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Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery [Updated July 27, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires. Wildfires can have some beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but they often threaten homes and communities, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people. Wildfires are sometimes caused by lightning strikes and may also occur when a prescribed burn escapes control or through other human activities (deliberate or accidental). From 2010 through 2019, wildfires burned 6.8 million acres annually on average in the United States. In 2019, more than 50,000 wildfires burned 4.7 million acres, more than half of which were in Alaska. In 2018, wildfires destroyed nearly 25,800 structures nationwide. More than 70% (18,130) of the structures were residences. Approximately 94% (17,130) of the structures were in California. Congress and other stakeholders have considered options for federal support and assistance to address wildfire suppression during a fire, post-wildfire recovery, and land management activities to reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfires."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2020-07-27
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated January 4, 2021]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System (NFS). The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has decreased slightly over the last 30 years and that the number of acres impacted annually, while also variable, generally has increased. Since 2000, an annual average of 70,685 wildfires burned an annual average of 7.1million acres. This figure is more than double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually in the 1990s (78,600 on average)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2021-01-04
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated June 9, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has decreased slightly over the last 30 years and that the number of acres burned annually, while also variable, generally has increased. [...] Every year since 2000, an average of 71,300 wildfires burned an average of 6.9 million acres. This figure is more than double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually in the 1990s (78,600 on average)."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2020-06-09
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Federal Wildfire Management: Ten-Year Funding Trends and Issues (FY2011-FY2020) [October 28, 2020]
From the Summary: "Wildfire management is a series of coordinated activities to prepare for, resolve, and recover from wildfire events. The federal agencies responsible for wildfire management include the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). FS carries out wildfire response and management across the 193 million acres of national forests and national grasslands; DOI carries out these activities on more than 400million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, Indian reservations, and other public lands. The federal agencies also coordinate wildfire response activities with state and local governments as needed. Both FS and DOI generally receive annual discretionary appropriations for wildfire management activities through the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bills. Wildfire management funding for DOI is provided to the Office of Wildland Fire (a department-level office). Both FS and DOI receive wildfire appropriations through similarly structured accounts, programs, and activities, though FS's account structure changed several times between FY2011 and FY2020. [...] Total combined FS and DOI wildfire appropriations fluctuated annually but increased from FY2011 to FY2020."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2020-10-28
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Simulating the Expected Value of Changing Spatial Distributions of Wildfire Resources in Response to Wildfire Probability Outlooks
From the Executive Summary: "The scope of this research was to place an expected value on fire potential information given to wildfire managers by Predictive Services. Knowing that wildland fire managers pre-position suppression resources based on this information, a simulation was used to model Initial Attack (IA) operations and resulting fire size (and therefore, fire cost) to compare the potential cost savings that would occur given better positioning of IA wildfire suppression resources."
National Interagency Fire Center (U.S.)
Christman, Laine
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Wildfire Smoke Factsheet: Protecting Children from Wildfire Smoke and Ash
From the Document: "[1] Children are especially at risk for health effects from exposure to wildfire smoke and ash, mostly because their lungs are still growing. [2] Wildfire concerns include the fire itself, the smoke and ash, and the chemicals from materials that have burned, such as furniture. [3] Smoke can travel hundreds of miles from the source of a fire. Pay attention to local air quality reports during fire season, even if no fire is nearby."
United States. Environmental Protection Agency; Pediatric Environmental Health Specialty Units; American Academy of Pediatrics
Hauptman, Marissa; Anderko, Laura; Sacks, Jason . . .
