National Park Service Fire Management Office Adopts New Wildland Fire Management Zones For Southeast US

The Southeast Region of the National Park Service Fire Management Office recently adopted new wildland fire management zones (see map) that were developed in collaboration with Center researcher, Justin Shedd. Justin provided alternative zone delineations to NPS regional managers, including a deputy regional director, superintendents, and fire management officers, based on nearly five years of data mining and geospatial analysis of current staffing levels and agreements, historical workloads, and future conditions.  In his January 2015 memo to southeast regional NPS superintendents, the Southeast Regional Director, Stan Austin, said the new fire management zones will “promote a safer, more efficient organization by ensuring more timely and accurate response to the wildland fire management needs of supported parks within a specific geographic region.”