Wildland Fire Strategic Plan

NPS/Y MATSUI

Overview

The National Park Service (NPS) Fire Management Leadership Board (FMLB) provides leadership for the NPS Wildland Fire Management Program through strategic planning and coordination. FMLB is comprised of regional fire management officers, one park fire management officer, one regional chief ranger, one associate regional director or park superintendent, and the branch chiefs for Wildland Fire and Communication and Education, as well as Branch of Wildland Fire program leads. The FMLB reports to the division chief, Fire and Aviation Management. The FMLB developed the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan to aid the NPS in wildland fire management planning and execution. The 2020 – 2024 Wildland Fire Strategic Plan is a continuation of the 2015 – 2019 Wildland Fire Strategic Plan, built around the mission and goals of that plan. The 2020 – 2024 Wildland Fire Strategic Plan relies on eight desired outcomes to advance the plan’s goals.

Purpose

The mission of the National Park Service Wildland Fire Program is to manage wildland fire to protect the public, park communities, and infrastructure, conserve natural and cultural resources, and maintain and restore natural ecosystem processes. This mission broadly supports five of the Department of the Interior priorities: conservation stewardship legacy second only to Teddy Roosevelt; restore trust and be a good neighbor; protect our people and the border; strike a regulatory balance; achieve our goals and lead our team forward. Specifically, this strategic plan addresses the Secretary of the Interior’s direction for active management of forests and fuels:

1. use our existing policies more aggressively;
2. think differently about how those policies may be applied;
3. look for opportunities to partner with adjacent agencies, state and local governments, tribes, and private landowners to maximize resources;
4. look carefully at existing management plans and ask if you are doing all you can today to address the threats of tomorrow;
5. ensure that our landscapes are restored and maintained to meet our mission.

This plan describes what the FMLB considers the best course of action to meet the NPS mission and support the Department’s priorities and the Secretary’s direction by identifying trends, reaffirming our values and establishing our direction for the next five years.

The strategic plan’s goals and objectives articulate the FMLB’s judgment regarding where to spend time and attention to support the NPS Wildland Fire Program Mission. We will use the eight desired outcomes to make progress on the objectives and, by making progress on the strategic plan’s objectives, we will advance the plan’s strategic goals (see Appendix A). The FMLB will monitor, review, and update this plan as necessary to ensure it provides forward-looking direction and to track progress.

Accountability for the success of this plan resides with all individuals who implement the NPS Wildland Fire Management Program – national, regional, and park fire management staff, NPS leadership, and others who engage in wildland fire management. All levels of the NPS Wildland Fire Management Program will be involved in implementing the desired outcomes.

Assumptions

The following assumptions have been made in the development of this plan:

• Safety – Life safety, protecting people, both the public and firefighters in firefighting and post-fire activities, will remain the highest priority.
• Budget – Wildland fire appropriations will continue to fluctuate. Yearly appropriations will not be timely. Moreover, fire response and community preparedness will continue to drive funding toward the wildland urban interface (WUI) resulting in less funding for ecological restoration efforts. All of these budget issues will affect staffing, funding priorities, and force organizational adjustments
• Environment – Climate change, increasing visitation to parks, and WUI growth will continue to increase the complexity of managing wildfires. Expect increasing incident management response needs for both wildfire and all hazard incidents. We will continue to have catastrophic wildfires that affect parks, communities, visitors, and employees. In these situations, available resources will not be adequate to support post-fire recovery needs of our employees, infrastructure, and ecosystems. Longer and more geographically expansive fire seasons will stretch firefighting resources and affect wildland fire staff physical and mental health.
• Landscapes – Wildfires will continue to shape our landscapes. Wildfire is an important tool to achieve resource management objectives, however, many areas will burn whether fire is the preferred option or not. Along with climate change, environmental, economic, political and social conditions will also affect the ability to achieve ecological restoration and maintenance goals or manage for alternative landscapes. Invasive species will continue to alter ecosystems and limit management options. The ability to tell our story, and setting realistic expectations both within the NPS and for our stakeholders, will often fall short.
• Technology – The digital age presents new opportunities for NPS to use technology to acquire, assess, process, analyze and disseminate information for wildland fire management. For example, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) are increasingly being used to provide intelligence to inform management decisions on wildland fires and to support wildland fire operations like aerial ignition. The digital age also continues to pose challenges like managing and leveraging social media, managing UAS data, and private UAS compromising fire operations and placing firefighters at risk.

Wildland Fire Management Values

Values are the bond that hold organizations and teams together and serve as a fixed reference when making difficult decisions. The FMLB’s intent is to support a culture dedicated to service, teamwork and mission through emphasizing the following values:

• Commitment to Safety – No natural or cultural resource, home, or item of property, is worth a human life.
• Service for the Common Good – Beyond public safety, assure plans and actions are congruent and integrated with the park’s goals and objectives, the public, stakeholders, and the NPS traditions of stewardship.
• Respect and Trust – The wildland fire management program builds relationships with internal and external partners and stakeholders. These relationships are based on mutual respect and trust so they are authentic and durable. Problem solving will be open to constructive debate and collaborative decisions; fostering frank and open discussion of operational performance.
• Science Based – Planning, implementation and evaluation of the wildland fire management program is predicated on sound science that adds to a common, accurate, and clearer understanding of the current situation and future challenges.
• Adaptability – Actions are linked to current and anticipated problems to promote responsiveness as circumstances change; support continuous improvement as individuals, teams/programs, and as a Service.
• Initiative – Encourage innovative independent action to take advantage of opportunities and solve problems at the lowest level, while providing meaningful boundaries through well-articulated leader’s intent, policies and guidance.

Goals, Objectives, and Desired Outcomes

The management of wildland fire is a fundamental means to accomplish the NPS mission. Three intertwining goals define the basic foundation for NPS Wildland Fire Management Program success. The first goal will position the program organizationally to aid in being successful with goals 2 and 3. Goal 2 and Goal 3 will protect the infrastructure necessary to provide for visitor enjoyment, education and inspiration while enabling the wildland fire management program to help conserve natural and cultural resources now and in the future. To advance the goals, the FMLB worked with program area leads to develop eight desired outcomes. Implementing these desired outcomes will address all of the objectives and help achieve the goals of the strategic plan.

Goal 1 – Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements
The NPS Wildland Fire Management Program is an integral part of accomplishing the NPS mission and the Secretarial goals for active management. These mission requirements set the frame for the allocation of resources (e.g., workforce, fleet, equipment, and facilities) across the wildland fire management program.

