Fire today ManagementVolume 73 • No. 1 • 2013
The Long and Winding Road
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.
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Tom Vilsack, Secretary Melissa Frey U.S. Department of Agriculture General Manager
Thomas L. Tidwell, Chief Mary A. Carr, EMC Publishing Arts Forest Service Editor
Tom Harbour, Director Fire and Aviation Management
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August 2013
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Fire Management Today 2 Fire Management today Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013
On the Cover: ConTenTs Anchor Point: Risk Management–A Better Future . . . . . 4 Tom Harbour
Applied Risk Management: Southwest Idaho Area Command Team (ACT) ...... 6 Jeff Whitney
The Emerging Wildfire Air Quality Response Effort . . . . 13 Peter Lahm and Mark Fitch Aerial view of firefighters en-route to base camp in Forest Service vehicles on the Gladiator Fire, Developing Standardized Strategic Response Categories Prescott National Forest, Arizona, May 24, 2012. for Fire Management Units ...... 18 Photo by Kari Greer Matthew P. Thompson, Crystal S. Stonesifer, Robert C. Seli, and Marlene Hovorka
Intentional Retention: Roadmapping Your Fire Career . . 25 . Ken Frederick
Prevention and Education Teams—A Valuable Resource . . . 29 Jim Funk
Firefighter Property Program Deemed a Success in Texas ...... 33 April Saginor The USDA Forest Service’s Fire and Aviation Management Staff has adopted a logo reflecting three central principles of wildland Fire Shirts for Safety, Not Fashion: Proper Use of PPE fire management: To Prevent Thermal Heat Burn Injuries ...... 36 • Innovation: We will respect and value thinking minds, voices, and thoughts of Fred J. Schoeffler those that challenge the status quo while focusing on the greater good. 2013 Smokey Bear Award Winners ...... 41 • Execution: We will do what we say we will do. Achieving program objectives, Gwen Beavans improving diversity, and accomplishing targets are essential to our credibility. • Discipline: What we do, we will do well. Fiscal, managerial, and operational discipline are at the core of our ability to shoRT FeaTuRes fulfill our mission. Success Stories Wanted ...... 17 Contributors Wanted ...... 40 Photo Contest Announcement ...... 47
Firefighter and public safety is our first priority.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 3 by Tom Harbour Anchor Director, Fire and Aviation Management Point Forest Service
Risk ManageMenT—a BeTTeR FuTuRe
or anyone who has spent any Suppression, Aviation and Fuels This is not to say that the Doctrine amount of time working in the Foundational Doctrine (known as changed all things at once. The Fworld of wildland fire manage “Doctrine”)
Fire Management Today 4 management is diverse. Risk man- new benchmark in evolution of possesses inherent hazards that agement is the steel core of our wildland fire culture, policy, and can—even with reasonable miti safety blanket and the voice of our safety. Transparency, education, and gation—result in harm to fire wildland firefighters. Risk manage- decisive action are inseparable from fighters engaged in fire suppres ment is the one tangible program the core values of duty, respect, and sion operations. In recognition that provides assurances that safety integrity. Even without a mandate, of this fact, we are committed to is unified both organizationally and risk management has evolved into the aggressive management of individually; it is our collective pro- something recognizable, tangible, risk.” fessional commitment. and sensible, with measurable • The definition of success—“to results. safely achieve reasonable objec The Doctrine empowers; risk tives with the least amount of management encourages. New Our future is framed around two firefighter exposure necessary, principles, revised core values, and basic fundamental ideas of the while enhancing stakeholder a focus on what can be changed Doctrine: support for our management.” are all critical elements of the risk management philosophy. • “No resource or facility is worth Given those markers, we strive for the loss of human life; however, a new operational reality. Instead More than 100 years of fire expe- the wildland fire suppression of using overwhelming mass every riences have brought us to this environment is complex and where, every time, all the time, we apply wildfire response assets sufficient to accomplish agency On June 30, 2013, the interagency wildland fire community suffered administrator-defined objectives. another devastating loss when 19 members of the Granite Mountain Our focus is to allow the “boots on Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) perished on the Yarnell Fire in the ground” the ability to do their Arizona. Our hearts go out to their families, friends, and coworkers, as work more effectively as we recom they grieve, and we grieve with them. mit to caring for the land and serv ing the people. Firefighting is a dangerous occupation—one that is chosen by those who put others above themselves. We enjoy working in a noble pro fession. To maintain that nobility As we remember the members of the Granite Mountain IHC and demands that we think and execute all those who have gone before them, we must refocus on why the a better future. Our evolutionary Wildfire Suppression Fire Doctrine was originally developed and path is clear. We will continue on how the Doctrine raises the bar for front-line wildland firefighters, this safety journey, impeded by enabling them to make more effective tactical decisions and strate nothing other than our willing gic judgments and increasing their focus on heightening situational ness to change. This issue of Fire awareness. Management Today deals with one of the ways we can make a better The days ahead will be hard, but we must continue our safety journey, future for wildland fire manage learn from what happened, and continue to make it our first priority ment. I invite you to help make our to ensure that every firefighter returns home safely at the end of each future the best. shift.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 5 appLied Risk ManageMenT: souThWesT idaho aRea CoMMand TeaM (aCT) Jeff Whitney
he manner with which we man age large fires in the United A more strategic and integrated approach in all TStates continues to evolve. areas of our response to wildfire is more vital Many of the factors contributing to this evolution include the chang than ever. Relying on the time-tested management ing nature of wildland fire, agency approaches as a foundation is a given. policies, and the perceptions and expectations of cooperators and the public. A more strategic and inte applied to as many as 17 ongoing These EIM components were grated approach in all areas of our large fires within southwest Idaho included in the Southwest Idaho response to wildfire is more vital in mid-August 2012, in the midst Area Command (ACT 4) mission than ever. Relying on the time- of an extremely active western fire delivery; they also provided for the tested management approaches as a season. Demand for firefighting development, application, or inte foundation of our response to wild- resources was high. The increas gration of innovative processes, land fire is a given. We continue to ing number of additional new procedures, and technology to sup develop approaches to risk manage large fires continued, primarily in port incident objectives along with ment; strategic thinking; opportu the Great Basin, Northern Rockies, traditional roles and functions of nity recognition; and management and the California and Pacific Area Command. of exposure to our firefighters, Northwest geographic areas. the general public, and threats to During peak fire activity in early our valued natural and cultural The 2012 western fire season pro August, ACT 4 was ordered to man resources. All factor into improve vided opportunities to apply con age all type 1 and type 2 fires in ments to our collective response to cepts and recommendations for Idaho. ACT 4 received Delegations wildfire today. Area Command within the Evolving of Authority (DOAs) from: Incident Management (EIM) frame This case study looks at how policy, work adopted by the National 1. Forest Service Intermountain risk management, strategic think Wildland Fire Coordinating Group Region (Boise, Salmon-Challis, ing, and rules of engagement were (NWCG) in 2011. The transition and Sawtooth National Forests); from development to implementa 2. Bureau of Land Management Jeff Whitney recently retired as the tion is underway with completion (BLM), Idaho State Office Executive Director for Fire Program expected no later than 2016. (Minidoka/Springs only); and Analysis (FPA), a data and modeling system, and was employed by both the 3. Idaho Department of Lands Forest Service and U.S. Department of the EIM describes Area Command as (Southwest Protection District). Interior’s Office of Wildland Fire, serving an oversight group providing stra the five Federal wildland fire manage ment bureaus. As area commander of tegic planning, risk management, Common objectives were to assume Area Command Team 4 (ACT4), Whitney command, control, coordination, full authority and responsibility brought more than 40 years of wild- information management, and pre for the management and coordina land fire experience. He also possesses advanced degrees in both biology (B.S., paredness support. Area Command tion of all type 1 and type 2 fires in 1977) and natural resources management Teams will be expected to be a Idaho and to prioritize and allocate (M.S., 1996), focusing on ecological con source for innovative processes, critical resources. Three specific siderations and the integration of Remote procedures, and applied technology Sensing and Geographic Information Systems. to support incident objectives.
Fire Management Today 6 expectations were provided in the imagery and smoke monitoring ACT 4 was responsible for the delegations to ACT 4: coordinator. overall management of the inci dents and coordination of the 1. Develop and implement clear ACT 4 also developed a common fires; ensuring the development of objectives; operating picture (COP) in Google initial attack protocols in support 2. Continue and strengthen agency Earth™ as a way to organize and of affected agency units; coordi administrator–incident com display a wide array of available nating with three expanded dis mander partnerships in effective information in one place for stra patch offices, the East Great Basin management; and tegic planning, decisionmaking, Coordination Center, and the Great 3. Create, discuss, and document and communication among those Basin Multi-Agency Coordinating risk management through the involved at the time in southwest group; conducting in-briefing and use of the risk decision frame closeouts for IMTs; issuing and work. rescinding delegations of authority We continue to for IMTs within the Area Command; Each incident management team develop approaches and coordinating the completion (IMT), along with the associated of performance evaluations for the agency administrators and their to risk management; IMTs within the Area Command. representatives, were well engaged strategic thinking; in meeting policy expectations opportunity recognition; Background and and in the application of sound and management Synopsis of Events response techniques on their respective fires; they performed of exposure to our All the fires assigned to ACT 4 had well in meeting incident objectives firefighters, the general ignited and were staffed by August safely. The primary purpose for ACT public, and threats to 8. These included 5 large, single wildfires or complexes (a total of 17 4, while assigned, was to coordi our valued natural and nate and manage all of the current fires and 2,500 personnel) assigned and emerging fires while ensuring cultural resources. (figure 1). The geographic area availability of resources to respond had multiple other initial attack to other fires locally, regionally, and fires and emerging extended attack and large fires (table 1). Most of nationally. Idaho and for enhanced situational these fires were managed by type awareness locally, as well as with 3 organizations. The Great Basin Recognizing changing times and State, regional, and national offices. expectations, ACT 4 facilitated the geographic area was at prepared ness level 5 (PL5), the highest level; increased agency administrator/ ACT 4 was further expected to facil the national preparedness level was IMT engagement and developed or itate communication and coordina at 4. updated the Wildland Fire Decision tion between the agency admin Support System (WFDSS), includ istrators on the Boise National An in-briefing was provided to ing the risk decision framework, Forest, the Salmon-Challis National members of ACT 4 at 12:00 p.m. on with each IMT, as appropriate. Forest, the Sawtooth National August 10, and the team assumed This was accomplished by creat Forest, and the Payette National command at 6:00 a.m. on August ing a Strategic Decision Support Forest in the Forest Service 11. The ACT re-delegated author Unit (SDSU). The SDSU was a Intermountain Region and the ity to the IMTs assigned over the fundamental addition to the ACT Bitterroot National Forest in the ensuing 4 days. Closeouts, perfor structure and provided in-depth, Forest Service Northern Rockies mance reviews, and re-delegations near- and long-term strategic Region; Idaho Department of Lands occurred, as appropriate, over time planning. The SDSU included a (IDL); and the Idaho State Office as fires either concluded or IMT strategic operational planner, a fire of the BLM, Twin Falls District and rotations and transfers of command behavior analyst/long-term analyst, Boise District Offices. All of these occurred. a geospatial information specialists entities had portions of their land accessing Geographic Information that had already been burned or Once ACT 4 was established, it Systems (GIS), and an infrared was continuing to be threatened by was apparent that the traditional fire.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 7 24/48/72-hour planning time- had the highest of probabilities of long-duration management status, frames should be extended to a meeting their objectives for suc as the Minidoka and Springs Fires 3/7/14/30-day timescale for more cessful containment. The other were contained. effective strategic thinking and three fires (Mustang, Halstead, and planning to occur. Incident priori Trinity) were also allocated critical Minidoka Complex: Lund’s ties were developed; and resource resources but were lower priorities. Type 1 IMT allocations of crews, aviation, and All but the Halstead Fire were ini The Minidoka Complex (figure 2), other assigned resources were tially managed for full suppression. composed of five fires, was initially based upon risk analyses, which As predicted, all of the fires grew the only complex of fires identified. included threats, objectives, strate considerably over successive days Lund’s Type 1 IMT was managing gies, and probabilities of success. as a result of extreme fire behav multiple active fires with threats The highest priority fires were the ior. Strategies were adjusted and to private lands using mostly local Minidoka and Springs Fires, which the remaining fires were placed in initial attack resources. Extensive
Table 1.—Fires located within the Great Basin Geographic Area.
