Implementation of the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (CS) has moved forward this spring with the formation of the National Strategic Committee (NSC), the establishment of three priorities, one for each of the three CS tenets by the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC), and ongoing work by the NSC and the three Regional Strategic Committee’s (RSC’s) to develop short and long term objectives for each WFLC priority.
Most importantly, significant CS activities have been completed on the ground in every state by RSC’s, State Forestry agencies, and numerous cooperators.
The three WFLC priorities and “draft” objectives currently being discussed and refined include the following.
CS Strategy Goal – “Resilient Landscapes”
To promote landscape scale land management activities that address the creation & maintenance of resilient landscapes.
Short-term Objectives
- Funding information is consolidated, accessible, available & user friendly.
- Regulatory processes are aligned & streamlined through stakeholder collaboration.
- Agency business rules & practices are aligned & streamlined through federal, state and local collaboration
Longer-term Objectives
- Projects are conducted collaboratively across large landscapes.
- Wildland fire risk is reduced.
- Success is measured using an outcome based approach.
CS Strategy Goal – “Fire-adapted Communities” (FAC)
Support stakeholders & the public to actively plan, create & maintain fire-adapted communities & landscapes & assist local jurisdictions to reduce risk to communities from wildfire.
Short-term Objectives
- By 2018 a majority of the Communities at Risk have made meaningful progress to reduce wildfire risk.
- Communities are more resilient to the effects of wildfire because of effective land use planning (i.e. zoning, regulations & incentives).
- Improved communications through consistent FAC terms & principles.
Longer-term Objectives
- The public demonstrates: a greater understanding & acceptance of prescribed fire and wildfire risk; their responsibilities for mitigating that risk; and a greater understanding of their role in becoming fire adapted.
CS Strategy Goal – “Wildfire Response”
Maximize the collective synergy of federal, tribal, state, local & private response resources.
Short-term Objectives
- Agency business rules & practices are aligned & streamlined through federal, state and local collaboration
- Future wildfire response is improved.
Longer-term Objectives
- Increased benefits through the use of fire and thinnings as a management tool for land management objectives; for reduction of wildfire risk; & for enhancement of firefighter safety.
Overarching/Cross-cutting Objectives
Short-term Objectives
- Consistent & timely communications of CS goals & priorities through a national Communication Plan.
- Data is used effectively to support & demonstrate achievement of CS goals.
- “All-lands” are incorporated into the implementation tasks for all WFLC priorities.
Longer-term Objectives
- Data is used effectively to support & demonstrate achievement of CS goals.
Input by State Foresters is requested by their representative on the NSC. The expertise of NASF members is critically important to insuring a national CS implementation process not only meets the needs of State Foresters, but works on the ground.
To provide input please contact Pete Anderson at pete@basin-range.com.