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Wildland Fire Leadership Council Meetings

Wildland Fire Leadership Council Meeting
May 1, 2002

Note: All decisions and action items are identified with an asterisk, *.

Attendees

Mark Rey, Under Secretary, NRE, Department of Agriculture
Brian Waidmann, Chief of Staff to the Secretary of the Interior
Dale Bosworth, Chief of the Forest Service
Kathleen Clark, Director, BLM
Fran Mainella, Director, NPS
Steve Williams, Director, FWS
Tim Hartzell, Director, Office of Wildland Fire Coordination, DOI
Bob Leaverton, National Fire Plan Coordinator, USDA Forest Service
Conrad Lass, BLM, Chief of Staff

Summary

* Brian Waidmann opened the meeting with a nomination for the Chair of the Council. The group voted unanimously for the election of Dale Bosworth, Chief-USDA Forest Service.

The Council held a discussion concerning the creation of the “collaboration group” set forth in the Council charter. It was determined that the “group” should include representatives from local, State, and Tribal governments. The membership would not, at this time, include members from non-governmental entities. It was suggested that the representatives be called “Associate Members”. The suggested membership includes National Association of Counties (NACO); the Inter-Tribal Timber Council (ITTC); National Governors Association (NGA); and; the State Foresters (NASF). Each entity would be offered one position. Tim and Bob will consult with WGA to determine process or processes to determine representation from NGA and NASF.

* Subsequent discussion regarding State participation resulted in addition of 1 position for the National Association of Governors.

Brian gave an update on the development of the Implementation Plan for the 10-year Comprehensive Strategy. The four goals in the strategy are: improve prevention and suppression, reduce hazardous fuels, restore fire-adapted ecosystems, and promote community assistance. Brian and Dave are working to add commercial and pre-commercial thinning as an additional tool to be used to reduce fuel loads. Brian would like to see the number of homes or communities saved as a performance measure but acknowledged that the Fire Directors did not feel that there is a reliable, consistent repeatable way of measuring. No decision was made. When the Plan is signed, the Performance Measures will be considered approved and final. He hopes to have the Draft out for comment on Thursday, May 2nd with comments back by Friday, May 3rd. In the event that the Implementation Plan is completed and satisfactory to all parties, a signing ceremony is targeted for May 23, 2002, in Boise, Idaho.

Bob and Tim walked through the Briefing papers in the packets that were handed out.

The Council discussed and agreed that a joint (USDA and DOI) public announcement be issued covering the fire situation, drought prediction and resource status and associated severity request. Bob and Tim said they would relay this request to the NIFC public affairs staff and appropriate Departmental Communications Staff.

The upcoming Energy and Natural Resource Committee Hearing was discussed and it was determined that a single, seamless, testimony would be presented for the record. Deputy Chief Joel Holtrop and Tim will testify. The hearing is will center around this year’s fire season and availability of resources.

Tim stated that the initial list of FY2003 Fuels Treatment Projects is due in August 2002. He stressed the importance of close coordination among all Federal Agencies and the States, in each geographic area.

* The next meeting will be held in early June. Dale will take care of the logistics.

* At this point in the meeting, a call was made to the Fire Directors to discuss the severity requests and fire situation. Tim Murphy, BLM, suggested that the Bureau Directors and Forest Service all send letters to their line managers to alert them to the upcoming fire conditions and predictions and to please support the suppression efforts by providing needed resources. Tim Murphy was assigned to draft a letter for use by all the agencies. The Fire Directors were asked whether they had adequate personnel and resources to meet requests for fire suppression. Tim Murphy, on behalf of the Fire Directors responded yes, there were adequate resources to meet needs.

The meeting was adjourned.