Priority GACC Incident State Unit Descriptive location Size 24-hr Percent Expected Team IC Crews Helicopters change contained contain date Initial attack and emerging fires T1 T2/ T1 T2 T3 1 T2IA 1a WB Bull Run ID No 209, Initial Attack in Area. Will include Browns Gulch, Lime, Homer, and Initial Attack. Mandatory evacuations in Complex effect 2 EB Minidoka ID STF 15 mi SE of Twin Falls 49,259 16,906 10% 8/20/12 Type 1 Lund 1 3 0 0 1 Complex 3 EB Pinyon UT NWS 1 mi NW of Eagle 5,684 1,184 30% 8/12/12 Type 3 Sanders 1 3 0 1 1 Mountain 4 WB Frazier NV BMD 30 mi NE of Eureka 13,000 2,000 30% 8/12/12 Type 3 Ahlvers (T) 0 7 1 0 1 5 WB Holloway NV WID 26 mi E of Denio 152,110 28,559 5% 8/22/12 Type 2 Ourada 5 3 1 2 2 6 EB Springs ID BOF 6 mi W of Garden 3,500 650 25% Type 3 McKibbin 6 4 2 1 1 Valley 7 EB Trinity Ridge ID BOF 7 mi NW of 30,000 6,357 5% Type 2 Suwyn 1 10 1 0 1 Featherville 8 WB Gilbert NV BMD 40 NW of Austin 29,000 4,000 55% 8/12/12 Type 3 Brit 1 5 0 0 0 9 EB Mustang ID SCF 28 air mi W of N Fork 3,032 601 0% Type 2 Adell 0 4 1 1 0 10 WB Willow NV NNS 40 mi N of Battle 23,000 - 50% 8/12/12 Type 3 Rader 2 7 2 0 1 Mountain 11 EB Grasshopper ID BOD 28 mi SSE of Jordan 332 0 60^ 8/12/12 Type 4 Dickson 0 0 2 0 1 Valley 12 EB Halstead ID SCF 18 mi NE of Stanley, 36,814 2,793 3% 10/16/12 Type 1 Houseman 4 4 2 0 1 ID 13 EB Flat Top 2 ID TFD 10 mi N of Kimama 140,000 5,000 60% Type 3 McCoy 0 0 0 0 1 14 WB Del Fire NV ELD 20 mi SE of Alamo 23,680 0 99% 8/13/12 Type 4 Karl 0 0 0 0 0 15 EB Faust UT SLD 9 mi NW of Vernon 22,616 45% 8/12/12 Type 3 Hunter 2 9 0 0 3 16 EB Hwy 30 ID TFD 3 mi W of Bliss 1,887 387 100% Type 3 Brinkley 0 0 0 0 0 * EB Hot Well ID TFD 8 mi E of Burley 3,056 56 40% Type 3 Loucks 0 0 0 0 0 ** WB Browns NV HTF ½ m NE of Mtn City 2,750 0% Type 3 Uhlig 0 1 0 0 0 Gulch ** WB Lime NV EKD 5 mi SW of Bull Run 15,000 0% 8/12/12 Type 3 Reid 0 0 0 0 2 Reservoir ** WB Homer NV NNS 7 mi NW of Wilson 3,000 15% 8/11/12 Type 5 Hoene 0 0 0 0 0 Reservoir *Hot Well was incorporated into the Minidoka Complex **Browns Gulch, Lime, and Homer included in the Bull Run Complex
Fire Management Today 8 fire growth occurred but was effec from fire spread along with several The alternative “worst-case sce tively impeded on all fires within potential courses of action includ nario” presented by the incident the complex, using the assigned ing values threatened and resources commander if resources were not resources. The fires were the first needed to contain fire spread. As re-assigned suggested that a sig to be returned to the local agencies. a result of this analysis and dis nificant loss of structures in the cussion, critical resources were Garden Valley, ID, area Wildland Springs Fire: Hahnenberg’s re-assigned or diverted from other Urban Interface would occur and Type 1-IMT ongoing fires within ACT 4’s the require the commitment of an ater of operation. Based upon the additional 8 to 10 Inter-regional The Springs Fire (figure 3) was a information provided by the IMT, Hotshot Crews (IHC) for up to 2 high-priority incident because of and the resulting strategies, tactics weeks. high-value IDL timber land, BLM supported by re-assigned resources grazing resource values, river rec from the Minidoka Complex and reation, and three threatened adja Mustang Fire: Adell’s Great these actions contributed to suc cent mixed interface communities. Basin Type 2 IMT cessful containment within several The Springs incident commander The Mustang Fire (figure 4) was days and the fire was returned to and long-term analyst (LTAN) also a complex, in actuality, con the local agencies and the IMT left presented projections to ACT 4 sisting of eight proximal small fires the incident. that identified potential threats in steep inaccessible terrain with
Figure 1.—Central Idaho fires location map. Figure 3.—Fire progression, Springs Fire.
Figure 2.—Fire progression, Minidoka Complex. Figure 4.—Fire progression, Mustang Fire.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 9 heavy fuels. Mustang Complex Once ACT 4 was established, it was apparent included the Lost Packer, Cayuse, Roan, Boulder, Horse Butte, East that the traditional 24/48/72-hour planning Butte, and Filly Fires, as well as timeframes should be extended to a the Mustang Fire. Significant 3/7/15/30-day timescale for more effective impacts to the local Salmon River strategic thinking and planning to occur. recreational economy were of key concern, as was the past history of fire shelter deployments and fatalities within the fire area. The was started by lightning on July ibility due to heavy smoke over the eight fires ultimately grew together 27. The Halstead Fire was actively entire fire area were the principal and were managed as one long- managed as a long-duration fire issues. Following several week’s, duration fire. In addition to the within days of the fire start. The Harvey transitioned with Lund as Salmon Challis National Forest, incident management organization resources became available and the Mustang fire also affected the assigned to manage the Halstead conditions moderated. Shortly Forest Service Northern Region’s Fire was also managing the Merino thereafter, the fire was zoned with Bitterroot National Forest, and Bench Fires, following ACT 4 Quisenberry’s Type 1 IMT in large Clearwater-Nez Perce National delegation. Houseman’s National measure to address the span of Forest, Payette National Forest, and Incident Management Organization control and the potential threat to the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National (NIMO) was assigned and remained Idaho City to the northeast of the Forest. Significant fire spread on the incident until late in the fire. increased the complexity, and season managing risk and exposure the decision was made to replace throughout. Despite high fire activity across Adell’s T2 IMT with Joseph’s Type the theater of engagement and 1 IMT. Blume’s Type 1 IMT and Trinity Ridge Fire; Suwyn’s owing to excellent management by Sciacca’s Type 1 IMTs transitioned Great Basin Type 2 IMT/ the respective IMTs, the Minidoka successively over the course of the Harvey’s Type 1-IMT Complex was the first to be con tained, followed shortly by contain 3-month duration of this incident. Trinity Ridge Fire (figure 6) was an ment of the Springs Fire. Each emerging Type 1 fire when ACT 4 successive containment, allowed for Halstead (including the Bench was assigned. Transition between re-allocation of assigned resources Suwyn’s Type 2 IMT and Harvey’s and Merino fires): Houseman’s and the return to station of the Type 1 IMT was underway as ACT 4 National Incident Management local initial attack resources that was assigned. Resource availability, Organization (NIMO) played a key role on both Minidoka threats to communities, rapid fire The Halstead Fire on the Salmon/ and Springs Fires. The Trinity growth, access, and limited vis Challis National Forest (figure 5) Ridge Fire was zoned to two type
Figure 5.—Fire progression, Halstead Fire. Figure 6.—Fire progression, Trinity Ridge Fire.
Fire Management Today 10 1 IMTs (Lund and Quisenberry), Mustang), including projected makers; it also helped in the formu owing to rapid growth over succes resource needs and costs. As a part lation of near-term objectives and sive burning periods. The Mustang of the transition, ACT 4 provided strategies and in the development Fire’s complexity increased, and a the necessary expertise required to of long-term plans. Type 1 team (Joseph) was ordered enable GBCC to continue aviation assigned and in-briefed. coordination, management for the Building upon the traditional COP, smoke monitoring and coor roles and responsibilities of Area Mission Specific dination expertise, along with staff Command to manage multiple Requests (MSR) ing to bolster GBCC’s capacity to ongoing incidents, the SDSU— take on the additional coordination including a strategic operational ACT 4 was notified on August 12 workload inherent in managing planner, LTAN, GIS specialist, and by the East Basin Coordination multiple long-duration fires. other technical specialists—proved Center (GBCC) that the National to be an effective opportunity to Multi-Agency Coordinating Group Lessons Learned further the development of more (NMAC) was asking the incident in-depth strategic planning and The policy and direction for 2012 management organizations of all coordination for ongoing and long- and the application of risk man Great Basin fires to complete a mis duration event planning. sion specific request (MSR) form agement considerations provided a pathway for risk-informed deci for submission to NMAC in order Area Command provided important sions to be used in setting priorities to justify the allocation or reten capacity to meet the high level to reduce the number of fires and tion of any critical aerial and crew of complexity presented by the in longer term strategic thinking resources. This began a 10-day situation. The EIM components associated with long-duration fires, exercise working with the IMTs, strengthened Area Command’s role emerging fires, and initial attack. Area Command plans and Area as an oversight group, providing Command logistics, the expanded strategic planning, risk manage Agency administrator involve dispatches, and the GBCC to devel ment, command, control, coordi ment is maturing and worked well op an additional process beyond the nation, information management, at both the IMT/local and ACT/ one ACTs typically use for critical and preparedness support. EIM regional levels. There is a sig resource allocation and dispatch components also strengthened nificant workload in this quality of support process. A viable process Area Command’s role as a source agency administrator engagement remained a work in progress when for innovative processes, proce in both the day-to-day activities and the NMAC discontinued the use of dures, and technology to support in the priority-setting process, but the MSR on August 29. the objectives included in ACT 4’s it serves the intent of engagement mission delivery along with tradi and the risk sharing well. ACT 4 accomplished its assigned tional roles and functions of Area expectations over the course of a Command. This worked well con WFDSS continues to mature and little more than 2 weeks. As condi sidering the high volume of activity is a valuable tool to assist in risk- tions moderated in the Great Basin, and the associated tasks. a transition plan was provided informed decisionmaking. The addition of the risk decision frame to GBCC along with long-term ACT 4 successfully developed work facilitated communication as plans for the remaining long dura and employed a COP to provide to factors considered by decision- tion fires (Halstead, Trinity, and a secure, single, easily accessible repository of considerable infor mation in a single location using The 2012 western fire season provided Google Earth™ as the geospatial opportunities to apply concepts backbone. COP proved useful in and recommendations for Area conference calls and later on in tactical LiveMeeting briefings and Command within the Evolving Incident priority-setting sessions. COP also Management (EIM) framework. proved useful in storing informa tion for use by the multiple layers
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 11 of agency and coordinating tiers order to assure better situational was time-consuming. Shared situ locally, regionally, and for NMAC awareness of multiple large fires ational awareness improved over and national office briefings. occurring within a relatively close time as the delegations were updat proximity. ed and relationships, processes, The coordination between Area and communication pathways were Command, the IMTs, and the Attempts were made to connect established. COP and Web meetings local units, with efforts to identify mission specific requests to the facilitated improved execution of values at risk and management management action points, fire information sharing, coordination, action points, was greatly improved projections, fire probability, and prioritization, and decisionmaking. through creation of a SDSU. This capability was further enhanced Coordination and resource track once a strategic operational plan EIM components ing was greatly facilitated by having ner and decision support specialists two dedicated support dispatchers were assigned to each of the inci strengthened Area assigned to ACT 4. These individu dents. Command’s role as an als interacted throughout each day oversight group, and as with the IMTs, local dispatch cen A dedicated LTAN proved valuable a source for innovative ters, and GBCC. for focused attention to strategic operational planning and decision processes, procedures, Area Command information sup support focusing on fuels, weather, and technology. port personnel were very effective and fire behavior as product deliv in providing daily information shar ery. ing and in providing a clear synop strategic direction provided by sis of current, ongoing, and antici Having a dedicated GIS specialist the incidents. The exercise proved pated events and concerns through to support the strategic planning cumbersome, difficult, and time- focused briefings to media and effort was also essential; this spe consuming to link. It was worth leadership at local, State, regional, cialist also generated specific inci the effort overall, and the mission and national levels. Overall, ACT dent maps when necessary. specific requests have potential for 4’s assignment provided valuable a finer scale in the decisionmaking examples of how to implement Use of the air quality specialist process either at the geographic current policy through the applica from the National Interagency Fire area or ACT level. tion of risk management, strategic Center proved invaluable in estab thinking, opportunity recognition, lishing and strengthening relation Initial delegations to communicate and changing rules of engage ships with State and local offices expectations required site visits and ment in our ongoing response to for air quality monitoring and for briefings to each incident, which unwanted wildland fire. public air quality notifications.
Expanding our thinking from the standard 72-hour construct to a Did You Know 3/7/14/30-day paradigm provided The Forest Service and its partners originally developed the Incident the basis for longer term strate Command System (ICS) to respond to firefighting emergencies. Today, gic thinking and planning. Once the ICS is used to respond to emergencies of all kinds. Admired for a week or following a significant its efficiency and flexibility, ICS has been adopted as the Nation’s sys fire spread event, the 14- and tem for emergency response. The Forest Service gives ICS training to 30-day WFDSS fire spread prob emergency responders at every level nationwide. Through the ICS, ability (FSPro) modeling products the Forest Service is poised to respond to any emergency. were updated on each incident in
Fire Management Today 12 The eMeRging WiLdFiRe aiR QuaLiTy Response eFFoRT Peter Lahm and Mark Fitch
he wildfire season of 2012 A technical specialist position of air The dispatch of ARAs is managed by marked the first year of a resource advisor (ARA) was identi a Forest Service, Fire and Aviation Tcoordinated interagency and fied, drawing on mostly Federal and Management, air resource special programmatic effort to address State land management agencies ist, in a similar fashion to the NWS air quality impacts of wildfires that maintain personnel who man Incident Meteorologist (IMET) pro on a national scale, both on inci age smoke from prescribed fire pro gram (
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 13 (through direct exposure to smoke The responsibility of the air resource advisor can on the line or in base camp and other incident operations) contrib include developing and presenting at morning ute to the improvement of safety, briefings a short weather synopsis with an air coordination, and collaboration quality overview both locally and regionally. called for in the 2009 Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy and presenting a short weather or direction and smoke dispersion and the most recent findings of the synopsis with an air quality over capability of the atmosphere. National Cohesive Wildland Fire view both locally and region Management Strategy. ally at morning briefings. For the A key concern in such discussions Southwest Idaho Area Command is whether a system will become The Air Resource (ID AC), the weather discussion stationary and, if so, how long it Advisor in Action: in 2012 was a general overview of may last. Such conditions can lead An Example From mid-latitude synoptic wind patterns to very high smoke concentrations, Southwest Idaho and movement of upper level syn which can adversely affect public optic weather patterns. The intent health, transportations safety, or The responsibility of the ARA of the discussion was not to infer even aviation operations and per assigned to an incident or area local fire behavior but rather to sonnel exposure to smoke. The command can include developing point out any shifts in wind speeds
Predicting Smoke Impacts Predicting smoke impacts is a unique multiprogram effort for providing the best air quality information for decisions and outreach. Air quality modeling is highly specialized and com plex, and it builds on the already challenging behind-the-scene efforts at incidents to predict fire behavior and weather. Air quality predictive capability has grown in skill and complexity over time, as a result of work spearheaded by the Forest Service’s PNW AirFire Team. These capabilities are now available to incident command ers and ARAs. Significant opera tional support was provided to the prediction of air quality impacts of the 2008 northern California wildfires, the Southwest wildfires in 2011, and wildfires that had ARAs assigned in 2012. Air quality modeling is highly specialized and Figure 1.—Steps involved in modeling smoke. While fire information—such complex; it builds on the already as the size, location, and growth of the fire, including backburn operations and challenging behind-the-scene other operational information—is the critical starting point, numerous additional factors must be added to get to smoke impacts on public health, firefighters, and efforts at incidents to predict fire transportation. Figure courtesy S. Larkin, Forest Service behavior and weather (figure 1).
