Rumor has it that reporters are calling around to find out what people think about the new Wildfire Executive Order. So before we read the stories we can look for ourselves.
The Hotshot Wakeup gave his impression earlier this week, plus did a survey. There’s quite a bit to look at and discuss, including many details that probably only wildfire people understand. The idea of combining fire folks from different agencies to increase efficiency and decrease interagency boondoggling has been around for a while, and is probably the biggest thing, but there are many details of interest also.
The priority will be the immediate suppressing of fires and protecting our communities and critical infrastructure
sounds like it will appeal to some TSW-ites. Sorry about the formatting and I think this is the version, but can never be absolutely sure until it’s published.
Section 1. Background and Purpose.
The devastation of the recent Los Angeles fires has shocked the American people and awoken in
all of us the realization that we must do better to protect our communities from catastrophic
wildland fires. As of today, the incidents in the Pacific Palisades and wider Los Angeles
metropolitan area have become the most expensive disaster in American history. From Lahaina
Hawaii, to the Everglades of Florida, from the mountains of Montana to the forests of Maine,
from Los Angeles to Washington state, wildland fire is a 50-state challenge that we have failed
to properly prepare for. As ranchers in Texas and brave first responders in Los Angeles learned
these past several months, our national wildland firefighting apparatus is insufficiently prepared
to protect our communities.
Therefore, this Executive Order is directing the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, on behalf
of our Land Management agencies, and the United States Fire Administrator on behalf of state
and local fire and public safety agencies, to immediately restructure our national wildland
firefighting system, so that by the summer of 2025, we are able to rapidly and aggressively
respond to our national wildland fire threat. The priority will be the immediate suppressing of
fires and protecting our communities and critical infrastructure. Included in this is the
immediate establishment of a national wildland firefighting task force that will spearhead these
efforts. This task force will cut across all federal agencies and will have the full authority
eliminate red tape, reform our agencies and reforge our efforts around the priority to address
fighting fire fast. The task force will coordinate with state and local fire agencies to enhance
capabilities, capacity, and readiness to leverage the workforce of our federal, tribal, state and
local fire service. This will involve making structural changes to our current statutory
environment, and addressing the immediate and aggressive need to combat wildfire fighting
across all 50 of the United States. This Executive Order shall serve to overhaul our regulatory
apparatus to protect American families from wildfire from coast to coast, year-round. The
national mission shall be to provide the same level of response, protection, and competence
that the American people have come to expect of their local emergency first responders.
Section 2. Policy. It is the policy of the United States to:
a) Enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of wildland fire management operations;
b) Streamline procurement processes for critical firefighting resources;
c) Standardize operational procedures across federal, tribal, state and local agency
response;
d) Improve coordination between federal, state, local and private sector partners;
e) Modernize systems and technology for wildland fire response;
f) Establish year-round readiness requirements;
g) Reduce bureaucratic barriers to effective response;
h) Support workforce development through public-private partnerships.
Section 3. Performance Standards and Metrics.
a) Within 90 days, the Secretaries of Agriculture, Interior, and Homeland Security shall:
i. Establish a consolidated wildland firefighting Task Force that is
responsible for the coordination and direction of all efforts relating to
wildland fires within the United States;
ii. Dissolve the Memorandum of Understanding dated Aug 2, 2024
authorizing the Wildland Fire Leadership Council.
iii. Establish a clear metric of performance for wildland fire management;
iv. Establish minimum aviation availability to meet established standards of
cover and performance metric’s for eight regions at Preparedness Level 3
and two regions at Preparedness Level 4
v. Maintain call when needed contracts for surge capacity of aviation assets
to meet wildfire needs for preparedness levels that exceed minimum
aviation availability standards.
b) These metrics shall incorporate:
i. Response time measurements;
ii. Remote asset availability tracking;
iii. Mission success rate;
iv. Safety performance indicators.
