November 1, 2013 – General President Harold Schaitberger is urging President Obama to take immediate action and appoint a task force on wildland fires. In a letter to the president Schaitberger wrote, "Today’s issues and challenges surrounding wildland fires are analogous to the issues surrounding urban fire problems of the previous generation. To address adequately the wildland issues, the federal government must take a lead role in coordinating and leading the effort.” 

The letter comes in the wake of an intense wildfire season that resulted in the tragic loss of numerous fire fighters, including 19 IAFF members in the Yarnell Hill fire.

The concept of a task force would be modeled after the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control, which led to the landmark “America Burning” report surrounding the urban fire problem in the 1970s. 

More than a dozen federal agencies, state and local governments, the fire service, industry, code enforcement agencies, insurance companies and scores of other entities have a direct interest in various components of wildland fires. Consequently, the federal government is the only entity that can properly unify the various participants to analyze the many issues associated with wildland fires and make recommendations to reduce their frequency, impact and scope.

A potential task force is expected to provide focus on matters such as the unique health and safety issues facing wildland fire fighters, appropriate staffing levels and modernizing wildland equipment and technology.

Read the letter here.