National Fire Plan Organizational Changes

Fact Sheet
10/28/05

• Over the past 5 years, the Forest Service, in partnership with the Department of Interior, other Federal agencies, Tribes, state and local governments, and non-government organizations, has been extremely successful at implementing the National Fire Plan and accomplishing the five key points of the plan, including:
1. Assuring that necessary firefighting resources and personnel are available to respond to wildland fires that threaten lives and property
2. Conducting emergency stabilization and rehabilitation activities on landscapes and communities affected by wildland fire
3. Reducing hazardous fuels (dry brush and trees that have accumulated and increase the likelihood of unusually large fires) in the country's forests and rangelands
4. Providing assistance to communities that have been or may be threatened by wildland fire
5. Committing to the Wildland Fire Leadership Council, an interagency team created to set and maintain high standards for wildland fire management on public lands
• The National Fire Plan has evolved over the past five years and taken on new dimensions with the implementation of the Healthy Forest Initiative and passage of the Healthy Forest Restoration Act. The Forest Service and our partners are focused on implementing long-term strategies to restore the health of the nation’s forests and grasslands--there is a great deal of work yet to be done.
• In order to assure continued success, the Forest Service is making some organizational adjustments within its headquarters operation.
• The National Fire Plan staff is being combined with the Fire and Aviation staff and will be managed by a Deputy Director position. Two Assistant Director positions—one for hazardous fuels and one for partnerships—will report to the Deputy Director for the National Fire Plan.
• National Fire Plan Staff – responsible for coordination under the National Fire Plan, Healthy Forest Initiative, and Healthy Forest Restoration Act.
• Assistant Director for Hazardous Fuels – responsible for implementation of fuels program in a manner that is integrated with other vegetation treatments on both national forest system and state and private lands.
• Assistant Director for Partnerships – responsible for implementation of cooperative fire protection, state fire assistance, and nation response planning programs.
• An Assistant Director position on the Forest Management staff will focus on the integration of vegetation treatment and ecological restoration programs across all Deputy Chief Areas.
• Forest Management Staff will be responsible for HFI and HFRA implementation.
• These organizational changes will result in enhanced opportunities for partnerships and integration of related management activities within and outside the Forest Service.
• We will start to implement these changes immediately—RSAs will be asked to help recruit candidates for vacant positions