NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE FORESTERS
444 North Capitol Street, NW, Suite 540, Washington, DC 20001
 

Testimony of James B. Hull
Texas State Forester

Before the House Committee on Agriculture

July 23, 2003

On the 2002 Wildfire Season and the Outlook for 2003 and Beyond

Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Committee.  My name is Jim Hull, and I am the State Forester of Texas and Chair of the Forest Fire Protection Committee for the National Association of State Foresters (NASF).  I am pleased to testify on behalf of NASF by offering my observations on last year’s fire season and the outlook for the remainder of this year.  I will address some of the factors that are responsible for the severe fire activity we have seen in recent years, and describe some of the work that State Foresters are doing, along with our partners, to address this complex problem.  I will close with our recommendations for Congressional action on several key issues. 

NASF is a non-profit organization that represents the directors of the state forestry agencies from all fifty states, eight U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.  State Foresters manage and protect state and private forests across the U.S., which together encompass two-thirds of the nation’s forests. 

While serving as Chairman of the NASF Fire Committee, I currently have the privilege to represent NASF on the Wildland Fire Leadership Council.  I also recently served as co-chair of the National Blue Ribbon Commission on Aerial Firefighting, and I am a member of the Forest Science Advisory Council at Texas A&M University.

The 2002 Fire Season

The 2002 Fire Season in the United States was one of the worst on record.  The National Interagency Fire Center reported that in 2002, over 88,000 wildfires burned almost 7 million acres, destroyed 815 structures, and cost the federal government over $1.6 billion.  This came on the heels of the 2000 fire season, which many characterize as the “worst” year for wildfires since 1910, the year a series of lightning-caused fires burned together into a massive, wind driven fire front that eventually burned over five million acres and killed 78 people in Northern Idaho and Montana.  2001 was also an active fire year, so that over the last 3-year period (2000 – 2002), we had a cumulative total of 300,000 wildfires, 19 million acres burned, and 2,400 structures burned, all at a cost to the federal government of nearly $4 billion.  These numbers do not account for many of the thousands of fires that are fought each year by volunteer fire departments and local government forces and the tremendous costs of fire suppression to state and local entities. 

One of the worst fires last summer was the Hayman Fire in Colorado, which burned in the forests west of Denver.  This fire burned over 138,000 acres, destroyed 132 homes, and severely damaged the Denver watershed.  The USDA Rocky Mountain Research station has recently completed a major study of the fire.  One of their findings was that treatment units, including thinnings, as well as previous wildfires were important in changing the spread of the fire.  Specifically, they found that the size of the fuel treatment unit in relation to the size of the wildfire was likely a significant factor, and that larger treatment areas were more effective than smaller fuel breaks in changing the spread of the fire.  Given these findings, it is critical that efforts by federal agencies to carry out planned fuel reduction projects proceed without being slowed by misguided appeals and litigation.

What is the outlook for this year?

The trend is obvious.  With continuing drought and deteriorating forest health conditions across much of the nation, particularly in the west, the trend experienced over the past three years is a clear indicator of what can be expected in the near future – and quite likely beyond.  In other words, the federal government should be prepared to spend over $1 billion per year on wildland fire suppression, yet still lose over 6 million acres and over 800 structures to wildfire each year.

The 2003 fire season has started slowly, due to a wet winter and spring across the southeast, much of the northeast, and parts of the west; however, it is now beginning to pick up.  For July and August, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise is predicting above normal fire danger through the Great Basin states and parts of California and the Pacific Northwest, with the remainder of the west at normal summer fire danger.  In addition, northern Maine and northern Minnesota continue to be dry.  Just this past weekend, the National Interagency Fire Center moved to National Preparedness Level 4, which is next to the highest level of readiness.

Why are we seeing such an increase in fire behavior?

The reasons for these sobering statistics are numerous.  The primary reason is continuing drought and higher than normal temperatures.  This year, fuel models across much of the west are showing fire danger levels that exceed the highest ever recorded for this time of year.  The combination of continued hot and dry weather, unhealthy, overgrown forests and the resulting accumulation of forest fuels, is a certain recipe for wildland fire conflagrations. 

Another factor of equal significance is the current unconstrained growth of the wildland/urban interface (WUI). This is resulting in the very high probability of catastrophic wildfire and devastation to rural communities, such as we witnessed in the Bitterroot Valley in Montana in 2000 and in Arizona, Colorado and Oregon in 2002.  Under such conditions as we faced over the past 3 years – and which challenge us again this summer – the nation is literally at the mercy of a few careless humans and numerous lightning strikes.  Once a wildfire eludes our initial response under these conditions, there is often little that fire fighters can do to stop it. 

Even though our very efficient and effective interagency wildland fire community controls 98-99% of all wildfires during initial and extended attack, the one to two percent of fires that escape can still wreak considerable havoc on our landscapes.  For example, the most recent three-year annual average for the total number of fires is over 98,000 fires per year.  If just one percent of those fires escape initial attack, we will have approximately 1,000 large fires to combat. 

