ORIGIN OF RESOLUTION:
Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Committee
NASF Fire Committee

ISSUE OF CONCERN:
Fire use and education in the wildland-urban interface.

BACKGROUND:
Forested landscapes play a vital role in providing water, wood, recreation, and a legacy for future generations. Many forests near urban areas are being developed into communities, creating an interface area where wildland fires greatly threaten homes and resources. The need to eliminate unwanted, human caused fires in these areas is extremely urgent. Protecting our precious private, state, and even Federal woodlands, requires the knowledge and participation of the forestland owners, community residents, policy makers, and fire suppression agencies working together in a harmonious fire education effort. Landowners need to be encouraged to practice good forest stewardship, and be shown that active silviculture practices, including timber harvests, can be conducted as part of, and in full support of, their overall forest management goals. Communities in the interface should use FIREWISE safety practices such as fire resistant building and landscaping materials in cooperation with local fire suppression agencies. In many cases, the use of fire to reduce fire threats to woodlands and communities is essential to assure the loss of neither.

Strong partnerships between State Foresters, local fire agencies, state air quality boards, and Federal wildland fire agencies are needed to ensure the proper woodland management is conducted on private lands.

RESOLUTION:
State Foresters should proactively engage their respective State Air Quality Coordinators in Air Quality Control Plan development. This will ensure that silvicultural interests are better represented in state Air Quality Control Plans and subsequently provide the proper of use of fire to reduce wildfire hazards and protect both the resource and private property. Furthermore, the NASF will aggressively pursue increases in the State Fire Assistance within the State and Private Forestry branch of the Forest Service to promote fire use education and prevention programs, materials, and teams that enhance public understanding, acceptance and involvement in reducing the threat to wildlands.

NASF ACTION:
(X) Approved

DATE OF ACTION: October 4, 2000