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1. Background

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) was formed in January 1974, to expand operational cooperation and coordination between various public agencies having jurisdictional responsibility for wildland fire management.

In 2007, NWCG was re-chartered, expanding its responsibility and adding new partners. The committee chartered herein is one of a number of support groups established by the NWCG to provide stewardship for specific business segment areas in fire management.

Historically, most of the functional business areas to be addressed by this committee were the responsibility of the former Fire Environment Working Team (FENWT).

2. Name

The name of this committee, hereinafter referred to as the Committee, is the Fire Environment Committee (FENC) of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.

3. Authority

The Committee is established pursuant to the authorities granted in the Memorandum of
Understanding for the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (10/11/07) and the Interagency Agreement for Meteorological Services.

The deliberations of this Committee are exempt from the Federal Advisory Committee Act under section 204 of the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995.

The Chair is authorized to convene meetings and schedule agenda items. The Chair is also authorized to make contacts, negotiate work assignments, make commitments on behalf of the Committee, and commit such resources as are available within the Committee or as authorized by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.

4. Purpose

The Committee is established to provide interagency oversight, strategic direction and vision related to measuring and predicting the wildland fire environment.

5. Membership

Committee membership will reflect a mix of people who are knowledgeable in the subject area of the Committee and who are from NWCG member agencies and organizations. With NWCG approval, agencies or organizations that are not NWCG members may be selected for Committee membership.

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board will appoint a Chair. The term of the Chair appointment will be 2 years and may be extended at the discretion of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board. The Chair may serve continuously for a period up to, but not exceeding, 4 years.

The terms of each Committee member will be indefinite. Replacement members will be selected by the Chair. Technical advisors may be added as appropriate with Chair approval.

6. Organization

The Committee is under the direction of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board. The Committee may create subcommittees, units, and task teams with the concurrence of the Equipment and Technology Branch Coordinator.

7. Cooperation and Coordination

The Committee will work through the respective Branch Coordinator to ensure appropriate coordination, collaboration, and information sharing with other groups and organizations for the subject matter and specific tasks of the Committee.

8. Responsibility

The Committee has the primary responsibility for business stewardship within NWCG for:

fire behavior,
fire danger,
fire weather and climatology,
predictive services,
and fire occurrence.

The Committee shall document in a standard operating procedure the specific responsibilities of its members.

9. Deliverables

Standards
Guidelines
Reviews, Assessments and Recommendations
Training Course content

10. Meetings

The Committee shall document in a standard operating procedure the specific protocols and procedures for conducting committee business.

11 . Charter Amendments

Changes to, or revocation of, this charter must follow the process outlined in the NWCG Operating Principles and Guidelines.

12. Charter Approval

This charter is effective as of the date of approval by the Chair of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board and shall remain in effect until revised or revoked.

Approved:

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