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the Service to ensure the right resources are in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

Goal 2 – Protect Communities and Assets
Protect life, communities and assets (e.g., cultural resources, structures, and infrastructure) from adverse effects of wildfire without compromising safety through robust preparedness and response programs. This work depends on internal and external agency relationships, adequately assessing wildland fire potential and risk to values, and making sound decisions.

Objective 1: Ensure that each wildfire receives an effective response consistent with the approved fire management plan, based on ecological, social, and legal consequences of the fire.

Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure, and cultural and other sensitive resources, from wildfire.

Goal 3 – Conserve Natural Resources
Work with partners to conserve natural resources to retain integrity of ecosystems and to provide sustainable environmental and social benefits.

Objective 1: Use wildland fire to maintain and restore ecological integrity where possible, or to facilitate adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

Objective 2: Mitigate negative ecological consequences of wildfire.

Desired Outcome 1A - Develop and maintain an inventory of NPS facilities

Title: Develop and maintain an inventory of NPS facilities that serves field level wildland fire response operations

Description: Fleet and equipment are essential resources for the NPS workforce to complete the wildland fire management mission safely and effectively. NPS facilities support these critical resources (workforce, fleet and equipment) required for field level wildland fire response operations. NPS facilities are accounted for in Facility Management Software System (FMSS) database; however, there is no accounting of the management function they serve. Because we lack enumeration of the subset of NPS facilities that serve field level wildland fire response operations, annual review and prioritization of PMIS project request for wildland fire funds is limited to single projects submitted without context. In addition, it is impossible to support parks with PMIS project proposal creation for unmet needs. This desired outcome will support Goal 1, Objective 2 by ensuring NPS facilities that support field level wildland fire response operations are sufficient for the mission critical equipment and personnel present.

This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing the strategic plan goal as follows:

Goal 1 – Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements
The NPS Wildland Fire Management Program is an integral part of accomplishing the NPS mission. These mission requirements that set the frame for the allocation of resources (e.g., workforce, fleet, equipment, and facilities) across the wildland fire management program.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

Start Date: October 1, 2020

Completion Date: September 30, 2023

Principal Lead(s): Bill Yohn (Equipment and Facilities Program Manager)

Target Audience: Park, regional and Fire Management Program Center (FMPC) staff, wildland fire staff. Park Facility Management Software System (FMSS) specialists.

Talking Points:

• All owned NPS facilities are documented in the Facility Management Software System (FMSS) database, however, inventory of NPS facilities that serve field-level wildland fire response operations is limited.
• Facility requests are entered into Project Management Information System (PMIS) by the park during the annual Servicewide Comprehensive Call (SCC).
• Because we lack enumeration of the subset of NPS facilities that serve field level wildland fire response operations, we have no accounting of the level of non-fire funds being expended on them.
• Annual review and prioritization of PMIS project request for wildland fire funds is limited because of not being able to understanding the individual request within the context of total need.
• Impossible to support parks with PMIS project proposal creation.

Planned Actions:

• Enumerate the subset of NPS facilities that serve field level wildland fire response operations, i.e. engine stations, caches that support over 100 firefighters and helibases.
• Populate these data into the NPS Wildland Fire Data Warehouse (to be built) or similar system.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• Staff time for the national equipment and facilities program manager to oversee and coordinate wildland fire facilities inventory.
• Annual FMSS data pull.
• Park and regional staff time to complete one time data call to identify field level wildland fire infrastructure.
• Regional and park level annual review and validation of the wildland fire infrastructure list prior to subsequent year Servicewide Comprehensive Call (SCC).
• Regional and national support to assist parks with Project Management Information System (PMIS) proposals.
• Continually work to identify facility improvement needs which have not been entered into PMIS.

Measurable Outcomes:

• Annual report of NPS wildland fire infrastructure, e.g., funds expended, needs, necessary improvements.
• Better information to support decisions on NPS Wildland Fire Facilities projects funded by the Department of the Interior Wildland Fire Management Deferred Maintenance and Capital Improvement Five Year Plan.

Desired Outcome 1B - Creating Avenues of Success for Women in NPS Wildland Fire

Title: Creating Avenues of Success for Women in NPS Wildland Fire

Description: In March 2012, the NPS Director approved Director’s Order #16B: Diversity in the National Park Service. This Order articulates our policies for seeking and achieving diversity in the workplace. Per the Director’s Order, the concept of diversity includes:

• Respecting and appreciating individual differences and ensuring all employees are included as full, contributing, and influential team members.
• Creating and maintaining an inclusive approach to all policies and practices.
• Educating the workforce on diversity.
• Ensuring that diversity principles are incorporated in the hiring process.
• Facilitating culture change to support new behaviors.

Moreover, the Director’s Order stated, “Improving diversity in all National Park Service activities will ensure that we remain a relevant organization in this century and beyond.” NPS Wildland Fire has struggled to create a diverse and inclusive organization.

This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing the strategic plan goal as follows:

Goal 1 – Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements
The NPS Wildland Fire Management Program is an integral part of accomplishing the NPS mission. These mission requirements that set the frame for the allocation of resources (e.g., workforce, fleet, equipment, and facilities) across the wildland fire management program.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

To advance Goal 1 – Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements - we must take significant steps towards creating an inclusive, diverse wildland fire culture and workforce. This desired outcome addresses Goal 1, Objective 2 by moving our workforce into alignment with Director’s Order 16B.

As stated in Director’s Order 16B, “the Service will continue to aggressively work toward building a work environment where workforce diversity is embraced, where there is zero tolerance of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and where the mission of this organization is achieved through collaboration and teamwork.” We will do this by focusing on changing the wildland fire culture and organization through training, recruitment, and retention efforts that result in greater inclusivity of women into our wildland fire culture and workforce. Ideally, because of this desired outcome, we will see a diversity of women providing leadership and participating in all aspects of NPS wildland fire management.