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Comparing Resource Values at Risk from Wildfires with Forest Service Fire Suppression Expenditures: Examples from 2003 Western Montana Wildfire Season
"Determining the economic effectiveness of wildfire suppression activities is complicated by difficulties in identifying the area that would have burned and the associated resource value changes had suppression resources not been employed. We developed a case study using break-even analysis for two large wildfires from the 2003 fire season in western Montana - the Black Mountain and Crazy Horse Fires. We used GIS [geographic information systems] to identify the location and taxable value of private residences within perimeters expanding in a likely direction of fire spread for both fires. We identified the size of an expanded perimeter where the market values of private property equaled the amount of money spent suppressing a fire (the break-even point). This analysis showed that suppression expenditures on the Black Mountain Fire were economically justified if these efforts reduced the potential fire perimeter a modest amount. However, the potential fire perimeter for the Crazy Horse Fire would have had to be considerably larger than the actual fire perimeter to economically justify the associated suppression expenditures. We also demonstrated the ability to use this methodology to examine nonmarket resource values at risk on the Crazy Horse Fire."
United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Forest Service; Rocky Mountain Research Station (Fort Collins, Colo.)
Calkin, David E.; Hyde, Kevin; Gebert, Krista M. . . .
2005-02
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S. Hrg. 112-593: Colorado Wildfires, Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, Second Session to Discuss the Recent Colorado Wildfires, Focusing on Lessons Learned That Can be Applied to Future Suppression, Recovery and Mitigation Efforts, Colorado Springs, CO, August 15, 2012
From the opening statement of Mark Udall: "Today, we will have an informative discussion on the wildfire challenges the West faces, as well as finding lessons that we can apply to future suppression, recovery, and mitigation efforts. Our forests are the backdrop and backbone to many rural and urban communities. They provide a wide range of benefits, including clean drinking water for millions of people across the U.S., vital wildlife habitat, jobs in the forest products industry, and a variety of recreation opportunities. But it's also well understood that our forests, regardless of their stewards, face significant threats to their overall health. More people in fire prone landscapes, larger and more frequent wild land fires, long-term drought, the bark beetle outbreak, and unhealthy landscapes have created a perfect storm: wild land fires that continue to burn larger and require more resources to fight every year. Fire suppression now consumes nearly half of the U.S. Forest Service's annual budget. That's an astounding figure that should be an eye-opener to all of us. For a different outcome, we need a different approach, and we all do have a role to play. In this case, the best offense, in my opinion, is a good defense. The same principle applies to wildfires." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jimbo Buickerood, Nancy Fishering, James Hubbard, Merrill R. Kaufmann, Mike King, and Mark Udall.
United States. Government Printing Office
2012
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Letter to the Honorable Ron Wyden regarding S. 1875, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2013, and H.R. 3992, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2014
This is a Congressional Budget Office (CBO) letter to the Honorable Ron Wyden regarding S. 1875, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2013, and H.R. 3992, the Wildfire Disaster Funding Act of 2014.
United States. Congressional Budget Office
2014-05-08
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Understanding Change: Wildfire in Boulder County, Colorado
"Wildfire activity continues to plague communities in the American West. Three
causes are often identified as key contributors to the wildfire problem: accumulated
fuels on public lands due to a history of suppressing wildfires; climate change; and
an influx of residents into fire prone areas referred to as the wildland-urban interface
(WUI). The latter of these contributors is the focus of much attention. Encouraging
homeowners to mitigate wildfire risk on private land has been identified as essential
to reducing the devastating effects of wildfires. However, little is known about
WUI residents' attitudes toward wildfire and what actions homeowners are taking to
mitigate wildfire risk. This report presents the results of a unique homeowner survey
administered twice over a three-year period. As such, we are able to provide some
insight into changes in attitudes and beliefs about wildfire and concern about existing
risk, as well as reported behavioral changes over time."
United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Forest Service
Brenkert-Smith, Hannah; Champ, Patricia A.; Telligman, Amy L., 1973-
2013-10
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Fires and Wildfires Information Guide
"Wildfires are common disasters that can spread quickly, particularly during dry conditions. Learning about wildfire risks and planning in advance can help protect against the destructive impacts of wildfires. OSHA [Occupational Safety and Health Administration] and NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] are working together on a public education effort aimed at improving the way people prepare for and respond to wildfires. This page is designed to help workers and employers prepare for a wildfire and to protect themselves in the wildfire's aftermath. The Preparedness page provides information on evacuation plans, safety zones around buildings, and equipment to have on hand in case a wildfire occurs. Preparing plans in advance can help workers get to safety before a wildfire impacts an area and can also help protect personal property."
