Western Regional Strategy Committee (WRSC)

West Regional Strategy Committee

Regional Strategy Committees (RSCs) are sub-chartered groups of the Wildland Fire Executive Committee (WFEC) and report to it throughout Phase II. The WFEC formally chartered the Western Regional Strategy Committee (WRSC) and Western Regional Strategy Communications Working Group (CWG).

The WRSC provides executive leadership, oversight and guidance on the development of regional goals, objectives and portfolios of activities and actions that support the focus areas of the Cohesive Strategy in the West Region (see map below).

United States and Territories included in the West Region.

The CWG’s primary task is to recommend to the WRSC the strategic goals and objectives, along with a suite of related actions and activities for this defined geographic area. Development of the goals, objectives, actions, and activities will follow a nationally consistent planning and analysis process by utilizing Comparative Risk Assessment Framework and Tools (CRAFT). CRAFT is a collaborative step-by-step process to examine the values placed on the landscape and how these values are likely to be affected by the interactions of management decisions and future uncertainties. Assistance and training will be provided to working groups on the use of CRAFT and completion of regional assessments.

A National Science and Analysis Team will support the RSCs during the trade-off and science analyses that comprise Phase III of the effort.

Now Versus Then

This Strategy goes beyond previous efforts to coordinate wildland fire response. It recognizes regional differences and delves more deeply into the tough questions and tradeoffs that need to be addressed by using best available science and regional and local values in the decision making process to reduce risks to communities, firefighters and landscapes.

Local governments, states, tribes and agencies retain their decision space. This Strategy intends to provide collectively determined goals and objectives that can help all members of the wildland fire management community make better decisions that contribute to restoring resilient landscapes, promoting fire adapted communities and strengthening wildland fire response.

Congress also requires this strategy to be updated every five years to keep it current with the changing threats of wildfire and the growing opportunities to reduce risk to both communities and natural resources.

CFN - California Fire News 2013 

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