Fire Management Today 14 weather synopsis served as a pre A frequent challenge in compiling Boise, ID. Fire personnel exposure lude to the air quality report, which the monitoring data faced by ARAs was also assessed at base camps then identified smoke transport is that monitoring can be conduct for the Trinity Ridge, Halstead, from the fire to areas downwind ed in many ways and is not typically and Mustang Fires. Monitors at that may have been of concern. available in one location. For the the Halstead Incident Command ID AC effort, air quality monitor Post recorded high values of PM The air quality discussion during ing was conducted by the Idaho- for short periods; Trinity Ridge and briefings was tight and focused, Department of Environmental Mustang recorded high values for with no time allotted for a detailed Quality (ID DEQ) and the Forest prolonged periods; these values analysis. A mantra that best Service, with monitoring data post were pointed out at briefings. described these briefings came ed at the Western Regional Climate from Mike Baca, Phoenix National Center (WRCC), the AIRSIS Web The ID AC used the common Incident Management Organization page, the ID DEQ Web site, and operating picture (COP) approach; planning section chief, “Be bright, EPA’s AirNOW site. Four different smoke dispersion and air qual be brief, be gone.” types of monitors were record ity impact information also was ing particulate matter (PM) data included. The COP used Google Preparation for a briefing included (Beta Attenuation Monitor (BAM®), Earth to display modeling results polling and assessing ambient E-BAM®, E-sampler®, and Tapered as well as other fire and smoke air quality monitors near the Element Oscillating Microbalance products. This visual representa fire and downwind, running the (TEOM®)), and units captured PM2.5 tion of smoke impacts (figures. 1 Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian or PM10 raw unverified data (table and 2) showed the relative smoke Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) 1). The report-out focused on mon levels from multiple fires, includ model, and assessing the Google itors with anticipated public health ing regional transport beyond the Earth KMZ smoke dispersion files impacts, such as in Salmon and fires assigned to the ID AC; it also developed from custom model runs conducted by the Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW) AirFire Team (figure 2).
Figure 2.— Smoke impacts predicted Figure 3.— A common task for air resource advisors is to assess air quality impacts through custom regional smoke model from other fires on the incident or area of concern, in this case the Southwest Idaho Area runs done by the Forest Service, Pacific Command, where an air resource advisor was assigned. The satellite image on September Northwest Research Station AirFire Team 20, 2012, shows smoke from adjacent States into southwest Idaho. The impacts on Boise in consultation with air resource advisors resulted in exceedances of both PM10 and PM2.5 national ambient air quality standards. assigned to incidents and area command. Output from the NASA Goddard Space Center, AERNET image from the TERRA satellite at Output shown is from a 4-kilometer grid 1 kilometer resolution. model run showing September 24, 2012.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 15 allowed assessment for planning much improved modeling pre local and State partners such as and communicating the extent of diction of smoke impacts on air personnel from ID DEQ. The ID AC impact local and regional fires. quality. An ARA deployed on an effort built upon efforts of the ARA incident generally is focused on assigned to the Halstead Fire, who A fundamental task for an ARA that incident alone, but a large had established daily interagency at the incident or area level is to part of coordinating with agencies conference calls with county health coordinate and communicate with is establishing a common message officials, EPA, ID DEQ, and NWS. agencies that have an interest on smoke impacts and potential The ID AC allowed the ARA to focus in understanding the air quality public impacts, and coordinating beyond the information from just impacts of the fire(s). Working at the dissemination of the message. the Halsted Fire and to collect criti ID AC allowed the ARA to gather Some of the personnel involved in cal information from other fires intelligence from all the fires under the southwest Idaho fires included from California whose smoke was their purview, which allowed for those assigned to the ID AC on also affecting southern Idaho. site, as well as remote support and
Table 1—Southwest Idaho Area Command Smoke Monitoring PM2.5 Report (8-24-2012). Location/monitor 1- hour peak ug/m3 8-hour peak ug/m3 24-hour peak ug/m3 Air quality index2 (hour1) (hour1) (hour1) Idaho Soda Springs (PM2.5 Good NEPH) Franklin (PM2.5 BAM) Good Garden Valley (PM2.5) 28 (0100) 19 (0800) Moderate Grangeville (PM2.5 Teom) Good5 Idaho City (PM2.5) 49 (1100) 24 (1400) 20 (0800) Moderate Ketchum (PM 2.5 TEOM) 229 (1700) 140 (2100) 93 (1700) Unhealthy5 Nampa (PM2.5 TEOM) 42 (1700) Moderate Paul Elem (PM2.5 Neph) 18 (2000) Moderate Penford—Idaho Falls 60 (1200) 31 (1400) 22 (0800) (PM2.5 Neph) Pocatello (PM2.5 TEOM) 23 (0800) 21 (0800) Moderate Rexburg (PM2.5 NEPH) 70 (1300) 46 (1700) 28 (0800) Moderate Salmon (PM 2.5 BAM) 75 (0200) 61 (0800) 43 (0800) St. Luke-Meridian Good (PM2.5 TEOM) Twin Falls (PM2.5) 19 (0900) Moderate Weiser H.S. (PM2.5 NEPH) Good Forest Service North Fork (PM 2.5 ES) 113 (1300) 78 (1400) 66 (0800) Unhealthy Fairfield (PM2.5) 239 (0800) 140 (0900) 100 (1100) Unhealthy Challis, ID (PM 2.5 EBAM) 255 (1700) 143 (2200) 97 (2100) Unhealthy Stanley, ID (PM2.5 EBAM) 136 (1200) 82 (1300) 55 (1300) Unhealthy5 Nez Perce Tribe Orofino, ID (PM 2.5) Good Nez Perce, ID (PM 2.5) Good
Fire Management Today 16 After the overall ID AC assign Interagency and partner support for the ment ended, at the request of ID DEQ, the Great Basin Multi-Agency efforts to address the air quality impacts from Coordinating Group kept the ARA wildfires is growing at local to national levels. effort in place temporarily because there were still serious smoke impacts in Idaho. Eventually that creating informed and joint com impacts from wildfires is growing effort ended and ID DEQ reverted munications to be given to the at local to national levels. Efforts to using INCIWEB for fire infor public about smoke impacts and are underway to develop more mation and estimates of smoke important health warnings, because technical specialists to meet this impacts. there was no longer a formal pro emerging need and be prepared for cess in place to work directly with the upcoming 2013 Western United At the end of the fire season, ID the incidents or area command. States wildfire season. DEQ conducted an after-action review and stated that the State of The conclusions of that after-action Source: Southwest Idaho Area Command. Idaho and the affected public had a A daily monitoring assessment is routinely produced review further supports future use by ARAs, which allows for planning, assessment, and benefited greatly from the efforts of the ARA position on incidents coordination among agencies on severity of smoke impacts on air quality. This kind of table also allows the to address air quality impacts of and areas that have serious and public to verify impacts experienced in the Air Quality wildfire in 2012. They noted that prolonged-duration smoke impacts. Index, a scale they can understand and respond to as needed. after the area ARA effort had ended, Interagency and partner support for there was a significant challenge in the efforts to address the air quality
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Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 17 deveLoping sTandaRdized sTRaTegiC Response CaTegoRies FoR FiRe ManageMenT uniTs Matthew P. Thompson, Crystal S. Stonesifer, Robert C. Seli, and Marlena Hovorka
Introduction: Fire Management We undertook an exploration of these data Units, Strategic to better understand how fire management Objectives, and objectives and corresponding planned incident Response Categories responses vary across landscapes and Federal wildland fire policy ownerships. requires that publicly owned lands with burnable vegetation have a fire management plan (FMP); FMUs are thus fundamentally The same five Federal fire agencies this applies to the five primary premised on spatial information. are required to use the WFDSS for Federal fire agencies (Bureau of Variation in FMU management incident response. Increasingly, the Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land guidance reflects underlying spatial WFDSS is also being used to house Management, National Park variation in factors influencing fire data relating to FMUs, including Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife occurrence and behavior; in juris geospatial polygon boundaries and Service, and Forest Service). FMPs dictional boundaries; and in the FMU strategic objectives. Though are based on land and resource pattern, density, and extent of fire- neither exhaustive nor required, management plans and are intend susceptible resources and assets the coverage of uploaded FMUs ed to provide guidance for manag and their respective degrees of sus is quite extensive (thousands of ers responding to wildland fire ceptibility to fire (considering both FMUs), and we anticipate continued incidents. FMPs summarize infor beneficial and negative impacts). uploading and refinement of data mation on the basis of fire manage from the field. Spatial data on FMUs ment units (FMUs), which divide Management guidance for FMUs are uploaded four times a year, and landscapes into smaller geographic describes FMU-specific objectives, written objectives are uploaded by areas according to biophysical and desired conditions, and approved individual units as appropriate. The socioeconomic characteristics. wildland fire management strate spatial size of the FMUs that were FMU-level guidance for incident gies. Agency administrators rely on uploaded into WFDSS varies great- response is tailored according to this information to navigate com ly—from less than an acre to more these characteristics
Fire Management Today 18 mon themes across FMUs, we were information within WFDSS could a standard set of incident response able to establish a broad set of four facilitate development of spatial categories. While the fundamental standard response categories for FMPs. Because FMPs and FMUs objectives (for example, protect purposes of classification. In this evolve over time as new informa homes and infrastructure, protect paper, we describe our methods for tion becomes available and as con critical habitat, and restore and assigning FMUs to each of these ditions change, and because field maintain fire-adapted ecosystems) categories, and we present results staff best know their landscapes across FMUs will vary greatly owing for the FMUs for which we have and their management objectives, to heterogeneity in biophysical and data. it will ultimately be more desirable socioeconomic characteristics, we for field units to self-assign FMU- can come up with a standard set of Our results reflect a work in prog specific response categories. means objectives that describe how ress, but we believe it is impor incident responses will achieve the tant to review lessons learned to Assigning Response fundamental objectives. date, including the importance of Categories clarity and completeness in the We arrived at four broad inci definition of objectives and the The first step in our analysis was dent-response categories, with distinction between “fundamental” to download data for all FMUs with sub-categories defined to further and “means” objectives (see box, polygons uploaded into WFDSS. capture nuance. Categories at the Defining Objectives). Further, we This dataset included fields for extreme ends have little decision illustrate how this information can a unit name, unit description, space, mandating either a full sup be used to evaluate the consistency agency, and, critically, text with pression response (category 1) or of incident decisions with FMP and strategic objectives. We then com effectively the opposite (category FMU objectives, and we highlight prehensively reviewed these objec 4). Categories 2 and 3 have greater how a stronger integration of FMU tives in order to identify and define decision flexibility, considering a balance of objectives between sup pression costs, values at risk, and Defining Objectives ecological benefits from fire (fire fighter safety is an omnipresent It is not a simple task to articu Means objectives, by contrast, are concern). late objectives: ends can be methods to achieve fundamental confused with means, objectives objectives. For example, in an We focused only on natural igni can be confused with manage FMU that contains or is proximal tions, where there generally is more ment requirements or other to an area with a high density of flexibility for incident response. constraints, and relationships resources and assets that are sus For methodological consistency, between objectives may not be ceptible to fire-related loss, full we categorized FMUs based solely immediately obvious. Here, we suppression might be the means on the strategic objective text. Our distinguish between fundamental objective to achieve the funda response category classification and means objectives. mental objective of resource and scheme is defined below: asset protection. Fundamental objectives relate to 1. Suppress all fires at smallest aspirations and desired outcomes Our response categories directly size, and cost is not a consider for the fire management unit’s relate to means objectives; that is, ation; (FMU) geographic area; these can they categorize the decision space 2. Suppress all fires, considering include ecological, economic, for how fires will be managed, not tradeoffs: social, and cultural dimensions. It the underlying rationale for why A. Consider costs, and is imperative that these objectives they will be managed that way. B. Consider values at risk; are clear, concise, measurable, Our premise is that the most use 3. Make a real-time agency admin and consistent with guidance in ful information contained within istrator decision for resource fire management plans and land FMU strategic objectives would benefits (formerly the fire use and resource management plans. articulate fundamental objectives go/no go decision): as well as means objectives.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 19 A. Resource benefit optional— In some cases, there exists broader Results recognizing ability to man guidance (for example, “fire for These preliminary findings are age fire for resource benefits, resource benefit is authorized park- limited to FMUs within the con and wide”) uploaded into WFDSS, but a tiguous United States. (CONUS) B. Resource benefit promoted— lack of FMU-specific text. In other and are current as of September 6, promotes management of cases, FMUs might have a sugges 2012. Of a total of 3,165 FMUs with fire for resource benefits; and tive descriptor value (for example, uploaded polygon boundaries, 1,448 4. Preplanned agency administra “full suppression”), but the actual FMUs provided strategic response tor decisions are used to moni text itself did not specifically pro information. Of these, we identified tor all fires, and fire is managed vide information on objectives and 273 FMUs as “strategic response as necessary to achieve protec response to fire. Some objectives unclear,” leading to a total of 1,175 tion or restoration objectives. were simply too vague (for example, FMUs with assigned strategic “make appropriate suppression response categories. The total areal We further identified two additional response to all wildfires”). Lastly, extent of FMUs with uploaded poly categories, indicating whether no strategic objectives in a small num gon boundaries was 455.47 million strategic response was provided ber of cases seemed contradictory acres, 58.71 million of which were (that is, strategic objectives were (for example, “unplanned ignitions associated with unclear responses. not uploaded into WFDSS with are used to restore and maintain the polygon boundaries) or where historic fire regimes… unplanned Figure 1 displays a color-coded strategic responses were unclear. ignitions are generally suppressed map of strategic response cat There were multiple reasons why to minimize the acreage burned”). egories for the 3,165 FMUs. The we identified responses as unclear.
