Northeast Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy banner with a graphic of the 20 states of the Northeast and Midwest and National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy logo.
The Northeast Regional Strategy Committee (NE RSC) provides executive leadership, coordination, and guidance to carry out the Northeast Regional Action Plan while providing a forum for members to guide strategic direction for fire and land management activities. The NE RSC continues to collaboratively recognize, support, and help with National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy goals and implementation efforts.

Brad Simpkins, New Hampshire State Forester
In This Issue
Northeast Region Cohesive Strategy Key Contacts

Chair

Chief Fire Warden

Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation

 

Maureen Brooks

Vice-Chair

U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area S&PF

 

Larry Mastic

Coordinator, Northeast Region

Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy

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May 2018

An Interview with Faith Berry

A woman poses for a photo with a dog.
Educating children and parents about fire prevention is one of the goals of the NFPA. Faith Berry poses with fire prevention mascot Sparky. (Courtesy photo provided by Faith Berry)
By Devin Wanner, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry

Faith started her career at age 15 working in both state and national parks for the Youth Conservation Corps in her home State of Ohio. She got a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies from Bemidji State University in Minnesota and completed graduate work in Natural Resources Management from Central Washington University in Washington State. She also received a Firefighter 1 certification from Idaho State College as a firefighter with the Spokane, WA, Fire Department and the Idaho State Parks Department.


From Awareness to Action, an Ohio Community's Wildfire Preparedness Journey
NFPA and Firewise USA logos. By Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, Program Coordinator, NFPA
 
May 11, 2018
 
At the end of 2017, the Firewise USA® Recognition Program welcomed a second community from Ohio: the Bellefontaine Fire Department ---     Rural Protection Area. Because this is not an area that typically comes to my mind as having a wildfire risk, I reached out to Jeremy Keller ---    resident leader, Rural Operations Coordinator, volunteer member of the fire department, and from what I gathered, the community's spark plug for wildfire preparedness ---   to learn about the conditions and their journey.

Bellefontaine is located in Logan County, an area that is primarily rural with a focus on agriculture. The landscape is largely dominated by crops, with pockets of land under the Conservation Reserve Program and hills covered in oak and brush. Several years ago Jeremy observed that there was "a noticeable hole in the Midwest of participation in Firewise ® and in the general wildfire conversation." While the threat isn't as high or extreme as other areas, there is still a threat --- his county sees an average of 45 wildfires a year, primarily in the spring and fall. The majority of these fires are caused by humans and can present a danger to homes, property, and the landscape.

Map of where wildfires occurred in a county in Ohio.
Logan County wildfire occurrences. (Graphic courtesy of Jeremy Keller)

To get the conversation going at the local level and get buy in for pursuing an engagement program, Jeremy used visualizations of the fire occurrence data for that area. He recommends this approach to others trying to start wildfire preparedness programs in areas that have risk, but maybe not extensive wildfire activity.


Megan's Corner - May 2018
LANDFIRE logo and the text In the Northeast.
Quick questions for you: Related to both the recent webinar and the potential data product cuts (more below), I've been trying to get a better understanding of familiarity and experience with fire behavior fuel models (FBFMs) throughout the Northeast. Please spend just about 3-5 minutes answering a few questions on this survey to help inform and focus these efforts.
  • In Case You Missed It (above) - Please fill out this quick survey.
     
  • Northeast region LANDFIRE webinar: Did you miss the Northeast-focused LANDFIRE webinar on May 1st, with examples of modifying LANDFIRE data for management in Michigan? Don't fret, you can access the recording, slides, and related resources. Share your LANDFIRE stories --- successes and failures ---     so we can better understand needs in our area and share experiences we can all learn from.
  • Remap status: The effects of the budget cuts LANDFIRE received in 2018 are not yet fully known as official budgets are not yet solidified. Given this uncertainty, the LANDFIRE Business Leads have directed no change in the Remap schedule, but as communicated in the last LANDFIRE Community Conference call, they have outlined which products will be cut depending on the severity of the final budget numbers. LANDFIRE is conducting the Remap using new "Vegetation Production Units" (VPUs), but will still deliver final products by the familiar GeoAreas. Existing vegetation type mapping has been completed in Vegetation Production Units (VPUs) 1 and 2, and the team is currently wrapping up work in VPU 3, covering much of the Northwest and part of the Southwest GeoAreas.

