Abstract

The Fire Management Study Group (FMSG) meets annually. The Group's principle purposes are the exchange of information and technical specialists, coordinating and facilitating mutual aid in fire management activities, and to undertake mutually beneficial joint projects, including training fire management personnel. This report summarizes the 33^rd annual meeting held in Kelowna, BC, in the fall of 1999. The 1999 fire season was near average, with a three-country total of 92,095 fires burning a total of 4,384,372 ha, slightly below the long-term average. Several joint initiatives were pursued, including agreements to protect radio frequencies for mutual aid in fire fighting and for training. Major field experiments in progress are the International Crown Fire Modelling Experiment and Project Frostfire. The FMSG charter and awards processes have been updated, and work has started on Criteria and Indicators for wildfire. The Global Wildfire Conference 3 may be held in Santiago, Chile, in 2002; CDN$50,000 seed money has been set aside for this. Moneys have also been earmarked for web site development and for grants in aid to research.

Study Group Overview

The Fire Management Study Group has functioned since 1962, with three delegates from each of Mexico, United States and Canada. Various observers also routinely participate in the meetings. The group is managed through annual meetings.

The FMSG provides a forum for Mexico, the United States and Canada to:

• exchange information, technology and ideas
• exchange technical specialists
• undertake mutually beneficial joint projects
• facilitate cross-border mutual aid
• coordinate fire management activities
• conduct joint training and education
• recognize outstanding achievements in the three countries in fire management and research.
• identify emerging issues and incorporate them into the annual work plan

FMSG task groups relating to action items contained in the FMSG's annual work plan are funded by participating agencies, on behalf of the FMSG. Task groups meet and communicate throughout the year, as needed to accomplish their objectives.

This report summarizes the FMSG meeting reports from the 33^rd FMSG meeting, held in Canada in the fall of 1999. The 34^th meeting will be held in the United States in the fall of 2000.

33rd FMSG Meeting
Kelowna, British Columbia, 27 September - 2 October 1999

Fire activity

The 1999 fire season saw a slightly below or above average number of fires in the three countries, with Canada experiencing 7,200 (10-yr average 8,947), the United States 76,916 fires (10-yr average 63,153), and Mexico 7,979 fires (10-yr average 7,964). Area burned was in all three countries was: Canada 1,678,386 (10-yr average 3,357,877), United States 2,474,925 ha (10-yr average 1,451,128), and Mexico 231,061 ha (10-yr average 279,340). The continental totals were then 92,095 fires burning 4,384,372 ha, compared to a 10-yr average of 80,064 fires burning 5,088,345 ha. The average fire size was therefore 47.6 ha, compared to a 10-yr average of 63.6 ha.

In Canada, Modified Response fires accounted for about 6.2 % of the fires, but about 63% of the total area burned. In the United States, there were a total of 1,534,125 prescribed burns reported, covering more than 780,000 ha. This includes one prescribed fire which escaped, burning an area10 times larger than intended, as well as burning 23 homes and other structures in California. Ninety-eight percent of the fires in Mexico were human-caused, of which 44% were related to agricultural activities.

Research highlights

The International Crown Fire Modelling Experiment (ICFME) continues in Canada. Another major initiative, Fire M3, provides near real-time monitoring, mapping and modelling of fires across Canada, and may eventually expand to the entire continent. A Mexican Fire Information System was developed with assistance from the Canadian Forest Service, and is proving to be a useful tool. Project FROSTFIRE in Alaska continues to provide new insights into fire behaviour and ecology. A Joint Fire Science Program was approved by Congress in 1998 and had, as of September 1999, funded 45 projects to a total of more than US$15,000,000.

International projects

Mexico reported an involvement in 33 projects involving the Commission's partners. The ICFME, FROSTFIRE, and Mexican Fire Information System were among the cooperative projects discussed. There is also a joint US/Mexico firefighter training program. Cross-border mutual agreements were updated. An international agreement protecting radio-frequencies for fire-fighter use has been signed by all three countries.

Conferences

Upcoming events include: National Fire Law Workshop, Calgary, October 2000; 4^th International Wildland Safety First Summit, Edmonton, October 2000; Wildland/Urban Interface 2000 Conference, Halifax, May 2000.

The Third International Wildland Fire Conference may be held in Santiago, Chile, in 2002.

Tours

At the Kelowna meeting, the delegates toured a wildland/urban interface fire in the Kelowna area.

Other business

• FMSG's awards process was also revised to increase transparency.
• Albert Simard was replaced as Fire Advisor in the Canadian Forest Service by Ian Campbell, who automatically assumes the role of delegate to the Commission's FMSG.
• A 3-year US/Mexico joint training program started in 1998.
• Development of a set of Criteria & Indicators for Fire was started and continues.
• The United States and Mexico signed a cross-border mutual-aid agreement for initial attack.
• The United States and Mexico signed an agreement to protect emergency radio frequencies for fire fighting.
• FMSG's charter was revised in recognition of the FMSG's evolving role.

Upcoming activities

In addition to those ongoing activities noted above, the following upcoming activities are planned for the next 2 years:

• Global Wildfire 3 Conference, may be held in Santiago (Chile). CDN$50,000 seed money have been reserved for this purpose.
• Web page development: CDN$20,000 have been reserved
• Research support: a research support fund has been developed, with a balance of CDN$97,000.
• The next FMSG meeting will be held in the United States in September 2000.

ANNEX

Membership: