Partnerships

On any wildfire, you’ll find people wearing yellow shirts, green pants, high leather boots, and low-slung packs. The uniformity of their appearance might give the impression that a single agency is responding to the fire. In fact, those firefighters could work for federal agencies, Tribes, states, cities, nonprofits, or private companies. We all work together to meet the challenges of one of the most complex and high-risk activities in land management. 

Cooperative agreements between members of the wildland fire community allow us to share personnel and equipment to support a more rapid, efficient response when a wildfire ignites. 

Robust partnerships and collaboration across all jurisdictions and land types are the key to successful long-term wildland fire management that protects people, property, and the lands we all enjoy. 

Federal Agencies 

Primary Wildland Firefighting Agencies 

Within the federal government, two departments are responsible for wildland fire management on public lands:  

• The Department of the Interior through the U.S. Wildland Fire Service and
• The Department of Agriculture through the Forest Service. 

Together, we protect communities and natural resources across hundreds of millions of acres throughout the United States. Through shared standards, unified incident command, coordinated resource deployment, and joint planning, we work seamlessly to respond to wildfires. 

Supporting Federal Agencies 

Additional federal partners contribute essential capabilities to wildland fire management, including: 

• Department of Defense – Provides military resources to augment federal wildland firefighting capacity
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – Provides disaster response coordination and community assistance
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Provides weather forecasting and fire detection
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) – Provides satellite imagery, remote sensing technology, and fire detection systems.
• U.S. Fire Administration – Supports and strengthens fire and emergency medical services. 

State and Local Governments 

State, county, and municipal fire agencies are on the front lines protecting their communities from wildfires. The U.S Wildland Fire Service works hand-in-hand with local communities on prevention, preparation, and coordinated wildfire response. 

We support state and local governments through: 

• Resource Deployment: Federal firefighters, equipment, and aviation assets supplement local capabilities during major incidents.
• Training and Certification: Shared standards enable seamless integration of resources across jurisdictions.
• Financial Assistance: Cooperative agreements and reimbursement for agencies that respond to wildfires on Interior lands.
• Planning Support: Technical assistance for community wildfire protection planning
• Pre-positioning: Strategically placing federal resources in high-risk areas during peak fire season. 

State forestry agencies also coordinate closely with the U.S. Wildland Fire Service through the National Association of State Foresters, ensuring a unified approach to wildfire prevention and response nationwide. 

Tribal Nations 

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service honors its trust responsibilities to American Indians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and affiliated Island Communities. Through government-to-government relationships, we work with tribal nations to protect tribal lands and support tribal fire programs. 

We recognize the importance of Indigenous fire stewardship and work with tribes to incorporate traditional burning practices and ecological knowledge into modern fire management. 

Interagency Coordination Groups 

The U.S. Wildland Fire Service works with the interagency wildland fire community to establish training and qualification standards, share resources, and respond rapidly to wildfires across jurisdictions. 

Key interagency wildland fire groups includes: 

• Fire Executive Council (FEC) – Provides a common, integrated, and coordinated federal agency approach for wildland fire leadership to establish the strategic vision and priorities for federal wildland fire management.
• Fire Management Board (FMB) – Directs, coordinates, and oversees the development and implementation of federal wildland fire policy and programs.
• Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs) – Provides leadership and support for wildland fire emergencies and other emergency incidents as necessary.
• National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) – Serves as the focal point for the mobilization of firefighters and equipment to wildfires and other incidents throughout the United States and weather and vegetation condition predictions.
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) – Coordinates wildland fire management across agencies and establishes interagency wildland fire operations standards, wildland fire position standards, qualifications requirements, performance support capabilities, and information technology capability requirements.
• National Multi Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) – Provides national wildland fire operations management, establishes national wildland firefighting priorities, and mobilizes wildland firefighters and equipment. 

International Cooperation 

Wildfire is a global challenge. The U.S. Wildland Fire Service exchanges expertise, equipment, and personnel with other countries through international agreements. These partnerships strengthen wildfire response capabilities on all sides and enable rapid international assistance during periods of severe fire activity. 

Get Involved 

Communities, organizations, and individuals all have roles to play in building wildfire resilience. Learn how you can participate: 

• Fire-Adapted Communities Learning Network
• Firewise USA
• Ready, Set, Go!