National Wildfire Coordinating Group

National Interagency Fire Center
3833 S. Development Avenue
Boise, ID 83705

This Memorandum supersedes NWCG Memorandum #004-2011. The only change in the memorandum is extending the comment period for two (2) weeks (August 1st through 15th), with the deadline date being changed to August 15, 2011.

The NWCG Fuels Management Committee’s Fire Use Subcommittee is reviewing the Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Guide, July 2008 (Rx Guide). The focus of this review is to ensure the Rx Guide meets the Fiscal Year 2009 Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, and to ensure firefighter and public safety in successful application of prescribed fire to meet management objectives.

The Rx Guide provides standardized policy, specifically associated with the planning and implementation of prescribed fire, and describes minimal acceptable requirements for all phases of a prescribed fire for federal signatory agencies. However, federal agencies may choose to provide additional standards and policy direction.

The Subcommittee is interested in your agency comments, suggestions, and recommendations specifically on the following:

• Agency Administrators Pre-Ignition Check List and Prescribed Fire Go/No Go Checklist (Element 2)
• Complexity (Element 3)
• Project Boundary (Element 4a)
• Contingency (Element 17)
• Landscape Scale/Long Duration Prescribed Fires (Multiple Elements)
• Declared Wildfire Reviews (p31 of RX Guide)
• Adding Examples and Hints to the Guide

To facilitate compilation of comments, please use the attached template – Rx Guide Review Response Form. The form contains questions covering the topics to be addressed in the review. We would like to request one response from each agency that incorporates your agency comments. Consolidating comments will help ensure that the comments submitted are in line and supported by your agency.

Tribes should provide comments to their Regional Fuels Specialist.

Due to the large amount of agency/bureau interest, the date for comments has been extended for two (2) weeks, from August 1st to August 15th. Please provide your consolidated agency and bureau comments no later than August 15, 2011 to either, Paul Langowski, U.S. Forest Service, plangowski@fs.fed.us, or Kim Van Hemelryck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, kim_vanhemelryck@fws.gov.

This memorandum, the Rx Guide, and the form can be accessed electronically at http://www.nwcg.gov, under Quick Links on the right hand side of Web page.

Please contact the following subcommittee members: Paul Langowski, US Forest Service, plangowski@fs.fed.us, 303-275-5307, or Kim Van Hemelryck, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, kim_vanhemelryck@fws.gov, 208-387-5957 for questions or further information.

Attachment A: Rx Guide Review Response Form

cc: Program Management Unit (PMU)
Budget Advisory Unit (BAU) Chair
Dave Mueller, FMC Chair
Paul Langowski, Fire Use Subcommittee Member
Kim Van Hemelryck, Fire Use Subcommittee Member

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