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• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Floridas Wildfire Mitigation Teams Set State on Fire - on Purpose

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  "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." [...] "In 1998, Florida suffered one of the worst series of wildfire events on record. Heavy plant growth in previous seasons, followed by hard winter freezes, led to an abundance of dead vegetation. A task force was created to address the growing wildfire threat. Ultimately, the task force formed four regional wildfire mitigation teams whose primary task is to reduce the vegetation that provides fuel for wildfires. A technique called prescribed burning is now carried out to minimize the wildfire problem. When weather and geographic conditions are favorable, and with firefighting equipment on hand, mitigation teams safely ignite and manage fires to reduce fuels in wildland areas." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in "Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011]," which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2006-08-14
• Executive Order 13855: Promoting Active Management of America's Forests, Rangelands, and Other Federal Lands to Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk

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  "It is the policy of the United States to protect people, communities, and watersheds, and to promote healthy and resilient forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands by actively managing them through partnerships with States, tribes, communities, non-profit organizations, and the private sector. For decades, dense trees and undergrowth have amassed in these lands, fueling catastrophic wildfires. These conditions, along with insect infestation, invasive species, disease, and drought, have weakened our forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands, and have placed communities and homes at risk of damage from catastrophic wildfires. Active management of vegetation is needed to treat these dangerous conditions on Federal lands but is often delayed due to challenges associated with regulatory analysis and current consultation requirements. In addition, land designations and policies can reduce emergency responder access to Federal land and restrict management practices that can promote wildfire-resistant landscapes. With the same vigor and commitment that characterizes our efforts to fight wildfires, we must actively manage our forests, rangelands, and other Federal lands to improve conditions and reduce wildfire risk. In recognition of these regulatory, policy, and coordinating challenges, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture (the Secretaries) each shall implement the following policies in their respective departments[.]"

  United States. Office of the Federal Register

  Trump, Donald, 1946-

  2018-12-21
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Building Codes Protect Homes from Wildfire

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  "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." From the document: "For Karen Stevens, her family, and neighbors in the Southern Oaks section of Stevenson Ranch, it was a blessing that the planned development where they live has a 200-foot-wide greenbelt around it designed to ward off wildfires. 'There were plenty of embers flying around,' said Stevens, whose Morning Mist Drive home in Santa Clarita north of Los Angeles backs up to hills of the Santa Susana Mountains. These same mountains were set ablaze by the Simi Fire, one of 12 wildfires that burned more than 739,000 acres in five Southern California counties in October 2003. Airdrops were made on the wildfire as it came towards the two-story Stevens home, and firefighters literally surrounded the area. Firefighters were bolstered in their fight by the mitigation measures taken to protect the community." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in "Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011]," which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2005-01-01
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Wildfire Mitigation in State Park Protecting the Ecosystem

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  "A tornado and several windstorms caused severe damage in Itasca State Park, located in northwestern Minnesota, and has a half a million visitors each year. The storm damaged and blew down numerous pine trees throughout the park. As the downed, wet trees dried, the potential for a catastrophic wildfire greatly increased in the park. The bark beetle exists in all pine forests, but usually does not present a threat to a healthy forest. However, the storm created the perfect breeding environment for the bark beetle. Any significant increase in the beetle population could have caused the damaged or healthy trees to become infested, die, and increase the threat of wildfire. The subgrantee, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), has been conducting a bark beetle control project in the park, thereby reducing accumulation of dead tree fuel. In May of 1996, the DNR installed four adult bark beetle traps per acre in the affected areas. The traps have been and will continue to be monitored and maintained weekly. The project may take up to 5 years to sufficiently reduce the bark beetle population to a safe level for the pine forest in the park. Since the project is ongoing, the State legislature has provided additional funding to continue the project beyond the scope of the FEMA-approved project." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in 'Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011],' which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Millers Reach Develops Plan to Mitigate Wildfires

