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Fire Management Today Is Published by the Forest Service of the U.S Fire today ManagementVolume 62 • No. 2 • Spring 2002 NATIONAL FIRE PLANLAN United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Fire Management Today is published by the Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. The Secretary of Agriculture has determined that the publication of this periodical is necessary in the transaction of the public business required by law of this Department. Fire Management Today is for sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, at: Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: 202-512-1800 Fax: 202-512-2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-0001 Fire Management Today is available on the World Wide Web at <http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/planning/firenote.htm>. Ann M. Veneman, Secretary April J. Baily U.S. Department of Agriculture General Manager Dale Bosworth, Chief Robert H. “Hutch” Brown, Ph.D. Forest Service Managing Editor Jerry Williams, Director Madelyn Dillon Fire and Aviation Management Editor The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Disclaimer: The use of trade, firm, or corporation names in this publication is for the information and convenience of the reader. Such use does not constitute an official endorsement of any product or service by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Individual authors are responsible for the technical accuracy of the material presented in Fire Management Today. 2 Fire Management Today Fire today Management Volume 62 • No. 2 • Spring 2002 On the Cover: CONTENTS Protecting Communities Through the National Fire Plan .......................................................... 4 Michael T. Rains and Jim Hubbard Flagstaff Interface Treatment Prescription: Results in the Wildland–Urban Interface ............. 13 Alan Farnswoth and Paul Summerfelt Mobile Fire-Mapping Units Support Wildland Fire Suppression ................................................... 19 Professional designers Rick Connell created a special image— How Accurate Are Haines Index Forecasts on the partly replicated here—to University of Wisconsin Website? ...................... 21 promote the National Fire Brian E. Potter, Thor Sawin, and Jonathan Martin Plan’s central purposes, including more funding for 1937 Blackwater Fire Investigation: Boost for fire protection (see the Smokejumpers? .............................................. 24 related article by Michael Karl Brauneis Rains and Jim Hubbard Fire Orders: Do You Know Their Original Intent?........ 27 beginning on page 4). Karl Brauneis About the Way We Fight Fires ................................ 30 Mike Benefield Coming Soon: Gum-Thickened Fire Retardants .......... 34 Charles W. George Hub Helps Prepare for Fire Season ......................... 36 Moira Finn Accelerated Aviation Training .................................. 38 The FIRE 21 symbol (shown below and on the cover) stands for the safe and effective use of Erich J. Schwab wildland fire, now and throughout the 21st century. Its shape represents the fire triangle So You Want To Be a Firefighter ............................. 39 (oxygen, heat, and fuel). The three outer red Judith K. Kissinger triangles represent the basic functions of wildland fire organizations (planning, operations, and aviation management), and the three critical Mobilized! ............................................................ 43 aspects of wildland fire management (prevention, Judith K. Kissinger suppression, and prescription). The black interior represents land affected by fire; the emerging green points symbolize the growth, restoration, Smokey Awards Presented for 2000 and 2001........ 44 and sustainability associated with fire-adapted Dianne Daley Laursen ecosystems. The flame represents fire itself as an ever-present force in nature. For more informa­ tion on FIRE 21 and the science, research, and innovative thinking behind it, contact Mike SHORT FEATURES Apicello, National Interagency Fire Center, 208-387-5460. Websites on Fire................................................... 33 National Fire Plan at Work ..................................... 37 Wild Fire .............................................................. 49 Allison Walker Guidelines for Contributors..................................... 50 Firefighter and public safety is our first priority. Annual Photo Contest ............................................ 51 Volume 62 • No. 2 • Spring 2002 3 PROTECTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH THE NATIONAL FIRE PLAN Michael T. Rains and Jim Hubbard n August 2000, the Administration directed the Secretaries of Agricul­ Strong local partnerships are essential I ture and the Interior to prepare a for an adequate level of fire protection report that would recommend how in the wildland–urban interface. best to respond to the year’s severe wildland fires, reduce the impacts of fires on rural communities, and The NFP called for actions in five Wildland–Urban ensure sufficient firefighting key areas: Interface resources in the future. The Secre­ The wildland–urban interface (W– taries were also asked to list actions 1. Firefighting. Continue to fight UI) can be defined as the line, area, that Federal agencies, in coopera­ fires safely and maintain a cost- or zone where structures and other tion with States and local commu­ effective level of preparedness in human development meet or nities, could take to reduce immedi­ firefighting and prevention. intermingle with undeveloped ate hazards to communities in the 2. Rehabilitation and restoration. wildland. W–UI protection is wildland–urban interface and to Rehabilitate fire-damaged important to the Federal Govern­ ensure that fire management wildlands and restore high-risk ment because federally managed planning and firefighter personnel ecosystems. and resources are prepared for 3. Hazardous fuel reduc­ extreme fire conditions in the tion. Invest in projects future. to reduce fire risk. 4. Community assis­ National Fire Plan tance. Work directly The report, titled Managing the with communities to Impacts of Wildfire on Communi­ reduce the risks of ties and the Environment: A Report catastrophic fire. to the President In Response to the 5. Accountability. Main­ Wildfires of 2000, came to be tain a high level of known as the National Fire Plan accountability, includ­ (NFP).* It was approved in Septem­ ing oversight reviews, ber 2000. Congress supported the progress tracking, and NFP through its fiscal year 2001 performance monitor­ (FY01) appropriation action, ing. providing detailed guidance to the U.S. Departments of Agriculture Table 1 shows NFP fund­ and the Interior on implementing ing for the USDA Forest the plan. Today, the two depart­ Service, for FY01 through ments are working closely together FY03 (proposed in the to put the plan into action. President’s budget). The final FY02 funding level Michael Rains is the Director of the for the NFP reached about Northeastern Research Station, USDA $2.3 billion. Table 2 shows Forest Service, Newtown Square, PA; and Jim Hubbard is the State Forester of the amounts needed, Colorado, Fort Collins, CO. proposed, and enacted for Fire whirl on the Valley Complex Fire near Darby, MT. the Forest Service. Extreme fire behavior was typical on many large fires * For the executive summary of the National Fire Plan, in 2000, helping to build a consensus behind the see Fire Management Today 61(2): 9–11. National Fire Plan. USDA Forest Service, 2000. 4 Fire Management Today lands are adjacent to or inter­ in a landscape thick with vegetation NATIONAL FIRE mingled with State, county, and ready to burn. There are many PLAN LONG-TERM municipal lands. Within the W–UI, management challenges in the GOALS a critical responsibility for Federal Nation’s public and private forests, land managers is the management woodlands, and rangelands; how­ of fuels to minimize risk to people, ever, none is more critical than • Reduce the threat of severe, property, and natural resources. reducing the risk to lives, property, destructive wildland fires. However, the Federal agencies and resources in the W–UI. • Create safer living condi­ cannot solve this problem alone. tions in rural areas and the Cooperation among all levels of The 2000 fire season demonstrated wildland/urban interface. government and strong local the seriousness of the problem, • Conserve high-priority partnerships are essential if an showing that the W–UI is not an watersheds, species, and adequate level of fire protection is isolated regional problem. biodiversity. to be achieved. Throughout the United States, a • Restore fire-adapted rapidly growing population of ecosystems. News footage and media reports retirees, young professionals, and • Improve the health, resil­ during the summer of 2000 pro­ others is moving from the cities ience, and sustainability of vided the Nation with a more into the wildlands in search of
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