National Library of Medicine (U.S.). Specialized Information Services Division
2017-09-06
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Emergency Plans at Santiago Elementary School: Are Current Plans Adequate for Responding to Wildfire Threats?
"Schools within or adjacent to wildland urban interface areas are at risk of exposure to wildfire. The problem is that while school emergency plans address building fires, school emergency plans do not always address wildfire threats, and this could lead to inappropriate emergency response actions. The purpose of this applied research was to evaluate the effectiveness of current wildfire emergency plans at Santiago Elementary School by comparing the calculated rate of fire spread through a Eucalyptus forest against the observed speed of the school's evacuation. The researcher examined the following five questions: (a) What are the school's current emergency plans for wildfire threat?, (b) What is the maximum theoretical calculated rate of spread of wildfire through a Eucalyptus forest?, (c) Under ideal conditions, how fast can an elementary school evacuate all students?, (d) Given the speed of a wildfire and the speed of evacuation, is it possible to evacuate a school before the fire impacts the school?, and (e) For schools adjacent to fire-prone forests, what protective options should be included in school emergency plans? To answer these questions, the researcher reviewed emergency plans for three schools districts, assessed fuel hazards in 10 Eucalyptus forest plots, observed one school evacuation drill, and observed the fire resistant features of school buildings. Results indicated that a fully developed wind-driven fire could spread from the northern edge of the Eucalyptus forest to Santiago Elementary School at the forest's southern edge within 21 minutes. Observations also showed that, under ideal conditions with pre-staged buses, the school could evacuate in nine minutes. This discovery suggests that a fire closer to the school or a prolonged evacuation time could place children directly in the wildfire's path. It is recommended that vulnerable schools include multiple protective options specifically for wildfire in their emergency plans."
National Fire Academy
Fleming, Edward G.
2009?
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Understanding Change: Wildfire in Larimer County, Colorado
From the Introduction: "Wildfire activity continues to plague communities in the American West. Three causes are often identified as key contributors to the wildfire problem: accumulated fuels on public lands due to a history of suppressing wildfires; climate change; and an influx of residents into fire prone areas referred to as the wildland-urban interface (WUI). The latter of these contributors is the focus of much attention. Encouraging homeowners to mitigate wildfire risk on private land has been identified as essential to reducing the devastating effects of wildfires. However, little is known about WUI residents' attitudes toward wildfire and what actions homeowners are taking to mitigate wildfire risk. This report presents the results of a unique homeowner survey administered twice over a three-year period. As such, we are able to provide some insight into changes in attitudes and beliefs about wildfire and concern about existing risk, as well as reported behavioral changes over time."
United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Forest Service; Rocky Mountain Research Station (Fort Collins, Colo.)
Brenkert-Smith, Hannah; Champ, Patricia A.; Telligman, Amy L., 1973-
2013-10
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Living with Wildfire in Larimer County, Colorado, 2007
"The devastating impact of wildfire on residents living in fire prone areas has become an all too common media story in recent years. While significant efforts have been made to inform residents in fire prone areas of the risk, it is not clear to what extent property owners are taking action to reduce risk. Likewise, we know little about what factors are related to taking action to reduce risk. In an effort to explore these issues further and to better characterize the wildland urban interface (WUI) residents of Larimer County, Colorado, a general population survey of WUI residents was implemented. The survey was designed to provide information regarding knowledge, concern, and activities related to wildfire and wildfire risk mitigation. Survey results suggest that word had gotten out about wildfire risk as most survey respondents knew about the risk when they decided to purchase a home in a fire prone area. Likewise, survey respondents expressed concern that a wildfire would damage their home or property. Completing more wildfire risk mitigation actions was found to be related to first-hand experience with wildfire and perceptions of wildfire risk."
