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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.
The NWCG recognizes that wildland fire smoke can significantly
affect air quality and that it is an important business
area within fire management. In order to address this business
area, NWCG is chartering the Smoke Committee which had been
created by the Wildland Fire Leadership Council in 2003
as the Fire and Air Issues Coordination Group (FAICG) and
later chartered by the interagency and inter-disciplinary
Fire and Air Directors as the Fire –Air Coordination
Team (FACT).
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Name
The name of this committee, hereinafter referred to as the
Committee, is the Smoke Committee (SmoC) of the National
Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.
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Authority
The Committee is established pursuant to the authorities
granted in the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Charter,
October 11, 2007.
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 Committee Chair is authorized to convene meetings and
schedule agenda items. The Chair is also authorized to make
contacts, negotiate work assignments, and make commitments
on behalf of the Committee. The Chair may also commit such
resources as are available within the Committee or as authorized
by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.
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Purpose
The Committee is established to support NWCG and the individual
Committee member agencies in developing effective, consistent
and efficient strategies and guidance for addressing smoke
within agency fire and fuels programs. The Committee is
a forum where air resource and wildland fire management
programs and member agencies will discuss and attempt to
resolve technical, regulatory and policy matters of joint
interest concerning fire emissions and air quality impacts
on firefighter and public safety and health from planned
and unplanned fires.
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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
Executive Board approval, other agencies or organizations
that are not NWCG members may be selected for Committee
membership.
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board
will approve the Committee 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 National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board
will approve the Committee Vice-Chair. The term of the Vice-Chair
appointment will be 2 years and may be extended at the discretion
of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.
The Executive Secretary positron will be a 2 year commitment
and may be extended at the discretion of the committee.
The primary Committee member roster will be approved by
the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Executive Board.
The terms of each primary member will be 2 years and may
be extended at the discretion of the National Wildfire Coordinating
Group Executive Board. Technical advisors may be added as
associate members with Chair approval. Replacement Committee
members will be chosen by the appropriate host agency in
consultation with the Chair. Non-NWCG member agencies can
be replaced at the discretion of the host agency.
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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 Policy, Planning and Management
Branch Coordinator.
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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.
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Responsibility
The Committee is primarily responsible for:
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communication and understanding of the interface of wildland
fire management and air quality.
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Develop consistent recommendations for wildland fire management
which account for the air quality impacts of planned and
unplanned ignition for NWCG and Committee member agencies.
Deliverables that are tasked by NWCG or are of mutual
benefit to the Committee member agencies and program areas
represented on the Committee and should represent the
consensus of the Committee whenever possible and be inclusive
of the full range of discussion and viewpoints if consensus
is not achieved.
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Assess and advance technical products and training to
build wildland fire management field capabilities to address
the air quality impacts of planned and unplanned ignitions
and meet environmental rules, regulations, guidelines
and concerns specifically focused on the interface of
air quality and wildland management.
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Provide a forum for open discussions on air quality issues
associated with smoke from planned and unplanned wildland
fires to promote coordination and collaboration between
agencies, programs and partners.
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Charter Amendments
Changes to, or revocation of, this charter must follow the
process outlined in the NWCG Operating Principles and Guidelines.
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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.
