Communication Guide Overview

This page provides a basic framework for communicating to key audiences about preparation for the coming fire season. It offers key messages and describes pre-

Williams Creek Fire Community Meeting, Photo Credit: Mike Waite, Inciweb

season strategic planning for Forests most likely to have “Mega-Fires”. The following resources take a national-level, broad view of Forest Service strategies, audiences and messages. It should serve as a template for Regions and National Forests. This and all communication strategies are “living documents” and could potentially change as circumstances change.

We have learned over the years that fire exclusion does not always provide for resource protection and safety. The exclusion of fire from forests and grasslands among other things has contributed to the increase of damaging fires. The goal of developing properly functioning, fire-adapted ecosystems in the face of climate change, interface issues and shrinking budgets should be the paramount goal of fire activities. It is estimated that the increase in acres moving into hazardous fuels conditions far exceeds acres being treated for fuels reduction. This buildup of hazardous fuels, combined with climate change and a growing wildland urban interface, has led to a change in the fire environment and increases in extreme fire behavior. The risk of very large fires occurring, and the associated threats to life and property, are increasing at a phenomenal rate. Around 2.0 % of wildland fires on National Forests each cost approximately $10 million or more to manage, consuming a significant part of the Forest Service’s suppression budget. For the period FY2006-FY2008, suppression costs for one quarter of one percent of the fires consumed approximately 37% of the average annual suppression expenditures of $1.2 billion.

The Forest Service continually incorporates science-based improvements in wildand fire management. In 2009, the Forest Service is using advanced computer modeling and other decision support tools in order to provide better information to decision makers. This approach, Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS), includes decision support tools that can help managers reduce firefighter exposure, place firefighting resources where they will most likely be effective, boost public safety, and promote ecosystem benefits. Tools such as the Key Decision Log, During Action Review, Delegation of Authority, and improved cost estimates will provide additional decision support and analysis and improve risk management and decision-making at the Regional and National Forest levels. Implementation will involve a year-round process of assessment, capacity-building, engagement, monitoring, evaluation, and improvement.

Pre-fire Season
- Identify units most likely to host “0.25% fires”.

- Gather information to help assess Forest needs and technical capabilities.

- Build skills at the Regional and Forest levels, and the National Incident

Management Organizations (NIMO) through workshops in risk management, decision-making, and use of decision support tools (WFDSS). Include line officers, Fire, local incident commanders, and cooperators in the workshops.

- Develop Regional and Forest Communication Strategies; engage stakeholders.

Firefighter being interviewd by reporter with camera, Photo Credit: Dyan Bone

During Fire Season
- Refine list of “0.25% units” based upon Predictive Services.
- Assign NIMO to assist on fires likely to become “0.25% fires”.

Post-fire Season
- Conduct multi-level, peer-reviewed After Action Reviews (AAR) of “0.25% fires”.
- Post AARs to public web.
- Incorporate lessons learned into next year’s pre-season planning and training.
- Revise Communication Strategy and continue conversations with stakeholders.

Goal
Both internal and external audiences will understand the Forest Service is continuing to improve wildland fire management. Risks, hazards and exposure will be carefully weighed against benefit and probabilities to ensure the best possible decisions are made and carried out. This approach will improve firefighter and public safety, ecosystem benefits, and efficient use of limited resources while decreasing exposure and risk to the firefighters and the public.

 

This document provides a basic framework for communicating to key audiences about preparation for the coming fire season. It offers key messages and describes pre-season strategic planning for Forests most likely to have “Mega-Fires.” This document takes a national-level, broad view of Forest Service strategies, audiences and messages. It should serve as a template for Regions and National Forests. This and all communication strategies are “living documents” and could potentially change as circumstances change.  

Network Mapping
Network mapping is how we build a social structure made of individuals or organizations that are tied by one or more specific types of relationships. There can be many kinds of relationships between individuals: work, social, family, common interests, etc. Social networks opearte on many levels and play a critical role in determining the way problems are solved, organizations are run and the degree to which individuals succeed in achieving their goals.

This summary presentation examines the effects of pre-fire and during-fire communication on those fires where more flexible strategies were used. Those fires included the Gap Fire, the Cascade Fire and the Gunbarrel Fire. The contextual details offered here may be helpful in guiding best practices in communicating with key audiences.

Community-Agency Interaction and Fire Management - Summary