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  This document is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Best Practices Portfolio. The Best Practices Portfolio is a collection of true stories about people and communities who have experienced disasters, and what mitigation they used to survive, rebuild, and prepare for disasters. From the document: "The Alaska Miller's Reach Wildland Fire destroyed or damaged nearly 450 structures, and caused extensive damage to public infrastructure in June 1996. In cooperation with local businesses, several local, state, and federal entities created a Wildfire Mitigation Plan to implement aggressive fire prevention programs rather than continue to rely upon fire fighting and suppression." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in "Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011]," which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2005-01-18
• Data Documentation Template: Wildfire Mitigation, FEMA Standard Analysis Methodology

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  "This data documentation template is designed to assist Benefit-Cost (BC) analysts in recording the data and methodologies utilized in their Benefit-Cost Analysis (BCA). BC analysts should keep in mind that a well-documented BCA means that a knowledgeable BC analyst should be able to re-create the BCA from the supporting documentation provided (with a Mitigation application submitted for funding) without any additional explanation. BC analysts should provide an electronic or paper copy of the full BCA to compliment any template or summary submitted to FEMA for review. Check with your State Hazard Mitigation Officer or FEMA Regional office to find out if a completed Data Documentation Template (DDT) is required with your grant application."

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2006-07-06
• FEMA Mitigation Best Practices: Defensible Space Saves Home from Wildfire

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  "The FEMA Best Practices Portfolio consists of mitigation stories submitted by individuals and communities that describe measures they have taken to reduce the loss of life and property from disasters. These Best Practices are meant to provide ideas and concepts about reducing losses and to encourage others to evaluate their own risk and consider mitigation as a long-term solution to reducing that risk." From the document: "The home of Mrs. Lois Trimble, which she and her husband have owned since 1969, is located in the Pinedale area, Navajo, County, Arizona, just 10 miles NW of Show Low. They built their house over the years and it became their primary residence in 1981. The entire area around this home was burned by the Rodeo-Chediski Fire that swept through the community late June of 2002. Mrs. Trimble tells the following story, 'The fire started on Monday. On Tuesday we were told that the fire was out. Wednesday morning, ash was raining down all around us. My son called and told us that the fire had exploded, we looked and saw it coming over the ridge. We were told to evacuate; we had one hour. Because we had experienced this before, five years ago, we knew exactly what to grab; important papers, some food, clothes and photo albums. My husband is an invalid so my daughter and I had to do it all.' They were evacuated to the town of Eager and sheltered there until it was safe to return. The only building which survived the fire was their home." This and other individual FEMA Best Practices documents are also combined in "Mitigation Best Practices: Public and Private Sector Best Practice Stories for All Activity/Project Types in All States and Territories Relating to All Hazards [August 10, 2011]," which can be accessed at the following link: [https://www.hsdl.org/?abstract&did=683132]

  United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency

  2005-01-01
• S. Hrg. 110-139: Preparedness for the 2007 Wildfire Season: Hearing before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First Session, to Consider the Preparedness of Federal Land Management Agencies for the 2007 Wildfire Season and to Consider Recent Reports on the Agencies' Efforts to Contain the Costs of Wildfire Management Activities, June 26, 2007

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  From the opening statement of Jeff Bingaman: "This is the second hearing of the year on the subject of wildfire management. In January, we had a hearing, I believe it was the committee's first hearing ever, dedicated to the issue of wildfire cost containment. Today's hearing is focused on the preparedness of Federal agencies for the current wildfire season, but also, again, we want to focus on the issue of cost containment, specifically in the context of two new reports, and a recently released administrative document on the subject. […]. The administration's budgets indicate that it believes that containing wildfire costs must come at the expense of preparedness. That's been an issue of contention for a very long time. In fact, we heard repeatedly from an array of experts that spending more money on preparedness and local first response capacity would reduce the overall cost of fighting fires in the long term." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: C. Stephen Allred, Jeff Bingaman, Pete V. Domenici, Robin Nazzaro, Mark Rey, Ken Salazar.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2007
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [February 4, 2015]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity typically running from summer into fall--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. […] Federal funding for wildfire management is provided in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill funds wildfire management at the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, which are the two principal entities tasked with federal wildfire management. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. More than $3.4 billion was appropriated for wildfire management in FY2015. The total wildfire management appropriations for 2014 were more than $3.9 billion and included $600 million for the Forest Service to reimburse wildfire transfers that occurred in FY2013. […] Proposals to create alternative mechanisms for funding wildfire suppression have been introduced in the 114th Congress (H.R. 167 and S. 235). […] The proposals would fund wildfire suppression for a select group of fires--theoretically the most extreme fires--by creating a new adjustment to the statutory discretionary spending limits. This report provides wildfire management appropriations data for FY2011-FY2015 and information on the President's FY2016 budget request for wildland fire management. The report also provides general wildfire management statistics (e.g., numbers of wildfires, acres burned, and firefighter personnel)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hoover, Katie; Bracmort, Kelsi