United States. Department of Agriculture; Rocky Mountain Research Station (Fort Collins, Colo.)
Champ, Patricia A.; Brenkert-Smith, Hannah; Flores, Nicholas
2011-12
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Emergency Plans at Santiago Elementary School: Are Current Plans Adequate for Responding to Wildfire Threats?
"Schools within or adjacent to wildland urban interface areas are at risk of exposure to wildfire. The problem is that while school emergency plans address building fires, school emergency plans do not always address wildfire threats, and this could lead to inappropriate emergency response actions. The purpose of this applied research was to evaluate the effectiveness of current wildfire emergency plans at Santiago Elementary School by comparing the calculated rate of fire spread through a Eucalyptus forest against the observed speed of the school's evacuation. The researcher examined the following five questions: (a) What are the school's current emergency plans for wildfire threat?, (b) What is the maximum theoretical calculated rate of spread of wildfire through a Eucalyptus forest?, (c) Under ideal conditions, how fast can an elementary school evacuate all students?, (d) Given the speed of a wildfire and the speed of evacuation, is it possible to evacuate a school before the fire impacts the school?, and (e) For schools adjacent to fire-prone forests, what protective options should be included in school emergency plans? To answer these questions, the researcher reviewed emergency plans for three schools districts, assessed fuel hazards in 10 Eucalyptus forest plots, observed one school evacuation drill, and observed the fire resistant features of school buildings. Results indicated that a fully developed wind-driven fire could spread from the northern edge of the Eucalyptus forest to Santiago Elementary School at the forest's southern edge within 21 minutes. Observations also showed that, under ideal conditions with pre-staged buses, the school could evacuate in nine minutes. This discovery suggests that a fire closer to the school or a prolonged evacuation time could place children directly in the wildfire's path. It is recommended that vulnerable schools include multiple protective options specifically for wildfire in their emergency plans."
National Fire Academy
Fleming, Edward G.
2009-12
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Wildland Fire Management National Wildfire Investigation
"The purpose of wildfire investigations on Indian Forest and Agricultural Lands is to determine the specific origin and cause of wildfires, to decide whether there is evidence that a crime has been committed, and to provide supporting documentation when litigation is necessary (25 CFR § 163.1 and § 166.8). A wildfire investigation must be a team effort; it is a blend of Fire Service and Law Enforcement personnel. Without close cooperation, investigative success is impossible. Origin and Cause determination are the foundation of any investigation. Wildfire investigations in Indian Country range from simple brush fires to very destructive fires involving significant issues -- including loss of life, homes and other property, and cultural and natural resources -- as well as trespass and complex civil or criminal litigation. Every fire scene must be considered a possible crime scene until clear proof is found that the cause was either accidental or natural. The accurate identification of wildfire cause is also critical to the success of our fire prevention programs. It is through an efficient and accurate origin and cause determination that fire responsibility and deterrence strategies can be developed. This Handbook describes the policies that define the roles and responsibilities of management and of the Wildfire Investigator. It covers the complicated jurisdictional issues in Indian Country, the investigation process as it relates to wildfire trespass, and the importance of coordination with law enforcement agencies. It also establishes National BIA wildfire investigation procedures and documentation requirements from the initial response through the litigation process."
