The Forest Service authorizes broad scale wildland fire use (WFU) both inside and outside wilderness areas in many western forests; but, will agency authorization alone lead to implementation? Understanding barriers and facilitators to WFU implementation is critical for establishing realistic program expectations and providing a foundation for any efforts to change program outcomes. This paper synthesizes our current understanding of factors influencing WFU decision-making (... of previous research). Our intent is to capture the fire community's dispersed wisdom and provide policymakers and decision makers with an objective basis for future actions designed to affect WFU program outcomes and effectiveness.