The cohesive strategy for better wildland fire planning and response
The cohesive strategy for better wildland fire planning and response
25 June 2013
published by www.firefighternation.com
USA — Heres a little bit of wildland/urban interface (WUI) trivia for you: Just how old is the WUI? The answer: Its actually emerged just in the last century, and in that short span of time, it has consistently demanded more and more attention from the federal government and the fire service.
Before the WUIs official existence in the United States, the Weeks Act of 1911, which focused primarily on forested lands, was one of the first pieces of legislature that allowed the federal government to purchase land for resource protection, and called for fire protection through cooperation.
Fast-forward 98 years to 2009, when the U.S. Congress enacted the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement Act (FLAME Act). This act directed the Wildland Fire Executive Council to create the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy, or the Cohesive Strategy. It has since been the catalyst for bringing different levels of fire leadership together to plan for wildland fire. Some feel the FLAME Act, and the resulting Cohesive Strategy, have the potential to be every bit as influential as the Weeks Act, but the true results are yet to be recognized.
What Does It Mean?
The dictionary defines cohesive as exhibiting or producing cohesion or coherence. To simplify, the term cohesion means unity. The term coherence means systematic consistency or the integration of diverse elements, relationships or values. From its inception, the Cohesive Strategy was intended to foster the unity of the different levels of government that have a stake in WUI firefighting; this unity among the levels would lead to systematic consistency, and help integrate the diversity that exists within emergency response communities across the United States.
Admittedly, many involved in the development of the Cohesive Strategy remain skeptical that well ever achieve these defined goals. To truly participate in, and maximize the success of, the Cohesive Strategy, it helps to understand how it evolved, how its currently being implemented, and how it could benefit us even more in the future.
Key Factors & Common Priorities
Its well known that wildland fire management involves a complex matrix of agency goals, values, policies, social concerns and fuel types. When the urban component is added to the mix, it further complicates these considerations. But whats perhaps of most concern (and nothing new at this point) is that WUI statistics show an increase in fire severity, behavior and rapid growth over the past few decades, and all signs indicate that these trends will accelerate in the futurewhich is why the Cohesive Strategy is needed.
Key to the strategy is the notion of living with wildland fire, particularly as growth into the WUI continues. The Wildland Fire Leadership Council identified three primary factors that present the greatest challenges to (and opportunities for) residents ability to live with fire:
– Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes
– Creating fire-adapted communities
– Responding effectively to wildfires
In the case of Southern California, work on creating fire-adapted communities has been very successful, and most would argue that its a resource-rich area providing solid fire response. But negotiating many different processes and viewpoints from different agencies has made fuels management slow at best, difficult (if not impossible) at worst.
Preceding fuels management is the need to determine common goals among agencies, and not just in California. But when considering the diversity of agency missions, this too can be a difficult process. To simplify it, we must consider fire service priorities. Most fire departments hold the following priorities when it comes to addressing the WUI:
– Reduce the risk to civilians and firefighters.
– Sound risk management should be the foundation for all management activities.
– Seek to improve and sustain the ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from wildfire throughout the community.
– Federal, state, tribal and local agencies should support one another with WUI response. Collaborative planning and decision-making should take into account responsibilities among jurisdictions.
– Safe, aggressive initial attack is often the best strategy for keeping costs down and keeping incidents small.
– As the fires that continue to ravage parts of California are often fuels-driven, it serves as a reminder that the Cohesive Strategy must address all three key factors. In all regions, attention to common goals must be paid if were to succeed in overcoming growing WUI challenges.
The Phases of the Cohesive Strategy
In recognition of the complexity of the Cohesive Strategy, a three-phased approach was designed, allowing for stakeholder participation and interaction during each phase. Were currently at the end of Phase II and beginning Phase III.
Phase I
During this phase, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered on WUI fires. Primarily, this was done through a series of field forums during which members from many agencies and jurisdictions across all levels of government and the private sector were represented.
Phase II
The second phase was intended to help develop regionally specific information for national aggregation; it has been labeled the Development of Regional Strategies and Assessments. Work groups were created in three regionsthe Northeast, the Southeast and the Westand each presented a Regional Action Plan, or a detailed plan that will have the following goals:
Reduce wildfire threats and impacts at the community level.
Make training for suppression and prevention more available.
Create platforms for jurisdictions to share successful approaches with one another.
Help local partners better understand wildfire threats and how they can work to reduce them.
Phase III
As mentioned, were currently at the beginning of Phase III, which involves the National Trade-off and Analysis and Execution. This phase is intended to merge whats been discovered in the given three regions into a scientifically driven national plan for addressing the WUI fire problem.
Where Does the Fire Service Fit In?
Fire in the WUI has been identified as the fastest-growing fire-related problem in the United States. As the concept of the WUI has evolved, the IAFC has been on the forefront of addressing concerns and providing solutions. The three main goals of WUI response outlined by the IAFC have been redesigned to mirror those established in the Cohesive Strategy.
Its incorrect to say that the main benefit of the Cohesive Strategy will be a final product, or plan, delivered sometime in the future. In fact, thats far from the truth. The real value of the strategy is already being seen by the fire servicethat is, in the involvement of and participation by members of the fire service in a new, cohesive way. Issues that were once mulled over with representation from only the national or state levels of government now include representatives of the local fire service.
What You Can Do
We have yet to see the full benefit of the Cohesive Strategy, which will come as future leaders adopt it and adapt it to solve future challenges. Meanwhile, there are immediate opportunities for us to participate in the evolution of the strategy:
Provide input/feedback on any land-use decision that involves treating fuelseither on federal grounds or other landscapes in close proximity to communities. Planners and decision-makers often look for comments from the local fire service agencies, but, in the absence of our professional opinions, they wind up hearing only opinions against the project.
The fire service can be the champion for creating fire-adapted communities. The use of the principles outlined in Ready, Set, Go! and Firewise programs can help us reach this goal. Were in a position to empower citizen engagement through education and outreach.
Work to promote a truly integrated wildland response, independent of jurisdiction. Mutual-aid agreements, exchange of protection areas and contracts with federal and state protection agencies are all examples of ways to implement this goal.
Relationships between agencies have been created through the work of the Cohesive Strategy. These relationships should be strengthened, embraced and fostered. Collectively, these relationships will give us a more powerful voice.
Take part in the Cohesive Strategy. There will be opportunities for members of the fire service to participate in Phase III, and ultimately, the continuation of the strategy.
Support collaborative efforts, such as land-management plans, hazardous mitigation plans and community wildfire protection plans (CWPPs). (Note: For more information on CWPPs, visit www.iafc.org/files/wild_CWPPleadrsGuide.pdf.)
A Final Word
The National Science Analysis Team thats helping to integrate all the regional suggestions will identify additional safety measures, new technologies, advanced training, grant opportunities and enhanced decision-making toolsall of which will benefit our profession.
Perhaps most importantly, the Cohesive Strategy, and the inclusiveness its encouraging, could potentially affect all of usin the water we drink, the air we breathe and the recreation we enjoy. The Weeks Act truly established the importance of forests to our nation, and outlined a way to deal with their inherent fire problems. The FLAME Act and the resulting Cohesive Strategy have the potential to be every bit as influential.