In order to effectively address the growing danger from wildfires, all levels of government (federal, state, and local) must work together in a holistic way.

• Prevention.  First, a stronger commitment and investment must be made in prevention and mitigation.  Private landowners in the wildland/urban interface must take more personal responsibility for their own safety and survivability by establishing defensible space around their homes and businesses and by using more non-flammable building materials.  States and local governments must aggressively address the serious problem of unconstrained growth in the wildland/urban interface by promoting programs such as Firewise.  Strong consideration should be given to instituting and enforcing such programs in subdivision guidelines and ordinances.
• Awareness/Readiness.  Second, efforts across the nation should be accelerated to accurately assess and evaluate the location and extent of wildfire hazards.  Wildfire potential must be understood and closely monitored to prevent “surprises” and to pre-stage available fire suppression resources, as well as to target fire prevention efforts.  The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should be encouraged to assist in paying to prevent disasters, rather than responding only after disasters have occurred.
• Preparedness.  Third, wildland fire agencies must build their suppression capacity and capability if they are to have any hope of sustaining their 99% success rate in initial response to wildland fire ignitions.  Keeping fires small is especially critical for state agencies and rural fire departments, who respond to the vast majority of fire starts across our country.  Keeping fires small is unquestionably the best method of reducing fire suppression costs. Keeping fires small will also minimize the potential of wildfire spreading into the wildland/urban interface.  Finally, keeping fires small is much safer for fire fighters, as it limits their long-term exposure to active fire.
• Fuels.  Last, federal and state agencies must aggressively implement coordinated and sequenced fuels reduction projects on landscapes in the vicinity of communities.  It is important to first reduce the fuels directly around communities and then move projects out into the forest.  Importantly, when reducing fuels in the interface there is no single, specific distance that will guarantee safety to the community.  A fast moving crown fire can easily spread many miles during a single afternoon’s run, and depending upon local conditions, it may throw burning embers over a mile in advance of the burning front.  Therefore, it is critical to the safety of communities that the fuel continuity be altered adjacent to and beyond the actual ‘interface.’

Fire behavior research shows that fuels, weather and topography determine fire behavior (spread and intensity).   Of these three factors, fuel is the only variable over which we have any control.  Therefore, to stop the spread of a wildfire it is necessary to break the vertical and horizontal continuity of the fuels on the landscape – keep fires out of the crowns of the trees and create large fuel breaks.  This was confirmed by the Hayman Fire study referenced earlier.  Researchers found that under the extreme conditions of June 9, 2002, spotting from the fire easily jumped narrow treatment units, and the fire’s rapid spread circumvented smaller treatment areas.

What are States doing to help address the risk and costs of wildfire?

The forestry agencies in all 50 states and eight U.S. territories, along with over 28,000 rural fire departments, comprise our country’s largest wildland fire fighting force and suppress the vast majority of wildfires across the nation.  Although current national statistics are incomplete due to under-reporting, it is a well known fact that over 75% of the 88,458 fires reported to the National Interagency Fire Center in 2002 occurred on non-federal jurisdictions and represented over one third of the total acreage burned.  States are currently taking a number of proactive steps to address the wildland fire situation.

• The state forestry agencies have taken the lead in developing a national process to identify and prioritize communities that are at risk from wildfire – one of the tasks in the Implementation Plan for the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy.  This process, which is currently being implemented by both state and federal agencies, will result in state-by-state maps showing zones of relative risk to communities and landscapes.  It will then characterize that risk using ratings of high, medium, or low risk.  Based on these risk zones, collaborative groups comprised of federal, state, tribal, and local agencies can then identify high priority fuel reduction projects in each state.  This data will also be valuable in planning and positioning suppression resources and targeting fire prevention efforts.
• The National Association of State Foresters has also taken the lead on another important task in the 10-Year Implementation Plan.  NASF formed a collaborative group that has just completed a report to Congress on the capabilities and needs of local, rural, and volunteer fire departments.  That report should be released in the next couple of weeks.  In it are a number of recommendations for strengthening the wildland response capabilities of rural and volunteer fire departments.  The report focuses on four key areas:  wildland fire training; efficient interagency response; initial response & emergency communications capability; and coordinated federal and state assistance.
• In addition, NASF has demonstrated a strong commitment to cost containment.  In July 2001 we published a report, “Cost Containment on Large Fires – Efficient Utilization of Wildland Fire Suppression Resources.”  We also participated on the interagency team that drafted the March 2003 report:  “Large Fire Cost Reduction Action Plan.”  The NASF report was used by the National Academy of Public Administration last year in their study and recommendations for cost containment of large fires.  We strongly recommend the full implementation by the Federal land management agencies of the recommendations in the 2003 Action Plan.
• States are also becoming heavily involved in responding to non-wildfire, emergency assignments.  Last week, the Texas Forest Service was called to assist in the Hurricane Claudette response.  Over the past few months we have seen an unprecedented level of involvement in emergencies, including the outbreak of Exotic Newcastle Disease (a devastating disease affecting chickens) in California and the southwest, and the response to the Columbia shuttle disaster in Texas. 

