WASHINGTON — The U.S. Forest Service has placed its national fire and aviation authorities under one deputy chief, a move agency leaders say will shorten reporting lines and clarify who can make decisions during wildfire response.
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz signed the delegation of authority Aug. 11, transferring the authorities to Sarah Fisher, deputy chief for Fire and Aviation Management, Safety, and Employee Wellbeing. The change took effect immediately.
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Under the delegation, Fisher will oversee the agency’s wildfire response, preparedness and aviation management programs. She also will have the authority to approve critical fire-related spending, allocate resources, oversee communications and manage emergency response actions and declarations.
The change covers authorities outlined in Forest Service Manual 1230, which addresses delegations of authority, and Manual 5100, which covers fire management. Powers specifically reserved for the Forest Service chief will remain with that office.
The agency’s Geographic Area Fire Directors will now report to Fisher. Forest Service officials said placing those directors under the same office responsible for national fire and aviation programs creates a more direct chain of command across geographic areas.
“Today, it is more important than ever that we move with speed, clarity and accountability when fire threatens our communities, our forests and our critical infrastructure,” Schultz said. “This action streamlines reporting structures, creates clarity and ensures the people responsible for managing these critical programs have the authorities they need to get the job done.”
The delegation does not change the Forest Service’s fire organization or field structure at the forest level. It also does not alter the agency’s operational posture for the current fire season.
The shift is part of the agency’s implementation of Executive Order 14308 and USDA Secretary Memorandum 1078-017. The executive order directed the Agriculture and Interior departments to consolidate wildland fire programs where possible and improve coordination, technology and response capabilities.
The Forest Service said it and its interagency partners have completed the action items required under the executive order, including updates to national wildfire governance and the primary interagency agreements used to coordinate wildfire response. The new delegation brings the agency’s internal reporting structure in line with those changes.
