Concerning

SUMMER WILDFIRES

Before the

COMMITTEE ON ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

SUBCOMMITTEE ON FORESTS AND PUBLIC LAND MANAGEMENT

September 22, 2000

MR. CHAIRMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE SUBCOMMITTEE

Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today concerning the operational aspects of summer wildfires. I am Bill Waterbury, Deputy Forest Supervisor, Malheur National Forest, in the Pacific Northwest Region of the Forest Service. I am also a National Incident Commander with the Pacific Northwest Region and Incident Commander of Interagency Team #2.

I have over 30 years of experience fighting wildland fires and 25 years fighting structure fires as a volunteer firefighter in Oregon. I have been a part of National Incident Management Teams since 1990 and Area Incident Management teams since 1972. I became Incident Commander (IC) of our team after serving as Deputy IC on the High and the North Kirk complex in California in 1999. As IC during the 2000 wildfire season my team assignments included the Hanford Wildland Fire in Washington; the Garden Ferry Complex, Cave Gulch, and the Monture/Spread Complex in Montana; and the Jasper Fire in South Dakota.

From my perspective as an Incident Commander it appeared that initial attack forces were sometimes overwhelmed with new fire starts that at times exceeded 250 starts per day. Weather conditions with the high number of lightning strikes, high temperatures, fast erratic winds, and extremely dry fuels combined to create fires with an intensity that was more challenging than anything I have witnessed in my 30 years as a firefighter.

The Incident Command system has done wonders to bring national, State, and local firefighting organizations together with common organization, terminology, tactics, and equipment, yet under the stress of this exceptional fire season, some issues did arise that need further attention. For example, several local organizations were lacking in even the basic firefighting resources and were not equipped with more advanced systems and technology such as infrared (IR) imagery. Due to the pressure to protect the public, state or local organizations at times felt compelled to take action without coordinating with other firefighting forces, such as the Forest Service, in the area. Their intention was always good, but there was at times the potential to put other firefighters at risk. While there is always a sense of great urgency, all actions between participating agencies need to be closely coordinated at the incident level.

However, the good news, by far, exceeds the bad. This year, more than ever before, the public was fully involved with our team. This involvement went far beyond typical public meetings and working with the media, and it included everyone from Governors to local homeowners. There was an eagerness to understand the issues and how and why the Team did the things we did.

I was also amazed at the support citizens of the local communities gave to our firefighters. Many times this outpouring of community support inspired our firefighters to accomplish more than could be reasonably expected of them.

The county sheriffs and emergency management organizations were outstanding. The military assistance was timely and much needed, and I cannot say enough good things about the National Guard units I worked with this year.

This concludes my remarks. I would be happy to answer any questions you or the members of your subcommittee may have.

For more information contact Bud Risner