NE LANDFIRE Contact: Megan.Sebasky@wisconsin.gov

 
New Jersey Forest Service-Science in Action
FireScience.gov logo.

This is a video put together in coordination with the US Forest Service, The University of Edinburgh, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, The New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the New Jersey Forest. The video was made immediately following the implementation of a research burn as a part of a JFSP project titled: "Measurement of firebrands generated during fires in pine-dominated ecosystems in relation to fire behavior and intensity". 

View the entire New Jersey Fire Service article.

Leadership Corner 

Leader's Intent for 2018: A Summary for the Fire Year
USDA U.S. Forest Service logo banner.
April 20, 2018

Head and shoulders photo of a woman in front of a United States flag and U.S. Forest Service flag.
Interim Chief Vicki Christiansen, USDA Forest Service

The field season is upon us, and many of us are already putting our skills and resources to work in protecting lives, homes, communities and wildland resources from the ravages of wildfire. I too started out as a firefighter, and fire has always been a central part of my career.

As I consider this fire year, employee safety is foremost on my mind. As firefighters, we  must stand together. The bonds that join us on the fireline ---    the ties of mutual trust and respect ---    are critical to keeping the entire crew safe. Accordingly, I expect every one of us to Stand Up For Each Other, fostering a work environment characterized by mutual trust, valuing differences, listening to understand and learning from each other. Every one of us deserves a workplace that is safe, healthy, productive, resilient and free from harassment of any kind, where everyone is recognized and valued for their work.

View the full message from Interim Chief Christiansen.

Secretaries Perdue and Zinke Join Forces to Combat 2018 Wildfire Season
USDA Office of Communcations banner.  
USDA Office of Communications sent this bulletin at 05/10/2018 01:43 PM EDT

Contact: USDA Press
Email:  press@oc.usda.gov

Two gentlemen sign a document with others looking on.
Secretaries Perdue and Zinke sign a memorandum to wildland fire leadership. (USDA Office of Communications photo)

(May 10, 2018, Washington, D.C.) ---    Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke today hosted a fire briefing for Members of Congress at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to hear the forecast for this year's wildfire season. Following the meeting, the secretaries sent a memorandum to wildland fire leadership highlighting the importance of inter-departmental collaboration to increase firefighter, public, and community safety as the 2018 wildfire season approaches. The 2017 wildfire season was one of the most challenging years on record, stressing the need for the USDA and the Department of the Interior to work together in combating this year's fires.

"As we begin this year's fire season, we want to remind everyone that the protection of firefighters and public safety is the single highest priority in every fire management activity and decision that we make," Perdue and Zinke said. "Last year we lost 14 wildland firefighters who sacrificed their own lives to protect the lives of others and that is something we hope to prevent this year."


Conferences, Meetings, and Training Opportunities

   
 
Conferences and Meetings

--Regional--

June 3-8, 2018
Garrett College
McHenry, MD

NAASF Forest Fire Supervisors Committee Annual Meeting
June 18-21, 2018
Pere Marquette Lodge & Conference Center
Grafton, IL
 
69th Annual Commission Meeting of the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission
August 1-2, 2018
Hilton Providence
Providence, RI
 

--National-- 
 
Wildland Fire Leadership Council Meeting
June 12-13, 2018
Colorado Springs, CO


The Northeast Regional Strategy Committee (NE RSC) delivers articles and stories each month that demonstrate the collaborative efforts of agencies, organizations and communities supporting and promoting the three goals of the Cohesive Strategy: Restoring Resilient Landscapes, Creating Fire Adapted Communities and Responding to Wildfire. 

 

This news update is our primary communication tool with our partners and the public. Looking for more Northeast Region Cohesive Strategy information or past published news update issues? Visit this Web site.

 

Does your agency, organization, or community have a project or event you'd like to see featured in the NE RSC News Update? 

 

Tell us about it! Just contact  Larry Mastic .
Northeastern Area State & Private Forestry | 603-953-3294 | rfitzhenry@fs.fed.us | https://www.fs.usda.gov/naspf/
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