  2015-02-04
• Preparedness for the 2009 Wildfire Season, Hearing Before the Subcommittee on Public Lands and Forests of the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Eleventh Congress, First Session, to Consider the Preparedness of Federal Land Management Agencies for the 2009 Wildfire Season and to Receive Testimony On S. 561 and H.R. 1404, the Federal Land Assistance, Management and Enhancement Act, July 21, 2009

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  From the opening statement of Ron Wyden: "Today the committee looks at the preparedness of the Federal land management agencies for the current wildfire season. The heart of the problem it seems to me is pretty straightforward. We are having more large wildfires. They are more frequent. They are more extreme. Putting them out means spending more money on what is known as wildfire suppression. So what has happened is almost every year the Forest Service has to go out and spend more money on wildfire suppression than it has budgeted. Then it goes out and borrows billions of dollars. That's been the case over a number of years from the programs that are set up to prevent the wildfires. These are programs like thinning and hazardous fuels reduction. Now the reality is that these quick cash schemes never solve the budget problem. They all but guarantee that future wildfires are going to be even more costly and more dangerous. In fact the Forest Service's borrowing results in higher costs, not only to taxpayers, but also to the private businesses and organizations that work with the Forest Service. It has adversely affected virtually everything the Forest Service does and poses a significant threat to the Agency's capacity to carry out its mission." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Patricia Dalton, Jay Jensen, Leah MacSwords, Lisa Murkowski, Max R. Peterson, Rhea Suh, and Ron Wyden.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2009
• S. Hrg. 110-228: Climate Change on Wildfire Activity, Hearing Before the Committee the Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Tenth Congress, First Session to Consider Scientific Assessments of the Impacts of Global Climate Change on Wildfire Activity in the United States, September 24, 2007

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  The following hearing is on increased wildfire activity as a result of global warming. The following is the opening statement made by Jeff Bingaman: "A report, released earlier this month by the GAO, reported that a group of experts convened by it and by the National Academies of Sciences, quote, 'generally agreed that the scientific community has reached consensus that climate change will cause forest fires to grow in size and severity,' end quote. That consensus is reflected in the fourth assessment of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. It concludes that, quote, 'An intensification and expansion of wildfires is likely, globally, and that--with that, an extended period of high risk--high fire risk and large increases in area burned in North America as a result of global warming.' […] wildfires have become larger, they've become more intense, they've become more difficult, and they've become more expensive to control in recent years. […] It's clear […] that climate change is driving the dramatic growth in wildfire activity, and that it is likely to get worse. A number of studies predict that global warming will increase the number of acres burned by wildfires in the United States by 25 to 75 percent by the middle of the century. […] This information is important to this committee because of our work on global warming and on wildfire policies. […] Along with rising temperatures, Federal wildland fire spending has more than tripled in less than 10 years. "Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: John Barrasso, Ann Bartuska, Susan Conard, Jeff Bingaman, Bob Corker, Larry E. Craig, Pete Domenici, John A. Helms, Ken Salazar, Thomas W. Swetnam, Jon Tester, and Ron Wyden.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2007
• Wildfire Management, Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred Twelfth Congress, First Session to Consider the Wildfire Management Programs of the Federal Land Management Agencies, June 14, 2011

