A federal commission tasked with identifying ways to better fight wildland fires in the U.S. has released its recommendations on how to meet the country's needs for aerial firefighting equipment through 2030.
The Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission released its Aerial Equipment Strategy Report Feb. 13. The commission, announced in December 2021, was created by President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) to "improve federal policies related to the mitigation, suppression, and management of wildland fires," the Department of the Interior (DOI) stated in the report.
"As climate change fuels longer and more intense wildfire seasons, aerial assets bring unique response capabilities to wildland fire suppression," the DOI states. "The report released today reexamines existing approaches to aviation fleet procurement, mobilization, composition and quantity in order to set aviation management on a new trajectory for the next decade and beyond."
Representatives from federal agencies, state, local and Tribal governments, and the private sector comprise the commission, which meets monthly, the announcement states. It is slated to release a second report this fall addressing the nation's wildfire crisis.
The commission listed several findings, including that changes in fire seasons, such as being longer in duration and overlapping geographically has made the current wildland fire management models inaccurate. The report also stated there needs to be a national performance measure and framework to determine how many aircraft are needed.
The report's recommendations include the creation of a task force with members of firefighting organizations, contractors and others to determine the benefits of a regionalied approach to wildland firefighting. The commission suggests the national strategy should include "all ownership models" of aviation equipment, including government and contractor ownership; and for a strategic review of current wildland fire-fighting assets include a cost comparison of government, defense and privately owned aviation assets, the report states.
“Climate change has increased the duration and intensity of wildfire seasons and, with it, added pressures on wildland firefighters who are on the front lines," DOI Sec. Deb Haaland said in the report. "The Biden-Harris administration is committed to providing the necessary equipment and resources to support their work and keep them safe."
