Russia: Exchange of Fire Research and Fire Management Personnel with the U.S.A. (IFFN No. 10 – January 1994)
Exchange of Fire Research and
Fire Management Personnel with the U.S.A.
(IFFN No. 10 – January 1994, p. 17)
In the last two years a series of activities in exchanging fire researchers and fire management personnel between the Russian Federation and the U.S.A. created new contacts within our community. As a response to the kind invitation of the first exploratory mission in the Russian Federation (see IFFN No.6, January 1992), Stephen J.Pyne, Arizona State University, Phoenix, hosted a delegation of Russian scientists and managers during the period 19 September to 6 October 1992. Visiting fire specialists were Valentin Furiaev (Russian Academy of Sciences), Eduard P.Davidenko and Nikolaij Liubutzen, and Alexander Beliaev (Avialesookhrana). Visiting points were the University of Arizona (Phoenix, Tucson), National Center for Advanced Technology (Marana, Arizona), Grand Canyon and Tonto National Forest, Riverside Forest Fire Laboratory, Sequoia Park, and various air tanker bases.
Another study tour was hosted by the Alaska Bureau of Land Management, 27 August – 10 September 1992. Visiting fire specialists from Avialesookhrana were Nikolai Andreev (Director), Eduard Davidenko, Boris Khobta (Magadan Fire Center), and Alexander Liubiakin (Khabarovsk Fire Center). This study tour was targeted to demonstrate the operations of fire management personnel, including air tankers and smoke jumpers.
Following an invitation by D. A. Amicarella, Director of Fire and Aviation Management, USDA Forest Service, and the response by N.Andreev, Director of Avialesookhrana, both countries agreed to exchange a total of four groups of fire management experts. The visits took place between May and August, 1993. The members of the Russian delegations were from Avialesookhrana and the Russian Forest Service: Yevgeny Shuktomov (Headquarters), Vadim Melkir (Perm), Alexei Shchedrin (Petrosavodsk), with the interpreter Nikolai Beliaev, and Victor Sergeienko (Russian Forest Service), Vladimir Schtetinsky (Headquarters), and Nikolai Kovaljov (Krasnoyarsk). The US delegations came from the National Forests: Stan Kunzman (Deschutes), Larry Swan (Payette), Jack Weingert (Quachita), Tom Goheen (Chugach), Deanne Schulman (Sequoia), and Dennis Hulbert (Tahoe)
On 28 November 1993 the Head of the Russian party of the Russian-American Forestry Commission, together with Nikolai A.Kovaljov (Avialesookhrana), travelled to Washington to sign the follow-up agreement for exchange of experts.
The information in this country report was jointly compiled and prepared by:
Eduard P. Davidenko
National Aerial Forest Fire Center
Avialesookhrana
Gorkogo St. 20
RU – 141200 Pushkino, Moscow Region and Johann Georg Goldammer
(Editor of IFFN)