Figure 1. —Spatial fire management units strategic response categories for natural fires.
Fire Management Today 20 map exhibits spatial heterogene Table 1 summarizes the break an even greater degree of category ity throughout the country, with down of FMU strategic response 1 in some locations due to high many Western States encompassing categories according to geographic population densities proximal to the range of strategic responses. coordinating areas (GCAs; fig. 3), by flammable landscapes, if and when Whereas FMUs with categories 1 areal percentages. Most GCAs have more data are uploaded and/or and 2 appear slightly more spread roughly the same areal percent clarified. NWA (30.72 percent) had out, there are large contiguous age with either none or unclear the largest overall areal percentage areas of category 3, especially in strategic responses—about half in category 2 followed by the WBA the West. This result is influenced of the total FMU area within each (22.11 percent). The NRA (38.62 by vast tracts of Federal land such GCA—but the relative breakdown percent), RMA (34.82 percent), EAA as the Frank Church River of No varies significantly. In the Eastern (31.03 percent), and SWA (30.37 Return Wilderness or the Greater Area (EAA), East Basin (EBA), percent) had the highest areal per Yellowstone area. Only one FMU, in Northern Rockies (NRA), Northwest centage in category 3. the Southwest, was assigned to cat (NWA), Rocky Mountain (RMA), egory 4; however, it is expected that and Southern (SAA) Coordination Table 2 similarly summarizes the adding FMUs from Alaska would Centers, the dominant issue pre breakdown of FMU areal percent increase the extent of category 4 venting assignment of response age by strategic response category, assignments. Figure 2 summarizes categories is that information on but according to land manage the areal percentages of all FMUs strategic responses was not pro ment agency. The Forest Service in each response category. There vided. In the Northern California and Bureau of Land Management exist large areas for which strategic (ONA), Southern California (OSA), (BLM) constitute the largest share responses either were not provided Southwest Area (SWA), and West of uploaded FMU area. By contrast (37.8 percent) or were unclear (12.9 Basin (WBA) coordinating areas, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service percent). Category 1 accounted for unclear responses are as much or (UWFWS) and State agencies 9.4 percent, category 2 accounted more of an issue preventing assign (STATE) constitute very little area for 13.7 percent, and category 3 ment of response categories. indeed, and of this area most FMUs accounted for 26.2 percent of the provided no strategic responses. total FMU area. Exclusive of FMUs The OSA has by far the highest The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) that did not provide a strategic areal percentage of category 1 had the largest degree of unclear response, category 1 accounts for (24.63 percent) followed by the responses. 15.1 percent, category 2 for 22.1 ONA (15.68 percent) and the SWA percent, and category 3 for 42.2 (13.01 percent). We might expect The BLM has the greatest share of percent of FMU area. category 1 at 14.86 percent, fol lowed by USFWS at 13.34 percent (but this represents a relatively Percent Spatial FMU Area in Each Management Response small amount of land, see column Category (CONUS) 2 in table 2), followed by the BIA at Includes “No Data” Category Omits “No Data” Category 11.89 percent. BLM has the great est share of category 2 (16.93 per cent) followed by the Forest Service (15.63 percent). The National Park Service has the greatest share of acreage in category 3 (45.48 per cent), and a minimal amount in categories 1 and 2.
Figure 2.—Percentage of spatial fire management units area in each management response category (CONUS).
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 21 Table 1.—Fire management units area percentages in each strategic response category, by geographic coordinating area (CONUS only).
TOTAL Strategic response category GCA spatial FMU 1 2A 2B 3A 3B 4 No data Unclear area Areal Percentages EAA 21.02 0.00 6.43 0.14 31.03 0.00 0.00 57.50 4.90 EBA 72.62 8.16 6.15 9.61 17.21 6.21 0.00 47.34 5.31 NRA 47.83 7.93 2.15 6.02 24.65 13.97 0.00 41.84 3.43 NWA 46.09 6.83 18.55 12.17 11.71 2.45 0.00 42.13 6.16 ONA 18.70 15.68 3.91 12.31 6.42 5.62 0.00 34.94 21.13 OSA 30.69 24.63 0.00 2.18 14.50 6.91 0.00 26.33 25.45 RMA 54.65 7.48 0.07 4.13 31.50 3.31 0.00 51.57 1.92 SAA 31.06 6.15 4.80 9.37 21.42 8.95 0.00 41.80 7.50 SWA 79.08 13.01 7.01 4.77 16.89 11.73 0.16 21.11 25.32 WBA 53.75 5.69 4.22 17.88 8.32 12.08 0.00 25.49 26.31 CONUS 455.47 9.38 5.59 8.13 18.34 7.87 0.03 37.78 12.89
Figure 3.—Geographic coordinating areas (GCA) for the CONUS.
Fire Management Today 22 Table 2.—Fire management units area percentages in each strategic response category, by land management agency (CONUS only).
Land Total Strategic response category management spatial FMU 1 2A 2B 3A 3B 4 No data Unclear agency area Areal Percentages BIA 46.00 11.89 1.63 3.41 10.13 0.17 0.00 27.07 45.68 BLM 170.51 14.86 9.44 7.48 14.36 5.70 0.00 35.49 12.67 National Park 25.23 Service 2.26 0.59 0.36 29.50 15.98 0.04 45.84 5.43 State 9.58 1.98 0.00 2.71 10.11 1.04 0.00 83.63 0.52 Forest Service 196.74 5.16 4.29 11.35 23.28 10.93 0.00 37.58 7.42 USFWS 7.41 13.36 0.81 0.27 3.10 5.67 0.00 75.98 0.94 CONUS 455.47 9.38 5.59 8.13 18.35 7.87 0.03 37.79 12.89
Some Examples of Clear Strategic Responses 1 Full suppression; fire is not operations…. Wildland fires agement of both human- recognized as a natural pro- are suppressed at minimum caused and natural fires for cess. This ecosystem is not cost…. resource benefits. suitable for fire; rapid sup 2B Respond to wildland fires by 3A Aggressive suppression pression techniques will be taking suppression actions action, consistent with fire emphasized. commensurate with human fighter safety, will be taken 1 Because of human develop- and natural resource values at for wildfires in proximity ment, fire can no longer be risk. to private property, high- tolerated without significant ways, or known endangered 2B Fire management responses risk or economic loss. All species locations. Natural can be direct aggressive wildland fires, regardless fires in remote areas will be control strategies through of ignition source, will be a allowed to follow a natural less intense control actions high priority and will receive course as long as there are commensurate with specific prompt suppression actions no values threatened. incident needs and objectives. to minimize fire size. These responses should be 3B Use wildland fire to the 2A Fire suppression strate based on an evaluation of risks extent possible to return fire gies will continue to call to firefighter and public safety, as a natural ecological pro- for suppression of all fires. the circumstances under cess. However, as a cost-saving which the fire occurs, includ 3B Use planned fire use and measure, fires in high-eleva ing weather and fuel condi surrogate fire treatments to tion areas with sparse veg tions, natural and cultural restore and maintain pri etation may be contained or resource management objec mary natural resources and confined; low-risk fires may tives, protection priorities, their processes where appli not always be extinguished and values to be protected. cable. as quickly as in the past. 3A …Wildland fire may be man 4 All fires are to be man 2A All wildland fires will be sup aged through a full range aged with resource benefit pressed using the full range of strategies from prompt objectives. There are no fire of strategic and tactical and full suppression to man exclusion areas.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 23 Discussion and It appears that many fire management units could Conclusions benefit from a more clear articulation of strategic Several key lessons learned in this objectives and corresponding response categories. study lead to a number of logical future developments in the realm of spatial fire management planning SFMP strategic objectives or FMZ many instances where so-called stra and spatial decision support. First, spatial data layers. Greater spatial tegic objectives had little to no con however, we should address some delineation could provide increased nection to landscape objectives or limitations. In this work, we present consistency of response categories: to what would be done in response only a snapshot of a dynamic man unclear or variable FMU responses to fire. Some of the least informa agement environment. The ultimate might become much clearer when tive examples offered little more aim is not a static color-coded map further separating the FMU into a than a description of the FMU. This but rather an evolving system in wildland-urban interface FMZ and a prompted our emphasis on explain which clear and complete fire man roadless area FMZ, for instance. ing what objectives are and how to agement objectives and planned define them, as well as providing responses are spatially referenced, Beyond development and refine some examples that we found to be updated as necessary, and most ment of SFMPs, there are a num clear and comprehensible. importantly, help inform incident ber of other potential uses of this management. information. One interesting avenue That field units are uploading into of research would be to examine WFDSS geospatial polygons with Our results are, of course, not bind published incident decisions within FMU information and objectives is a ing and are assuredly not correct WFDSS, apply the same response great step forward for risk-informed in all circumstances. Fundamental categorization scheme to decisions, incident response planning. With objectives may have been well-writ and then examine the alignment continued refinement and expansion ten, but we did not take the step of of actual decisions with pre-fire of FMU-level geospatial data within making inferences if means objec incident objectives. Of FMUs with WFDSS, the fire management com tives (that is, incident responses) assigned response categories, more munity may be able to make prog were omitted. We may have misin than half had response catego ress towards clarity, accountability, terpreted language, and what was ries that recognized and/or pro and transparency in wildfire incident unclear to us may be quite clear to moted fires for resource benefit. response. Development of specific the person who uploaded the infor Superficially, it seems unlikely that SFMP/FMU/FMZ guidance provides mation. Further, some FMUs might more than half of natural ignitions clarity for agency administrators in be too heterogeneous for a single in these areas were managed for uncertain, complex, and stressful response category to be appropri resource benefits. However, any decision environments and could ate, thus arguing for further spatial such analysis would need to con improve communication with the delineation on the basis of areas sider ignition locations with respect public when smoke is in the air. with consistent response. to adjacent FMUs, jurisdictional boundaries, and values-at-risk, and Further, these changes may help the Spatial fire management plans would especially need to consider fire management community better (SFMPs) are currently being devel fire weather; under more extreme realize the full potential of the 2009 oped by several U.S. Department of weather conditions, agency admin Federal wildland fire policy reinter the Interior agencies. In this effort, istrators may be more averse to pretation and could strengthen ties several units are using fire manage allowing fires to burn, and fire between planning and investments ment zones (FMZs) in lieu of FMUs. behavior may be so extreme as to across the wildfire management The zones represent areas of con not provide any resource benefits. spectrum. Ultimately, spatial risk sistent response categories on the assessments that consider the likeli landscape. In future SFMP efforts, It appears many FMUs could benefit hood and magnitude of potential fire the results of the FMU analysis from a more clear articulation of impacts to highly valued resources could provide a standard “pick list” strategic objectives and correspond and assets could be brought to bear of response categories. The pick list ing response categories. It is not to help assign strategic objectives would expedite the crosswalk of land our intent to point out the bad and response categories at the FMU and resource management plans to apples, so to speak, but we did find or possibly the FMZ level.
