Wildland Fire Management Research, Development, and Application (WFM RD&A)

The Wildland Fire Management Research, Development, and Application (WFM RD&A) program was created to promote application of wildland fire scientific knowledge; develop decision support tools; and provide science application services to the interagency wildland fire community. The WFM RD&A serves as a primary point of contact for communication between scientists and participating field fire managers, as a liaison between research, wildland fire planning and operations, interagency wildland fire IT groups, and as an advisor to program administrators at local, regional, and national levels. The WFM RD&A was initially chartered in 2006 and re-chartered in 2011 for a five year period. The charter is recommended by the Directors of the Rocky Mountain Research Station, Forest Management Sciences, and Fire and Aviation Management and signed by the Deputy Chief of Research and Development, the Deputy Chief of State & Private Forestry as well and the Chief of the US Forest Service. The charter defines the areas the WFM RD&A will work and focus their attention. The focus areas are:

• Coordinate relevant and timely fire science applications.
• Develop and support a Wildland Fire Decision Support System (WFDSS).
• Coordinate technology and development efforts for hazardous fuels and vegetation management and support interagency training in this area.
• Develop applications, disseminate information and conduct training for existing and emergent research priorities.
• Participate in and manage the National Fire Decision Support Center (NFDSC).