Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR)

The Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR) is a strategic risk assessment process that has been conducted every four years since its inception in 2005. It is a joint effort of the U. S. Forest Service and the four federal land management bureaus of the Department of the Interior (DOI), as well as the National Association of State Foresters (NASF) and other local, tribal, and nongovernmental partners.

The purpose of the Quadrennial Fire Review (QFR) is to forecast conditions that may present the greatest challenges for wildland fire management over the next 10 to 20 years, and then develop long-term, strategic actions to address them. The 2014 QFR will focus on completing three main objectives:

1. Conduct a thorough review and documentation of actions and outcomes that have occurred as a result of the previous QFRs;
2. Identify the most significant long-term wildland fire management challenges by assessing emerging issues and future threats facing the nation; and
3. Project future scenarios to highlight areas of consideration for realignment of programs, strategies, capabilities, and the workforce that will assist in addressing the identified challenges and threats.

The QFR and the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy) exist for different, yet complementary purposes. The QFR will build on the Cohesive Strategy goals—resilient landscapes, fire-adapted communities, and wildfire response—by primarily focusing on four key areas of concern:

1. Changing Climatic Conditions and Effects on Landscapes;
2. Evolving Risk in Public and Firefighter Safety;
3. Water Quality and Quantity; and
4. Technology and Program Infrastructure.

These four primary focus areas will explore the policy, governance, and workforce issues that may be adversely affecting our abilities to be effective, efficient wildland fire managers and will allow us to discuss and mitigate emerging challenges and threats in the future.

How to get involved…