Fire Management Today 24 inTenTionaL ReTenTion: RoadMapping youR FiRe CaReeR Ken Frederick
Introduction stable, more career-oriented, and ing to retain younger employees. more of a challenge; there he found According to research published by Jesse Guettermann’s experience a path that could enable him to organizational behavior experts Dr. as a wildland firefighter illustrates better meet his fire management Georgia Chao and Dr. Phil Gardner the challenge of retaining skilled career aspirations. In early 2013, (Chao and Gardner 2008), young young employees in fire manage he enlisted as a part-time member adults today define a “good job” ment. Guettermann had just gradu of the Idaho Air National Guard, differently than did their counter ated from Boise State University which will enhance his job skills parts of 15 to 20 years ago. Instead with a health sciences degree when and education while allowing him of being motivated by traditional he landed a job on the Idaho City incentives such as high income and (Boise National Forest) hand crew working for a prestigious company, in 2011. Guettermann proved to today’s fledgling workers are pri be an outstanding employee: he For many younger marily looking for interesting work, was a hard-working firefighter, seasonal temporary good benefits, job security, and and he learned the job quickly and employees, fighting fire chances for promotion. They also thoroughly. The Idaho City Ranger amounts to a cool job are less apt to stay with a job just District offered him additional fire because they have one. training courses in the off-season but not a career. and rehired him as a seasonal Chao and Gardner surveyed 700 employee in 2012. Halfway through managers who employ this age the 2012 fire season, Guettermann to continue as a wildland firefight cohort and found that “[a]lmost was offered a vacant position on er. For Guettermann, it seems to be two-thirds of the managers agreed the Idaho City Hotshot crew for a great fit. or strongly agreed that retaining the remainder of the fire season. young adults has become more dif Guettermann’s two initial fire sea For many younger seasonal tem ficult” (Chao and Gardner 2008, sons were busy, with lots of travel porary employees, fighting fire p.7). Whether you call this gen and rewarding fire assignments. amounts to a cool job but not eration twixters, Generation Y, a career. It is regrettable that a or Millennials, today’s entry-level In spite of his training, fire experi relatively small number of capable firefighters bring different ways of ence, and genuine affection for young firefighters grasp a vision thinking to the job. firefighting, however, Guettermann for making fire management their had to make some difficult deci profession these days. After getting Such new ways of thinking make sions about pursuing fire man several years of training and expe it more challenging than ever to agement as a career. For a recent rience, many younger firefighters retain and develop valuable sea college graduate who is serious in lose interest in the field or become sonal employees, which is a key establishing himself in a career, frustrated with barriers to their objective for every fire program the prospect of working seasonally career development and leave. leader and line officer. Successful for many years creates a signifi recruitment may launch a fire cant barrier. Guettermann began Today’s young adults are entering management program workforce, exploring the military as a career the workforce with some attitudes but unless high-performing sea option because it seemed more and assumptions about life and sonal employees are retained and work that are sharply different than given opportunities to develop and those held by their counterparts a Ken Frederick is a public affairs specialist advance into permanent positions, generation ago, which can create with the Bureau of Land Management at even the best recruitment strategy the National Interagency Fire Center. challenges for organizations want comes up empty in the long run.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 25 Planning a Fire-Career Benefield and I crystallized four As we discussed and worked on the Workshop objectives for the workshop: content of the workshop, we gradu ally narrowed it down to three key In 2011, I began working on an 1. Articulate why fire management elements: idea to improve employee reten is an attractive and reward tion. If younger employees had ing profession. We wanted to 1. Vision-Casting. In this section, some indication of how a career in share what we thought makes a the presenters would share why the Federal wildland fire service career in wildland fire distinct a career in fire captivated them works and how to achieve progress from other occupations. We also and why fire management is a in their careers, they could see wanted participants to perceive distinctive and significant career beyond their day-to-day jobs and firefighting more in terms of choice. We felt that an inspiring at least consider the option of a a profession and a worthwhile vision of what the future could career in fire and aviation. What calling, rather than a seasonal be like was important. promising younger employees in job. 2. Career Nuts and Bolts. This fire need, I reasoned, is a frame 2. Expose younger employees to would be the meat-and-potatoes of reference—a “roadmap”—that the bigger and broader world of portion of the workshop, includ demystifies the process of develop fire. We wanted to convey the ing eight practical suggestions ing a career in fire management. idea that a career in fire and that constitute the building My concept centered on a short aviation can encompass differ blocks of career development. workshop that would present prac ent kinds of jobs and roles; it For example, this section would tical advice for pursuing a career in can take one to different parts of cover how to perceive and take fire management, given by people the country; and it can involve advantage of career development who have traveled the same path different agencies, crews, and opportunities, become a stu younger employees are just begin kinds of firefighting. dent of fire, find mentors, and ning. 3. Show younger employees how develop leadership skills. This they can move beyond a job in section would also discuss the Early in the process of formulat fire management to a career in importance of being a reliable ing and refining the concept of a the field. We wanted to present a and skilled employee, develop career-building workshop, I asked set of strategies and insights for ing communication skills to former colleague Mike Benefield developing and managing one’s complement your fire skills, to partner with me in developing own career. We would suggest realizing that a fire career can this idea. Benefield and I shared the kind of insider information be amazingly diversified, and many of the same concerns related about a career that the panel understanding that there’s more to mentoring the next generation ists had learned through dint of to this career than just earning in fire. Like many in our genera experience. money. tion of firefighters (who started 4. Communicate effectively with 3. Job Acquisition Skills. We their careers in the late 1970s or employees who are younger and felt that the great majority of early 1980s), our experience with often coming from different cul younger fire employees are not career guidance was similar to gold tural contexts. adept at the mechanics of find prospecting: what you were looking ing new jobs in the Federal for was out there, but it took some system. Also, we concluded that serious searching and digging to many do not understand the find it. art and science of marketing their skills and abilities using resumes and other job applica Building a capable and professional workforce in a tion tools. This section would fire management program starts with recruiting provide instruction in how to intelligent, skilled, and diverse job candidates. But acquire a job in fire manage ment. retaining and developing good seasonal employees in the workforce must be equally intentional. We planned for time at the end of the workshop for questions and
Fire Management Today 26 answers. The workshop would be Today’s entry-level firefighters bring wrapped up with the facilitator summarizing several important different ways of thinking to the job. themes or take-away points that surfaced during the session. Division includes 66 permanent, pants were in their 20s and were As planning progressed, we paid permanent-seasonal, and temporary seasonal temporary fire employees particular attention to how the seasonal fire employees—a group of the Columbia River Division. panel would operate. Three or four large enough to serve as a test Most worked on the division’s type panelists would present the work audience. Further, this was familiar 2 hand crew or on an engine. Some shop by essentially team-teaching ground to Benefield and me, as we worked in fuels or prevention. Most the content sections. We thought had spent significant parts of our of the participants had worked in the panel should have a strong con early careers on the Wenatchee fire for fewer than 5 years and had nection to the audience because National Forest. varying levels of interest in making we wanted to convey the idea that a career in wildland fire manage a career in fire was not an illusory Cannon grasped the vision and ment. goal that was out of reach for the value of the session and offered typical seasonal temporary employ to host the pilot presentation of We had planned for the event to ee. In other words, we wanted to the workshop, which we had titled take 2 hours; the session ended up say, “We started our careers right Roadmapping Your Fire Career. By taking closer to 3 hours to cover here—just like you. If we did it, spring 2012, we felt the content of the material and answer partici you can do it.” the workshop was ready to pres pants’ questions. After the session, ent. We set a date of June 7 as the the panel felt positive about the We also wanted the panelists to maiden voyage of the workshop. event and felt we had accomplished have strong operational back Though we would be putting on the our objectives. grounds in fire suppression. We felt workshop in a real setting, we were this attribute would lend credibility treating the initial offering of the What We Learned to the session. workshop almost as a test flight, to Two weeks after the workshop see if the concept was feasible and was held, Cannon distributed an Finally, we wanted the panel to capable of having a positive effect evaluation and feedback form to as exemplify the idea that a fire career on participants’ thinking and deci many of the participants who were can take a person in many direc sionmaking. available. We intentionally delayed tions—both geographically and the evaluation in order to test the vocationally. Initially, Benefield and I were on participants’ retention of key points the panel. As the district FMO, presented in the workshop. We Cannon both moderated the work Bringing the Concept eventually received 29 completed shop and participated on the panel. to Life evaluations back from workshop We recruited a fourth panelist, attendees. Although they included a Our next step was to find a unit to Troy Corn, from the local area. plethora of suggestions, the evalua host the workshop. We contacted Prior to his retirement, Corn had tions clearly substantiated the idea Kyle Cannon, Columbia River been a local area FMO. Later in of an informal career development Division fire management officer his career, Corn had taken on sev workshop for newer fire employees. (FMO) on the Okanogan-Wenatchee eral special assignments for the National Forest, and shared our Pacific Northwest Region and the The evaluation asked participants ideas with him. Cannon supervises Okanogan-Wenatchee National to rate the usefulness of the ses a large and diverse fire program, Forest; he clearly met the criteria sion on a scale of 1 to 10. The mean which includes a Hotshot crew, for a panelist and was well known rating was just over 7, and the two large initial attack crews, two as an excellent speaker and leader. engine modules, and a manage median rating was 7.5, meaning most respondents found the work rial organization comprising seven More than 40 Columbia River shop useful and worth their time. field-level specialists and supervi Division fire employees attended Significantly, fully 25 percent of the sors. In total, the Columbia River the workshop. Most of the partici
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 27 temporary employees who gave us We were pleased to discover that simply keeping something for your feedback stated that they were more almost half of the respondents use. If the message we give is, “We likely to make wildland fire man offered unsolicited gratitude and like your work and want to keep agement their career as a result of support for the workshop. One per you here,” fire programs are going the workshop. son wrote, “I think the presentation to lose valuable employees. The had a fantastic effect on folks who message we really need to send is, Because the initial offering of feel stagnant and don’t know what “You are a fantastic employee, and the workshop was something of next steps to take. It’s very benefi we want to do everything we can to a test run, we were not surprised cial to take the time to get everyone give you opportunities to grow and to receive a lot of suggestions to thinking about these things now.” develop your career.” improve the workshop. Some of the Another wrote this at the bottom 48 suggestions candidly pointed out of the evaluation: “Please continue Conclusion things we could have done better, Building a capable and professional but many were complimentary. All workforce in a fire management of the suggestions were helpful. Fully 25 percent program starts with recruiting intelligent, skilled, and diverse job We organized suggestions into of the temporary candidates. But retaining and devel three areas: (a) improving the employees who gave oping good seasonal employees structure of the workshop, (b) mak us feedback stated in the workforce must be equally ing the information more relevant that they were more intentional. This process starts with and specific to the audience, and robust efforts to create growth and (c) streamlining the presentation of likely to make wildland development opportunities—espe the workshop. Some of the sugges fire management their cially for newer employees who tions reflected personal tastes; for career as a result of have proven their capabilities for example, two participants suggested the workshop. future development. This process, the planners limit the workshop to however, must include leaders 2 hours, while two other partici who talk to, listen to, and mentor pants recommended the session be [to do this] especially for the new/ younger employees. It doesn’t hap lengthened. younger generation. All the help we pen accidentally. can [get] is very useful. Thank you.” Two themes, however, floated to the top in terms of ways to improve References These expressions of gratitude for the workshop. First, the workshop’s Chao, G.; Gardner, P. 2008. Young adults at Roadmapping Your Fire Career illu work. MonsterTrak. White Paper. content needed to include more minate a valuable take-away point 13 p.
Fire Management Today 28 pRevenTion and eduCaTion TeaMs— a vaLuaBLe ResouRCe Jim Funk
ildland fire prevention and education teams were devel Having a prevention and education team is Woped to respond to specific a joint effort where the team listens to the wildland fire conditions or threats that might result in increased fire agency, develops an agreed upon strategy, occurrence and losses of resources, and implements the plan. property, and life. Since the first one was used in the Southwest in 1996, such teams have proven to be have a very serious situation. What information and “what is the imme beneficial in all geographic areas of can you do for us?” Teams helped diate threat to me?” If there are the country, and they are becoming the agency do a quick assessment IMTs assigned to a larger fire, their more widely recognized over time. of prevention needs and developed information officers handle the fire Yet agencies are still not clear on a strategy to raise awareness and status and community threat near their use and function. get the word out. Now, an agency the fire. Prevention and educa usually has a plan in mind before tion teams can assist the effort by I have had the pleasure of serving calling in a team, although often keeping surrounding communi on several teams and find each one that plan is not specific. It is still ties informed and by coordinating to be unique and challenging. In the team’s function to help assess the IMT prevention message and the past 10 years, I have seen an the situation and advise a strategy concerns into the team messag evolution in teams and how agen to reach the objectives. ing. This helps reduce additional cies use them. fire starts in the area that would Prevention and education teams complicate the IMT’s main objec A successful prevention and educa bolster an agency’s capacity to tives. The prevention and education tion team reflects a joint effort in reduce the number of fire starts. team is usually separate from the which the team listens to the agen Honestly, I find that these teams IMT and must not conflict with the cy, develops an agreed upon strate often get to focus on what the host IMT’s mission. gy, and implements the plan. In my agency has always wanted to do, opinion, prevention and education but doesn’t have the time. It is Beyond awareness and immediate teams are effective and efficient, amazing what a team can do when threat, I find the public wants to and they accomplish stated objec allowed to spend 2 entire weeks understand the wildfire issues. For tives for the host agency. However, on a specific mission without the example, a community might ask, there is still a learning curve for interruptions of the normal daily “What does ‘dry fuels’ really mean?” teams and agencies to make the workload. “What is causing all the fires?” accomplishments even better. “What do the restrictions mean?” What Can a Prevention The team’s mission is to work with In the past, a Federal or State and Education Team Do the host agency to make the issues agency would ask an incoming for You? and answers clear with simple and team, “We called you in because we understandable messaging. Although raising awareness is always part of the incident man Two recent examples of messag Jim Funk, Association of Consulting agement teams (IMT) mission to Foresters, is a consulting forester in ing were in Utah (2012) and Texas Virginia and an experienced national fire protect life/property/resources and (2011). The goal in Utah was to prevention and education team leader. suppress the fire, other broad-based simplify the fire restrictions of He retired from a 33-year career with the issues typically need attention. Federal and State agencies into a Kentucky Division of Forestry and remains active in wildland fire prevention activities. There is a growing interest in fire simple message. Symbols of the
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 29 main fire restrictions were format Prevention and education teams bolster ted on a single page with green circles for acceptable and red an agency’s capacity to reduce the circles with a slash (internation number of fire starts. ally recognized) for unacceptable. Agency personnel, as well as the public, found the messaging direct In both cases, the agencies realized munity forge plans to protect and understandable. In Texas, a a need to refresh and simplify the themselves by using the Firewise product was developed to pro prevention messages so they could Communities program and avail vide simple guidance on personal inform and involve the public in an able mitigation resources. Building actions for the “Ready, Set, Go!” effort to garner support in the over broad partnerships was especially program in the State. Several other all effort. In general, people want beneficial in this assignment. related products conveyed the cen to do the right thing; they want to tral themes of the State’s preven know what to do for themselves and Other tasks for prevention and tion program. Products on ember the community. Getting individuals education teams are to develop awareness, landscaping, and con to take action is the answer, rather prevention campaigns, professional struction can be viewed at the Texas than an agency telling the public informational materials, a long Forest Service Web site
Fire Management Today 30 Wildland Fire Prevention and Education Teams (WFPET)
What criteria are used for ordering a and appearing at prevention events, attending WFPET? community meetings, distributing prevention materials, meeting with local officials, etc.; • Current and predicted weather indexes, such as • Possible products: a communications plan, fire red flag warnings, Keetch-Byram Drought Index, prevention and education brochures, posters and rainfall amounts, drought indexes, etc.; bumper stickers, an ongoing fire prevention plan, • Fuel conditions and loading; and media releases, fact sheets, and typically a final • Fire occurrence. team report. What is the process for ordering a WFPET? What are some possible benefits of using a • Through the Resource Ordering and Status WFPET? System (ROSS), as done with other resources. • Reduction in fire occurrence, • New fire prevention and education products, What positions are normally on a WFPET? • Updated fire prevention assessment, • Team leader; • New fire prevention plan, • Fire prevention specialist team member; • Updated or new communications plan, • Public affairs or public information officer team • Improved community relations and fire depart member; and ment relations, and • Other team members as required such as admin • Heightened public awareness and education. istrative support, finance, logistics, law enforce ment, agency liaison, etc. What types of funding are available for WFPET? What are the typical activities of a WFPET • For Federal agencies, the use of severity funds; and what type of products can a WFPET • Certain types of grant funds; and produce? • Possibly, fire preparedness or fire mitigation • Typical activities: generating prevention contacts, funds. developing prevention and materials, organizing wish to talk to other agencies or individuals to see what is working Community engagement is going to be a for them. Talking to prevention growing task with these teams. team leaders or members may also be useful.