In the case of the Columbia shuttle response, the Texas Forest Service became the first state forestry agency ever to be assigned the lead in a Presidentially-declared federal disaster.  Over the 3 months of the response and recovery effort, fifteen Incident Management Teams and a total of over 17,000 personnel from 43 states were assigned to assist in the Shuttle Recovery in Texas and surrounding states.  A large number of the personnel were state and local government employees.  In addition, states are increasingly called upon to assist in a wide variety of planning for Homeland Security programs at the federal, state and local level. 

How can Congress help?

• Reimbursement to states for assistance on non-fire incidents.  Unfortunately, an unintended consequence of the recent mobilization of state and local government personnel to assist with the Columbia Shuttle recovery effort was the determination that the USDA Forest Service has no legal authority to reimburse states for providing personnel for non-wildland fire incidents.  Although the Forest Service is exploring every avenue to find a short term solution, some states still have not been reimbursed.  This has caused problems for states with constitutional requirements for balanced budgets, and whose fiscal year ended on June 30.  This is a problem that will require federal legislation to rectify.  Without such legislation, it will be difficult (if not impossible) for many states to respond to non-wildland fire emergencies outside their state boundaries.
• Support HR 1311, the Rural Fire Department Equipment Priority Act of 2003, introduced by Rep. Ross, and its companion bill, S. 641, introduced by Sen. Lincoln.  The Ross bill currently has 45 cosponsors, but we would like to have many more.  We commend Congressman Ross for his leadership on this issue, and we appreciate your support, Mr. Chairman, and the many members of this committee who are already cosponsors of the bill. 

Rep. Ross’ bill is urgently needed so that we can continue to equip our local volunteer fire departments with firefighting and safety equipment, and so that states can maintain and upgrade their air tankers and helicopter fleet to maintain their safe and efficient fire fighting and initial attack capabilities.  Without the Ross bill, future capabilities to address wildland fire – at the state and the local level – will be in great jeopardy.  We seek your support in moving the bill through the legislative process and to final passage as quickly as possible.

I should note that the Blue Ribbon Commission on Aerial Firefighting, in our evaluation of Fire Aviation Safety, reviewed the fire aviation program at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and found it to be a model of excellence in the U.S. which other states and the Federal government should strongly consider.  California’s quality program is supported by a fleet of aircraft acquired by loan through the USDA Forest Service from the Department of Defense Federal Excess Personal Property program.  Some twenty states use FEPP aircraft, while all 50 states and several territories rely on FEPP for vehicles, tools and personal protective equipment.  State Foresters universally agree that without this program we could not adequately equip our local and volunteer fire departments, who often are the first responders to a wildland fire, nor could we continue our cost-effective fire aviation programs to protect public safety and our valuable natural resources.

• Enact the Healthy Forests Restoration Act into law.  NASF appreciates the leadership taken by the House Resources and Agriculture Committees to quickly pass HR 1904, the Healthy Forests Restoration Act.  We have testified in support of the bill in both the House and the Senate, and we look forward to completion of a final bill that:  expedites treatment of hazardous forest fuels on federal lands; increases utilization of wood biomass; establishes a new Watershed Forestry Assistance Program to help family forest landowners improve water quality through better forest management; and expedites basic and applied research to address a host of critical forest pests across the nation.  
• Fund the Community and Private Land Fire Assistance Program.  This program was authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill, thanks in large part to the work of this Committee.  Now, we need funding to implement the program and, in doing so, help achieve the objectives of the National Fire Plan.  The Community and Private Lands Fire Assistance Program will provide the financial incentives and technical assistance needed to help communities reduce their risk of wildland fire through:  community protection planning; multi-resource wildfire planning; and expanded community and landowner education.  It will also provide direct financial assistance to help communities reduce hazardous fuels. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee, I thank you for taking the time to address the critical issue of wildland fire.  NASF urges Congress to take the steps I have outlined above to reimburse states for assistance on non-fire incidents; to quickly enact the Ross bill and the Healthy Forests Restoration Act; and to fully fund the Community and Private Lands Fire Assistance Program at the authorized level of $35 million annually.  All of these measures will help to improve the ability of federal, state and local agencies and volunteer fire departments to protect our citizens and our resources from devastating wildland fires.  Implementing these steps, together with the recommendations we have previously offered to reduce the cost of wildland fires, will enable us to do our job more efficiently and effectively. 

Thank you for the opportunity to testify today.  I would be happy to answer any questions you may have.