Behind the Scenes: Who is Responsible for Wildfire Management in the U.S.?

The Line Fire burns near a community in California. Photo from Inciweb.

BY JESSICA GARDETTO and KIM VAN HEMELRYCK    

Wildfires know no boundaries. After igniting within one jurisdiction, they often burn into others. So how are wildfires managed in the United States?

Partnerships are at the core of efforts to protect lives, property, and natural resources across the country from wildfires. Robust partnerships enable agencies to respond quickly, regardless of land ownership.

The Federal Government manages roughly 640 million acres of public land, or 28 percent of the country. The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture share responsibility for managing wildfires on federally-managed land.

The Interior Department provides access to more than 480 million acres of public land. These lands include not only forests but also grasslands, coastal plains, shrublands, and savannahs. In 2024, the Department employed 5,780 federal and more than 900 Tribal wildland firefighters and support personnel across the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Each of these bureaus administers its own wildland fire management program that reflects the bureau’s unique responsibilities.

Within the Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service manages 193 million acres of public land. It employs over 11,000 wildland fire personnel to respond to wildfires, mitigate the risk of future fires, and help burned areas recover.

Together, these five federal agencies collaborate closely with Tribes, states, local government, and private industry on wildland fire policy, preparation, response, and recovery.

Tribes play a crucial role in wildfire management. The U.S. holds more than 56 million acres in trust for Tribes and individual members through the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Many Tribes operate their own wildland fire management programs to protect these lands. The Bureau of Indian Affairs also provides wildland fire protection services while helping to restore and maintain healthy ecosystems.

Many state forestry departments have extensive wildland fire management programs that support wildfire response. Local governments also contribute wildland fire personnel from their municipal emergency response agencies and fire departments.

Private industry also contributes significant firefighting resources, including firefighting crews, vehicles, and even support like caterers who prepare meals for personnel responding to a wildfire. In addition, most aircraft are owned by private industry and contracted by federal agencies for wildfire operations. All wildland fire personnel, whether they are state, federal, or Tribal, follow standards established by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group.

When a wildfire ignites, local agencies, including state and local governments, are often the first to respond. If the fire continues to grow, they can request support from the region. If further resources are needed, the National Interagency Coordination Center will help mobilize personnel and equipment from across the country.

The National Incident Management System administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency guides emergency management across jurisdictions. It includes the Incident Command System, which provides all public agencies in the U.S. with a standardized approach to organize personnel, coordinate across agencies, and ensure an efficient and safe emergency response.

Large, complex wildfires are typically managed by an incident management team, which is staffed by people from a combination of federal, Tribal, state, local, and territorial agencies. For example, a state employee who normally works in finance could serve on an incident management team to manage its financials.

Wildland fire management is truly an interagency effort. No single organization can do it alone. We all work together toward the same priorities of safely and efficiently managing wildfires to protect lives, property, infrastructure, and natural resources.  

Jessica Gardetto is a Public Affairs Specialist for Interior’s Office of Wildland Fire.
Kim Van Hemelryck is an Operations and Emergency Management Specialist for Interior’s Office of Wildland Fire.