Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy National Strategy

Fifteen listening forums were held across the nation from April through June 2010 where more than 400 participants representing federal, state, tribal, local, and non-governmental organizations discussed their concerns about land management and wildfire related risks. The input from these forums was included in the Cohesive Strategy documents. These two reports provide the foundation for the cohesive strategy effort.

• A National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• The Federal Land Assistance, Management And Enhancement Act Of 2009 Report to Congress (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Transmittal Letters

The Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement (FLAME) Act of 2009 requires the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture to submit to Congress a report that contains a “cohesive wildfire management strategy” consistent with the recommendations described in recent reports of the Government Accountability Office (GAO). In response, these documents were developed by federal, state, tribal, local and non-governmental partners under the oversight of the Wildland Fire Leadership Council (WFLC) to meet the requirements of the FLAME Act and recommendations of the GAO. Secretary Vilsack and Secretary Salazar transmitted the following signed letter to specific Congressional members announcing the completion of these documents.

• Letter from Department of the Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and United States Department of Agriculture Thomas J. Vilsack (PDF, 90 KB)

The individual transmittal letters were sent to the following United States Senate and House of Representatives Committees:

• United States Senate Committees: Chairman, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment and Related Agencies; Chairman, Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Ranking Member, Energy and Natural Resources Committee; Chairwoman, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; Ranking Member, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs; Vice Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs.
• House of Representatives Committees: Chairman, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Ranking Member, Subcommittee on Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Chairman, Natural Resources Committee; Ranking Member, Natural Resources Committee; Chairman, Agriculture Committee; Ranking Member, Agriculture Committee.

Several of the partner organizations in the cohesive strategy effort also submitted transmittal letters.

• Letter from the International Association of Fire Chiefs (PDF, 222 KB)
• Letter from the National Association of Counties (PDF, 114 KB)
• Letter from the National Association of State Foresters (PDF, 129 KB)
• Letter from the National League of Cities (PDF, 119 KB)
• Letter from the Western Governor's Association (PDF, 126 KB)

Foundational Documents

The following foundational documents were used to frame the development of the Cohesive Strategy reports (A National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (PDF, 1.7 MB) and the The Federal Land Assistance, Management And Enhancement Act Of 2009 Report to Congress (PDF, 1.3 MB)).

• Quadrennial Fire Review 2009 (PDF, 0.8 MB)
• National Policy Framework Documents
  • A Call to Action, A New Wildland Fire Accord: It is in your Hands (PDF, 30 KB)
  • Mutual Expectations for Preparedness and Suppression in the Interface (PDF, 36 KB)
  • Wildland Fire Protection and Response in the United States: The Responsibilities, Authorities, and Roles of Federal, State, Local, and Tribal Government (PDF, 0.7 MB)

Forums

To develop the national strategy, 15 listening forums were held nationwide (14 in-person and one on the Internet) to gather feedback from all levels of the wildland fire management community. Representatives from federal, tribal, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations and the public were invited to participate in these sessions. The results of these discussions are available:

• Cohesive Strategy Forum Comment Summary (June 30, 2010) (PDF, 257 KB)
• Anchorage Forum (PDF, 42 KB)
• Barnegat Forum (PDF, 38 KB)
• Billings Forum (PDF, 27 KB)
• Boise Forum (PDF, 27 KB)
• Casper Forum (PDF, 107 KB)
• Chattanooga Forum (PDF, 77 KB)
• Olympia Forum (PDF, 54 KB)
• Phoenix Forum (PDF, 78 KB)
• Reno-Great Basin Forum (PDF, 35 KB)
• Ruidoso Forum (PDF, 49 KB)
• Sacramento Forum (PDF, 39 KB)
• San Antonio Forum (PDF, 19 KB)
• Washington DC Forum (PDF, 30 KB)