Federal and state partners sign interagency agreement to respond to wildland fire in Idaho
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BOISE, IDAHO-The Idaho Department of Lands; the Department of the Interior - Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and Bureau of Indian Affairs; along with the Forest Service, an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, signed the Idaho Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Agreement. This broad, sweeping agreement provides the interagency framework across the state of Idaho for successful wildfire response through shared resources and improved processes, while strengthening the relationships between the partner agencies.
“Coordination among the agencies with a wildfire response jurisdiction is critical. Together, this agreement will help us better serve and protect the public and natural resources of Idaho,” said Idaho State Forester Craig Foss.
This agreement not only provides the foundation for how state and federal agencies bring their efforts together to efficiently serve the communities of Idaho and our public lands, but it also provides a contemporary model for the sharing of resources, simplifies business processes and aligns applicable core missions. Through the agreement, fire response agencies have the means to provide interagency response across the state and the flexibility to adjust to the complex and dynamic fire environment found in Idaho.
“This agreement provides for a balanced and fair method for engaging wildland fire between all the agencies,” said BLM Idaho Associate State Director Peter Ditton.
“There is a long-standing partnership between the state of Idaho, Forest Service and Department of Interior in how we respond to fires within the state,” said USDA Forest Service Intermountain Regional Forester Mary Farnsworth. “This agreement strengthens this relationship.”
Through this agreement, the agencies agree to cooperate in the full spectrum of wildland fire activities. “As we address the wildfire threat in Idaho, this agreement will help to guide our efforts that will truly make a difference in the outcomes when wildfire occurs on our landscapes,” said USDA Forest Service Northern Regional Forester Leanne Marten.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.