Federal Wildland Fire Policy
Fire, as a critical natural process, will be integrated into land and resource management plans and activities on a landscape scale, and across agency boundaries. Response to wildland fires is based on ecological, social and legal consequences of the fire. The circumstances under which a fire occurs, and the likely consequences on firefighter and public safety and welfare, natural and cultural resources, and values to be protected dictate the appropriate response to the fire. The protection of wildlands is the responsibility of federal, tribal, state and local fire protection organizations. These organizations must work efficiently together, in a coordinated manner, to keep unwanted wildland fires from spreading to adjacent jurisdictions. Fire response planning includes training and qualifications for fire fighting, capacity building, resource sharing, cost-sharing, mutual aid agreements, and legal responsibilities for fire fighting organizations.
Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy
On February 13, 2009, the Fire Executive Council (FEC) approved Guidance for the Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy. This Guidance provides for consistent implementation of the 1995/2001 Federal Fire Policy, as directed by the Wildland Fire Leadership Council. Successful implementation of the Guidance requires that each of the federal wildland fire agencies work together through development of unified direction and guidance for agency/bureau manuals, directives, handbooks, guidebooks, plans agreements and other pertinent documents to complete final implementation of this guidance.