Policy 9.4 - Fire Management Planning

Effective Date: 11-July-2008
Responsible Branch: Wildfire Management Branch

Resource Management Volume Table of Contents | Amendment Log

Scope

This policy describes the requirements for the Ministry of Forests and Range (MFR) to develop and maintain Fire Management Plans.

Policy

The Ministry of Forests and Range will have approved Fire Management Plans which support land, resource and fire management objectives.

Purpose of Fire Management Plans

The purpose of Fire Management Plans is to provide support to decision makers for integrated wildland fire response and resource management activities. These plans are intended to ensure collaboration occurs across programs within the scope of this policy while working towards cost efficient and effective protection of resource values.

Scope of Fire Management Plans

Included within the scope of Fire Management Plans are any activities on forest and/or range lands that impact or influence the amount and distribution of forest and/or range fuels and forest stand structure. Specifically, Fire Management Plans:

• unless otherwise agreed to by the district manager and fire centre manager, shall encompass Crown lands for which MFR district managers are responsible;
• reference all fire and resource related plans for common and adjacent areas, including Ecosystem Restoration Plans and activities, and Fuels Management Plans in the Wildland Urban Interface (e.g. CWPPs);
• support the wildland fire response and fire analysis processes;
• honour and compliment other resource management processes (e.g. Wildlife Habitat Areas, Higher Level Plans, etc.).

The content of a Fire Management Plan includes, at both landscape and local levels, identification of the following as applicable:

• critical values at risk to wildland fire on the landscape;
• areas where wildland fire is beneficial or detrimental on the landscape, and when possible, corresponding descriptions of conditions under which fire is beneficial or detrimental (e.g. time of year and fire weather indices);
• areas of planned prescribed fire for ecosystem health, maintenance, wildfire threat reduction and silvicultural purposes;
• areas where non-fire fuel management treatment (e.g. thinning, spacing, chipping etc.) should occur to reduce the risk of catastrophic fire occurring near critical values at risk on the landscape;
• forest and range activities which could be used to benefit or protect ecosystems or values on the landscape, particularly but not limited to the potential impacts of fire (e.g. strategic placement of harvesting activities coupled with post harvest hazard abatement; choice of silviculture systems and silviculture practices); and
• First Nations and other cultural values as they relate to wildland fire management.

Roles

Multiple MFR branches as well as regions and districts have roles in the development of Fire Management Plans. Each is responsible for participation in the planning process, the resulting product, and its implementation and maintenance. The following describes the roles and responsibilities of the Operation Division organizational units.

Forest Region Role:

• coordinate a provincially consistent framework for Fire Management Plans;
• provide fire related expertise;
• provide input/feedback to the plans;
• align Fire Management planning process with Stewardship Business Area activities (e.g. Business Area Initiative);
• support and/or facilitate the process for development, maintenance and improvement of the plans and the planning process;
• ensure that the Fire Management Planning process remains viable and in line with other provincial initiatives and strategies;
• promote increased MFR capacity for Fire Management Planning and related activities;
• provide a leadership role in securing and/or aligning resources to assist districts in Fire Management Planning;
• liaise with Protection and Range Branches in order to communicate the most current and applicable information to districts and zones as it relates to Fire Management Planning.

Forest District Role:

• lead the development and maintenance of Fire Management Plans;
• collaborate with applicable fire zones and fire centre to ensure their fire response information needs are met, and to include their fire knowledge in the plan;
• seek input and involvement from local First Nations;
• where feasible and applicable ensure integration of ecosystem restoration planning and treatment activities, as well as other relevant activities (e.g. harvesting, road building, grazing, etc.) into Fire Management Plans;
• ensure the Fire Management Plan recognizes the objectives set by government (e.g. Government Action Regulation orders and LUOs), operational plans (e.g. Ecosystem Restoration, Fuels Management, etc.), and adjacent management unit plans (e.g. BC Parks Fire Response plans) within the district;
• endeavour to utilize the plan as a means of knowledge transfer, by gaining input from MFR staff with fire experience and local knowledge;
• ensure the Fire Management Plans are updated, reviewed and signed off each year in advance of fire season, with the involvement of appropriate fire centre and zone staff.

FIre Centre and Zone Role:

• partner in the development and maintenance of Fire Management Plans at the district/zone level;
• provide fire related expertise
• ensure that the Fuels Management program strategies and activities are included as appropriate, and implemented in a manner consistent with approved Fire Management Plans;
• ensure that fire response activities (e.g. Fire Analysis plan) compliment the objectives within the approved Fire Management Plan;
• participate in annual review of Plan in advance of fire season;
• ensure Districts are aware of all fire management and or interface activities;
• maintain decision-making authority with regard to fire response, particularly with regard to safety and cost.

Range Branch/Ecosystem Restoration Role:

• participate in the development and maintenance of Fire Management Plans at the district/zone level as appropriate.

Approval of Fire Management Plans

Plans will have joint signoff by district managers and fire centre managers prior to fire season of each year, including agreement on changes to scope of the plan as referenced in this policy. Plans without change still require annual collaborative review to ensure the information is still relevant and current prior to fire season.

References

• Canadian Wildland Fire Strategy
• Firestorm 2003 Provincial Review
• BC Protection Program Strategy
• BC`s Wildland Fire Strategy - DRAFT 2008
• Provincial Ecosystem Restoration Strategy - DRAFT 2008
• Ministry Service Plan
• The State of BC`s Forests - 2006 Report