 3 QFRs that were produced with recommendations that were never implemented! The last one produced in 2015.
The Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR) is a strategic assess- ment process conducted every four years to evaluate cur- rent wildland fire management community strategies and capabilities against best estimates of the future environ- ment. This report is the third iteration of the QFR, which be- gan in 2005. It is not a formal policy or decision document, but rather a strategic evaluation of the long-range direction of wildland fire management. It looks far into the future to explore potential risks, challenges, and opportunities that may affect our ability to meet our mission. Moreover, it will inform our strategic planning, investments, operational capabilities, and positioning.
https://www.forestsandrangelands.gov/documents/qfr/2014QFRFinalReport.pdf
Good idea. Thanks.
Here is a link to the Quadrennial Fire Reviews in 2005, 2009, and 2014; the latter was released in 2015.
hmmmmmm. Another Review; another Report; another Commission. It’s a typical political solution when there is no leadership. Having said that, it’s also a two-edged sword, meaning some good will come of it as w.ell as more can-kicking down the road.
I have seen so many post-fire Reviews that sit in a file somewhere, never to be seen, with Actionable Findings that go absolutely no where; as well as Fire Reviews that do not tell the truth about actual causes of firefighter deaths because they are too painful to families to hear. Sure they’re painful; just ask the fallen.
If these Reviews are not honest, it will be the same old BS that many of us old warriors have seen for decades.
Let’s hope that the “low bidder concept” goes out the window when it comes to firefighter safety.
Can you make specific suggestions to avoid some of the pitfalls you have outlined?
Ms. Levinson ,
You are obviously a F.S. Employee. Possibly employed to be part of this commission and have no idea of how to go about it because you have no experience in the field. Do not take this as an attack on you, you are trying to just do you job, I understand that.
I am sorry, but the U.S. Forest Service is a failure as an Agency and to the People of the United States and needs to be TOTALLY torn down and rebuilt , or have a totally new wildfire agency put into place to handle today’s changed environment !
What the…? I am NOT a fire service employee. I am a concerned citizen. And you sir, are making this political and you are rude!!
Sorry
I won’t bother you again.