Wildland Fire Policy
We develop and review Federal policy related to wildland fire management to ensure consistent and effective program implementation across the Department of the Interior and our many partners.
Firefighters work to extinguish spot fires in southern Idaho. Department of the Interior wildland fire policy provides the playbook that guides thousands of people working in a variety of bureaus and offices across the country. (DOI/Neal Herbert)
Development & Review
Policy provides the playbook that guides diverse teams of individuals toward common goals. The Department of the Interior’s Wildland Fire Management Program includes thousands of people working in a variety of bureaus and offices across the country. A playbook provides essential coordination for a program that crosses both administrative and geographic boundaries.
Many people contribute content to that playbook. The president issues proclamations and executive orders. Congress enacts laws. Cabinet members publish departmental manuals, secretarial orders, and strategic plans. Bureau and Office Directors issue policy memos and other directives.
Staff in the Office of Wildland Fire develop, interpret, and review policy so that the Department of the Interior implements a single, coordinated wildland fire program. We also coordinate policy and program reviews in response to analyses completed by the Office of Management and Budget, members of Congress, the Government Accountability Office, and other governing bodies to ensure the Department’s wildland fire activities follow applicable laws, align with strategic plans, and comply with existing policies. This consistency promotes the interoperability with other Federal and non-Federal institutions essential to effective pre-fire mitigation, response, and post-fire rehabilitation.
Federal Policy & Law
The list below includes recently enacted legislation and directives related to wildland fire. Search for additional Federal policy at congress.gov and federalregister.gov.
Public Laws
- Consolidated Appropriations Act (2019)
- John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act (2019)
Executive Orders
- Executive Order 13855: Promoting Active Management of America's Forests, Rangelands, and Other Federal Lands To Improve Conditions and Reduce Wildfire Risk
Guiding Documents
- Department of the Interior Strategic Plan
- Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2009)
- Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy (2001)
- Federal Wildland Fire Policy (1995)
- National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy
Department of the Interior Policy
All official policy released by the Department of the Interior can be found in our Electronic Library of the Interior Policies. The list below only includes links to recent or frequently requested documents related to wildland fire.
Secretary Orders
- Order 3374: Implementation of the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management and Recreation Act (2019)
- Order 3372: Reducing Wildfire Risks on Department of the Interior Land Through Active Management (2019)
Policy Memos
Our policy memos deliver implementation guidelines with limited duration or serve as interim policy until incorporated into the Departmental Manual or other official guidance.
- 2020-009: Department of the Interior's Wildland Fire Management Program Authoritative Data Sources and Reporting Requirements
- 2020-008: FY 2020 Third Quarter Budget Execution Review
- 2020-007: Guidance on Execution of Supplemental Funding Under COVID-19 Pandemic
- 2020-006: Authorization for Use of Government Passenger Carrier(s) for Home-to-Work Transportation
- 2020-005: DOI Medical Standards Process During Coronavirus (COVID–19) Outbreak
- 2020-004: Fuels Management Program Priorities and Reporting Requirements
- 2020-003: Final Guidance for Fiscal Year 2020 Funds Execution and Wildland Fire Management Budget Allocations
- 2020-001: Preliminary Guidance for FY 2020 Funds Execution and Wildland Fire Management Budget Allocations under a Continuing Resolution
Departmental Manuals
This series of manuals communicates the instructions of the Office of the Secretary throughout the Department, provides guidance to bureaus and offices, and serves as the primary source of information on organizational structure, authorities, and other policy. The following chapters relate specifically to wildland fire:
Series 34, Part 620: Wildland Fire Management
- Chapter 1: Policy and Program Management
- Chapter 2: Responsibilities and Governance
- Chapter 3: Preparedness
- Chapter 4: Wildfire Response
- Chapter 5: Wildfire Response Program in Alaska
- Chapter 6: Fuels Management
- Chapter 7: Post-Wildfire Recovery
Series 02, Part 112, Chapter 7: Office of Wildland Fire
Bureau Policy
Four bureaus manage wildland fire on behalf of the Department of the Interior: the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Bureau of Land Management, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Visit their websites to learn about policy specific to their operations.