When the time is right for request and a PIO skilled in writing and expect, allows time for research, ing a team, you now have a general editing. A law enforcement officer and may adjust the team composi direction, which makes a difference (LEO) may be part of the team if tion. The leader may ask for access in team composition. If the assign the direction is to address a spe to data or other information to get ment is media-heavy and will deal cific fire cause such as arson; the a head start on the objectives. with a lot of public contact, your LEO can add great insight to the team will need at least two expe approach of the prevention strategy. On arrival, spend enough time at rienced public information officer the “in-briefing” to make sure the (PIO) positions. If the assignment is When a team is assigned, talk to situation is understood and the product-heavy, consider the inclu the leader before arrival. This gives assignment is clear. The team will sion of a graphic artist for design the team a better idea what to work to make sure the objectives
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 31 are obtainable and reasonable with in the allotted timeframe. Be avail able to the team to make decisions, approve products, and monitor the progress. Be willing to quickly adjust the approach and tasks. My experience is that the accomplish ments are usually larger than origi nally planned.
Each of these steps is important, leads to better team utilization, and accomplishes more for the agency. The team should be an extension of the agency prevention program and move the long-term direction of the agency forward. The team is there for 2 weeks; the agency is there for the long haul.
Final Thoughts Prevention and education teams can be valuable to an agency or interagency group at all levels. State and regional teams are form ing in many places and doing great work. As these teams gain experience in their own areas, they become more valuable for national teams. I think it is cru cial to involve new members and leaders on each assignment in order to increase national capacity and ensure that trained members are available for local teams. For In our most recent assignment, Especially with product work, incoming national teams, trained the team developed signage for developing materials that can be and experienced local members the local interagency group. By used by other States or agencies in assist a team by providing local removing the interagency logo and general prevention messaging is knowledge of the situation, access specific Web site information, the cost-effective and helps other teams to community players, and insight products can be used regionally and get a faster start to get the public on historical prevention efforts. by other States. The work of pre informed and engaged. Teams have vention and education teams thus been doing this for years. Although can have significant impact beyond I, as a prevention team member, the host, in part, because simple may be highly biased, I feel preven To make the most of messaging transcends the boundar tion and education teams provide your prevention team, ies of a national forest or agency. instrumental assistance needed by the first thing to decide The overall cost of a prevention and agencies to address dangerous situ is your prevention education team is easily justified ations and reduce the incidence of needs. when there is broad application for wildfire from human causes. the work and when adaptable prod ucts become available for others to share and use.
Fire Management Today 32 FiReFighTeR pRopeRTy pRogRaM deeMed a suCCess in Texas April Saginor
dequate firefighting equipment are in high demand statewide and response fleet. In total, the agency is always a critical need for fire are particularly suited for wildfire has acquired eight D7-size dozers, Aresponse organizations—the suppression operations in the brush trailers, and transports that are scars of last season’s mega-wildfires and grasslands of central and west being placed in service with TFS are still fresh, and firefighting orga Texas. Fire department requests fire response crews. nizations are working diligently are rated based on factors such as to rebuild their wildfire response response area size, population pro One of the units (a Caterpillar capabilities. tected, and distance to the nearest D7G dozer, transport trailer, and fire department, placing the highest haul truck) recently completed The Firefighter Property (FPP) priority on volunteer fire depart refurbishment, with a minimum program was launched in 2005 ments serving rural and less devel investment of $6,000 for the dozer through an agreement between oped communities. and $8,000 for the trailer, to bring the Forest Service and the U.S. the equipment up to standard for Department of Defense. It provides Recently, the State agency itself fireline service. This unit now has a equipment to fire departments has benefited from the program combined value of $170,000 and is and State program cooperators. by acquiring several large doz being deployed in east Texas to sup Texas began participation in 2006, ers, trailers, and transport trucks port local, regional, and statewide becoming the third State to sign an to supplement the State wildfire wildfire response (figure 1). agreement to join the program.
An impressive aspect of the pro Providing the needed resources is one way gram is the level of cooperation between local fire departments, government agencies can work together the Federal Government, and State governments. The U.S. Department of Defense identifies surplus equip ment available for acquisition. State agencies, such as the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS), acquire the equipment and pass it along to the recipient, who must paint the item, purchase insurance, and use it for firefighting for 1 year before the title is turned over.
Primarily focused on building the capacity of local fire departments, TFS has used the program to acquire and deliver more than 200 vehicles, mostly the 5- or 2½-ton cargo trucks, to fire departments across Texas. The military vehicles
April Saginor is a communications special ist for Texas A&M Forest Service, Forest Resource Protection. Figure 1. —DC 7 Dozer in service by the Texas A&M Forest Service.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 33 Wes Moorehead, east Texas opera- An impressive aspect of the program is the level tions department head for the TFS, said the program offers an opportu of cooperation between local fire departments, the nity to build capacity in the State’s Federal Government, and State governments. fire service.
Providing the needed resources is “Texas A&M Forest Service is proud this program will continue to con- one way government agencies can to partner with the DoD and the tribute greatly in the protection of work together, said Mark Stanford, Forest Service in coordination of life and property not only in Texas fire chief for the TFS. the State’s Firefighter Property pro- but across the country.” gram,” Stanford said. “We expect
Table 1. —Some recent Texas A&M Forest Service truck assigned to various fire departments. Year Make Series Value Item Region County Notes Delivered 1988 Oshkosh R-11 $94,124.96 Truck, Livingston Tyler Colmesneil 04/17/11 Tank 1999 AM M920 $74,288.00 Truck, Abilene Brown Zephyr 10/11/11 General Tractor 1984 AM M923 $70,613.00 Truck, Canyon Parmer Lazbuddie 02/02/12 General Cargo 5 Ton 1985 AM M923 $70,613.00 Truck, San Angelo Tom Green Quail Valley 12/13/11 General Cargo 5 Ton 1986 Chevy M1008 $15,751.00 Truck, Livingston Angelina Rivercrest/ 02/09/11 Cargo Redland 1.25 Ton 1985 AM M923 $70,613.00 Truck, Childress Collingsworth Samnorwood 04/09/12 General Cargo 5 Ton 1984 AM M923 $70,613.00 Truck, La Grange Burnet Hoover Valley 06/08/12 General Cargo 5 Ton 1991 Oshkosh A/S32 $94,124.96 Truck, Fort Hood San Saba Richland 06/13/12 R-11 Tank Springs 1985 AM M925 $75,278.00 Truck, Lubbock Lubbock Shallowater 06/27/12 General Cargo 5 Ton 1985 AM M923 $70,613.00 Truck, Beeville Brooks Falfurrias 06/11/12 General Cargo 5 Ton
Fire Management Today 34 Colmesnell Samnorwood
Zephyr Hoover Valley
Lazbuddle Richland Springs
Quail Valley Shallow Water
Rivercrest Falfurrias
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 35 FiRe shiRTs FoR saFeTy, noT Fashion: pRopeR use oF ppe To pRevenT TheRMaL heaT BuRn injuRies Fred J. Schoeffler
urns are one of the most pain wildland fire culture, including this studies on humans and animals in ful, disabling, disfiguring, attitude toward PPE (Kapsali 2009). the 1950s and 1960s for the Naval Band costly injuries anyone Air Development Center, Aerospace can experience, requiring more Obviously, no one plans on get Medical Research Department. medical care than all other trau ting burned. The experience of a In a laboratory, they applied vari mas (Tutterow 2012). There is a burn injury, or merely a conversa ous heat fluxes to their subjects recognized growing problem in tion with anyone who’s had one, to determine the heat energy level the wildland firefighting culture or reading investigative reports or required to create a second-degree whereby firefighters are exposing lessons-learned accounts should burn, defined as the point when a themselves to burn injuries by not motivate firefighters to wear good, blister forms and the outer layer of properly wearing personal protec sound PPE. After all, we are trained skin (epidermis) is destroyed. This tive equipment (PPE), primarily fire to “plan for the worst,” so wear research (Stoll and Chianta 1968, shirts. Unfortunately, supervisors ing sturdy PPE should just make Neal 2005) resulted in the now are allowing this unsafe practice. sense, right? It should be a simple internationally recognized “Stoll and obvious choice to replace your curve,” which measures burn inju Fire shirts are being improperly “favorite fire shirt” with a well- ries by quantifying the heat level worn while on the firelines—for maintained, structurally sound PPE and duration required both to feel example, sleeves are rolled up or and wear it properly with sleeves pain and to acquire a second-degree in poor condition (threadbare, rolled down while on the active burn in a wide range of exposure torn, worn out, or soaked in gas firelines to avoid thermal burn conditions (Furtak and Silecky and oil)—subjecting the wearer injuries. 2012, Lawson 1996, Sipe 2004, Neal to potential burn injuries. A com 2005). mon firefighter’s response is, “it’s Burn Injury Research my favorite fire shirt.” Sociologist The key point on the Stoll Curve is Diane Vaughan calls this “normal The Stoll Curve where the time to second-degree izing deviance” (Vaughn 1996). Researchers Alice Stoll and Maria burn and the heat flux intersect at Chianta conducted thermal burn about one second, generating what This has been a troubling practice of several years now. The practice started with our most elite fire fighters setting the trend, so leader ship should be well aware of this safety weakness.1 Elite firefighters exert a very strong influence on the attitudes and behaviors of the
1 There are numerous media photos depicting firefighters with their sleeves rolled up on the firelines.
Fred J. Schoeffler works for the Coconino National Forest as a call-when-needed fireline supervisor. Retired from the Forest Service in 2007 after 34 years, he also Wildland firefighter on the active fireline Wildland firefighter with properly worn spent 26 years (1981–2007) as the Payson with sleeves rolled up. Photo by Kari Greer, personal protective equipment. Photo by Interagency Hot Shot Crew superintendent. 17 August 2012 Kari Greer, 17 August 2012
Fire Management Today 36 is known as the thermal protec The fireline is not a What Is PPE and What tive performance (TPP) number. Does It Provide? Wildland PPE is rated by the radi fashion show. ant protective performance (RPP) The PPE Standards rating. For all practical purposes, Wildland fire PPE is covered they are the same rating. The TPP age occurs is roughly tripled for under National Fire Protection test evaluates the garment materi each degree the cells are above the Association (NFPA) 1977, which al’s thermal insulation in the pres threshold temperature (Ackerman requires a RPP test. The RPP rat ence of both direct flame and radi 2010). Even small skin temperature ing, virtually identical to the TPP ant heat. The purpose of the TPP is changes result in serious burns discussed earlier, also reflects the to measure the length of time that (Lawson 1996). time to get a second degree burn. the person wearing the garment The stated standard requires wild- can be exposed to a heat source Radiant heat is transmitted land PPE to have a RPP of 7, mean before incurring a second degree, through the air like light, without ing it should withstand 0.5 calories or skin blistering, burn (Ackerman heating the air, so any object (PPE of heat for 14 seconds (in a labora 2010, Tutterow 2012, Neal 2005). or exposed skin) used to absorb the tory) before an individual wearing heat will modify it. Conversely, con it would receive a second-degree Human Tissue Tolerance to vective heat, in most cases, can be burn (Miller 2008). Second-Degree Burns sufficiently intense to burn airways and is mostly fatal (Butler 2013). The human skin is the largest According to NFPA (1977), “The It also is possible that firefighters organ in the body, with an approxi goal of this [PPE] standard [is] to could receive serious burn injuries mately 5.5 sq. ft. (1.7 m²) surface provide thermal protection for the with no evidence of thermal dam area, representing about 15 percent wildland firefighter against external age to the clothing, or they could of an adult’s total weight. The skin heat sources with flame-resistant even be unaware that they’ve been performs numerous vital tasks, clothing and equipment while not burned, especially during periods such as protecting underlying tis inducing an extraordinary internal of heavy sweating (Lawson 1996, sues from physical or thermal heat stress load” (Mangan 1999). Lessons Learned Center). trauma, thermally regulating the body by sweating and heat conduc According to the Code of Federal According to researcher K.J. tion, providing impermeability to Regulations (29 CFR 1910.132), Gaston, “The best way to treat a tissue fluids, and supplying the sen employers must provide “protective burn is not to have one” (McLean sory perception of touch (Ackerman equipment for eyes, face, head, and 2001). This definitely states the 2010, Society for Fire Protection extremities.” It “shall be … used obvious and somewhat begs the Engineers 2000). and maintained in a … reliable question; however, avoiding burns condition,” and “defective or dam may be neither quite so obvious There are several uncertainties aged personal protective equipment nor so easily accomplished. associated with predicting thermal shall not be used” (1910.132(e)) injury to skin for a given heat flux and must be replaced. The distance at which human exposure. They deal mostly with beings will suffer serious skin burn the fact that a person’s skin is not Research on the subject reveals injury differs depending on the heat uniform in thickness over the body that the CFRs dealing with PPE are flux level. The degree of burn injury and is a series of separate layers inadequate and provide an unsafe depends on the total dose of energy where the cell structure varies with basis for specifying firefighter pro received by the skin and the rate depth, such as forearms compared tective clothing performance (29 at which the energy is received. to the soles of one’s feet (Ackerman CFR 1910.132(a), Stull and Stull The threshold energy for a second- 2010). 2011). However, this is no excuse degree burn injury is a variable, for improperly worn (sleeves rolled not a constant. The time to pain is Burn injury progression is largely up) or substandard (threadbare, completely dependent on the heat related to the amount of time the gas-and-oil-soaked) PPE. The Red flux, and the minimum needed to skin is above 111º F (44º C) at any Book 2013 directs us to wear and feel any pain is 5.5 sq. ft. (1.7 W/ ® ® given depth; the rate at which dam- use PPE (Nomex , Kevlar , or m²))(Furtak and Silecky 2012. other fire-retardant materials) that
