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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
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Northeast Region Cohesive Strategy Key Contacts
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Chair Chief Fire Warden Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation Larry Mastic Coordinator, Northeast Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy |
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Forest Fire Compacts
Quick Links
Science and Joint Fire Science Consortiums & Exchanges
Social Media
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November 2018
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An Interview with Steven Goldman
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By Devin Wanner, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
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Steven Goldman prepares to conduct a fire reconnaissance as an Incident Commander Team 2 in 2017 on the Coolwater Complex on the Nez Perce National Forest in Idaho. (Courtesy photo by Catherine Koele, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources)
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Biography
Steven started his career in Region 3 on the Coronado National Forest in southern Arizona along the Mexico border. "I spent the first 10 years in the Southwest. My first fire was in both the U.S and Mexico. However, I was not in the fire program. My day job was in recreation management (wilderness, developed trails, off-road vehicles). I was a 'militia' firefighter. I spent a summer on the Redmond Hotshots and built my qualifications to the Division Supervisor/Incident Command Team Type 3 during that decade."
Mr. Goldman then moved to Region 8 and spent the next 4 years in Tennessee on the Cherokee National Forest where he worked in the recreation, wilderness, trails, and wildlife programs. He participated in the suppression and prescribed fire programs at every opportunity because the Forest was dependent on "militia" firefighters to do this work. While there, he learned that some places cut and burn to manage vegetation. He also had the opportunity to go out with and support the newly formed Cherokee Interagency Hotshot Crew.
He has been in Region 9 for more than 14 years. Mr. Goldman was a District Ranger on the Huron-Manistee National Forest (HMNF) for 11years. Then he spent 2 years as the Eastern Region Fuels Program Manager before moving into his current position as the Region 9 Deputy Director for Fire and Aviation in 2018.
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Megan's Corner - November 2018
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Risk Assessment
Fuel Calibrations: For the ongoing
wildfire risk assessment led by Region 9, we need to conduct fuel calibrations to make sure the LANDFIRE fuels data are accurately representing the landscape. There will be three calibrations for three "regions" early next year, preferably in February and March. You will probably hear something soon for scheduling in your area (and if you don't, contact me). The three regions include
1) Great Lakes (MI, WI, MN); 2) Prairie, Oak, Big Rivers, Mid-Atlantic (IA, IL, MO, IN, OH, WV); and
3) Northeast/East Coast (NJ, DE, MD, PA, NY, VT, NH, MA, ME, CT, RI). See an example of the
materials Pyrologix provides prior to the calibrations.
Briefing Paper: I put together a briefing paper on the status of the Northeast-Midwest all-lands risk assessment last month, which Larry sent out to the NE RSC list. If you missed it, you can
view the paper. Stay tuned for more on how we plan to address some of the issues laid out in the paper.
New LANDFIRE Video
The next short LANDFIRE video by Heather Heward, Acquiring LANDFIRE data from data.gov, has been posted.
IFTDSS Update
The Interagency Fuel Treatment Decision Support System (IFTDSS) released version 3.1.1 in early November. This online tool allows you to very easily create landscape files and run FlamMap scenarios using LANDFIRE data. See the new features added and what's to come for Wildfire Risk Assessment functionality next year.
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Photos: Aftermath of the 1918 Cloquet-Moose Lake Wildfire
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October 12, 2018
Massive wildfires that swept across northeastern Minnesota in October 1918 destroyed Cloquet, Moose Lake and several other communities, leaving hundreds of people dead and thousands homeless.