Start Date: January 2020

Completion Date: December 2024

Principal Lead(s): Mel Whitenack (MWR Great Lakes Fire Management Zone FMO), Chad Fisher (Wildland Fire Operations Program Lead)

Target Audience: The NPS wildland fire workforce

Talking Points:

• Increasing diversity and inclusion in NPS Wildland Fire is a clear need. Women make up less than 5% of the leadership as AFMOs and FMOs at the park level and less than 2% as regional and national FMOs and deputies. Putting fiscal and human capital behind gender parity efforts will allow for a more robust and resilient workforce. A diverse workforce will have a better understanding and acceptance of differences in race, ethnicity, gender identity, age, religion, disability, and sexual orientation, as well as value differences in education, income class, personality, skill sets, experience, and knowledge base.
• The foundation of NPS diversity policies rests on zero tolerance for discrimination, harassment, and retaliation and requires a commitment to goals that must be clearly communicated to our employees and potential employees. These goals include:
  • Educating our managers, supervisors, and employees by providing training on valuing diversity and managing for diversity.
  • Recruiting a diverse workforce by developing and using targeted recruitment plans to expand the pool of qualified applicants and diverse employees.
  • Retaining a workforce that reflects diversity, monitoring employee development, and promoting practices to ensure equal access to equal opportunities by all employees.
  • Ensuring employees are treated with respect, free from harassment, intolerance, and discrimination.
  • Ensuring accountability by reviewing, evaluating, and monitoring management actions to make sure they incorporate our goals for improving our diversity.
  • Ensuring the diversity of this nation is represented at all levels throughout the NPS.
  • Ensuring our commitment to diversity is reflected in the way we manage our partnerships, collaborative programs, and procurement activities.

Planned Actions:

• Recruitment
  • Complete a demographic study of NPS Wildland Fire workforce to fully understand past and present workforce composition.
  • Determine future desired workforce composition in 5 and 10 year horizons.
  • Develop two NPS women’s wildland fire crews; this effort would be similar to the joint effort of BLM Wyoming and Montana Conservation Corps, which developed two crews made up of six women.
  • Use the Pathways Program to recruit women students in fire ecology and management.
  • Collaborate with U.S. Forest Service on Women in Wildland Fire training camps to provide opportunities for women to explore careers in fires.
  • As part of the NPS Wildland Fire workforce, the NPS fire ecology program consists of more than 80 seasonal, subject to furlough, and permanent employees, and interns. Over 50% of the NPS fire ecology staff is female. The fire ecology staff engages and supports most aspects of wildland fire management. Because of the number of women and the engagement of Fire Ecology staff in most areas of fire management, this program can be leveraged to help women gain more wildland fire experience and skills to enable them to advance their wildland fire careers. With recent budget cuts, the fire ecology staff have been reduced, therefore to maximize the opportunity to support diversity, we can reinstate or increase fire ecology subject-to-furlough and seasonal staffing. This increase will allow fire ecology staff greater opportunity to provide wildland fire incident support (e.g., firefighters, REAFs, GISS, helicopter and engine positions, command and general staff, etc.) to broaden their wildland fire experiences. This increase in staffing would require an additional commitment to providing an increase in wildland fire incident support.
• Training
  • Continue NPS participation and support of the Women-in-Fire Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (WTREX) and the Prescribed Fire Training Center to increase skills, build confidence, and develop women leaders in wildland fire.
  • Develop an L-580 course that focuses on the importance of diversity to effective organizational function and mission accomplishment.
  • Develop wildland fire specific training which meets the NPS Reference Manual 16E requirements for anti-harassment training for employees.
  • Provide senior managers opportunities for advanced management training that address managing a diverse workforce (e.g., Kennedy School of Government).
  • Identify other training options that address inclusion, e.g., Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion.
  • Participate annually in the Women and Leadership Conference at Boise State University followed by a facilitated NPS Fire and Aviation Management discussion.
• Retention
  • Collaborate with the NPS Women’s Employee Resource Group (W-ERG) on initiatives and newsletter communications.
  • Use the Inside NPS Jobs and Details page to advertise detail opportunities. Educate the workforce about the page’s existence and regularly refer employees to it.
  • Develop guidance and opportunities that support employee retention and development during and after pregnancy and support both maternity and paternity needs (review National Ranger Council work for law enforcement employees).
  • Recommend changes to the IFPM standard that reflect the diversity of competencies required to function in fire management leadership positions.
  • Reinstitute the fire management mentoring program and prioritize the selection of women for the program.
    Prioritize the recruitment and selection of women for detail and training opportunities that support career development.
  • Coordinate regional and national office staff to ensure regular attendance of WTREX, Annual Women and Leadership etc. to network and discuss career opportunities with participants. Use as formal listening opportunities to hear women’s perspective on challenges, successes, and best practices for creating a more inclusive workplace. Attendees (regional/national staff) required to discuss their experience as a recurring agenda item on the FMLB agenda.
  • Assist NPS wildland fire leadership at the park, regional, and national levels to take on their responsibility to implement Director's Order 16B. Wildland fire staff at all levels will promote an environment where diversity and inclusion is a shared value and priority by adopting the actions listed here.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• Staff time to complete workforce demographic study and support recruitment through Pathways and wildland fire training camps.
• Approximately $1,000,000 to develop and support two NPS women’s wildland fire crews through 2024.
• A dedicated coordinator to manage the desired outcome. The recommended option is to rewrite the position description (PD) of the national wildland fire training specialist or national training program manager to include duties associated with coordination of diversity and inclusion efforts and then advertise the position as one year NTE with option to fill permanently.
• $85,000 annually to support implicit bias training, organizational training and speakers, emotional intelligence training, and to facilitate trainings such as TNC’s Unconscious Bias and Active Bystander training at regional FMO meetings.
• $175,000 and staff-time to develop an L-580 course and wildland fire specific training which meets the NPS Reference Manual 16E requirements for anti-harassment training for employees.
• $50,000 annually for workforce grants that support WTREX, PFTC, and details.
• $150,000 - $250,000 of dedicated funds annually (2020-2024) in Preparedness to increase the number of fire ecology STF and seasonal positions and provide extensions to STF staff. Park fire ecology programs that accept these funds must clearly demonstrate how they will use the increase in staffing to provide incident support and wildland fire career development opportunities.
• $150,000 to reinstitute mentoring program.
• $65,000 to support recruitment of women and minorities, e.g., Women in Wildland Fire training camps, advertising, campus visits.
• Staff time for a dedicated small work group to assist the desired outcome lead and coordinator in implementing the desired outcome.

Measurable Outcomes:

• By 2021, the fire management mentoring program is reinstituted and women applicants receive priority for selection.
• By 2022, two NPS regions each have a women (wildland fire) conservation crew through an agreement with the Conservation Corps.
• By 2023, wildland fire recruitment camps and the Pathways Program contribute 10 or more new women fire management employees annually.
• By 2024, the overall NPS wildland fire workforce has doubled the number of women in the organization and tripled the number of women in leadership positions (i.e., park FMOs, and central office positions) from baseline data gathered in 2019.

