Congress and the federal government can significantly reduce the damage done by wildfires by helping rural firefighters working on the front lines to improve their preparedness to defend at-risk communities and resources, according to a report by the nation's leading fire service organizations.

“The Changing Role and Needs of Local, Rural, and Volunteer Fire Departments in the Wildland-Urban Interface: An Assessment and Report to Congress,” released Aug. 23, highlights the importance of community-based first responders in containing wildland fire starts before they become large-scale wildfires.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the National Association of Counties, the National Association of State Foresters, the National Fire Protection Association, the USDA Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Fire Administration collaborated on the report.

“Eighty-nine percent of fire departments in small communities are faced with wildland fire protection within their jurisdiction,” said NFPA President James Shannon. A 2002 needs assessment of the nation's fire service, conducted by the NFPA and the USFA, reveals that nearly half of these departments lack formal training in wildland firefighting techniques.

The rapid expansion of development into previously wildland areas has significantly increased both the demands and the risks faced by these largely volunteer forces. “Local fire departments provide the backbone of wildland fire protection,” said Tom Kuntz, a member of the report's drafting team. “They have the knowledge of local landscapes and fire conditions that is essential to an effective initial fire response.”

In a letter to Congress, the sponsoring organizations called on lawmakers to support implementation of key recommendations that focus on initial fire response, firefighter training, comprehensive fire planning, better integration of local forces into large-scale suppression efforts, interagency communications and the establishment of a “reserve firefighter” program.

The report is part of a 10-year comprehensive strategy for reducing wildland fire risks approved in 2001 by the secretaries of Agriculture and Interior; the Western Governors' Association; and other state, county and tribal leaders.

Copies of the full report are available at Fire Chief magazine's Information Center at /images/archive/Rural%20Fire%20Report.doc.