United States. Bureau of Indian Affairs
2012-09-28
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FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Southern California Best Practices: Southern California Wildfires of 2007
"Southern California is no stranger to wildfires. Beginning in 1923, the Los Angeles Fire Department has collected data recording the largest California wildfires in terms of acres burned and structures lost. Since 1956 there have been seven federally declared wildfire disasters. The encroachment of housing developments into undeveloped land has greatly increased vulnerability of homes and businesses to wildfire. Within this decade alone, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Bernardino, Ventura and Riverside counties were swept with devastating wildfires in the wildland urban interface in October 2003, and again in October 2007. When the 2007 catastrophic wildfires struck Southern California, the powerful Santa Ana winds caused multiple large wildfires which increased rapidly in size and intensity, throughout the wildland urban interface of seven counties; Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Riverside and Ventura. Evacuations, mandatory in some locations, were ordered and activated by the responding fire and emergency management services. The largest evacuation in the history of California took place in San Diego County where more than half a million people were ordered to leave the area. This evacuation effort has been documented as 'orderly' and fully tested the capabilities of the first responders. […] This report presents the wildfire mitigation strategies that were implemented prior to the Southern California 2007 fires and subsequently tested by the fires. These strategies include defensible space, vegetation management, fuel modification programs, use of fire-resistant building materials, building codes and partnerships with the fire service to monitor the enforcement of the building codes, construction standards and public outreach. These best practices contained in this report have been gleaned through interviews with homeowners, fire department personnel and real estate developers. Their first hand experiences document vividly the value of taking proactive measures."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2008-02
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Costs and Losses of Wildfires: A Literature Survey
"This report enumerates all possible costs of wildfire management and wildfire-related losses. It, further, compiles estimates or proposes methods for estimating the costs and losses identified. These estimates can be used for C+NVC (cost plus net value change) modeling, and can also be used to produce an estimate of the 'economic burden' of wildfire for the United States. The economic burden represents the impact wildfire has on the U.S. economy. Tracking the economic burden of wildfire could be used to assess return-on-investment into wildfire interventions. The economic burden is decomposed into: 1. intervention costs; 2. prevention/preparedness, mitigation, suppression, and crosscutting; 2. and into direct and indirect wildfire related (net) losses. The annualized economic burden from wildfire is estimated to be between $71.1 billion to $347.8 billion ($2016 US). Annualized costs are estimated to range from $7.6 billion to $62.8 billion. Annualized losses are estimated to range from $63.5 billion to $285.0 billion."
National Institute of Standards and Technology (U.S.)
Thomas, Douglas S.; Butry, David T.; Gilbert, Stanley W. . . .
2017-11
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Draft Environmental Assessment: Boulder County Wildfire Mitigation Project, Boulder County, Colorado
"The risk of catastrophic wildfires in Colorado's forests is extremely high because of fuel loading due to closely spaced trees as well as shrubs and dead plant material that have accumulated over time. In addition, the number of homes constructed in forested areas has increased sharply in recent years, and these homes create additional areas that require protection during a wildfire […]. The greatest wildfire risk is associated with the wildland-urban interface. Boulder County is located in north-central Colorado and encompasses 741 square miles on the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains […]. Boulder County has the largest amount of developed land in the wildland-urban interface of all Colorado counties and ranks 10th among all counties in western states for the amount of wildland-urban interface. According to Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS), Boulder County is the highest priority for wildfire mitigation in Colorado (Boulder County 2011). Wildfires are a frequent occurrence in Boulder County, with a catastrophic wildfire occurring at least every 4 years. One of the most destructive fire in Colorado history occurred in Boulder County in September 2010. The Fourmile Fire destroyed 169 homes in the County, burned 6,181 acres; and the cost of fighting the fire was $9.5 million. Without past wildfire mitigation in the County and fire suppression conducted during the fire, hundreds of additional homes could have been destroyed. The Fourmile Fire affected everyone in Boulder County and increased the awareness of the risk of wildfire in the County (Boulder County 2011)."