Some examples of universities with degree or certificate programs in fire ecology and management:

• Northern Arizona University - Fire Ecology and Management, Undergraduate Certificate
• University of Idaho - Master of Natural Resources (M.N.R.) Fire Ecology and Management

Desired Outcome 1C - Build NPS fire budget capacity and consistency

Title: Build NPS fire budget capacity and consistency through centralization of the workload and day to day oversight of key budget functions

Description: The DOI Wildland Fire appropriation is under continuous scrutiny from internal and external sources. The current political climate points to tightening budgets for the short and intermediate term. Careful budget planning is pivotal to helping managers maximize increasingly limited funds to accomplish the highest priority treatments and objectives. Landscapes and priorities may vary from region to region, but best budget management practices with fire dollars do not.

The DOI has implemented policy that affects how NPS executes budget, most recently a carryover policy that enforces bureaus to retain a carryover in the acceptable 0-2% range. Historically, NPS FAM programs have fallen outside of this range for a variety of reasons. Taking a consistent, holistic approach to planning and executing the NPS wildland fire budget offers opportunities to better adjust to shortfalls and excesses, and to share funding as opportunities become available for priority needs that benefit the NPS program as a whole.

This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing the strategic plan goal as follows:

Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure the right resources are in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

The integration of regional and national office budget planning and execution functions will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by addressing one of the goals of the strategic plan:

• Goal 1, Objective 1 – Implementation of this desired outcome will ensure consistent support and coverage across all of the regional and national offices with vacancies, extended leave, fire assignments and more. Key functions will continue with support of the regional and national offices and in support of park fire programs.
• Goal 1, Objective 2 – Implementation of this desired outcome will add greater accountability across all regions and consistent implementation and adherence to NPS wildland fire policies and processes. By supporting NPS wildland fire cohesively from a budget standpoint, we can be more responsive to the changes and evolving needs from region to region throughout the year, particularly in areas that are driven by seasonality such as fuels management.

Start Date: October 2019

Completion Date: October 2023

Principal Lead(s): Danica Colley (Wildland Fire Budget Analyst), Mark Koontz (National Planning & Budget Program Lead)

Target Audience:

• Fire Management Leadership Board
• Park, regional and national fire staff

Talking Points:

• Wildland Fire regional offices approach budget planning very differently, which leads to varying outcomes in budget execution.
• A consistent approach to budget planning and execution will provide regional fire management officers and parks better structure and support through every stage of the annual budget cycle.• This consistent approach across regions also lends itself to better consistency in approach from park to park, regardless of region, thus building support capacity from within NPS.
• Integrating the workload allows for coverage when regions lose their budget support due to retirement, attrition, planned leave, or emergency incident assignments.
• Integrating the workload also allows the opportunity to create a career ladder within the NPS fire budget and administrative community, as well as position opportunities external to FAM.

Planned Actions:

• The current staff configuration is 5 GS-12, 1 GS-9 and 1 GS-7. As encumbered positions vacate, they will be flown within the 0560 (Budget) series at the GS-12, GS-11 or GS-9 level depending on current staffing.• The target staff configuration to reach is 3 GS-12, 2 GS-11 and 2 GS-9. Positions will be fire funded and will be fully dedicated to wildland fire budget planning and execution.
• GS-11 and 12 positions will be filled within any regional office location, with Boise as a potential duty station. GS-9 positions could be flexible as to their location.
• A primary FAM budget analyst would be assigned to each region. Some staff may be the primary support contact for more than one region.
• Some key functions will be shared (i.e. higher level duties with higher graded positions and/ or one analyst undertaking individual tasks for all regions on a rotating basis to gain experience)
• Provide essential park training to FPMAs, FMOs and others as appropriate.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• Primary resource needed is the full support of all members of FMLB during all phases of implementation and transition.
• Regional and national office staff support during all phases of implementation and transition to new budget staffing organization.

Measurable Outcomes:

• By January 2020, a detailed implementation strategy will be completed for FMLB review and concurrence.
• By the end of 2020, all central offices will have valid, reasonable, and implementable financial plans.
• By the end 2021, there will be a documented career path from a unit FPMA to the new, centralized organization as well as specific competencies outlined in order to compete successfully for positions within the organization.
• By the end of 2023, all central offices will have undergone a financial review with specific changes identified to align with a consistent, cohesive process and assurance of budget support needs being met adequately at the unit and central office level.
• By 2023, an annual budget report card process will be developed and implemented.

Desired Outcome 2A - Protect NPS Structures Using Active Management

Title: Protect NPS Structures Using Active Management

Description: The NPS Wildland Fire Risk Assessment process reached a milestone in April 2018 by completing the survey of 90% of the 31,400 NPS structures in the Wildland Fire Geodatabase. The initial 90% surveyed were accomplished ahead of schedule. The work was started in 2011 by the Intermountain Region and spread throughout NPS as the project was adopted nationally. Since initiating, the Wildland Fire Risk Assessment process has provided valuable data for fire planning and response.

The next step is to use this data to prioritize treatment of 500 structures annually over the next 5 years. A prioritization matrix will be developed and implemented based on fire return interval, predominant fuel type in a park, treatment history, Park Asset Priority Index, replacement value, regional work capacity, and logistical considerations.

The key outcomes of this desired outcome is to:

• Complete defensible space around 2500 structures and update the structural assessments in the Wildland Fire Geodatabase to reflect these changes.
• Complete wildfire structural assessment surveys of 98% of NPS structures.
• Resurvey 10% of NPS structures based on a prioritization matrix to ensure accurate data is available that reflects changes to the structures and adjacent fuels.

This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing two strategic plan goals as follows:

Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure the right resources are in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

Goal 2: Protect Communities and Assets

Objective 1: Ensure that each wildfire receives an effective response consistent with the approved fire management plan, based on ecological, social, and legal consequences of the fire.

Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure, and cultural and other sensitive resources, from wildfire.