Section 4. Emergency Response Enhancement.
a) Within 60 days, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall:
i. Award new contracts and review existing contracts for opportunities to
enhance wildland fire preparedness by extending or adding performance
dates;
ii. Streamline dispatch processes for faster resource deployment, utilizing
modern approaches to ensure cohesiveness across dispatch centers;
iii. Resolve issues between agency requirements to ensure there is no
duplication of effort in the reciprocal acceptance of inspections and
certifications for similar commercial contract equipment, supplies, and
services;
iv. Review airtanker bases for modernization, refurbishments,
enhancements, and expansion;
v. Integrate all commercially available data in operations for the purpose of
early wildland fire detection and monitoring; Establish and maintain a
common data management framework at federal, state, and local levels
for improved coordination.
1. In cooperation with other federal and state agencies, establish a
fire environment center to provide real-time, science-based, and
data-rich scientific and technical analytic services, decision
support, and predictive services to inform land and fuels
management, community risk reduction, and fire management
and response.
b) The Office of Management and Budget shall:
i. Consolidate all wildland fire fighting accounts receiving annual
appropriation, to include, but not limited to, the preparedness and
suppression budgets for wildland fire disasters, to be moved into a single
wildland firefighting preparedness account.
Section 5. Year-Round Readiness and Resource Management.
a) Within 180 days, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall:
i. Establish enhanced year-round resource requirements for readiness, and
issue contracts for year-round readiness for a per contract term length of
not more than 180 days;
ii. Develop seasonal readiness standards by geographic area;
iii. Create mechanisms for rapid resource mobilization;
iv. Implement regional resource sharing frameworks.
b) The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall establish
programs for:
i. Mechanic apprenticeships and training;
ii. Third-party certification of aircraft, pilots, chemicals and equipment;
iii. Joint training initiatives between public and private resources;
iv. Regional resources sharing agreements.
Section 6. Industry Collaboration and Bureaucracy Reduction.
a) The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall:
i. Mandate bi-annual collaboration events between agency and industry;
ii. Require public disclosure of dispatch orders;
iii. Develop contract requirements and performance metrics with industry
input;
iv. Establish data sharing protocols;
v. Create an innovation partnership framework for new technology
adoption.
b) Within 120 days, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall:
i. Establish a Wildfire Management Contracting Advisory Board;
ii. Review and streamline administrative requirements;
iii. Begin development of commercial equipment and technology standards.
c) Within 60 days, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall
create guidance for:
i. Systematic collection of industry feedback;
ii. Regular technology assessment forums;
iii. Joint training programs
d) Additionally, within 30 days: Agencies responsible for wildland firefighting shall be
directed to immediately suspend, on a temporary basis, pending permanent review and
restructure, all agency rules to prevent and aid in the rapid response of wildland fire:
a. Dispatch centers and contract managers select contractors;
b. Suspend Lowest price Technically Acceptable award criteria for contract;
c. United States Forest Service must accept Federal Aviation Administration
standards for certification to eliminate duplicative aircraft carding and
inspections;
d. Elimination of requirement for initial attack rated lead planes for the dispatch of
Very Large Airtankers, Large Airtankers and other aircraft, and leverage tactical
discretion of incident commander’s and incident management teams ability to
waive contract requirements in accordance with evaluated situational severity;
e. Maximize use of long-term contracts for ground assets and aerial assets,
eliminating expensive short-term “call when needed” contracts that reduce
readiness and increase cost;
f. Require areas that are “high fire danger”, as determined by the Secretaries of
Agriculture and Interior, can have a standard response time of 30 minutes.
g. Agency must prioritize use of American based assets over foreign assets.
h. Suspend and review small business regulations that restrict growth and
competition within the wildland fire contracting industry.
i. Standardize certifications and inspections across agencies in preparation
for consolidation;
ii. Develop recommendations for Commercial Drivers License requirements
in emergency response.
i. Recognize state and local government authorities to utilize public use, non-
certificated, aircraft
j. Eliminate the requirement for Aircraft managers to be assigned to assets in order
for them to be dispatched
k. Allow for the Incident Commander, Fire Management Officer, or Air Tactical
Group to suspend Aerial Supervision Standards, so that aerial suppression can be
as prompt as possible.
