Wildland Fire Leadership Council Meetings

Wildland Fire Leadership Council Meeting
June 20, 2003

The following decisions were made during this meeting:

1. Task 4E (Field Guidance for Identifying and Prioritizing Communities at Risk), as presented by NASF, is accepted pending modification to include minimum required factors for determining community hazard. Task 4E is found in the Implementation Plan for the 10-Year comprehensive Strategy. The intent of this task is to establish broad, nationally compatible standards for identifying communities at risk, while allowing maximum flexibility at the state and regional level.
2. Interdepartmental Fuels Program for FY2004 was accepted pending further review of mechanical treatments by state and region.
3. The proposed DOI/USDA Budget Alignment and Structure for Wildland Fire Management Appropriation was agreed to. Implementation will begin with the FY 2004 allocation.
4. The Interagency Direction for the Implementation Plan for the 2001 Federal Wildland Fire Policy was approved. Two areas of the plan, human-caused/fire use and suppression strategy changing to fire use, will be monitored for possible adaptation within the Plan.
5. New Chair of WFLC is Assistant Secretary for DOI, Lynn Scarlett.

The following actions are to be taken:

• Develop a WFLC communications strategy and team to better communicate actions of the Council (Leads: Kathleen Clarke/internal and Fran Mainella/external).
• As part of the Communications Strategy, develop a news release on accomplishments of the 10-Year IP. Next conference call-discuss WFLC involvement at the September WGA meeting. WFLC could use this meeting to deliver accomplishments of the 10-Year IP.
• Ensure new ESA consultation, categorical exclusion and other new tool uses are tracked through NFPORS.
• Need to develop a display that better demonstrates the juxtaposition of fuels treatments to communities; accomplished, in progress, and planned.
• Begin to compare the change in condition classes on an annual basis beginning with the FY 2003 Performance Report. (all treatments)
• Need a more in-depth discussion with NAPA on their reports including the application of grants. Suggestion for a joint meeting.
• Review the cost containment package and get comments back to L. Scarlett by June 26 (Larry Hamilton/Jerry Williams).
• Larry Hamilton and Jerry Williams to work together on refinements on cost containment. Larry Hamilton to identify immediate needs for the WFLC to address/approve.
• Do analysis of fuels treatment, with emphasis on mechanical treatments, for monthly calls.
• Council topic for next meeting: development of an action item on smoke management. Review existing research and task groups. Ask the National Fire/Air Coordination Group Interagency to report on:
  1. How do you do your work together?
  2. What does the Fire/Air Group do?
  3. How do you work with EPA?
  4. Other partnerships.?
  5. What are your management challenges?

Next Meeting: White Mountain Apache, AZ meeting and field trip.

• One full day travel to the White Mountains, one day field trip, one day business meeting, and one full day travel home for a total of four days.
• To circulate available dates
• Preliminary Topics:
  • Air Quality/Smoke Management issues
  • Report on use of administrative tools for model EAs
  • Report back on communications strategy
  • Review of fire season-to-date to include fire policy and cost containment issue.

Critique of meeting/improvements for future:

• Improve conciseness/organization of handout package.
• Continue to take advantage of combining with another meeting.
• Have business meetings following field trips.
• Look into transportation problems like last flight out of the day.