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  From the opening statement of Jeff Bingaman: "It has been a dynamic year of severe weather--intense tornadoes, flooding throughout much of the United States, extreme drought, and wildfire activity in the southwest and much of the south. The overall trend of increasing drought and wildfire in the west and southwest have been attributed by numerous scientific reports to climate change, including the recent report of our National Academy of Sciences entitled, ''America's Climate Choices.'' Since climate change will continue into the future, we can expect the incidence of severe weather and further drying out of the already arid regions of the west to continue as well. We had a hearing in Santa Fe about 6 weeks ago with some experts, and the point was made repeatedly that droughts will be more frequent in the southwest, and they will last longer than they have in the past. In the news this last week, we have seen the kinds of challenges that we face. Federal land management agencies are currently battling severe wildfires in Arizona, which are now coming into New Mexico, Colorado, Alaska, and elsewhere. Obviously we express our concern for the families who have lost their homes, and for those whose property remains at risk. We also want to express our gratitude to the thousands of fire fighters and wildfire managers who are working tirelessly to protect lives, property, and natural resources. The challenges posed by the larger and more intense drought and wildfires have called for a variety of policy changes to adapt to these new realities. As a result of some of the policies that we have urged here in this committee, for the first time in years, I believe the agencies are making progress on a range of critical wildfire management issues." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Jeff Bingaman, Jon Kyl, Kin Thorsen, Lisa Murkowski, and Tom Tidwell.

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2011
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [May 21, 2013]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. The primary agencies for federal wildfire response are the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. More than 9.3 million acres burned during the 2012 wildfire season, which was the third-largest acreage burned annually since 1960. The total amount of wildfire management (WFM) appropriations for 2012 was approximately $2.7 billion, not including an additional $407.5 million appropriated in 2013 to repay 2012 WFM wildfire suppression accounts. Over the last five years, WFM appropriations on average have steadily increased relative to earlier years. This leads some to question whether federal resources for wildfire management are being used efficiently. This report provides wildfire management statistics (e.g., number of wildfires, acres burned, select state wildfire activity, firefighter personnel), presents WFM appropriations from fiscal years 2008 to the present, and discusses two related issues--wildfire suppression funding estimation and air tanker readiness."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2013-05-21
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [August 30, 2013]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. The primary agencies for federal wildfire response are the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. More than 9.3 million acres burned during the 2012 wildfire season, which was the third-largest acreage burned annually since 1960. The total amount of wildfire management (WFM) appropriations for 2012 was approximately $2.7 billion, not including an additional $407.5 million appropriated in 2013 to repay 2012 WFM wildfire suppression accounts. Over the last five years, WFM appropriations on average have steadily increased relative to earlier years. This leads some to question whether federal resources for wildfire management are being used efficiently. This report provides wildfire management statistics (e.g., number of wildfires, acres burned, select state wildfire activity, firefighter personnel), presents WFM appropriations from fiscal years 2008 to the present, and discusses two related issues--wildfire suppression funding estimation and air tanker readiness."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2013-08-30
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [October 22, 2013]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. The primary agencies for federal wildfire response are the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. More than 9.3 million acres burned during the 2012 wildfire season, which was the third-largest acreage burned annually since 1960. The total amount of wildfire management (WFM) appropriations for 2012 was approximately $2.7 billion, not including an additional $407.5 million appropriated in 2013 to repay 2012 WFM wildfire suppression accounts. Over the last five years, WFM appropriations on average have steadily increased relative to earlier years. This leads some to question whether federal resources for wildfire management are being used efficiently. This report provides wildfire management statistics (e.g., number of wildfires, acres burned, select state wildfire activity, firefighter personnel), presents WFM appropriations from fiscal years 2008 to the present, and discusses two related issues--wildfire suppression funding estimation and air tanker readiness."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2013-10-22
• Protecting Yourself While Responding to Wildfires: Safety and Health Awareness for Responders to Wildfires [presentation]

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  "This training tool is an awareness-level health and safety resource for 'skilled support personnel' who will participate in a wildfire assessment and cleanup. This tool will help workers understand at an awareness level: characteristics of what a wildfire and a wildfire response is and how to protect against and control hazards associated with the response, [and] assessment and cleanup activities associated with a wildfire. Trainers may use this tool to aid in the development of a wildfire awareness level course or other awareness level materials (fact-sheets, table-top activities, etc.)."