Section 7. Implementation and Oversight.
a) Each agency shall designate a senior official responsible for implementation within 30
days;
b) The Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior and Homeland Security shall provide
quarterly progress reports to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget;
c) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall review implementation
progress and provide recommendations for improvement every 180 days.
Section 8. General Provisions.
a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:
i. The authorities granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or
ii. The functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.
b) This order shall be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the
availability of appropriations
c) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or
procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its
departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other
person.
Section 9. Permanent Organizational Creation.
a) Inhere by direct the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of the
Interior:
a. Immediately begin the process to make permanent the temporary provisions
outlined in this order so that, by 2026, we have a National Wildland Fire Agency,
to be established by Congress, that is led by a Chief of National Wildland Fire that
is responsible for all wildland fire fighting nationwide.
Gee, a new wild land fire agency, eh? Wonder if that will actually be more efficient and effective? Will it have its own offices in local communities; with local dispatchers, local crews, engines, etc?
Looks like this will eliminate some qualified folks; No need for Red Carded person to go along with aviation assets. Perhaps some serious accidents led to the realization that experienced, qualified people are needed? Red Card system probably has its drawbacks but safety is important, in my experience, in fire situations.
I didn’t look carefully but my hunch is this doesn’t say anything about fireproofing structures.
From: Doug Flaherty
Date: April 10, 2025 at 7:42:10 PM PDT
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Subject: USFS Use of Purposely Growing Wildfires Comes to and End
Dear Recipients,
After decades of purposeful wildfire growth by the USFS, leading to the tragic nationwide death and destruction of humans and property, the slaughter of wildlife, the wiping out of our natural timber resources, deadly choking smoke impacts on us all including our very young, the aged, and those with heart lung disabilities, the USFS nightmare described here, is finally over.
You can read more about the sweeping executive order here
While TahoeCleanAir.org was a small part of this success, compared to herculian efforts of Frank Carroll’s group and others across our fire ravaged nation, for those of you in the Tahoe Basin who supported our efforts over the years to end this deadly practice, and who attended our first informational session with Frank Carroll here in Incline Village several years back, thank you!
Frank and his dedicated group of USFS retirees recently spent several days in Washington to plead for an end to this catastrophic practice, and obviously the visit paid off.
Also, kudos to Dana Tibbitts of Tahoe East Shore Alliance for helping bring this to the forefront by working with the dedicated group of USFS retirees led by Frank Carroll..
Sincerely,
Doug Flaherty, President (BIO NARRATIVE)
Tahoe Sierra Clean Air Coalition (DBA TahoeCleanAir.org)
A Nevada 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Corporation
Registered to do Business in California
Incline Village, NV
So, where will the new Fire folks get their Dozer Bosses from? Who will support the firefighters in Fire Camps? I guess that the idea of using firefighters to manage forests is now dead, as well. No more Red Cards for Forest Service employees?
That’s the billion dollar question.. how the new agency will interact with the rest of the agencies, and where will prescribed fire fit. We can imagine the new Fire agency still calling up people from the FS and BLM to help.
I’ll play(?) dumb – it makes some sense to me for the FS and BLM to call the “fire department” when they need help (implementing whatever the fire policy of the administration is). It would also make sense for land management agency employees to be certified and available to work for the fire department when needed.
You are missing many, many wildfires that are used to achieve Land and Resource Management Objectives – YES, beneficial fire has a place on the landscape and should be supported and enhanced in the decades to come. The real metric should be using a BARC map post fire to be as transparent as possible to identify polygons of low, moderate and high severity, and drop the public fear mongering. If given the public a broad perspective on the beneficial use of fire and to be able to debate the issues (pro and con), we will be able to work our way into resilient, bio diverse landscapes and communities.