United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
2012-10
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Federal Funding for Wildfire Control and Management [July 5, 2011]
"The Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for protecting most federal lands from wildfires. Wildfire appropriations nearly doubled in FY2001, following a severe fire season in the summer of 2000, and have remained at relatively high levels. The acres burned annually have also increased over the past 50 years, with the six highest annual totals occurring since 2000. Many in Congress are concerned that wildfire costs are spiraling upward without a reduction in damages. With emergency supplemental funding, FY2008 wildfire funding was $4.46 billion, more than in any previous year. The vast majority (about 95%) of federal wildfire funds are spent to protect federal lands--for fire preparedness (equipment, baseline personnel, and training); fire suppression operations (including emergency funding); post-fire rehabilitation (to help sites recover after the wildfire); and fuel reduction (to reduce wildfire damages by reducing fuel levels). Since FY2001, FS fire appropriations have included funds for state fire assistance, volunteer fire assistance, and forest health management (to supplement other funds for these three programs), economic action and community assistance, fire research, and fire facilities. […] Finally, post-fire rehabilitation is raising concerns. Agency regulations and legislation in the 109th Congress focused on expediting such activities, but opponents expressed concerns that this would restrict environmental review of and public involvement in salvage logging decisions, leading to greater environmental damage. Legislation was introduced but not enacted in the 110th Congress to provide alternative means of addressing post-fire restoration in particular areas. The large wildfires to date in 2011 have reignited concerns about post-fire rehabilitation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Gorte, Ross W.
2011-07-05
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Federal Assistance for Wildfire Response and Recovery [June 27, 2018]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires. Wildfires can have some beneficial impacts on an ecosystem, but also often threaten homes and communities and force the evacuation of thousands of people. Wildfires are often caused by lightning strikes, and may also occur when a prescribed burn escapes control or through unauthorized human activities (deliberate or accidental). Over the last 10 years (2008-2017), wildfires have burned 6.6 million acres annually on average in the United States. In 2017, more than 71,500 wildfires burned 10.0 million acres and destroyed more than 12,300 structures nationwide. More than 65% (8,065) of the structures destroyed were residences, and nearly 90% of the structures destroyed (11,000) were in a single state, California. Congress and other stakeholders have considered options for federal support and assistance to address wildfire suppression during a fire, post-wildfire recovery in the aftermath, and land management activities to reduce the risk of future catastrophic wildfires."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie
2018-06-27
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Wildfire Management Appropriations: Background and FY2017 Request [Updated August 2, 2016]
From the Document: "The Forest Service (FS, in the U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are the two primary federal entities tasked with wildland fire management activities. Federal wildland fire management includes activities such as preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, and site rehabilitation, among others. Approximately 10.1 million acres burned during the 2015 wildfire season, which was more than the acreage burned in 2014 (3.6 million acres) and 2013 (4.3 million acres) combined and represents the largest acreage burned since modern record-keeping began in 1960. There are several ongoing concerns regarding wildfire management. These concerns include the total federal costs of wildfire management, the strategies and resources used for wildfire management, and the impact of wildfire on both the quality of life and the economy of communities surrounding wildfire activity. Many of these issues are of perennial interest to Congress, with annual wildfire management appropriations being one indicator of how Congress prioritizes and addresses certain wildfire management concerns."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Bracmort, Kelsi
2016-08-02
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated September 1, 2020]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity. Nationwide data compiled by the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) indicate that the number of annual wildfires is variable but has decreased slightly over the last 30 years and that the number of acres burned annually, while also variable, generally has increased."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2020-09-01
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Improving Access to Military Aircraft During Civilian Wildfires
From the thesis abstract: "Wildfires are a growing problem in the United States, and military aircraft are increasingly mobilized in support of civilian wildfire suppression efforts. The photogenic qualities of aircraft distributing a trail of red slurry over a wildfire increase the public's expectation of fire suppression from the air. The problem is that Department of Defense (DOD) aircraft are not dispatched to civilian wildfires in a timely manner, resulting in lives lost, property destroyed, and critical infrastructure damaged. The research question considered by this thesis is, 'What improvements can be implemented to existing local, state, and federal protocols to provide a more timely response to civilian wildfires by DOD aircraft?' The current system is complicated and confusing, involving federal laws, such as the Economy and Stafford acts; DOD doctrine and instruction, such as Defense Support to (of) Civil Authorities and Immediate Response Authority; and civilian agencies, such as the National Interagency Fire Center with its 'Military Use Handbook' in the existing process to dispatch military aircraft to civilian wildfires. The results of the study recommend that (1) DOD aircraft be more closely coordinated with civilian aircraft via the IRA [Immediate Response Authority] for responding to civilian wildfires, and that (2) the Economy and Stafford acts be modified to improve the efficiency with which military aircraft respond to civilian wildfires."
Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.); Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.). Center for Homeland Defense and Security
Dubay, Steve E.
2015-12
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Hearing to Receive Testimony on the Discussion Draft Entitled the 'Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Forest Management Act of 2016', Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, One Hundred Fourteenth Congress, Second Session, June 23, 2016
This testimony compilation is from the June 23, 2016 hearing, "Hearing to Receive Testimony on the Discussion Draft Entitled the 'Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Forest Management Act of 2016'," before the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. From the opening statement of Lisa Murkowski: "The hearing will come to order, as we meet to receive testimony on the legislative discussion draft entitled the 'Wildfire Budgeting, Response and Management Act.' [...] People across the country are realizing that wildfires are a growing crisis. Alaskans, in particular, know how devastating wildfires can be. About half of the 10 million acres that burned last year were in my home state, and we have already seen over 200 more fires this season alone. As fire season begins again, it's clear that we have a real and growing problem on our hands, and resolving it will require a comprehensive solution that addresses both wildfire funding and forest management. We need to do both, at once, because we know the wildfire problem is not just a budgeting problem - it's also a management problem. [...] I added $1.6 billion for wildfire suppression to last year's Omnibus, which is $600 million above the average cost over the past ten years-and likely enough to prevent fire borrowing this year." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Robert Bonnie, Bryan Rice, Peter Goldmark, Julia Altemus, Rebecca Humphries, Peter Nelson, Eric Nichols, and Ken Pimlott.
United States. Congress. Senate. Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
2016-06-23
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Wildfire Hazards-A National Threat
"Wildfires are a growing natural hazard in most regions of the United States, posing a threat to life and property, particularly where native ecosystems meet developed areas. However, because fire is a natural (and often beneficial) process, fire suppression can lead to more severe fires due to the buildup of vegetation, which creates more fuel. In addition, the secondary effects of wildfires, including erosion, landslides, introduction of invasive species, and changes in water quality, are often more disastrous than the fire itself. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides tools and information by identifying wildfire risks, ways to reduce wildfire hazards, providing real-time firefighting support, and assessing the aftermath of wildfires. The goal is to build more resilient communities and ecosystems. The USGS conducts vegetation and fuels mapping to support firefighting readiness, reduce wildfire hazards in the wildland-urban interface, and assess wildfire effects on ecosystems."
United States. Department of the Interior; Geological Survey (U.S.)
2006-02
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Federal Funding for Wildfire Control and Management [February 13, 2012]
"The Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for protecting most federal lands from wildfires. [...] There are three basic categories of federal programs for wildfire: federal lands protection, non-federal lands protection, and other fire-related expenditures. The vast majority (about 95%) of federal wildfire funds are spent to protect federal lands--for fire preparedness (equipment, baseline personnel, and training); fire suppression operations (including emergency funding); post-fire rehabilitation (to help sites recover after the wildfire); and fuel reduction (to reduce wildfire damages by reducing fuel levels). [...] Four issues have dominated wildfire funding debates. One is the high cost of fire management and its effects on other agency programs. [...] Another issue is funding for fuel reduction. [...] A third issue is the federal role in protecting non-federal lands, communities, and private structures. [...] A federal policy review recommended increased state and local efforts to match their responsibilities, but federal programs to protect non-federal lands have also expanded, reducing incentives for local participation in fire protection. Finally, post-fire rehabilitation is raising concerns. Agency regulations and legislation in the 109th Congress focused on expediting such activities, but opponents expressed concerns that this would restrict environmental review of and public involvement in salvage logging decisions, leading to greater environmental damage. Legislation was introduced but not enacted in the 110th Congress to provide alternative means of addressing post-fire restoration in particular areas. The large wildfires to date in 2011 have reignited concerns about post-fire rehabilitation."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bracmort, Kelsi; Gorte, Ross W.