  National Institutes of Health (U.S.); National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; United States. Department of Health and Human Services

  2007-12
• Developing a Wildfire Risk Reduction Plan for Jefferson-Como Fire Department

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  "The problem was the Jefferson-Como Fire Department did not have a wildfire risk reduction plan to provide safety for the rural community within the fire district. The purpose of this applied research project was to develop a plan for wildfire risk reduction for the Jefferson-Como Fire Department. This was an action research project. The research questions were: 1) What are the benefits to the fire department to develop a wildfire risk reduction plan? 2) What are similar organizations doing to prepare for wildfire risk reduction? 3) What are the ramifications of a wildfire risk reduction plan, and will it aid in protecting life, property and the environment? The research procedures included: (a) distributing and analyzing a survey form which was distributed to 40 fire departments; (b) a literature review written on wildfire risk and risk reduction plans; and (c) internet research on suggested wildfire risk reduction. The research results demonstrated the need for a wildfire risk reduction plan. A well-developed plan will help ensure the safety of homes built in the wildland urban interface and the surrounding forest. A wildfire risk reduction plan was developed from this research, to be presented to the Department's Board of Directors. The results also showed that Wildfire Risk Reduction Plans have been implemented in many areas throughout the United States and have strengthened the line-of-defense against wildfire in the urban interface. Based on this study, the recommendation was to establish and adopt a wildfire risk reduction plan, and work with the community defensible space mitigation, creating wildfire defensible zones."

  National Fire Academy

  Anderson, Judith L.

  2003-10
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [March 5, 2014]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. Approximately 4.3 million acres burned during the 2013 wildfire season, which was less than half of the 9.3 million acres burned in 2012. The acreage burned in 2012 was the third-largest acreage burned annually since 1960. Federal funding for wildfire management (WFM) is provided in the annual Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. It funds wildfire management at the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, which are the two principal entities tasked with federal wildfire management. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more. […] This report provides WFM appropriations for the last ten years, and provides general wildfire management statistics (e.g., number of wildfires, acres burned, select state wildfire activity, firefighter personnel)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2014-03-05
• Wildfire Management Funding: Background, Issues, and FY2018 Appropriations [October 31, 2017]

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  "The federal government's wildfire (or wildland fire) management responsibilities are fulfilled primarily by the Forest Service (FS, in the U.S. Department of Agriculture) and the Department of the Interior (DOI). These responsibilities include prevention, detection, response, and recovery related to fires that begin on federal lands. These responsibilities are accomplished through activities such as preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, and site rehabilitation, among others. There are several ongoing concerns regarding federal 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. [...] Congress is debating several issues related to federal funding for wildfire management. They include the level of federal spending on wildland fire management as well as the effectiveness of that spending (e.g., whether the funding is allowing agencies to meet wildfire management targets). [...] This report provides an overview of the accounts that fund wildfire management activities and historical wildfire management appropriations data, as well as information on FY2018 appropriations."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hoover, Katie

  2017-10-31
• California Wildfires and Bulk Electric System Reliability [October 28, 2019]

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  From the Document "Many regions of the United States are susceptible to wildfires during droughts, with lightning being a frequent cause. California has been particularly affected in recent years. Since 2000, California has experienced 15 of the 20 most destructive wildfires in the state's history. However, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, electric utilities in California were responsible for several of these wildfires. [...] The 2019 California wildfires have resulted in a statewide emergency declaration. Earlier this year, PG&E [Pacific Gas & Electric] announced a new wildfire mitigation plan in response to California Senate Bill (SB) 901 requiring all California electric utilities to prepare plans on constructing, maintaining, and operating their electrical lines and equipment to minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire, which could involve shutting down power to thousands of customers to reduce the risks of wildfire. On October 8, 2019, PG&E implemented its plan, shutting off power to about 525,000 customers. Other California utilities announced similar outage plans in anticipation of strong winds of hurricane-force strength. [...] As residential communities continue to be built in areas prone to wildfires, the wildfire risk to human life and property is increased. According to a recent peer-reviewed study published in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the area where houses sit within or directly adjacent to natural vegetation, increased by 33% between 1990 and 2010 nationwide. The study states that 'WUI growth often results in more wildfire ignitions, putting more lives and houses at risk. Wildfire problems will not abate if recent housing growth trends continue.'"