Not too many people calling this Unified National Fire Service concept a “Fire Department”. So many people have approached me and stated we need to make sure that Wildland Fire is integrated with land management, not separated from it.
Integration of wildland fire and land management, including circumstances under which a fire should be considered beneficial, should happen in the forest plan and the pros and cons debated during the forest planning process. Response to fire must be consistent with the forest plan.
So it’s back to the future – aka a return to the policies of the 20th century that lead to a buildup of overgrown forests prone to uncontrollable, high-intensity fires. This policy was established in response to public and political pressure to prevent the types of deadly fires that devastated communities across the northern U.S. in the 1800s and early 1900s – not agency incompetence. Now, just add in eliminating local resources for quickly responding to fires. What could go wrong?
One unfortunate side-effect of Smokey Bear was creating the perception that wildfires are unnatural and to be prevented or put out at all costs. We’re obviously still living with that.
I do think that the people who wrote this are interested in “quickly responding to fires” whatever organizationally that looks like.
I think I was reading “respond to” not necessarily “respond with aggressive suppression response” to every new wildfire even if it was lightning caused in an area supporting the beneficial use of fire.
I read it that way also, but others did not.
This is Murry Taylor, ex-smokejumper and author of Jumping Fire and Too Steep and Too Rough. You make a good point here saying . . . aka a return to the policies of the 20th century but here’s the deal given where we are at this point. Out here in the West it was wrong to put all those fires out in past as we did but given where we are now with all the fuel buildup and long, dryer fire seasons, we need to put ALL the early fires out because early on WE CAN DO THAT. Come August, when fires get going and escape early containment efforts, then back off, allow some fire back on the land. For all those concerned about getting fire back in the woods, DO NOT WORRY. There is going to be plenty of that in a dryer, warmer future. If we fail to take more aggressive action now, ALL the Nat. Forests will be burned up on 40 – 50 years. If we adopt the ideas I mentioned above we can extend that to (hopefull) over a 100 years, thus giving the woods a chance to reset and recover more natural fire occurance.
This information is news to many people outside the fire organization. Most employees and almost everyone outside of the fire world are ignorant of the massive firing operations, often using drones equipped with dragon eggs/ping pong balls, which are devastating, deadly, destructive, and becoming ubiquitous. The end result is dead forests for miles and miles. Famous failed firing ops since 2020 include the North and August Complexes, the Dixie Fire, the Hermit’s Peak Calf Canyon Fires, the Black Fire, and many others. If the result of our firing operations and firefighting operations is a dead forest, lost habitat, scoured-out streams and canyons, and 16 civilian dead, we’re not doing it right.
People across the spectrum of our country are tired of the let-burn, monitor, and loose herd, and cowboy burning that now dominates wildfire practice and policy. To make matters worse, the agency calls it “suppression.” Maddening.
There is no legal basis for using fire to manage resources in the Organic Act or any subsequent legislation. I support prescribed fire and have lit many acres myself. When a firing operation covers 194,000 acres in one afternoon, it’s fatal, crazy, and wrong. We are seeing the results of wildfire policies and practices that have grown so out of bounds that they can no longer be tolerated. Thus, the Executive Order, the Fire World, and the Wildfire Industrial Complex reformation.
The nephew of a close friend just joined CalFire as a first-year FF1. On his first day of training, he learned to use the dizzying array of firing devices that are increasingly causing massive damage to public and private property, not ecological benefits. This news is shocking for those of you who haven’t paid close attention to Wildfire practices over the past decade. It’s also horrifying for those of us who’ve had a front-row seat because of our business associations and consultant work.
Academics and researchers are the least informed of all. Virtually every major study of wildfire over the past decade ignores the impact of purposeful firing operations. ICTs wisely do not track how many acres they burn on purpose. That is changing, and fast.
Read Sarah Hyden’s report below. She is an active environmental activist in Santa Fe, NM.