Assessment of structures and active management around structures will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing four of the strategic plan objectives:

• Goal 1, Objective 1 – Completion of this desired outcome will provide the necessary information to understand and initiate the level of effort needed to protect structures across the Service and help prioritize this servicewide workload.
• Goal 1, Objective 2 – Structural assessment data will help inform the allocation of fuels funds at regional and park levels to support defensible space around structures.
• Goal 2, Objective 1 – Structural assessment data is critical for developing wildfire response decisions related to protection of NPS structures; resurveying will allow NPS to have accurate and updated data, and reaching the 98% completion level will ensure that all structures at risk to wildfire are surveyed.
• Goal 2, Objective 2 – Structural assessment data informs how NPS can reduce risk to NPS structures, and active management around structures reduces that risk.

Start Date: January 2020

Completion Date: December 2024

Principal Lead(s): Skip Edel (National Wildland Fire Data Analyst), Mike Van Hemelryck (National Fuels Management Analyst)

Target Audience:

• FMLB/DRD/RD
• NRSS
• Fuels Advisory Team
• Park, regional and national fire staff.

Talking Points:

• Wildland fire risk to structures is a key input to fire management plans, as well as incident response and treatment planning decisions (e.g., WFDSS, prescribed fire, and mechanical treatment plans).
• NPS-owned structures represent a significant investment of taxpayer dollars and many have invaluable historic qualities.
• Protection of structures will help reduce unwanted losses from wildfires.
• High quality, authoritative, readily accessible data is necessary to make informed wildland fire management decisions.
• NPS has an existing enterprise spatial database storing assessment and other critical fire management data which will facilitate this work.
• Structure locations and risk ratings continue to be a high priority for DOI reporting.

Planned Actions:

• Provide oversight and coordination of the structural fire assessment process through the national wildland fire data analyst.• Direct fuels funding to parks to accomplish defensible space hazard fuel reduction projects around priority structures through the national fuels management analyst, in consultation with the NPS Fuels Advisory Team (FAT).
• Use mobile digital data collection and automated output reporting in conjunction with a robust data collection protocol that has been developed.
• Develop a matrix to prioritize structures that will receive defensible space treatment and resurvey of structures through the national GIS and fuels staff; the matrix will be based on fire return interval, predominant fuel type in a park, treatment history, Park Asset Priority Index, replacement value, regional work capacity, and logistical considerations.• Integrate additional data from the NPS Facility Management Software System (FMSS) into structural assessment process.
• Train NPS personnel to collect wildland fire structural risk assessment data.
• Continue to work with Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate (NRSS) and Resource Information Services Division (RISD) to ensure success of the project.• Develop a process to pull updates from the FMSS system when structures are built or removed.
• Determine how to tie fuels treatments to the structure assessment database to monitor when and where treatments are occurring around structures.
• Train NPS fire staff and interagency partners on how to access the database, images, and reports and how to use the data for fire management decisions.
• Seek additional sources of funding to accomplish hazard fuels treatments around priority structures through national staff.
• Develop a five-year plan (2024 -2029) to maintain and prioritize new treatments of structures, and resurvey of assessed structures; the plan will require FMLB approval.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• Two FTE contract staff (~$290,000) for the structure assessments and resurveys; the plan is to complete the remaining 10% of the structures (3,200) over 2 years, then start visiting 5% every year; (about 1,570 structures per year will need to be resurveyed over the course of 2 years); staff will also support resurvey of any structures that are treated.
• $45,000 annually to extend STF and seasonal staff to complete structural assessments and support training of NPS staff to complete structural assessments.
• Staff time for the national wildland fire data analyst and regional fire GIS specialist to oversee and coordinate structural fire assessment process.
• Staff time for the national fuels management analyst, and regional and park fuels specialists to oversee and coordinate defensible space hazard fuel reduction projects.
• Staff time to complete defensible space projects and complete structural assessments.
• Staff time to update data collection protocol, which includes mobile digital data collection and automated output reporting, to more current mobile technologies.
• Redirection of efforts and funding to complete defensible space treatments around priority structures.

Measurable Outcomes:

• By May 31, 2020, the prioritization matrix along with expert opinion, have identified the 2,500 structures to receive defensible space treatments.
• By December 31, 2024, defensible space treatments are completed on more than 90% of the 2500 prioritized structures.
• By December 31, 2024, 98% of the 31,400 NPS structures have been assessed and 10% resurveyed; all data are in the Wildland Fire Geodatabase.
• By January 31, 2021, structural assessment data are integrated in the Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).
• Field data collection technology allows field users to collect structural assessment data using iPads, smartphones, or other electronic data collection devices.
• Structural assessment data, reports, images, and maps are readily accessible within NPS and to interagency cooperators and partners and they know how to access assessments and use them to support fire management decisions.
• At least 2 success stories detailing the use of the structural assessment data and/or fuel reduction accomplishments around NPS structures are completed annually.
• By December 31, 2023, the FMLB has approved the 2024-2029 plan to resurvey and prioritize structures to receive defensible space treatment.
• NPS fire staff assists with structural assessments so the number of contracted positions are reduced from two positions to one position or less after 3 years.

Desired Outcome 2B - Expansion of a NPS Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and Resource Advisor (READ) responder workforce

Title: Expansion of a NPS Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and Resource Advisor (READ) responder workforce to provide increased capacity, improved technical assistance, and rapid emergency response to regions and parks

Description:

• The National Park Service’s BAER program relies on collateral and militia employees to provide informed resource protection and post-fire response, advice, and services. Improvements and innovations are necessary to provide more effectively strategic direction, coordination, technical assistance, and oversight for post-fire activities. This Desired Outcome will enhance post-fire response proficiency, efficacy, and fiscal integrity. In addition, support for workforce development will bolster national, regional, and local BAER teams and Resource Advisor cadre. The enhanced business model will incorporate the transfer of science related to post-fire response to the BAER and READ community.
  
  Resource Advisors are an integral part of incident management to inform strategic and tactical decisions for the protection of natural and cultural resources. It is important to expand this workforce with personnel that have a deep understanding of the wildland fire environment; they need understand how to provide advice but not to make operational decisions.
  
  This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing two strategic plan goals as follows:
  
  Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements
  
  Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure we have the right resources in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.
  
  By recruiting and developing resource professionals for fire response to protect and serve the resource, there will be engagement and buy-in of the fire program by local park staff. This will build capacity and also ensure resource protection by providing properly informed decisions to meet the National Park Service’s mission.
  
  Goal 2: Protect Communities and Assets
  
  Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure and sensitive resources, from wildfire, and “the post-wildfire condition” [emphasis added].
  
  The desired outcome will ensure that each wildfire receives an effective post-fire response by assessing post-fire values at risk including threats to life and property (e.g. flash floods and debris flows) and other resource concerns such as invasive species and erosion of cultural resources.
  