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Campbell, Richard J.

  2019-10-28
• Wildfire, Wildlands, and People: Understanding and Preparing for Wildfire in the Wildland-Urban Interface

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  "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 damages from wildfire."

  United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Forest Service; Rocky Mountain Research Station (Fort Collins, Colo.)

  Stein, Susan M.; Comas, Sara J.; Menakis, James P. . . .

  2013-01
• Fuel Treatments, Fire Suppression, and Their Interactions with Wildfire and Its Effects: The Warm Lake Experience During the Cascade Complex of Wildfires in Central Idaho, 2007

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  "During the summer of 2007, wildfires burned over 500,000 acres within central Idaho. Starting in 1996, fuel treatments were implemented to offer protection to over 70 summer homes and other structures located near Warm Lake, approximately 20 miles east of Cascade Idaho. The wildfires of 2007 burned through and around the treatment areas with a variety of intensities, resulting in a variety of burn severities. This paper examines how the Monumental and North Fork Fires behaved and interacted with fuel treatments, suppression activities, topographical conditions, and the short- and long-term weather conditions. Our research included a combination of site visits both during and after the fires, flights over the terrain, 22 interviews with people assigned to the Monumental and North Fork Fires, and the experiences of employees involved with the fuel treatments and fire suppression activities on the Boise National Forest. In addition, we used information such as, but not limited to, fire progression maps, remote automated weather station (RAWS) data, and daily action plans associated with the Monumental and North Fork Fires. Given all of the factors that influence wildfire behavior and burn severity, the inferences we present are based on the most accurate, unbiased, and complete information available."

  United States. Forest Service

  Graham, Russell T.; Jain, Theresa B.; Loseke, Mark

  2009-07
• S. Hrg. 113-492: Wildfire, Hearing Before the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources United States Senate, One Hundred Thirteenth Congress, Second Session on Wildfire Preparedness and Forest Service 2015 Fiscal Year Budget

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  This is the July 15, 2014 hearing on "Wildfire" held before the committee on Energy and Natural Resources, United States Senate, One Hundred and Thirteenth Congress. From the Opening Statement of Mary Landrieu: "Today we will explore the Forest Service and the Department of Interior's preparedness for the 2014 wildfire season and to consider the President's Fiscal Year 2015 budget proposal for the Forest Service. Many of our colleagues have sent letters calling for action. Today's hearing is a good opportunity to examine issues related to fire suppression and attempt to glean a deeper understanding of the extent of the problem and possible solutions. Fighting fires, wildfires, and funding fire suppression efforts have been an important issue in American politics for over 100 years." Statements, letters, and materials submitted for the record include those of the following: Mike Crapo, Jeff Flake, Dan Gibbs Mary Landrieu, John McCain, Lisa Murkowski, Ken Pimlott, David Porter Tenney, Kim Thorsen, Thomas Tidwell, and Mark Udall..

  United States. Government Printing Office

  2014-07-15
• Forest Fire/Wildfire Protection [May 22, 2013]

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  "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. It should also be recognized that, as long as biomass, drought, lightning, and high winds exist, catastrophic wildfires will occur. Only about 1% of wildfires become conflagrations, but which fires will 'blow up' into crown wildfires is unpredictable. […] Federal, state, and local governments can and do assist by protecting their own lands, by providing financial and technical assistance, and by providing relief after the fire."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2013-05-22
• Developing a Community Wildfire Protection Plan for the Highways 410 and 12 Urban Wildland Interface Area

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  "The problem was that the Highways 410 and 12 wildland urban interface area did not have a plan to address the wildfire risk. The purpose of this applied research project was to develop a community wildfire protection plan for the Highways 410 and 12 urban wildland interface area. The action research method was used to determine answers to four questions: What components are necessary to meet recognized standards for an acceptable community wildfire protection plan? Second, what are the demonstrable benefits of developing a community wildfire protection plan? Third, what methods have other communities used to develop a community wildfire protection plan? Fourth, how will the community wildfire protection plan relate to the Yakima County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazards Mitigation Plan? Surveys, focus group meetings, and general discussions were used to identify wildfire protection needs, concerns and strategies for plan development. In addition, personal interviews were conducted with authors of community wildfire protection plans, program managers of environmental and emergency management agencies, and representatives of federal, state and local fire services. A plan was developed to address community wildfire protection. The plan included assessment of the wildfire risks and identification of strategies to mitigate the damage from wildland fires. Survey results indicated that there were similarities in values and strategies of successful plans as well as the specific difficulties that were encountered."

