REGIONAL NORTH AMERICA WILDLAND FIRE NETWORK
A Region of the Global Wildland Fire Network
Introduction
The North American Forest Commission (NAFC) is one of six regional forestry commissions of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Established in 1958, NAFC provides a policy and technical forum for Canada, Mexico, and the United States to discuss and address forest issues on a North American basis.
NAFC carries out its mandate by supporting research and natural resource management activities through seven working groups that explore issues of concern to the three countries:
The Fire Management Working Group is a forum for exchanging experience and technology for the protection and control of forest fires; for cooperation among the three NAFC countries to develop strategies and actions to solve technical and management problems; and to actively participate with international agencies to conduct and promote activities that will foster world-wide cooperation and development.
- Exchange experiences and technological advances regarding prevention, wildland fire management and fire use.
- Provide mutual aid and technical exchanges between, Canada, Mexico and the United States in the development of strategy and appropriate actions to resolve technical problems of the North American region.
- Actively support and participate in international fire management programs with fire management agencies throughout the world by developing and promoting activities that support international cooperation and development.
Fire management in our forests and grasslands is a problem of international proportions. Ecosystems and fires do not recognize international boundaries. Fire that is a threat to one nation’s forest resources is equally a threat to its neighbor.
The world has long recognized the need to protect our homes, fields, forests, and watersheds because they provide our homes, food, jobs, and recreation.
Forestry research is also teaching us the value of the forests and grasslands as ecosystems that are vital to the health and wellbeing of everyone. The Fire Management Working Group was established in 1962. The current charter was ratified at the November 2012 meeting. Meetings rotate annually between the three member countries.
The network is one of six networks within the region of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) (see also the work of the UNECE/FAO Team of Specialists on Forest Fire between 1989 and 2014) and one of the 14 Regional Wildland Fire Networks of the Global Wildland Fire Network.
Fire Management Working Group Website:
2016 report of the Fire Management Working Group:
- FMWG Report for the period June 2014 to December 2015 (28th Session of NAFC, Campeche, Mexico, 11-14 January 2016) (PDF, 0.4 MB)
