Federal Management of Wildland Fire Key Changes and Perspectives on Policy

Wildland fire plays an important ecological role in maintaining healthy ecosystems. Over the past century, however, various land management practices, including fire suppression, have disrupted the normal frequency of fires and have contributed to larger and more severe wildland fires. Wildland fires cost billions to fight each year, result in loss of life, and cause damage to homes and infrastructure. This book examines key changes the federal wildland fire agencies have made in their approach to wildland fire management since 2009; how the agencies assess the effectiveness of their wildland fire management programs; and how the agencies determine the distribution of their wildland fire management resources.