  Start Date: October 2019
  
  Completion Date: April 2024
  
  Principal Lead(s): Richard Schwab (National Post-Fire Programs Coordinator)
  
  Target Audience:
  • NPS regional BAER coordinators
  • Park staff from visitor protection, facilities, maintenance, fire, and resources
  • Supervisors and line officers
  Talking Points:
  • An enhanced workforce will be able to inform park leadership about the level of post-fire risk, location of risk, and values to be protected.
  • They will be able to articulate response options and actions related to post-fire consequences.
  • The best available science will help to inform these decisions. The appropriate response can then be selected to reduce risk to communities and resources and achieve ecosystem restoration.
  • Park staff will collaboratively work across divisions to implement BAER plans.
  • A culture will be promoted to emphasize visitor and employee safety.
  • Supervisors and line officers will have a better understanding of the importance of non-fire employees leaving their parks for wildland fire assignments. They will see how this type support is reciprocated when an incident happens in their park.
  • Employees will have increased workforce development opportunities.
  Planned Actions:
  • Train and develop a qualified Resource Advisor workforce to create and implement an incident resource protection strategy.
  • Train resource professionals in fire resource advising.
  • READs will have an understanding of their role to inform and not to make tactical and strategic response decisions.
  • Create and implement a broad servicewide Post-Fire Support Strategy.
  • Coordinate outreach with NPS Emergency Services Branch for natural and cultural resource responders.
  • Support Burned Area Emergency Response training.
  • Common actions for both READ and BAER.
  • Roster a qualified workforce.
  • Develop recruitment strategies for National Park Service resource specialists.
  • Engage JFSP Science Exchanges to keep BAER community current on available science to support post fire restoration and rehabilitation.
  • Leverage opportunities for exchanging knowledge and recruitment of READs and BAER team members (e.g., International Fire Congress).
  Resources needed to implement planned actions:
  • NPS National and Regional BAER coordinators’ time to actively engage in developing and implementing Post-Fire Support Strategy.
  • READs and BAER technical specialists have the time and opportunity to develop skills and abilities in the full spectrum of fire management through training and incidents.
  • Training programs and distance learning platforms for Resource Advising and Burned Area Emergency Response.
  • Resource staff participation in park fire management planning.
  • $8,000 annually to support participation in BAER and READ training opportunities.
  • Public information officers’ time to assist with post-fire communications.
  • Fire management staff is engaged in post-fire planning.
  Measurable Outcomes:
  • Training materials and tools meet resource advising and post-fire response needs.
  • Three or more online or in person post-fire and resource advising training events are held annually.
  • Rosters of qualified READ and BAER resources for all major resource advising and post-fire disciplines are available.
  • Qualified rosters of READ and BAER resources are accessed by the parks and widely shared with other agencies.
  • The Superintendent Academy includes a post-fire component to increase their understanding of fire management and to support their decisions when responding to wildland fire.
  • Desired post-fire future conditions and response strategies are identified and incorporated into approved fire management plans.
  • Public information officers’ talking points to communicate about post-fire activities are readily available.

Desired Outcome 2C - Develop and Implement Post-Incident Employee Support Services for High Impact Events

Title: Develop and Implement Post-Incident Employee Support Services for High Impact Events

Description: Post-incident impacts to our NPS first responder employees and host-unit employees have become increasingly complex due to the high frequency, long duration, and severity of emergency management incidents. Catastrophic incidents such as Chimney Tops 2 Fire, Woolsey Fire, the Carr Fire, Hurricane Sandy, Hurricane Irma, and Hurricane Maria have forever changed the places the NPS protects and the people and communities residing there. The National Park Service needs to expand our recovery capability beyond infrastructure rebuilding and cultural/natural resource mitigation efforts to include “taking care of our own”. Our NPS employees are dedicated to restoring the NPS mission post incident, however, the short- and long-term personal and professional impacts have not received the attention they deserve. FMLB can take a leadership role within the NPS, developing and implementing strategies and actions in support of employee well-being post high-impact incident, where feasible. Examples include covering park operations and administrative management, expanding the use of mental fitness tools, and providing or facilitating personal assistance and recovery resources. This capability would be available for both the short- and long-term recovery processes. It would augment that which the Service does so well in infrastructure replacement and cultural/natural resource mitigation and enhancement efforts, serving as a springboard for expansion to other all-hazard incidents outside FMLB’s purview.

This desired outcome will support and advance the following goals and objectives of the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by identifying, prioritizing, and mobilizing the tools and systems needed to support our most important resource, the people behind the NPS mission. Additionally, this desired outcome will provide short- and long-term support of interim park operation and administrative management, thus securing park infrastructure and protecting sensitive resources.

This desired outcome will advance the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan by directly addressing two strategic plan goals as follows:

Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure we have the right resources in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

Goal 2: Protect Communities and Assets

Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure and sensitive resources, from wildfire.

Start Date: January 2020

Completion Date: December 2023

Principal Lead(s): Shawn Nagle (Southeast Regional Wildland Fire and Aviation Management Officer), Bill Kaage (Division Chief, Fire and Aviation Management)

Target Audience:

• NPS first responders, host-unit personnel, and/or any NPS employee directly/indirectly affected after a high-impact event

Talking Points:

• Wildfires and other high-impact events of recent times have had personal and professional impacts to our workforce. Review team recommendations and interaction with park and regional staff have identified the need to develop and provide structured immediate and long-term support.
• During high-impact events, NPS needs to offer a suite of services (e.g., financial support, supplemental mobile administrative teams, tools for resilience, stress first aid, emotional care, etc.) to support its employees.
• Focusing on employee health and wellness is necessary to prevent burnout, manage workload, and to retain employees.
• The FMLB will work with the Office of Risk Management, as well as the Branch Chief of Emergency Services, to facilitate a joint effort that would be effective for the Service and the wide range of high-impact events being experienced.

