Protecting communities threatened by wildland fire is one of the highest priorities of federal fire policy. The National Fire Plan and the 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy have called on federal agencies such the USDA Forest Service and the USDOI Bureau of Land Management to focus their efforts on the “wildland-urban interface,” where private homes abut fire-prone public wildlands.
In recent summers, large forest fires have burned millions of acres and hundreds of homes across western states where drought conditions prevail. Alarmed elected officials agree that fuel loads in forests must be reduced to protect communities and restore ecosystems, but they disagree over where and how much.
