Prescribed Fire Capacity
Fire Learning Network
The Ember Alliance
Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition
Purpose
To effectively deploy the influx of historic investments from Congress in fuels management activities at the scale required, state and federal land management agencies will need to augment their limited capacity by working with local partners that work across land ownerships. These agencies do not know all the natural resource organizations that may be equipped to accomplish prescribed fire work, and therefore articulated the need for mapping and assessment of partner skills and capacity to fill this information gap.
Approach
We used an online survey in fall 2022 including snowball and network sampling, intended as a census. This is an engaged research project, which was identified from practitioner needs. In collaboration with partners, we created and distributed the survey, discussed implications of results, and co wrote policy implications and findings. All partners, led by RVCC, will also share out findings to policy audiences.
Key Findings
Significant Funding Opportunity
Organizations need greater support for administrative capacity. This support is an expressed need, both for maintaining current operations and to grow capacity under enhanced funding scenarios. Multi-year, secure funding is needed to hire qualified, full-time staff to manage projects, administer contracts, improve workforce retention and hiring, and better plan for the future. Organizations also identified a need to increase knowledge of and access to entities that help write and administer grants.
Ability to Grow
Under current operational conditions, organizations collectively estimated how much additional funding they could capitalize on to expand operations:
Recommendations for Practice
Establishing dedicated and longer-term funding streams to support capacity building and to provide security for partners to offer trainings in effective business processes that allow them to scale up prescribed fire implementation
Improving the availability and quality of prescribed fire/smoke liability insurance
Dedicating separate and streamlined funding for facilities and equipment that is not “owned” by federal agencies
Supporting pathways for non-federal partners to advance their Fireline qualifications through enhanced training opportunities, cooperative burning partnerships, and implementation
Investing in a national prescribed fire catastrophe or claims fund to address risks of prescribed fire escapes or damages when burn practitioners adhere to identified best practices.