To: NWCG Executive Board
From: NWCG Chair
Date: July 30, 2008
Subject: Communication Plan for the Modifications to the Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy

On March 24, 2008, the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) approved the modifications to the "Interagency Strategy for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2003)" and directed the agencies to proceed with implementation. The proposed modifications or "revised direction" will be implemented on a limited number of field units (pilot sites) this summer, and then incorporated into revised "Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Policy" expected to be issued in November 2008.

As part of the implementation of the modifications, WFLC included a requirement to have a Communication Plan. This Plan outlines a communication strategy for implementing modifications by providing consistent language and understanding of the proposed modifications across internal and external audiences and partners, providing consistent messages to convey to affected audiences, and focus on pilot units to build capacity to effectively develop understanding with local key publics, partners, and employees.

The Communication Plan and supporting documents can be found on the fire policy web page:
www.nifc.gov/fire_policy.

For the units not selected as pilot sites for the new guidance, existing guidance will continue to
be applied this calendar year.

Future Work
Experience gained in the select pilot units will be used to draft guidance for national application in 2009. Work has also begun on revising federal wildland fire management agency and interagency agreements to reflect policy implementation language changes.

Please contact the Task Group Co-Chairs if you have any questions or concerns.

Richard Bahr, Co-chair AMR Task Group
National Park Service, Branch of Wildland Fire
Fire Science & Ecology Program Leader

Rich Lasko, Co-chair AMR Task Group
USDA - Forest Service
Fire & Aviation Management
Assistant Director Fuels & Fire Ecology