Fire Management
Land-use changes, invasion of exotic species and insect infestation, exclusion of disturbance and absence of management have resulted in a huge buildup of dead and dying vegetation throughout the state. This poses an extreme threat to our watersheds from catastrophic wildfire, which will impact soil, wildlife habitat, recreation resource values, and water quality and quantity. The Division’s fire programs focus on prevention, hazard mitigation, and suppression of wildfire to protect lives, property, and natural resource values.
The Statewide Operating Plan is prepared pursuant to the Master Cooperative Wildland Fire Management and Stafford Act Response Agreement (CFMA) between the State of Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands and USDI Agencies within the State and the Intermountain Region of the Forest Service as set forth in provision 5 therein signed and dated June 2009. This agreement is administered by the Utah Oversight Committee. This group consists of the designated representatives of the Agency Administrators charged with the oversight of the terms and implementation of the CFMA and the general oversight of interagency wildland fire management activities within the state of Utah. The Utah Oversight Committee is identified in the Utah Cooperative Fire Management Agreement.