Planned Actions:

• Create peer support groups and social media messaging mechanisms/websites sharing experiences, tips and tricks, requests for assistance, mental fitness tools, etc.
• Provide easy access to guidance and policies to help support employee decision-making when experiencing and recovering from a high-impact event.
• Develop a post-incident employee support services program that can provide park-level support and expertise in the following functional areas: administrative/financial management, contracting, human resources, park operations management, intra-agency/interagency liaisons, and employee assistance; other functions may be added as program evolves.
• Initiate conversations with Office of Risk Management, Branch Chief of Emergency Services, and the Safety Leadership Council on post-incident support services concept, next steps, and how to include this concept in NPS Safety Strategy.
• Develop and circulate a concept paper on how Wildland Fire, Office of Risk Management, and Emergency Services can collaborate to provide post-incident employee support services.
• Use the post-incident employee support services concept paper to brief deputy regional directors and other leadership groups.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• A committed pool of single resource skill sets (administration, budget, facilities, contracting, human resource, etc.), members of the NPS All-Hazard Incident Management Teams, and interagency wildland fire incident management teams to ensure qualified personnel are available to assist parks recovering from a high-impact event.
• Commitment from interagency partners to help build capacity to offer reciprocating assistance to federal and non-federal land management units recovering from high-impact event.
• A collateral duty (1/3 time) coordinator to oversee and the assist with planned actions.
• A small work group consisting of park, regional, and national level wildland fire and non-fire staff to assist the coordinator with planned actions.

Measurable Outcomes:

• By 2021, the Safety Leadership Council and the Office of Risk Management accept the high-impact event support concept; joint outcomes are developed and incorporated into program of work for Fire Management Leadership Board and Safety Leadership Council.
• By 2022, a pool of available and experienced personnel are ready to mobilize to a park and are able to provide a wide range of short- and long-term services that assist employees and parks in recovering from a high-impact event.
• By 2022, the informational website/repository and social media site for employees experiencing high-impact events are being used by NPS employees directly and indirectly affected before, during, and after high-impact events.
• By 2023, the Post-Incident Employee Support Services Program can meet most short- and long-term needs for multiple parks experiencing a high-impact event.

Desired Outcome 3A - Keeping up with a changing climate

Title: Keeping up with a changing climate - Using research, monitoring, and partnerships to advance science-based wildland fire management decision-making

Description: Over the past decade, climate change has altered the context of fire management decisions, associated climate science has advanced, and budget cuts affecting wildland fire management have reduced the ability of regions and parks to provide needed scientific program support to incorporate these changes into fire programs. Because scientific information is critical throughout all parts of the Wildland Fire Management Program including planning, implementation, and evaluation, the focus of this desired outcome is to use fire-climate science related investments and partnerships to support NPS wildland fire management planning and decision-making. This desired outcome will establish a work group to recommend tools to demonstrate known and predicted changes to fire-climate relationships and known and predicted changes to climate-related fire effects for use by park decision makers. The work group will collaborate with NPS climate change and Inventory and Monitoring specialists, and others to evaluate existing products for use in fire management planning. The work group will make recommendations for using these tools for fire management planning and decision-making, and identify ways to support fire-climate planning efforts.

This Desired Outcome addresses all three goals of the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan:

Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure we have the right resources in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Goal 2: Protect Communities and Assets

Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure and sensitive resources, from wildfire.

Goal 3: Conserve Natural Resources

Objective 1: Use wildland fire to maintain and restore ecological integrity where possible, or to facilitate adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

Objective 2: Mitigate negative ecological consequences of wildfire.

• Goal 1 (Objective 1) – expanding the ability to evaluate fire outcomes and developing partnerships to incorporate knowledge about the changing context of fire management decisions will provide critical information to support workload prioritization and resource allocation decisions.
• Goal 2 (Objective 2) – expanding the ability to evaluate fire outcomes, and developing partnerships to incorporate knowledge about the changing context of fire management decisions allows for robust risk evaluation and mitigation.
• Goal 3 (Objectives 1 and 2) – expanding the ability to evaluate fire outcomes, and developing partnerships to incorporate knowledge about the changing context of fire management decisions provides the underlying basis for using wildland fire to promote beneficial outcomes and avoid negative consequences for park resources.

Start Date: January 2020

Completion Date: October 2024

Principal Lead(s): MaryBeth Keifer (Fire Ecologist, Fire Management Program Center), Windy Bunn (Regional Fire Ecologist for Interior Regions 6, 7, 8)

Target Audience: Fire ecologists; fuels specialists; fire planners; park interdisciplinary team members/natural resource managers; FMLB and other national/regional decision makers; park leadership (superintendents, division chiefs, and FMOs responsible for fire management decisions).

Talking Points:

• Park and regionally-based scientific information is needed to effectively address wildland fire management issues important to the NPS, including the effects of a changing climate on fire behavior and effects, and fire benefits and risks to park resources.
• Collaborating with other NPS programs and the larger scientific community is critical to leveraging research and tools applicable to parks and is especially important during times of limited NPS staff and budgets.
• Fire-related climate research is already in progress in or near many parks, but the efforts are not always well known or coordinated for use by managers. We need to tap into these ongoing efforts and find efficiencies to help fire specialists get updated, useful climate-change information for informing fire management plans, actions and decisions into the future.

Planned Actions:

• We will establish a Fire-Climate Work Group to help develop national and regional partnerships to assist parks with incorporating new and existing knowledge about the changing context of fire management decisions because of climate change. The Fire-Climate Work Group will focus on:
  • Recommend tools for parks to use to demonstrate known and predicted changes to fire-climate relationships and known and predicted changes to climate-related fire effects.
  • Collaborate with NPS Climate Change and Inventory and Monitoring specialists to evaluate climate-change products for use in fire management planning.
  • Understand what relevant climate-change efforts are ongoing, where, and who is conducting the work and disseminating the results (NPS or other agencies/groups).
  • Determine how to integrate and use the results of this ongoing climate-change work for fire management planning and decision-making.
  • Advocating for incorporating fire management needs into the current NPS climate change and other efforts.
  • Identify new information and tools that are needed to guide decision-makers and fire management in the future.
  • Provide recommendations to wildland fire management leadership for the best investments for research and tools to address the changing fire-climate regime.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• Fire-Climate Work Group: Fire ecologists, fire planners, and NRSS membership; commitments for representatives from national, regional, and park staff, and national and regional climate change specialists to ensure broad understanding of opportunities to examine climate-related impacts to fire management programs.

Measurable Outcomes:

• Fire-Climate Work Group identifies climate-fire tools available for use by park decision-makers.
• Fire-Climate Work Group coordinates with other NPS/agency groups to integrate fire management needs into existing climate-change products.
• Park program staff is trained and consistently uses climate-change related information and tools to inform wildland fire decisions.
• At least three parks have used these tools to provide climate-related input for fire management plan revisions and burn plans.