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 37 is in good condition and worn prop individuals working in hazardous The Paradox erly. The Red Book states that PPE environments rejected their PPE So, what’s the answer here? Do you “will be replaced when the fabric is because the look and design were wear double layers of Nomex in so worn as to reduce the protection deemed unsuitable (Black et al. these situations or do you practice capability of the garment or is so 2005). good situational awareness and faded as to significantly reduce the avoidance? PPE can most likely sur desired visibility qualities and to be Personal protective clothing should vive under high temperatures with cleaned or replaced especially when strike a balance between worker little or no damage; the human soiled by petroleum products” (Red protection and worker comfort body cannot. Double-layer PPE Book 2013). (Sharkey 1999); that does not mean has grown popular because of the that it’s okay to wear your favor notion that “more layering is more The Nomex® shirts and trousers ite fire shirt beyond its effective protection” and has proven effective currently used by wildland fire lifespan just because you think it’s in reducing some severe wildland fighters have fabric weights of comfortable. Many firefighters have fire burn injuries. Others correctly 5.7 and 8.5 oz/yd² (190 and 280 stated that they are totally opposed argue that double-layer PPE may g/m²), respectively. The PPE is to wearing a new fire shirt because actually accelerate the potential for tested based on a single criterion it’s so bright or that their favorite heat injuries because the firefighter of human exposure, namely, 5 kW/ fire shirt is much more comfortable stays in place too long (Miller 2008, m² heat flux level. The fabric rating than a new one. Mangan 1999). improves as its thickness or weight increases, yet many firefighters are Clearly, the fireline is not a fashion There is, thus, a paradox to PPE using fire shirts well beyond their show, but an increasing number use. While there are advantages effective lifespan when no matter of firefighters seem to see their to protecting the face, neck, and its original rating, the fabric thick fire shirts as a fashion statement. ears with PPE such as a shroud, ness, or weight tends to decrease. Worn-out or threadbare favorite one must exercise extra caution Like it or not, PPE has a finite life fire shirts have a greatly reduced because the extra protection can (Tutterow 2012). or virtually nil RPP rating; while allow a firefighter to enter an area they will afford some protection, that is dangerously hot and remain these worn-out shirts just will not The Balance there for too long. By the time one provide the protection needed in a There is a considerable amount of feels pain, it is often too late to “worst-case scenario.” literature on “garment comfort and avoid a burn (Sipe 2004, Stull and the psychological and physiological Stull 2011). This is also evidenced With respect to working in the functionality” related to garment by the Wagon Box, Poe Cabin, and wildland-urban interface (WUI) wear. Some of it relates to wildland New York Peak Fires discussed around fully engulfed structures, garments, but it mostly pertains to below, even though shrouds would 1960s studies suggest that our structural firefighters, law enforce have clearly prevented or at least wildland PPE is sadly inadequate ment officers, skateboarders, reduced some of the burn injuries for these radiated heat intensities. and, of course, the fashion world (Lessons Learned Center). A fully involved single-family home (Kapsali 2009; Cassel et al. 2005, produces radiant heat exceeding Black et al. 2005). A researcher 32.25W/in² (5 W/cm² ) up to 40 feet Normalization of investigating law enforcement (12 m) from the burning structure Deviance: Problems PPE identified several cases where (Law 1963, McGuire 1965). Lying in Wait A strongly held subjective prefer ence for one’s favorite fire shirt is Replace your “favorite fire shirt” with a well- not based on logic and certainly not based on objective safety standards. maintained, structurally sound PPE and In some cases, it is purely based on wear it properly with sleeves rolled down to superstition. These attitudes fall avoid thermal burn injuries. into the “Human Factor Barriers to Situation Awareness” listed in the Incident Response Pocket Guide as
Fire Management Today 38 dangerous, especially the hazardous first-, second-, and third-degree References attitudes and social influences. The burns on exposed flesh because Ackerman, M.Y. 2010. Burn injuries and prevailing view seems to be that they had their sleeves rolled up or their relation to wild land fire fight one’s favorite fire shirt has been were not wearing gloves. In two ing. Alberta, British Columbia; Univ. adequate all these years and noth of the fires, firefighters received of Alberta, Department of Mechanical Engineering. 20 p. ing harmful has happened, there second- and third-degree burns Black, S.; Kapsali, S.; Bourgourd, V.; fore, it must be okay. Attitudes have through their Nomex where they Geesin, J. 2005. Fashion and function: a powerful influence on behavior, had only one layer of protection factors affecting the design and use of protective clothing. In: Scott, R. A.,ed., and this attitude regarding PPE is underneath. All three of these Textiles for protection. Cambridge, UK: clearly very dangerous. incidents were clearly sudden and Woodhead Publishing Limited: 60–89. short-lived worst-case scenarios Butler, B.; Forthofer, J.; Shannon, K.; Jimenez, D.; Frankman, D. 2010. The Negative and slow incremental effect of terrain slope on firefighter changes are dangerous because safety zone effectiveness. Proceedings they are subtle and normaliz The best way to of 3rd Fire Behavior and Fuels ing, explained sociologist Diane Conference, October 25-29, 2010, treat a burn is not Spokane, Washington. Birmingham, AL: Vaughan. As a result of studying International Association of Wildland the 1996 Challenger Space Shuttle to have one. Fire. 6 p. crash and fatalities, her research Butler, B.; Forthofer, J. 2002. Get into the zone. Missoula, MT: International indicates that troubles come about Association of Wildland Fire. Wildfire from both individual and organiza where good, sturdy PPE, for the Magazine: September/October, 2002. tional failures. The common thread 16–22. most part, worked properly. All Butler, B. 2013. Personal communication. is that ignoring early warning signs three fires occurred in Nevada in Mechanical engineer, Forest Service, and noncompliance with safety sagebrush fuel type, a particu Rocky Mountain Research Station, 240 standards allows one to accept larly volatile fuel. Please note that West Prospect RD, Fort Collins, CO more and more risk. A “normal 80526. these fires were not exceptionally Cassel, E.; Clapperton, A.; Aroni, R.; Ashby, ization of deviance” is established intense and did not really exhibit K.; Sawyer, S. 2005. Gear up—motiva by continuing to accept more and any remarkable fire behavior and tion and barriers to the wearing of PPE more risk after the first anomaly by youth in council skateparks, final should, therefore, be considered as report to DHS Public Health Research is accepted. It’s the classic case of fairly common occurrences. Grants Scheme. Caulfield East Victoria, bad decisions with good outcomes, Australia: Monash University, Monash reinforcing bad behavior: nothing Leadership Solution Research Center. 45 p. happened last time, so why not do Furtak, M.; Silecky, L. 2012. Evaluation of In many cases, supervisors, includ onset to second-degree burn energy in it again this time (Vaughn 1996). Arc-flash hazard analysis. Richardson, I believe this is what is occurring ing safety officers, are acquiescing TX: International Association of with the increasingly common to this pattern of inadequate or Electrical Inspectors. IAFI News No. 65. improper PPE by not correcting the 8 p. unsafe attitude toward PPE. Harris, W. 2013. Personal communica obvious problem. This “problem tions. El Dorado Interagency Hot Shot Case Studies lying in wait” must be dealt with. Crew superintendent, acting superin It is a leadership issue that can be tendent while engaged on the NY Peak Reviewing just three wildland fires Fire on July 25, 2006. Forest Service, El easily corrected with a fairly simple Dorado National Forest, 100 Forni RD, will put fire intensity and heat flux, solution: a good supervisor will set Placerville, CA, 95667. proper PPE, and worst-case sce the example, speak up, and take Hess, B.W. 2012. Improving safety narios into perspective. Go to the appropriate action when necessary and health of wildland firefighters through personal protective clothing. Lessons Learned Web site
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 39 Law, M. 1963. Heat radiation from fires and McLean, A.D. 2001. Burns and military Society for Fire Protection Engineers. 2000. building separation. Boreham Wood, UK: clothing. Pub Med. Bethesda, MD: J.R. Engineering guide for predicting 1st Department of Scientific and Industrial Army Medical Corps, National Center and 2nd degree skin burns from thermal Research and Fire Offices’ Committee: for Biotechnology Information. 147 (1): radiation. Bethesda, MD: Society for Fire Research Station. Technical Paper 97–106. Fire Protection Engineers. Engineering No. 5. 31 p. Miller, V. 2008. The challenges of speccing Guide. 32 p. Lawson, J.R. 1996. Firefighter’s protec PPE for WUI firefighting. Tulsa, OK: Stoll A.M.; Chianta, M.A. 1968. Burn pro tive clothing and thermal environments Firefighter Nation. FireRescue Magazine. duction and prevention in convective of structural fire fighting. Springfield, July 2008. 6 p. and radiant heat transfer. Dayton, OH: VA: National Technical Information National Fire Protection Association. 2011. Aerospace Medicine. 39: 1232–1238. Service, Technology Administration: U.S. Standard on protective clothing and Stull, Jeffrey O.; Stull, Grace, G. 2011. Department of Commerce. NISTIR 5804. equipment for wildland fire fighting. Firefighter PPE: understanding limita 26 p. Quincy, MA. 67 p. tions of government regulations. http:// Lessons Learned Center. 2013. Incident Neal, Tom, DR. 2005. Understanding the www.firerescue1.com/fire-products/ reviews. Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Stoll curve. New Bedford, MA: Oberon gloves/articles/1210329-Firefighter-PPE Center linkage.
Contributors Wanted! Fire Management Today is a source of information on all aspects of fire behavior and management at Federal, State, tribal, county, and local levels. Has there been a change in the way you work? New equipment or tools? New partnerships or programs? To keep up the communication, we need your fire- related articles and photographs! Feature articles should be up to about 2,000 words in length. We also need short items of up to 200 words. Subjects of articles published in Fire Management Today may include: Aviation Fire history Planning (including budgeting) Communication Fire science Preparedness Cooperation Fire use (including prescribed fire) Prevention/Education Ecosystem management Fuels management Safety Equipment/Technology Firefighting experiences Suppression Fire behavior Incident management Training Fire ecology Information management Weather Fire effects (including systems) Wildland-urban interface Personnel
Fire Management Today 40 2013 sMokey BeaR aWaRd WinneRs Gwen Beavans
he annual Smokey Bear Awards are sponsored by the These awards represent the highest national TNational Association of State honor one can receive for outstanding work and Foresters, the Forest Service, and the Advertising Council, Inc., who significant program impact in wildfire prevention. together constitute the Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention (CFFP) Committee. These awards represent a way of life in our islands. the highest national honor one can The three levels of awards are Reaching people through music receive for outstanding work and gold, silver, and bronze. All is a great way to teach wild significant program impact in wild three award categories are the fire prevention because people fire prevention. highest level of recognition pos remember the message reiter sible, the only difference being ated in the choruses of various The first Gold Smokey Bear Awards the geographical sphere of the songs. Repeating the chorus were given out by President Dwight nominated work: leads to remembering the mes D. Eisenhower. To date, only three sage. Mr. Crespo is a good exam people have received all three Gold, • Gold is given for nationwide ple of the important work that Silver, and Bronze Smokey Bear impact, can be done in fire prevention Awards. A full list of winners can be • Silver is given for multi-State when an imaginative mind has found at http://www.SmokeyBear. impact, and the freedom to create a program com/awards. • Bronze is given for impact that appeals to children, teens within a State. and their parents, and teachers For the 2013 nomination year, one alike.” Crespo has partnered with silver winner and six bronze win In the 57 years since the CFFP the Puerto Rico Department ners were announced; there were committee has selected win of Natural Resources and the no Gold Smokey Bear Award win ners, only 80 Gold Smokey Bear New York City Fire Department ners this year. Awards have been given (one or Hispanic Society to further two each year). spread fire-prevention messages. • Angel Crespo, fire chief for the Puerto Rico Fire Department • Paul Reier, forest technician in San Juan, received a Silver Forestal” (or “Forest Fire”), with the Virginia Department Smokey Bear Award for his enabled him to get the attention of Forestry and volunteer with efforts to reduce human-caused of his audience in an effective his local fire and rescue squad, wildfires, primarily started from and innovative way. Clips of his received a Bronze Smokey Bear debris burning, in Puerto Rico performances have been shown Award for his many hours (on and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Fire- on CCN and other regional and and off the job) of working to prevention messages incorpo local U.S. news outlets. A short ensure Smokey is at numerous rated into his original rap songs video biography is found at the fairs, special events, baseball and hard rock music, “Fuego following link:
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 41 Golf Association. He also devel programs and messages were departments to leverage knowl oped a cross-generational fire- unified, allowing one consis edge, skills, and resources. As a prevention message delivery pro tent message to be heard by the result, the number of prevent cess where elderly populations public. He helped form subcom able human-caused wildfires was provide information to grand mittees and task force teams reduced in their 54-county area. children and great grandchil to deliver fire-prevention and These effective fire-prevention dren. Reier states, “I sincerely education information, hold programs and products are being appreciate the recognition from town-hall information sessions, replicated for use throughout colleagues for my efforts in try and conduct home assessments. Texas. ing to get Smokey’s message out Home and business assessments, to the public in different venues. • Pennsylvania’s Fire Prevention This is something I really enjoy Action Team developed the and will continue to promote To date, only three Pennsylvania Wardens Helping Smokey’s message of “Only You in Prevention (WHIP) pro- Can Prevent Wildfires” (figure 1). people have received all gram in 1988. This year, these three Gold, Silver, and “wardens” received a Bronze Bronze Smokey Bear Smokey Bear Award. Under Awards. this program, numerous volun teers work with volunteer fire departments, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation as well as maps, were put into and Natural Resources, schools, notebooks and given to local fire and diverse State agencies to departments to assist with fire educate people about being fire prevention, wildfire assessment, safe. They have presented more and evacuation needs. In addi than 150 programs at fairs, tion, Mosley secured funding for schools, minor league hockey training seasonal employees and and baseball games, Penn State local fire department personnel football games, and many more to become qualified and carded venues. Although it is always Fire Prevention Education Team difficult to tell how much of an members. impact a specific program has
on fire starts, the average acre • The Texas A&M Forest Service age burned per year has been East Texas Operations team was Paul Reier, Virginia Department of reduced from more than 10,000 Forestry, was surprised with the bronze selected as a Bronze Smokey acres to 6,500 acres since the Smokey award. Bear Award winner for innovative program began. approaches to reach audiences
with fire-prevention messages. • Eric Mosley, wildfire mitiga • Glenn Liepe, of the New Jersey The “Are You Smarter Than a tion specialist with the Georgia Forest Fire Service, received a 5th Grader?” fire-prevention Forestry Commission, received Bronze Smokey Bear Award for school program was a huge hit, a Bronze Smokey Bear Award. researching, developing, and as were the programs delivered Mosley’s leadership efforts marketing a K-9 prevention at Boy Scout events, the “pass engaged multiagency partners, “Tracks” program. Starting in port” used at the Fire Museum of including the Forest Service, 2004, Liepe lobbied for a pilot Texas’ fire prevention camp, and National Park Service, U.S. Fish Wildland Fire Investigation and “Show and Tell” and puppet pro and Wildlife Service, and many Prevention initiative that would grams. More than 300 programs volunteer fire departments to use a bloodhound to determine reached more than 18,000 people develop and use fire-prevention wildfire origin and cause to suc over a 2-year period. The team education teams in Florida and cessfully track fire-setters. He worked cooperatively with school Georgia. With Mosley spearhead volunteered to house and care districts and volunteer fire ing the efforts, local prevention for the dog at his own expense,
Fire Management Today 42 Smokey Bear Awards: A History
After World War II, public use of national and State forests increased dramatically, quickly surpassing previous visitor records by 1950. Fire prevention was a real concern because dur ing the period 1946 to 1950, 9 out of 10 wildfires were human- caused. Compared to 1941, how ever, the total number of national wildfires declined annually during that same period. The drop was widely attributed to public coop eration with Federal and State fire prevention efforts.
