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The Northeast Regional Strategy Committee (NE RSC) provides executive leadership, coordination, and guidance to carry out the Northeast Regional Action Plan while providing a forum for members to guide strategic direction for fire and land management activities. The NE RSC continues to collaboratively recognize, support, and help with National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy goals and implementation efforts.
Brad Simpkins, New Hampshire State Forester
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Northeast Region Cohesive Strategy Key Contacts
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Chair Chief Fire Warden Mass. Dept. of Conservation and Recreation Maureen Brooks Vice-Chair U.S. Forest Service Northeastern Area S&PF Larry Mastic Coordinator, Northeast Region Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy |
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Forest Fire Compacts
Quick Links
Science and Joint Fire Science Consortiums & Exchanges
Social Media
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March 2018
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A View from the Field: An Interview with Art Canterbury
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Devin Wanner, Public Affairs Specialist, U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
March 2018
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Art Canterbury. (Courtesy photo by Art Canterbury)
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Art Canterbury, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Northeast Region Fire and Emergency Management Coordinator
Art Canterbury began his career with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) in 1998 as an intern/AD Firefighter with the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (NWR). He has held a variety of positions since then leading up to his current role as the USFWS Northeast Region Fire and Emergency Management Coordinator, which began in April 2016. He also serves as a member of the National Fire Leadership Team for the USFWS, member of the Northeast Regional Strategic Committee, and as a Commissioner for the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Compact.
Canterbury enjoys hunting and fishing when he is not working. "I spend many days in the woods scouting for my next hunt and taking my wife Paige, and two little girls with me." He has enjoyed hunting deer, turkey, bear, pheasants, grouse, prairie chickens, ducks, geese, and coyotes. He also enjoys fishing with the family. "My little girls have both caught largemouth bass that weighed in over 8 pounds. I enjoy brewing my own beer also. I'm working on a Midnight Milk Stout infused with coffee right now." The family has ventured into raising rabbits, chickens, maple sugaring, and beekeeping. "Get out and enjoy God's creation and make the most of your opportunities while still being a steward of the land," is Canterbury's motto.
What are some of the challenges for the wildland fire program in your state/agency?
Over the last decade the Department of Interior (DOI) has seen steady declines in budget. The USFWS has gone from roughly 535 full-time wildland firefighters to roughly 360 or less at the current time. That's a decrease of over 30% in our staffing. This has greatly reduced our capacity to provide the needed support for Prescribed Fire and Wildfire response. Our organization has identified a target of roughly 800,000 acres of Service land that needs to be burned annually to keep up with the needs. With limited funds, we are focusing more each year on where treatments will have the most positive impact on the environment and also provide long-term benefits for fuels reduction that reduce the risk of uncontrollable wildfires.
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Megan's Corner - March 2018
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The SINGLE, EASIEST, MOST EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT way to influence the LANDFIRE data layers is to provide
reference data
. If you cannot personally submit data, PLEASE let me or the LANDFIRE team know who can. We'll track them down! There is STILL TIME to potentially get data incorporated into the Remap. Here's your to-do list, whether you are a data provider or not: REMIND, REVIEW, ASK, THINK, and SEND (RRATS for short, which is what you will be saying later if you DON'T do this).
- REMIND yourself about how plot data impacts data quality (5-20 minutes to review one example). Also see the new example we worked up for Remap.
- REVIEW datasets already submitted by national, state, and other agencies. Even if a dataset is listed there, updated versions of their data may not have been submitted for several years. The most up-to-date information is the Compiled Data Table, which was last updated in November 2017 (initial review of these tables should take 3-5 minutes. See more info). In the Compiled Data Table:
- Review your state (filter on the "State Region" field)
- Filter on other states or regions, specific agencies, etc., to see what datasets they are submitting
- If it is unclear from this spreadsheet, ASK Brenda Lundberg (cc me) whether updated versions of these datasets in your state have been submitted.
- THINK about agencies within your state that may collect vegetation or disturbance data that could be useful for this effort.
- Even if an unlisted agency does not have data available currently, SEND contact information to Brenda Lundberg (cc me) so those agencies will be included in the next data call.
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A Year of Firewise USA
TM Participation in the Northeast Region
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Megan Fitzgerald-McGowan, Associate Project Manager, NFPA Wildfire Division
March 11, 2018
For NFPA's
Firewise USATM
program, 2017 was quite the year for change in how the program is delivered and supported. With a focus that shifted toward more mitigation work and implementation of the Firewise online management portal, we are now able to share more details about what our participants are actually doing - and it's awesome! This month we are providing a glance at how involved residents in the Northeast engaged in efforts to reduce their wildfire risk in 2017.
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Mount Jewett VFD to Receive Free Equipment
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[Reprinted with permission from The Bradford Era]
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The Mount Jewett Volunteer Fire Department received their first set of used firefighting equipment recently. Pictured from left are Dan Smith of Department of Conservation and Natural Resources; Scott Sanderson, forest fire warden Mount Jewett Volunteer Fire Department; Mike Boedecker, first chief, and Dan (Beans) Gustafson, chief of Mount Jewett Fire Department. (Courtesy photo submitted by Gregory Burkhouse)
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MOUNT JEWETT---- The Mount Jewett Fire Department will be receiving free firefighting equipment from the US Forest Service thanks to the completion of McKean County's Community Wildfire Protection Plan.
The plan is used to identify areas at risk for wildland fire in McKean County as well as offer recommendations for vegetation thinning treatments and other mitigation actions homeowners can take to reduce wildfire risk.
The idea for the plan began back in March of 2015 when the McKean County Board of Commissioners met with Peter To, forest fire management officer with the Allegheny National Forest. In the meeting, To explained that there was the potential to receive federal grant money and used firefighting equipment from the federal forest service for communities that have a completed plan.
According to To, after listening to his presentation, the McKean County commissioners realized that "it could be a benefit to the citizens of the county because many live in areas that are susceptible to wildfires."
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Partnership Announces 2018 Wildfire Mitigation Awardees
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Individuals, Organizations Honored for Exemplary Commitment to Community Wildland Fire Protection
January 17, 2018
[The Northeast RSC congratulates Abby Watkins, Director of Newaygo County Emergency Services in White Cloud, Michigan, who received a 2018 National Wildfire Mitigation Award last week in Reno, Nevada!]
WASHINGTON
--- The Wildfire Mitigation Awards committee has announced the 2018 Wildfire Mitigation Award winners. Established in 2014, the awards are the highest commendation for innovation and leadership displayed by individuals and organizations committed to wildfire mitigation.
The Wildfire Mitigation Awards are sponsored by the National Association of State Foresters (NASF), the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), and the USDA Forest Service (USFS).
Read the full Wildfire Mitigation Awards story
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Conferences, Meetings, and Training Opportunities
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--Regional--
April 9-25, 2018
Registration Form at link above
Applications due by February 16, 2018
Selections will be made by March 1, 2018
Wisconsin (various locations)
--National--
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The Northeast Regional Strategy Committee (NE RSC) delivers articles and stories each month that demonstrate the collaborative efforts of agencies, organizations and communities supporting and promoting the three goals of the Cohesive Strategy: Restoring Resilient Landscapes, Creating Fire Adapted Communities and Responding to Wildfire.
This news update is our primary communication tool with our partners and the public. Looking for more Northeast Region Cohesive Strategy information or past published news update issues? Visit this Web site.
Does your agency, organization, or community have a project or event you'd like to see featured in the NE RSC News Update?
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