Desired Outcome 3B - Develop and implement a strategic business process for the Fuels Management Program

Title: Develop and implement a strategic business process for the Fuels Management Program

Description: Through this desired outcome, the Fuels Advisory Team (FAT) will develop and implement a standard business process for fuels management that informs the planning and prioritization efforts across regions and with partners to improve utilization of resources and to actively manage NPS lands. In addition, FAT will develop the Fuels Management Planning and Reporting System (FMPRS) to streamline the work processes used in fuels management.

This Desired Outcome addresses all three goals of the NPS Wildland Fire Strategic Plan:

Goal 1: Align Wildland Fire Management Resources with Mission Requirements

Objective 1: Prioritize the NPS Wildland Fire Management workload across the service to ensure we have the right resources in the right places to meet the mission and Secretarial priorities.

Objective 2: Align workforce, fleet, equipment, and facility management policies, programs, budget, and business processes and systems to support accomplishment of the NPS wildland fire program mission.

Goal 2: Protect Communities and Assets

Objective 2: Reduce the risk to communities and assets, including park infrastructure and sensitive resources, from wildfire.

Goal 3: Conserve Natural Resources

Objective 1: Use wildland fire to maintain and restore ecological integrity where possible, or to facilitate adaptation to changing environmental conditions.

Objective 2: Mitigate negative ecological consequences of wildfire.

The standard business process, streamlined work processes, and FMPRS will advance all three goals of the strategic plan goals:

• Having a standard fuels business process and FMPRS will advance goal 1 by enabling the prioritization and tracking of fuels funds. This process along with FMPRS will help the FAT evaluate whether fuel funds are going to the right places to meet the NPS mission, assist the FMLB in adjusting allocations to meet wildland fire management priorities, and ensure funding allocations are defensible.
• Having a standard business process and FMPRS will advance goals 2 and 3 by enabling the prioritization of workload and funding to support fuels treatments that will protect communities and assets, maintains and restores ecological integrity, and mitigate the negative consequences of wildfire. In short, a standard business process and FMPRS will streamline work processes and facilitate the development of a strong, defensible program of work that addresses priority areas.

Start Date: Initiated

Completion Date: November 30, 2021

Principal Lead(s): Mike Van Hemelryck (National Fuels Management Analyst), Mark Taylor (Regional Fuels Management Specialist for Interior Region 1)

Target Audience:

• NPS fuels program managers
• Ad hoc subject matter experts

Talking Points:

• The NPS Fuels Advisory Team provides oversight and leadership as delegated by the Fire Management Leadership Board charter.
• Establish a common understanding to articulate strategic priorities and improve communication.
• Improve process efficiency through transparent criteria grounded in science-based decisions that articulate the fuels program strategy relevancy to the NPS mission, NPS Strategic Plan, and the Cohesive Strategy; the criteria can inform allocations, program needs and regional funding distribution.
• Develop common operating procedures for the fuels management program to overcome negative ramifications lack of a standard business process such as:
  • Creation and use of siloed systems for data management.
  • Inconsistent application of business rules that can result in critical fuels reduction and mitigation projects not being funded while lower priority projects are funded.
  • Fuels managers struggling to meet reporting deadlines.
  • Critical data may not be available or accessible for timely decision-making and reporting.
• The fuels management community needs a solution that addresses the following:
  • Accurate and timely data entry of projects, activities, and treatments, including treatment polygon and FTEM data.
  • An integrated system that allows evaluation of specific project, financial, geo-spatial, and planning information.
  • Consistent enforcement and adoption of business rules.
  • Data validation rules that help eliminate inconsistencies and errors.
  • Reduced repetitive data entry.
  • Geospatially-enabled data entry of treatment polygons.
  • Availability of vital information to aid in prioritization and funding of projects, activities, and treatments.
  • A user-friendly system supported by training, solid business rules, and assistance with common questions.

Planned Actions:

• Develop and implement prioritization criteria to advance the NPS FAM Strategic Plan Goals.
  • Evaluate each project for consistency with fuels program direction and regional, national, and departmental guidance and direction.
  • Support metrics to aid in tracking progress, finding efficiencies, and evaluating and maximizing return on investment of the NPS Fuels Program portfolio (maintenance treatments).
• Develop and implement a standard business process.
  • Establishes accountability elements including:
    • Valid and current FMP.
    • NEPA compliance.
    • Structure assessments are current and used in decision-making.
    • Polygon data is in the NPS enterprise database.
    • FTEM entries are completed.
    • Reporting requirements are achieved.
  • Establishes investment priorities, and supports multi-year planning and funding flexibility based on priorities.
  • Regular reviews of effectiveness and efficacy of business practices and investment priorities.
  • Incorporates fire effects monitoring data and wildland fire research to inform and improve program effectiveness.
• Develop and implement a planning and reporting system for fuels management:
  • Provides a consolidated data source for fuels management to address questions from NPS management, the Department, Congress, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), General Accounting Office (GAO), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), media, and other stakeholders.
  • Provides readily accessible data to support national and regional analysis and decision-making in the management of the NPS Fuels Management Program.
  • Improves program management effectiveness and efficiency through enhanced treatment prioritization and reporting.
  • Enables tracking and enforcement of agreed-upon requirements for planning and reporting.

Resources needed to implement planned actions:

• The FAT’s time to develop business processes and practices, and investment priorities.
• NPS fuels management and program analyst time to oversee the development of the Fuels Management Planning and Reporting System (FMPRS).
• The FAT and subject matter experts’ time to assist in FMPRS development, implementation, and training.
• $60,000 to develop fuels business practices and processes that support FMPRS.
• $450,000 for the development and implementation of FMPRS.

Measurable Outcomes:

• A transparent business process and work-process diagram are used for funding fuels treatments and activities.
• Business rules are followed and accountability elements are enforced.
• FMPRS is used to plan, prioritize, and report on fuels activities and treatments.
• FMPRS is the NPS system of record for fuels treatments and activities.
• FMPRS informs the allocation of fuels funding.
• FMPRS informs fuels funding for short and long-term regional and national focus areas.
• Fuels staff is trained in FMPRS and is using it.
• FMPRS reduced workload, errors, and time commitment for planning and reporting on fuels treatment and activities.
• FMPRS meets Department of the Interior (DOI) reporting and operating requirements and does not require duplicate entry with DOI systems of record.

Download the PDF version of the Widland Fire Strategic Plan - 2020-2024