Depending on your agency, UAS stands for unmanned, uncrewed, or unoccupied aircraft systems, also referred to as drones by many people. BLM Remote Pilots and Remote Systems Program Manager Matt Dutton named the BLM program for what it is and does - remote pilots, remote systems operation. It was developed to supplement the aircraft fleet in support of resource and incident management initiatives. Matt discusses the use of UAS in wildfire suppression operations, and the benefits to assist land management activities in other program areas. He talks about starting out on a hotshot crew, getting into training development for the government UAS program - helping build it from the ground up, and the importance of keeping the program going. UAS capabilities range from enhancing fireline situational awareness, creating more accurate wildland fire maps, collecting, and displaying thermal and infrared imagery to detect hot spots along the fireline, to supporting prescribed fire operations, and so much more! All this done with the pilot safely on the ground, limiting risk and exposure to firefighters. Matt recognizes the challenges but also sees the opportunity to leverage technology to better work for us and address some of the issues that our organization is facing today. In Matt's words, "It (UAS) is a nighttime, swing shift, smoky condition tool that excels."
This media record is part of a series:
BLM Fire Podcasts
The BLM, a leader in wildland fire management, conducts a broad range of actions to protect the public, natural landscapes, wildlife habitat, recreational areas, and other values and resources. The agency’s national fire and aviation program, BLM Fire, which focuses on public safety as its top priority, consists of fire suppression, preparedness, predictive services, vegetative fuels management, community assistance and protection, and fire prevention through education. To meet its wildland fire-related challenges, the BLM fields highly trained professional firefighters and managers who are committed to managing fire in the most effective and efficient manner.
As the largest and most complex fire program within the Department of the Interior, BLM Fire is directly responsible for fire management on more than 245 million acres. This land is commonly intermixed with other federal, state, and local jurisdictions, making partnerships and collaborative efforts crucial to the mission of safety and fire management. Overall, BLM Fire implements fire protection on approximately 650 million acres of public land with other fire management agencies.
BLM Fire, located at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, manages program budget at a national scale, sets policy and program standards, and works closely with the DOI’s Office of Wildland Fire, DOI sister agencies, the USDA Forest Service, state and other organizations.
Media Record Details
Jul 31, 2024
Cataloging Information
Management Approaches
Post-fire Management