The Case for Active Leadership: A Unified Approach to Wildfire Management

By Mark Niemeyer, President of the Board for the Western Fire Chiefs Association; Brian Fennessy, Fire Chief for the Orange County Fire Authority; Mike Morgan, Director of the Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control; and Lucas Mayfield, President of the Grassroots Wildland Firefighters

As we face an era of increasingly devastating wildfires, the formation of a new U.S. Wildland Fire Service under the Department of the Interior represents a critical moment in reshaping how our nation responds to this ongoing crisis. However, as we work to build this new service, it is essential that we recognize and empower the role of state and local fire leaders as active partners in the process. These leaders are not just critical—they are indispensable in our ongoing fight to protect lives, property, and the landscapes of our communities.

Local and State Fire Departments: The Backbone of Wildfire Response
Each year, local fire departments provide tens of thousands of firefighters to combat the national wildfire threat, in addition to those responding from our State fire agencies. Their experience, knowledge, and rapid response capabilities are a critical component of our nation’s wildfire management and response infrastructure. State and local fire officials are the boots on the ground who live and work in communities that are directly impacted by wildfires, and they have unparalleled expertise in managing the unique risks within their own regions.

In addition to mitigation and pre-fire activities, state and local fire agencies also carry primary initial attack obligations in nearly every wildland urban interface across the country. When fires start in these high-risk zones—where homes meet forested, grassy, or brushy areas—state and local fire personnel are on the frontlines, coordinating rapid and effective responses. Their swift actions often determine the difference between a wildfire being contained quickly through aggressive response, or it escalating into a conflagration fire that destroys homes and devastates ecosystems.

The Need for Integrated Leadership in Wildfire Management
While the creation of a new Wildland Fire Service is an important step forward, it is critical that the integration of federal, state, tribal, and local fire agencies is done in a way that promotes collaboration, not division. In the past, efforts to address wildfire threats have often operated in silos, with federal, state, and local agencies working in separate spheres. This approach has proven inefficient, especially as wildfires have become more complex and unpredictable.

We believe that the only way we can successfully minimize the growing wildfire threat is through a unified approach—one where all parties are working together toward common goals. This means breaking down bureaucratic barriers and fostering better communication, information sharing, and joint decision-making. By collaborating in the planning stages, we can develop more effective, region-specific strategies that take into account the local realities of fire pathways and behavior, community vulnerabilities, and ecological risks. This work will result in productive mitigation work ahead of a fire, a more robust and aggressive response system, and delayed recovery time for communities affected by fire.

A Call to Action: Recognizing the Essential Role of Local and State Fire Leaders
As the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service takes shape, it is essential that it draws on the expertise of those who are already on the frontlines—state and local fire leaders who have dedicated their careers to protecting their communities from the devastating impacts of wildfires. The success of this new service will depend on how well it can integrate the efforts of every level of fire management, and that starts with making sure that the voices of those who know their local conditions best are not only heard but are empowered to help guide the process.

We urge policymakers at the federal level to recognize that our current wildfire challenges cannot be solved in isolation. The men and women who serve at the state and local levels must be part of the solution from the very beginning. The future of wildfire management in the U.S. depends on all of us—working together, learning from each other, and making the best use of our collective strengths. By ensuring that state and local fire leaders are central in the development of the new U.S. Wildland Fire Service, we are taking a crucial step toward a more resilient, safer, and more prepared nation.