Description

Six key points are presented for discussion during breakout sessions of the 2003 International Wildland Fire Safety Summit. These key points are in no particular order. Key Point #1: The International Association of Wildland Fire needs to consider broadening the 'agenda' of the International Wildland Fire Safety Summits to include the public at large. Key Point #2: Our understanding of fire behavior dynamics in insect- and disease-killed forest stands is extremely poor to non-existent. Key Point #3: Avoid placing too much reliance on 'Trigger Points' and continue to stress fire behavior fundamentals and systematically assessing potential fire behavior using existing aids & guides. Key Point #4: The use of experienced judgment in assessing fire behavior needs to be supported by more documentation in the future. Key Point #5: A concerted effort is to needed to bring the fire behavior and human behavior specialists together in order to improve wildland fire safety in the future. Key Point #6: Initial attack dispatch guidelines should reflect the current state-of-knowledge concerning fire behavior and firefighting resource productivity/effectiveness.