(Washington, D.C., January 14, 2021) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today issued a statement celebrating the establishment of the Interagency Wildland Fire Subcabinet. Executive Order on Establishing The Wildland Fire Management Policy Committee will open up more communication channels to ensure better forest management effectiveness between the Departments and Agencies within the Federal government. 

“While I am proud of our progress to promote active management, reduce hazardous fuels, work across boundaries and increase the resiliency of our nation’s forests and grasslands, I believe more can be done,” said Secretary Perdue. “With the establishment of a subcabinet dedicated exclusively to wildland fire management, we will be better equipped to prevent and fight wildfires, ensuring these national treasures will continue to be enjoyed by future generations of Americans.”

Background:

Executive Order on Establishing The Wildland Fire Management Policy Committee will set United States policy to:

• Improve coordination among agencies on wildland fire management policy, implementation and oversight issues;
• Reduce unnecessary duplication across the Federal Government by coordinating and consolidating existing wildland fire related councils, working groups, and other formal cross-agency initiatives, as appropriate;
• Efficiently and effectively manage preparedness resources, initial attack response, extended attack and large fire support, and hazardous fuels at a cross boundary, landscape scale;
• Promote integrated planning and procurement among agencies for Federal investments in wildland fire management infrastructure; and
• Support workforce development and efforts to recruit, train, and retain federal wildland firefighters to efficiently and effectively respond to wildfire on public lands, and to protect life, property and community infrastructure.