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The remains of a neighborhood of burned-out homes -- reduced to debris-filled basements -- are seen after a wildfire swept through Cloquet, Minn., on Oct. 12, 1918. This view is looking north toward the Masonic Temple and Washington School. The Cloquet-Moose Lake fire devastated those two communities among others in northeastern Minnesota, including parts of Duluth, leaving hundreds of people dead and thousands homeless. (
Courtesy photo by Carlton County Historical Society, www.carltoncountyhistory.org)
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Secretary Perdue Announces Vicki Christiansen as New Forest Service Chief
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Vicki Christiansen
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(WASHINGTON, D.C., October 10, 2018) --- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced that Vicki Christiansen will serve as the 19th Chief of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Forest Service. Christiansen has been serving as Interim Chief since March of this year. Following the announcement, Secretary Perdue issued the following statement:
"As a former wildland firefighter and fire manager, Chief Christiansen knows what's needed to restore our forests and put them back to work for the taxpayers. With seven years at the Forest Service and 30 years with the states of Arizona and Washington, Vicki's professional experience makes me confident that she will thrive in this role and hit the ground running."
Vicki Christiansen Background
Vicki Christiansen has been serving as the interim Chief at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service in Washington, DC. Prior to that she was Deputy Chief for State and Private Forestry where she had oversight of Fire and Aviation Management, Tribal Relations, Forest Health Protection, Cooperative Forestry, Grey Towers and Conservation Education. She joined the Forest Service in 2010 as the Deputy Director of Fire and Aviation Management. Vicki has worked extensively on the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy bringing her experience as a line officer, land manager, wildland fire fighter and State Forester to the effort.
Prior to joining the Forest Service, she served as the Arizona State Forester and Director of the Arizona Division of Forestry. She was responsible for the protection of 22 million acres of state and private lands in Arizona, including wildland fire management. As State Forester, Vicki represented Arizona at the national and state level on forest health and wildland fire issues. She was Chair of the Wildland Fire Committee for the National Association of State Foresters.
Vicki also served as the Washington State Forester where she had a 26-year career with Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR). She started as a wildland fire fighter while still in college and held many different positions at Washington DNR with a strong emphasis in operations, managing state trust lands and regulating forest practices on state and private lands in Washington State. Her first permanent position was as a forester responsible for the reforestation of state trust lands in the Mt. Saint Helens blast zone. Vicki has been a wildland fire fighter and fire manager for 36 years. She has numerous credentials in the wildland fire program with a special expertise as a fire line-blasting advisor. Vicki has a B.S. in Forest Management from the University of Washington (1983, cum laude). She is married to a Fire Chief (retired) and has two grown sons.
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Name Change Announced for Northeast-Midwest State Forester Organization
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 The Northeastern Area Association of State Foresters (NAASF) has a new name that better reflects the organization's mission and membership, which spans two distinct regions of the country. Meet the Northeast-Midwest State Foresters Alliance! Have questions? Contact Ian MacFarlane.
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Valuable New Online Course Helps Residents and Stakeholders Prepare for Wildfire
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New Video Highlights Homeowner Choices in Protecting from Wildfire
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October 8, 2018
Firewise USA® has a new video that helps answer those questions. Watch as a wildfire mitigation specialist evaluates a home and property with owners. See what concerns she identifies and learn the steps recommended to reduce the likelihood of ignition. Listen as the homeowners share their initial fears about being left out of the decision making process and their reaction to the work that has been done.
Remember, it's all about making choices.
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Your Home and Wildfire. Choices that can make a difference.
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Conferences, Meetings, and Training Opportunities
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--Regional--
January 30-31, 2019
University of Minnesota Cloquet Forestry Center
Cloquet, MN
February 5-6, 2019
Fort Custer National Training Center
Battle Creek, MI
November 26-30, 2018
Charlottesville, VA
December 10-14, 2018
Asheville, NC
Annual FLN Leaders-TREX Coaches-IPBN Workshop
February 11-15, 2019
Russellville, AR (more information coming soon)
March 26-28, 2019
Peppermill Resort
Reno, NV
April 1-3, 2019
Denver, CO
Fire Adapted Communities Learning Network Workshop
April 22-26, 2019
Location TBD (more information coming soon)
April 29-May 3, 2019
Albuquerque, NM
July 23-25, 2019
State College, PA
5th Biennial Shortleaf Pine Conference
October 1-3, 2019
Van Buren, MO
October 21-24, 2019
Plymouth, MA
November 18-22, 2019
Tucson, AZ
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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?
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