When disaster strikes, such as during hurricanes, floods, or search and rescue missions, an all-hands-on-deck situation can arise. This is where wildland firefighters and management can step in to help. Mike Mattfeldt, Program Manager of International Fire Response and Support for the USDA Forest Service, with Jim Schultz, Fire Management Specialist and Scott Beacham, Regional Fuels Management Specialist from the National Park Service, join us to discuss the interagency cooperation behind all-hazard incident response, how firefighters prepare for all-hazard response, and what it’s like to be on the ground helping in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
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
Dec 11, 2024
Cataloging Information
Public Perspectives of Fire Management
Strategic Risk