I’d be happy to post more about this issue or provide a presentation about what happened, why it happened, its effects and outcomes, and what needs to be done about it. Joe Reddan and I wrote the section of the Heritage Foundation’s 2025 report on needed changes now being implemented.
Heritage Foundation. Yuck.
With that said, Frank….what youre saying here pissed me off. So i googled you and watched a youtube interview of yours from last year, and i respect your career experience and knowledge. Im a silviculturist, so i like restoration. I was on the Plumas in oroville during the Camp Fire. There was no stopping that fire once it got up out of the canyon. Winds were insane. However, i dont know how long the delay after awareness was to suppress. No stopping Palisade fire bc winds. At first your message seemed regressive, but i see your point on the sheer damage and costs of these fires. I had no idea Dixie fire was 60% FS fired. Im interested now in the idea of 10am rule-esque response. But we have to Rx burn more and do fuels reduction more. Regarding taking Fire shops out of the FS….im afraid of local units losing burning capacity and ability. Im afraid fuels reduction would fall by wayside.
Hi, Sharon:
I offer this presentation I often present and update about the current wildfire use situation. Here is a link if you think it would help people grasp the enormity of impacts from current “suppression” policies and practices. Frank
https://d.docs.live.net/3dee5d6e74f7abe2/%5E.Documents/PFMc%20Forest%20Guardians%2002.13.2023.pptx
I couldn’t get it to work. possibly that’s just me. I can upload to this site to make it easier if we can figure out I can get it.
When a GSA-owned federal building has an electrical fire, who fights the fire? The local municipal fire department, that’s who.
When the BLM in western Oregon’s Douglas County has a wildland fire, who fights the fire? The Douglas County Fire Protection Association, a non-profit group funded by private, state, and federal landowners, i.e., BLM, within its protection district.
Which begs the question, why are there any federal firefighters? Is there something magic about federal land, as distinct from federal buildings, that requires federally-employed firefighters?
Fire is like real estate — location, location, location. New Hampshire’s wildland fire protection needs bear little resemblance to those of New Mexico. One size does not fit all. The states are in the best position to make those determinations. The feds should negotiate with each state for fire protection services comparable to those received by each state’s private landowners.
Hi Andy: We occasionally agree on federal forest management issues. This is one of those times. We might differ on the idea of states and counties also being responsible for forest, road, and trail management, though. I keep going back to the Lysenko lesson, with forest fires on federal lands the past 35 years being the corollary example.
You are an idiot! Obviously not educated on the facts. In fact, the feds help DFPA because the do not have the resources to stop these fast moving fires on “private land” nor does ODF have the resources! ODF went broke from the 1024 fire s an and there are still private contractors that have not been paid. States can’t take this responsibility on especially with the thought that federal land should be transferred to the states. Then we are all screwed because the current administration wants to transfer all emergency response to states for disasters with no federal funding. Ready for your state taxes to triple or quadruple? Think not!
Anonymous.. please don’t call people idiots here. Next time I won’t approve your comment. Plus Andy isn’t an idiot, so there’s that.
Hi Sharon: This is exactly why I dislike Anonymous trolls so much and have always thought they shouldn’t be allowed to post here. There is nothing quite so cowardly as calling real people names and belittling their credibility while hiding deep in the shadows. I think Anonymous posters are fine that contribute to discussions or ask reasonable questions, and it’s alright to call people names — so long as the person has enough huevos to identify themselves while making their claims. But cheap shots like this are disgusting and shouldn’t be allowed a platform — at least here. Personal opinion, strongly held.
Also, Andy isn’t an idiot. I think this is another clear example of the “three finger rule” being demonstrated.
I do believe the concept of a more holistic and integrated wildland fire management will indeed be pushed down to the state and local level. After all, all emergency responses start and end locally. The time has come to debate and glide-path into the future with “All Lands, All Hands” wildland fire management and increase the pipeline to include more local responders and not turn them away just b/c the fire is on “federal jurisdiction”.