2012-02-13
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Forest Fire/Wildfire Protection [May 22, 2013]
From the Document: "Congress continues to face questions about forestry practices, funding levels, and the federal role in wildfire protection. Recent fire seasons have been, by most standards, among the worst in the past half century. National attention began to focus on wildfires when a prescribed burn in May 2000 escaped control and burned 239 homes in Los Alamos, NM. President Clinton responded by requesting a doubling of wildfire management funds, and Congress enacted much of this proposal in the FY2001 Interior appropriations act (P.L. 106-291). […] Many factors contribute to the threat of wildfire damages. Two major factors are the decline in forest and rangeland health and the expansion of residential areas into wildlands--the wildland-urban interface. Over the past century, aggressive wildfire suppression, as well as past grazing and logging practices, have altered many ecosystems, especially those where light, surface fires were frequent. Many areas now have unnaturally high fuel loads (e.g., dead trees and dense thickets) and an historically unnatural mix of plant species (e.g., exotic invaders). Fuel treatments have been proposed to reduce the wildfire threats. […] Treatments can often be more effective if combined (e.g., prescribed burning after thinning). However, some fuel treatments are very expensive, and the benefit of treatments for reducing wildfire threats depends on many factors."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Bracmort, Kelsi
2013-05-22
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Wildfire Suppression Spending: Background, Issues, and Legislation in the 115th Congress
"Congress has directed that the federal government is responsible for managing wildfires that begin on federal lands, such as national forests or national parks. States are responsible for managing wildfires that originate on all other lands. Although a greater number of wildfires occur annually on nonfederal lands, wildfires on federal lands tend to be much larger, particularly in the western United States. The federal government's wildfire management responsibilities--fulfilled primarily by the Forest Service (FS) and the Department of the Interior (DOI)--include preparedness, prevention, detection, response, suppression, and recovery. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also may provide disaster relief, mostly for certain nonfederal wildfires. Congress provides appropriations for wildfire management to both FS and DOI. Within these appropriations, suppression operations are largely funded through two accounts for each agency: Wildland Fire Management (WFM) accounts and Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME) reserve accounts. If the suppression funding in both of these accounts is exhausted during any given fiscal year, FS and DOI are authorized to transfer funds from their other accounts to pay for suppression activities; this is often referred to as 'fire borrowing.' Congress also may provide additional funds for suppression activities through emergency or supplemental appropriations. Thus, for any given year, total suppression appropriations to FS or DOI may be a combination of several sources: the WFM accounts, the FLAME accounts, additional funding as needed through transfers, and/or supplemental appropriations."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Lindsay, Bruce R.
2017-10-05
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Wildfire Statistics [Updated October 3, 2019]
From the Document: "Wildfires are unplanned and unwanted fires, including lightning-caused fires, unauthorized human-caused fires, and escaped prescribed fire projects. States are responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on nonfederal (state, local, and private) lands, except for lands protected by federal agencies under cooperative agreements. The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. The Forest Service (FS)--within the U.S. Department of Agriculture--carries out wildfire management and response across the 193 million acres of the National Forest System. The Department of the Interior (DOI) manages wildfire response for more than 400 million acres of national parks, wildlife refuges and preserves, other public lands, and Indian reservations. Wildfire statistics help to illustrate past U.S. wildfire activity."
Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service
Hoover, Katie; Hanson, Laura A.
2019-10-03
