In every region of the U.S., human communities are at-risk from wildland fire. Homes, businesses and people in close proximity to or mixed with flammable wildland vegetation are vulnerable.

An Appeal to Engage with the Cohesive Strategy: A personal message from the IAFC President

The National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy (Cohesive Strategy),launched in summer 2012, is the latest in the series of advancements in wildland fire strategy, but it also marks a significant change in how we approach wildland fire management. Unlike earlier national wildland fire management strategies, the Cohesive Strategy has been developed by all the stakeholders—federal, state, tribal and local fire departments. The IAFC has been heavily involved with the Cohesive Strategy from the outset to represent America’s local fire service leaders.

The Cohesive Strategy identifies three major areas where the greatest wildland fire management problems and opportunities are found: fire adapted communities, fire resilient landscapes and fire response.

Collaboration among stakeholders at the national and regional levels is at the core of the Cohesive Strategy. Three regional committees have been established to coordinate implementation efforts: Northeast, Southern and Western. Wildland fires and cultures are more homogeneous within each of the regions than they are across the country as a whole, so preferred and effective fire-management approaches are likely to be different from region to region.

With the leadership of the IAFC Wildland Fire Policy Committee, the IAFC has representatives on all three committees as well as on the national-level Wildland Fire Executive Council and the Wildland Fire Leadership Council, representing the interests of local fire departments. Continuing and expanding collaboration will result in successful and sustained implementation.

Go to more IAFC wildland fire-related education, programs and services.