There are many of those in R5 (mainland US side) who want CAL FIRE to take over all Wildland firefighting in the state, and have the Feds foot (most/all) the bill, and they are getting louder.
Not too far off here, and I would agree location matters.
I would think most states would prefer block grants from the feds for everything they need or want to do.
This will have a negative effect on state forestry agencies. There is significant concern among my peers and I think that folks shouldn’t get too excited about this. A lot of folks who are unqualified in this topic, and yes this includes The Hotshot Wakeup (he isn’t a hotshot, he was Type 2 IA) and Tim Sheehy despite his work with Bridger, are the ones whose ideas are getting pushed through.
I am mememical_ranger on IG.
I wonder what this means for fuels crews, and our Rx burning and pile burning programs. Our fuels folks are firefighters, so if they’re moved to a different agency, who does that burning for us?
There are some Ranger Districts who won’t make their timber crew fire qualified. It’s more important, to them, to keep the timbermarkers squirting paint. Been there, done that.
Can someone help me understand who wrote this and if it is actually being considered?
The WaPo had something about that… I can post what they wrote.
I’m Murry Taylor, ex-smokejumper and author of three fire books, including Jumping Fire, and my latest, Too Steep and Too Rough. This bill (as stated) is ridiculously complicated, and will only confuse the issue further. The problem with fire in the national forests of the West will continue if this bill is accepted. Why so complicated? For Forests in the West there’s already an example of what needs done. It’s the Rogue River – Siskiyou N.F.in R-6. If the FS would just adopt their program for a couple years then they’d see that the real solution to their so-called problem is actually quite simple. Just put the early season fires out, all of them because early in the season you CAN do that. Later, come August, once fires escape initial containment efforts, back off and manage some fire in the woods, still be strong in extended attack, run night shifts but don’t throw tons of money at it, just do smart firefighting. Also, get the jumpers going, especially early in the season. Does anyone involved with “solving” this problem know that during the last few years smokejumpers have only JUMPED 4.5 FIRES A SEASON. We used to average twice that. Doing it again would automatically save hundreds of millions of dollars right off and lots of acres too. I did an interview on NPR two. years ago about Too Steep and Too Rough. It also showcases the success on the RR-Siskiyou N.F. Here’s the link, feel free to share: https://www.ijpr.org/show/the-jefferson-exchange/2022-08-12/mon-9-am-former-smokejumper-writes-of-working-in-conditions-too-steep-and-too-rough
I’m a former hotshot, engine captain, and current fuels manager with the feds. I have twelve year of fire experience, fifteen of federal service and a masters degree in land management. Land Managers, FMOs, and Line Officers are often reluctact to order smoke jumper on early season fires because the juice is rarely worth the squeeze, the risk is not worth the reward to have a stick of jumpers jump out of a plane to put out a single tree that will most likely go out on its own. If I’m ordering up jumpers its because shits hit the fan and I need a taskforce to mitigate span of control.
From a fuels perspective, we burn on the shoulder seasons because the conditions are better for both Rx and fire use. There is less risk of stand replacing fires and a better shot of reducing long term risk of severe fires without destroying habitat or the overstory. I’d rather big box a fire in March/April/May than June/July/August because I’ll have more beneficial fire effects.
I’m leery of these upcoming changes. Fire management decisions benefit from input of agency resource staff and local stakeholders. Those folks are the ones who help us design our fire management plans: where we want full suppression, where we want to manage for more burnt acres, and where we let fires go. I can’t imagine taking fire away from those agencies is going to facilitate that process. I also worry that taking these resources away from FS/BLM/NPS/BIA will make it easier for the GOP to strangle those agencies in the tub.
TSW-ites is an unkown term to me. What does it mean?
People who read and comment on The Smokey Wire. Sorry.
https://mountainjournal.org/white-house-reviewing-draft-executive-order-for-consolidating-wildfire-agencies-including-forest-service-and-calls-for-immediate-fire-suppression
A Smokey Wire mention.