http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal?contentidonly=true&contentid=2009/11/0555.xml
Release No. 0555.09 Contact: USDA Press Office (202) 720-4623 DOI Press
Office (202) 208-6416 SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE AND INTERIOR PRAISE
CREATION OF "FLAME" WILDFIRE SUPPRESSION RESERVE FUND
WASHINGTON, Friday, Nov. 6, 2009- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and
Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today applauded the passage of
legislation creating the FLAME Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund. This new
wildfire suppression legislation will help the USDA Forest Service and DOI
manage wildland fires safely and effectively, while simultaneously
diminishing the need to transfer funds from other important programs and
services. President Obama signed the legislation October 30.
"The Obama Administration is committed to conserving and protecting
America's forests, and we are grateful for Congress' work to create a stable
means to fund wildland fire management," Secretary Vilsack said. "Creation
of the Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund enables safe and effective
management of wildland fires without pulling resources away from other
environmental priorities, such as clean, abundant water and safe, healthy
communities."
"This is an important and cost-effective step forward in managing the high
cost of firefighting while reducing the impact to other critical natural
resource programs," said Secretary Salazar. "It also represents a foundation
for a strategic plan to achieve fire-adapted communities while protecting
citizens and critical natural resources."
Congress created the Federal Land Assistance, Management, and Enhancement
(FLAME) Wildfire Suppression Reserve Fund as part of the Department of the
Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act for Fiscal
Year 2010 (PL 111-88). The act appropriates approximately $2.1 billion to
the USDA Forest Service and $795 million to DOI for wildland fire
management. In addition, the act creates the FLAME Wildfire Suppression
Reserve Fund that provides an additional $413 million to the USDA Forest
Service and $61 million to DOI to cover costs of suppressing large, complex
wildfires that meet certain criteria and to replenish wildland fire
management funds if they are depleted.
Since 2002, the USDA Forest Service has transferred more than $2 billion from other Forest Service programs to help cover the costs of suppressing wildfires. While the transfers enabled the agency to continue wildfire operations, fund transfers had detrimental effects on other agency programs, even when the transfer funds were repaid through supplemental appropriations. The FLAME Reserve Account is the right step in recognizing that the truly catastrophic nature of many wildland fires in this country. The Fund will help reduce the funding of fire operations from other non-fire accounts. The agencies will continue to place high priority on cost containment and fiscal accountability as implementation proceeds. Since FLAME legislation was introduced in March 2009, a diverse coalition of more than 80 interest groups has organized to support passage of the legislation.
Over the last ten years, an average of more than 72,000 wildfires per year
has burned more than 6.5 million acres of land throughout the United States.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Ave., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272(voice), or (202) 720-6382 (TDD).
