PL 1-5 (Preparedness Level) Talking Points

from theysaid 7/24/07

NATIONAL INTERAGENCY FIRE CENTER
3833 South Development Avenue
Boise, Idaho 83705

• The National Interagency Fire Center has Preparedness Levels 1 through 5, each reflecting the level, complexity, and severity of fire activity and resource commitments across the nation. Preparedness Level 5 (PL-5) reflects the most severe fire situation.
• The National Interagency Fire Center moved to a PL-5 today based on the current and expected fire activity throughout much of the West. This move was prompted by large fire activity occurring in multiple geographic areas and a heavy commitment of crews, aircraft, and equipment to these incidents, along with a forecast for continued hot, dry, windy conditions.
• The 2007 fire season to date has been characterized by continued drought conditions, record-setting high temperatures, extreme fuel conditions, and widespread dry lightning storms across the West and an early, active season in the Southeast. The combination of factors recently in the West has resulted in multiple large fires in Utah, Nevada, California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington and Montana.
• There have been more than 1,000 new fire starts reported between Monday, July 16 and Wednesday July 18. The high level of resources required for initial attack of these fires, combined with the large number of resources assigned to ongoing large fires means the nation's response capability is being spread thin.
• The move to PL-5 means national fire leaders may assess the need for seeking international or military assistance. At this level additional personnel who work primarily in non-fire positions but who have some level of fire qualifications may also be called into action. PL-5 also serves as a safety reminder to all fire personnel that conditions are severe and the need to be alert is intensified.
• The majority of fires to date have occurred at lower elevations and in lighter grass and brush fuels, which are conducive to rapid rates of spread and large fire growth. Late July and August is typically when fire activity escalates on higher-elevation forested lands. The weather outlook calls for continued hot and dry conditions with the potential for additional dry lightning storms.
• Wednesday morning, July 18, 2007, approximately 15,000 people were assigned to 68 large uncontained fires. Fire managers have been moving crews and aircraft from eastern states and Alaska, where fire activity has diminished, to assist with the western fires.
• The National Interagency Fire Center has moved to a PL-5 earlier than this date only once since 1990. That was in 2002, when PL-5 was reached on June 21 and remained at that level until September. Last year, NIFC moved to PL-5 on July 28 and remained at that level until September 16.