The Academy's fourth study of the federal land management agencies' wildfire issues will be delivered to Congress and the agencies in January 2004. It is a follow-up to three recommendations of the previous study on containing wildfire suppression costs. The three elements of the current study are: (1) mobilizing multiple governmental and non-governmental parties to more effectively reduce wildfire hazards in wildlands and communities-at-risk, (2) creating additional highly qualified local firefighting forces and leadership cadres to more effectively support and moderate the use of national wildfire suppression forces, and (3) providing better analyses to federal contract administrators to help them get best value on equipment and services acquired for wildfire programs. The Academy's Panel guiding this study will make recommendations for achieving all three goals, and the presentation will explain the recommendations.

This study is based on Academy-led workshops exploring these issues in states and communities across the nation. The study's major themes include enhancing state and local capacities to convene all the relevant parties, sustaining collaborative planning and coordaination processes, producing a higher volume of work on the ground, and holding the parties accountable for high performance. The study is expected to recommend administrative actions, potential amendments to existing programs, and the possibility of new legislation to facilitate achievement of the goals in the National Fire Plan and the collaboratively developed 10-Year Comprehensive Strategy and Implementation Plan for Reducing Wildland Fire Risks to Communities and the Environment.