Behind the flames: understanding wildfire deployments and coordinated response

Wildfires have always been a critical concern, but as climate impacts intensify, their frequency and severity have increased. When wildfire activity outpaces locally available resources, wildland firefighters and support personnel from various agencies and organizations across the nation show up to lend a hand. This year, wildfire activity has been particularly intense with significant activity right now in California, Oregon and Washington. The National Interagency Fire Center reports over 3 million acres burned across the United States. Resources from southern states are playing a critical role in providing aid to states who need extra resources.

Southern state forestry agencies have deployed numerous personnel and equipment to assist with the massive firefighting efforts so far this summer.

But what do they go through and what does it take to coordinate such a massive interagency response? Let’s take a look behind the flames to learn more!

1. Collaborative Efforts

State forestry agencies work hand-in-hand with federal land management agencies under the Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Agreement. This partnership ensures a smooth and efficient mobilization of resources across state lines to tackle large-scale wildfires. In the Southern Region, the Southern Area Coordination Center (SACC) supports interagency dispatch needs for 439 units including 13 state forestry organizations, 35 national forests, 184 national wildlife refuges and 152 national park units. SACC operates 24/7, providing critical support during wildfires and other emergencies like floods, hurricanes and earthquakes.

2. Resource Management

Before sending resources to assist in other states, agencies make sure they have enough personnel and equipment to handle any local emergencies. This careful balance ensures that local safety is not compromised while providing essential support to other regions. Coordinated dispatch through SACC alleviates the logistical burden on local agencies, ensures optimal resource allocation, enhances efficiency by maintaining a shared system for dispatch management, improves scalability for growing incidents, and enhances safety by tracking personnel and resources to ensure accountability.

3. Swift Mobilization

Qualified wildfire responders must be ready for rapid deployment at a moment’s notice, typically for at least 16 days. This means having their gear packed and being prepared to move quickly. Typically, a person is limited to 65 pounds of line gear and personal items when travelling to an out-of-state wildfire assignment. Essential items may include personal protective equipment, handheld radio, tent, sleeping bag, clothing and toiletries.  

4. Living Conditions

Firefighters often camp in primitive conditions without reliable cell service. In these cases, a call to a loved one at home is a precious rarity.  Basic facilities may be made available for larger incidents, but responders are generally prepared to rough it. Think of it as extreme camping with a very important mission.

For large-scale or complex incidents, camp life may offer more amenities with hot-plate food service, temporary cell towers (used also for supporting operations) and portable shower and restroom facilities. 

5. Incident Command System (ICS)

The Incident Command System standardizes emergency management, allowing seamless coordination during wildfire incidents. ICS is a well-organized team approach that helps responders quickly establish (and transfer) chain-of-command and manage personnel, resources and communications, no matter the size or scale of the incident. This system ensures that a range of agencies can work together efficiently and effectively under a common framework. It’s like having a universal language for disaster response.

6. Variety of Roles

Wildfire response requires a range of roles to support firefighting efforts, including logistics, planning and finance specialists. Each role is crucial for managing the incident and ensuring that operations run smoothly. See below for a breakdown of some of the key roles that are filled during an incident:

Command & General Staff Roles in Wildfire Incident Management

• Incident Commander: Leads the incident response
• Public Information Officer: Manages information dissemination
• Safety Officer: Ensures responder safety
• Liaison Officer: Coordinates with other agencies
• Section Chiefs: Oversee Operations, Planning, Logistics and Finance/Administration

Operations Section

• Wildland Firefighters: Various types
• Air Operations: Support from the air
• Supervisory Roles: Oversee ground operations

Planning Section

• Produces the Incident Action Plan
• Collects and analyzes situational data
• Provides mapping and spatial information
• Maintains incident documents and files
• Manages human resources and check-in/demobilization

7. Assembling Interagency Teams

States often combine their resources to form incident management teams (IMTs), firefighting crews and task forces. These groups are fully staffed and self-contained. The interagency IMTs are made up of staff from various southern states and cooperating agencies – some teams consisting of nearly 60 members each. They are experienced in wildland fire operations, planning, information, logistics, finance and safety. This collaboration is essential for addressing large and complex wildfires, demonstrating the power of collective effort.

8. Training and Certification

All staff who are deployed to an incident must be trained, experienced and certified for their assigned role. State forestry agencies in the South follow the National Wildland and Prescribed Fire Qualification System Guide for minimum qualifications for each position when dispatching personnel on an interagency assignment. Each deployed individual will have already obtained an Incident Qualification Card or “red card,” which is an agency-issued credential certifying that the holder’s level of training, experience and physical fitness meets the need of the requesting agency. 

9. Prioritizing Health and Wellness

Staff working on wildfire assignments can experience many long, demanding workdays, so it is important to help manage fatigue and keep staff members safe and healthy. Under NWCG guidelines, all incident staff should typically have a minimum of one hour of sleep and/or rest per two hours of work or travel. Nutrition is also a critical part of ensuring a healthy crew. NWCG recommends that “wildland firefighters on the fireline need [to consume] 4,000 to 6,000 calories a day to avoid an energy deficit.” 

10. Skill Enhancement

Wildfire deployments help enhance the skillset of fire personnel by offering them opportunities to learn from practical experience in a variety of complex situations. These assignments allow individuals, in all types of incident roles, to hone their skills so that when a large-scale wildfire, natural disaster or emergency incident occurs closer to home, the southern states have agile and practiced teams ready to respond swiftly and efficiently. 

Understanding the complexities of wildfire deployments and coordinated response highlights the dedication and resilience of wildfire responders. Their efforts are crucial in protecting lives, property and natural resources, ensuring community safety amid the increasing threat of wildfires. For the latest updates and information on wildfire activity, visit the Southern Area Coordination Center.