Congressional staffers get briefed on wildland firefighting
The Rural Fire Protection in America (RFPIA) Steering Committee, comprised of representatives of the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) and the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), briefed some 50 congressional staff members on wildland firefighting in October. The committee`s objectives were to make the staffers aware that the threat of wildland fires has been increasing in recent years (the past wildfire season was the worst since 1969) and of the critical role rural volunteer fire departments play in the initial attack of wildfires.
“The effectiveness of volunteer fire departments varies greatly due to circumstances beyond their control,” the Steering Committee told the staffers. “Because they are organized as `structural` fire departments, they continue to be isolated from their wildland counterparts, who often do not include them in fire planning, training, and fire operations. Because they are volunteer, they often do not have consistent financial support and thus have difficulty meeting national standards for training, equipment, and operations.”
The NVFC and NASF have been working to obtain sufficient funding for several federal programs including the Rural Community Fire Protection, Rural Fire Prevention and Control, and Federal Excess Personal Property programs, that will help rural areas in responding to wildland fires.
In 1994, the RFPIA Steering Committee prepared a report on wildland firefighting in rural America. In 1996, it reconvened to validate the 1994 report findings. Its validation efforts included visiting sites in Alaska, Texas, and New Mexico at which major wildfires had occurred during 1996. The group shared some of its findings, including the following information, with the congressional staffers:
The problem of wildland fires has been worsening in recent years.
Among the reasons for the increase in wildland fires is that more and more people are moving away from cities into less densely populated areas, creating the phenomenon of the “wildlife/urban interface zone.”
A wildland fire in the interface zone increases the threat to life and personal property.
Increased fuel buildup and dry, windy conditions in many areas of the country have added to the threat of wildfire.
For additional information, contact the NVFC at 1-888-ASK-NVFC (275-8632).