BOISE, Idaho — Federal agencies involved in fighting and managing wildland fires have developed plans to help protect the nation's firefighters and the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Interagency Fire Center announced Thursday.
The agencies worked in "close coordination with state and local partners" to identify issues related to the pandemic and wildfire response in the U.S., NIFC said.
"Wildland firefighting is an activity that requires close physical contact and therefore, we have adapted our operating model to limit virus spread, enhance firefighter safety, and provide for efficient and safe wildland firefighting operations," said Beth Lund, National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group (NMAC) representative for the U.S. Forest Service.
The plans outline general wildland fire suppression strategies and recommend best practices for all levels of wildland firefighting operations.
The Area Command teams started working on the plans on March 17, when NMAC tasked them to coordinate with federal, state, county and tribal officials to identify all issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildland fire response, and to develop a Wildland Fire Response Plan for each geographic area in the U.S.
The plans also follow the Centers for Disease Control and state health department guidelines.
"Wildland fire responders will continue to adapt as the situation evolves and work in coordination with local and state health organizations," said Josh Simmons, chairperson of the National Multi-Agency Coordinating Group. "Local fire personnel can use these plans to tailor their fire operations to their respective areas or fire incidents."
The plans are available on the web at National Interagency Coordinating Center's website.
Southern and Central Idaho are part of the Great Basin geographic area plan. North Idaho is part of the Northern Rockies plan.