  National Fire Academy

  MacLean, Jakki

  2005-12
• Living with Wildfire in Delta County, Colorado: Cross-Community Comparisons

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  "Wildfire risk in the wildland-urban interface (WUI) is a significant problem in Colorado, as in much of the United States. Wildfire risk mitigation refers to activities performed proactively, before a hazard event occurs, that reduce the chances and/or consequences of a wildfire. Actions taken by individual residents toward mitigating their properties' wildfire risks can play an important role in the effort to reduce the catastrophic effects of wildfires both to society as a whole and to the residents themselves. However, the relationships of wildfire risk mitigation actions to attitudes, experiences, and other considerations are complex [...], and WUI residents may be defined by subpopulations that differ widely in perspectives about wildfire issues, both within [...] and across different communities [...]. This research note summarizes two linked datasets for four WUI communities in Delta County, Colorado. These data include a general population survey of residents in the community and an assessment of the physical characteristics of all residential properties in the community [...]. This report summarizes the study design and focuses on the extent to which collected data vary across the four communities. It also provides information regarding knowledge, concern, and activities related to wildfire and wildfire risk mitigation among residents of each of the four communities, as well as the results of the corresponding assessment performed by a wildfire specialist for those same properties. Data collection was similar to that performed in the Log Hill Mesa community in Ouray County, Colorado, and reported in a previous research note [...]."

  United States. Department of Agriculture; United States. Government Publishing Office

  Meldrum, James R.; Barth, Christopher M.; Falk, Lilia Colter . . .

  2015-06
• Forest Fire/Wildfire Protection [March 7, 2012]

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  "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. It should also be recognized that, as long as biomass, drought, lightning, and high winds exist, catastrophic wildfires will occur. Only about 1% of wildfires become conflagrations, but which fires will 'blow up' into crown wildfires is unpredictable. […] Federal, state, and local governments can and do assist by protecting their own lands, by providing financial and technical assistance, and by providing relief after the fire."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Gorte, Ross W.; Bracmort, Kelsi

  2012-03-07
• Wildfire Statistics [Updated October 31, 2019]

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  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 (see Figure 1). Every year since 2000, an average of 72,400 wildfires burned an average of 7.0 million acres. This figure is nearly 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.

  2019-10-31
• Wildfire Statistics [August 2, 2018]

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  "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 stayed relatively constant 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 73,200 wildfires burned an average of 6.9 million acres. This figure is nearly double the average annual acreage burned in the 1990s (3.3 million acres), although a greater number of fires occurred annually (78,600 on average)."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Hoover, Katie

  2018-08-02
• Wildfire Management: Federal Funding and Related Statistics [June 6, 2014]

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  "Wildfires can have beneficial and harmful impacts on ecosystems (e.g., by reducing fuel loads, or by damaging communities and timber resources). These impacts are generally measured and discussed based on the priorities of humans in these ecosystems. Federal resources are typically deployed during wildfire season--an annual occurrence of intense wildfire activity--to help manage wildfires and potentially minimize some of the impacts, including the loss of life and property. Approximately 4.3 million acres burned during the 2013 wildfire season, which was less than half of the 9.3 million acres burned in 2012. The acreage burned in 2012 was the third largest acreage burned annually since 1960. Federal funding for wildfire management is provided in the Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations bill. The bill funds wildfire management at the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior, which are the two principal entities tasked with federal wildfire management. Federal wildfire response activities involve preparedness, suppression, fuel reduction, site rehabilitation, and more."

  Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

  Bracmort, Kelsi

  2014-06-06