The main fire-prevention effort in the late 1940s was the Smokey Bear Cooperative Forest Fire Prevention Campaign, cospon sored by the National Association President Eisenhower presents Golden Smokey Bear to Judy Bell during the Golden of State Foresters, the Advertising Smokey Bear award presentation at the White House on May 8, 1958. Council, Inc., and the Forest Service. Although the fire-pre simple design that symbolized the Silver Smokey Bear statuettes vention compaign originated as shape of Smokey Bear. In 1957, the were later developed and first part of the war effort, it evolved scrolls were officially replaced by awarded in 1967 to recognize into an enduring legacy when the gilded statuette. regional organizations or persons a 1944 poster bear painted by for a proven record of service Albert Staehle became personi By working connections with White in regional (multi-State) areas. fied by a real bear cub found in House Chief of Staff Sherman Beginning in 1962, a Bronze a New Mexico fire in 1950. Rudy Adams, President Dwight D. Smokey Bear Award (previously Wendelin, a Forest Service art Eisenhower gave out the first Gold called the Smokey Bear Plaque), ist, helped re-design the poster Smokey Bear Awards in 1958 to is also awarded yearly as well, bear from Staehle’s original 1944 mark the fine fire record achieved for outstanding contributions cartoonish image into the more in 1957. Judy Bell, daughter of to statewide wildfire prevention robust version popular today. Ruth and Ray Bell who had nursed efforts. the bear cub back to health after During the mid-1950s, scrolls his rescue from the 1950 Lincoln Nominations are accepted each were given out as awards for fire National Forest fire, received the fall. Representatives from the prevention activities. Wendelin first golden Smokey Bear statu National Association of State was assigned the task of develop ette from President Eisenhower Foresters, the Forest Service, and ing a statuette to be awarded to on behalf of the “fine cooperation the Advertising Council, Inc., outstanding organizations (and the children of America have given jointly select the annual Smokey later to individuals as well) for forest fire prevention.” The Gold Bear Award winners from the their help in fire prevention on Smokey Bear Award continues to pool of nominated candidates. a national level. Rudy Wendelin be presented to individuals or orga modeled in clay a statuette that nizations for their proven record of For more information visit the was similar in design to the service in wildfire prevention on a Smokey Bear Web site at http:// Hollywood “Oscar;” it was a national scale. www.SmokeyBear.com/awards.
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 43 took several months of train- Think about those you know who have made an ing with the dog, and developed a template for the “Tracks” impact on reducing human-caused wildfires—and Program. This program provided nominate them to be recognized through the an innovative way to reduce Smokey Bear Awards program. human-caused wildfires in the Pine Barrens region of New Jersey. Liepe made it a point to special appearances at parades deliver programs to every school and at a Casper Ghosts Baseball in Hamilton Township, reaching game. Nelson is a leader in more than 2,900 students. Since creating local community part 2004, “Tracks” has participated nerships, which increases the in more than 750 programs capacity to share consistent fire- across the State with more than prevention messages. Nelson has 10,000 fire prevention contacts. touched the lives of more than 20,000 kids through her preven • Robin D. Nelson, geographic tion efforts. information specialist from the Bureau of Land Management As we approach Smokey Bear’s 70th High Plains District Office in Bureau of Land Management, Wyoming birthday (2014) as a wildfire pre Wyoming, has spent many State director, Don Simpson presenting vention icon, think about those you Robin Nelson with her award. years volunteering her time to know who have made an impact on educate children in the Casper, reducing human-caused wildfires visit the Expo, and Smokey Bear WY, area about wildfire preven and nominate them to be recog makes numerous appearances tion and protection of homes nized for their efforts through the during the event. In 2010, the and property against wildfire. national Smokey Bear Awards pro Casper Field Office won the 2010 Nelson has been a guest with gram (figure 2) Smokey on local television and Outstanding Indoor Exhibit from the Wyoming Game and radio stations numerous times For more information on the his Fish Department for Nelson’s in her career, and, in 2012, tory of Smokey Bear and how to and Smokey’s participation. she was featured prominently nominate someone for a Smokey Nelson partnered with numerous on Facebook throughout the Bear Award, see the accompanying companies and organizations to month of October with each Smokey Awards History box, and spread Smokey’s wildfire-preven school she visited. Nelson also visit http://www.SmokeyBear.com/ tion message, including at the attends special events with awards or http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/ Home Depot Fire Education Day, Smokey, including the annual prev_ed/smokeybearawards/index. Boys and Girls Club Education Wyoming Hunting and Fishing html. Expo sponsored by the Wyoming Day, and the local YMCA youth summer camp. Owing in no Game and Fish Department. Remember…Only You Can Prevent small part to Nelson’s outreach More than 2,000 school chil Wildfires! dren from all over Wyoming efforts, Smokey has also made
Fire Management Today 44 T:7.875” T:10.5”
THERE’S A LITTLE SMOKEY IN ALL OF US. 9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans. Which means 9 out of 10 wildfires can be prevented. So if you see someone acting irresponsibly, step in and make a difference. SmokeyBear.com
photo Jill Greenberg ©USDA Forest Service
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 45
Job Number: None Date: 6-21-2012 5:24 PM File Name: M_Smokey_7_87x10_5_MAG_ Scale: 1:1 Client: None Brand: None R1.indd Output%: None TM: None AD: None Media: Magazine Color Sp: 4 Color PA: None CW: None Bleed: None Notes: None Ret: None GCD: None Trim: 7.875” x 10.5” Safety: None QC: None AE: None Gutter: None PR: None AB: None Folds: None PP: None Vend: None
Colors: Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black Fonts: Boton (Bold, Regular, Light; Type 1) Images: Smokey5_PM_4C.jpg (618 ppi; CMYK), Ad Council logo.ai, Forest Service logos.ai, Only you logo.ai Stein, S.M.; Menakis, J.; Carr, M.A.; Comas, S.J.; Stewart, S.I.; Cleveland, H.; Bramwell, L.; Radeloff, V.C. 2013. Wildfire, wildlands, and people: United States understanding and preparing for Department of Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: Agriculture wildfire in the wildland-urban interface—a Forests on the Edge Forest Service Understanding and Preparing for report. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS- Rocky Mountain GTR-299. Fort Collins, CO. Research Station Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface U.S. Department of Agriculture, General Technical Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Report RMRS-GTR-299 Research Station. 36 p. January 2013 Abstract Fire has historically played a fundamental ecological role in many of America’s wildland areas. However, the rising number of homes in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), associated impacts on lives and property from wildfire, and escalating costs of wildfire management have led to an urgent need for communities to become “fire-adapted.” We present maps of the conterminous United States that illustrate historical natural fire regimes, the wildland-urban interface, and the number and location of structures burned since 1999. We outline a sampler of actions, programs, and community planning and development options to help decrease the risks of and The Rocky Mountain Research Station develops scientific information and technology to improve management, protection, and use of the forests and damages from wildfire. rangelands. Research is designed to meet the needs of the National Forest managers, Federal and State agencies,A Forests public and on private the organizations, Edge Report academic institutions, industry, and individuals. Studies accelerate solutions to problems involving ecosystems, range, forests, water, recreation, fire, resource inventory, land reclamation, community sustainability, forest engineering Key Words: wildfire, community technology, multiple use economics, wildlife and fish habitat, and forest insects and diseases. Studies are conducted cooperatively, and applications may be planning, fire-adapted, found worldwide.
Station Headquarters wildland-urban interface, Rocky Mountain Research Station 240 W Prospect Road defensible space Fort Collins, CO 80526 (970) 498-1100
Research Locations
Flagstaff, Arizona Reno, Nevada Fort Collins, Colorado Albuquerque, New Mexico Boise, Idaho Rapid City, South Dakota Moscow, Idaho Logan, Utah Bozeman, Montana Ogden, Utah Missoula, Montana Provo, Utah To Order a Copy: www.fs.fed.us/rmrs The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex (including gender identity and expression), marital status, familial status, Fill in this form (wparentalhic status,h religion,will sexual be orientation, used political as beliefs, the genetic mailing information, reprisal, label) and return it to: Publications Distribution, Rocky Mountain Research Fill in this form (wor becausehic allh or willpart of an be individual’s used income asis derived the from mailing any public assistance label) and return it to: Publications Distribution, Rocky Mountain Research program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who Station, USDA Frequireorest alternative Service, means for communication 240 Wof program. Prospect information (Braille, Rd., large print, F ort Collins, CO 80526. Or visit our web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/ Station, USDA Faudiotape,orest etc.) Service, should contact USDA’s 240 TARGET W . Center Prospect at (202) 720-2600 Rd., (voice and F ort Collins, CO 80526. Or visit our Web site at http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/ publications. ThisTDD). publication is currently available on our web site; printed copies will be available in April 2013. publications. To file a complaint of discrimination, write to: USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410.
Or call toll-free at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal Yes! Pleaseopportunity provider send and employer. me a copy of Wildfire, wildlands, and people: understanding and preparing for wildfire
in the wildland-urbanFederal Recycling interface—a Program Printed on Recycled Forests Paper on the Edge report by S.M. Stein, J. Menakis, M.A. Carr, S.J. Comas, S.I. Stewart, H. Cleveland, L. Bramwell, and V.C. Radeloff. Name: ______To learn more about RMRS publications or search our online titles: www.fs.fed.us/rm/publications Organization: ______www.treesearch.fs.fed.us Street Address: ______City, State and Zip Code, or Country: ______
Fire Management Today 46 Fire Management today 2013 phoTo ConTesT Deadline for submission is 6 p .m . eastern time, Friday, December 6, 2013
Fire Management Today (FMT) invites you to submit your • FMT accepts only digital images at the highest resolution best fire-related images to be judged in our photo competi using a setting with at least 3.2 mega pixels. Digital image tion. Entries must be received by close of business at 6 p.m. files should be TIFFs or highest quality JPGs. Note: FMT eastern time on Friday, December 6, 2013. will eliminate date-stamped images. Submitted images will not be returned to the contestant. Awards • You must indicate only one category per image. To ensure fair evaluation, FMT reserves the right to change the com Winning images will appear in a future issue of FMT and may petition category for your image. be publicly displayed at the Forest Service’s national office in • You must provide a detailed caption for each image. For Washington, DC. example: A Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane delivers retardant on the 1996 Clark Peak Fire, Coronado National Forest, AZ. Winners in each category will receive the following • You must submit with each digital image a completed and awards: signed Release Statement and Photo Contest Application • 1st place: One 20- by 24-inch framed copy of your image. granting the Forest Service rights to use your image. See • 2nd place: One 16- by 20-inch framed copy of your image. http://www.fs.fed.us/fire/fmt/release.pdf. • 3rd place: One 11- by 14-inch framed copy of your image. • Honorable mention: One 8- by 10- inch framed copy of Disclaimer your image. • A panel of judges with photography and publishing experi Categories ence will determine the winners. Their decision is final. • Images depicting safety violations, as determined by the • Wildland fire panel of judges, will be disqualified. • Aerial resources • Life or property cannot be jeopardized to obtain images. • Wildland-urban interface fire • The Forest Service does not encourage or support devia • Prescribed fire tion from firefighting responsibilities to capture images. • Ground resources • Images will be eliminated from the competition if they are • Miscellaneous (fire effects, fire weather, fire-dependent obtained by illegal or unauthorized access to restricted communities or species, etc.) areas, show unsafe firefighting practices (unless that is their expressed purpose), or are of low technical quality Rules (for example, have soft focus or camera movement). • The contest is open to everyone. You may submit an unlimited number of entries taken at any time, but you To help ensure that all files are kept together, e-mail your must submit each image with a separate release/application completed release form/contest application and digital image form. You may not enter images that were judged in previ file at the same time. ous FMT contests. • You must have the authority to grant the Forest Service E-mail entries to: [email protected] unlimited use of the image, and you must agree that the image will become public domain. Moreover, the image must not have been previously published in any publication. Postmark Deadline is 6 p .m ., Friday, December 6, 2013
Volume 73 • No. 1 • 2013 47 To fax your orders: 202-512-2104 To phone your orders: 202-512-1800 or 1-866-512-1800 For subscription cost and to Order on Line: http://bookstore.gpo.gov
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