Today the U. S. Forest Service issued a news release. Here is an excerpt:
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Departments of Agriculture and Interior improve wildland fire management
WASHINGTON, March 28, 2011 — Today the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) released two documents to address the wildland fire management challenges across America:
- A National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy) (PDF, 1.7 MB)
- The Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act of 2009– Report to Congress (PDF, 1.3 MB)
Together, these documents provide the framework for a three-phase, strategic effort to restore and maintain resilient landscapes, create fire-adapted communities, and respond to wildfires. The effort has been overseen by the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC), an intergovernmental body of federal, state, tribal and municipal stakeholders.
The documents’ creation and implementation is considered phase one and will serve as the foundation for the entire effort.Regional strategies will be developed in the next phase, and a national trade-off analysis will be conducted in the final phase. This phased approach will enhance the ability to plan for, respond to, and recover from wildland fire incidents.
“Wildland fire management is complex and involves a wide range of federal, state, local, tribal and non-governmental stakeholders,” said Rhea Suh, DOI Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget. “A key to success for this effort is its inclusiveness. This cohesive strategy effort has applicability and relevance across all wildland fire management agencies and jurisdictions — from rural fire departments to state forestry agencies and federal land management agencies.”
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More information about the Cohesive Strategy
