Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
2009 Accomplishments
Who we are
The Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG) is an association of 11 local, state and
federal agencies that either have wildland fire protection responsibilities or support agencies that do. The
members include:
Forest Service
Bureau of Land Management
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Fish and Wildlife Service
Oregon Dept. of Forestry
Washington Dept. of Natural Resources
National Park Service
Washington Association of Fire Chiefs
Oregon Fire Chiefs’ Association
Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office
Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office
Background
In the 1960s and 1970s, fire seasons across the Pacific Northwest stretched firefighting resources thin. To
make matters worse, allocating fire engines, crews and aircraft in the most efficient manner proved to be a
continual challenge, since the land management entities with fire
protection responsibilities in the region largely operated independently of
each another. While local unit cooperation was generally good, there was
no overarching coordination mechanism at the regional level.
The same situation was occurring across the nation. To provide for overall
coordination of wildland fire training, preparedness and cooperation, the
National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) was established in 1976.
In 1984 the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park
Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs and the
States of Oregon and Washington chartered the Pacific Northwest
Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG).
In the ensuing decades, wildland fire protection in the region became a
truly collaborative interagency effort, encompassing fire prevention and
preparedness as well as training and execution. Agency leaders yielded a
measure of autonomy to foster this unprecedented level of cooperation.
Following are the past year’s successes that confirm their trust:
Responding to your direction
In 2009, the PNWCG acted on members’ suggestions and overhauled its structure. By the end of the year,
the group had emerged as a leaner and more responsive organization, better able to meet the fire protection
needs of the region.
What we accomplished
 Updated strategic plan – The PNWCG Steering Committee, Working Teams and Advisory Councils
reviewed and updated the PNWCG strategic plan during 2009. This is done annually.
 After-action review items resolved – The Steering Committee resolved the five key items identified in
the 2008 Incident Commander After-Action Review:
1. Technology – Provided funding for an initial level of computer capability for each incident management
team in the Pacific Northwest. The capability is field deployable.
2. Incident Management Teams – Identified alternatives for the appropriate size of incident management
teams for various responses, with the needs of the incident to guide team size and make-up.
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3. Workforce capacity – Formulated an array of strategies to ensure the personnel and skill needs of
incident management teams will continue to be met in the future.
Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
2009 Accomplishments
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 After-Action Review items resolved (cont.)
4. Prioritization of Type 3 and incidents with multiple objectives – Established methodologies for
xxx.prioritizing small and emerging wildfires.
5. Close-out and in-briefing formats – Created standardized formats for in-briefing and close-out functions
xxx.that are designed to save incident management teams’ time and energy.
 $3 million grants’ proposal approved - Over $3 million of grant proposals were reviewed and
approved by the Steering Committee, which allocated more than $3 million in grants to PNWCG member
agencies for fire mitigation work.
 Program of work updated - The PNWCG Program of Work was reviewed and updated. This is done
biennially.
 Met with all Geographic Area Oversight Boards – The Steering Committee and Operations Working
Team met with all of the Boards of Directors in 2009 and established unified governance of the Oregon
Type 2 interagency incident management teams (IMTs).
 Report on medivac hoist capabilities accepted – Prompted by the death of a Pacific Northwest
employee while on assignment out of region, the PNWCG examined the hoist capabilities of helicopters
used for medivac purposes in the Pacific Northwest. A report written in response to a PNWCG task order
was accepted. A related task order called for establishing the protocols to be followed in determining which
medical conditions call for evacuation of patients. Work on this task order is underway but not yet
completed.
 Incident management team size resolved –
The Steering Committee, Operations Working
Team and Incident Commander Advisory Council
deliberated on the appropriate size for incident
management teams in the region and issued a
letter containing guidelines to PNWCG member
agencies.
Contract firefighter training oversight
reviewed – A public listening session was held to
review the level of oversight currently maintained
on firefighter training that is conducted by private contract training providers.
Assisted Portland NIMO team – The Steering Committee met with the Portland National Incident
Management Organization (NIMO) to establish the NIMO’s role in the Pacific Northwest. The PNWCG
actively participated with the Portland NIMO in incident simulation exercises and assisted the team with its
Program of Work.
Passenger transport on Type 1 helicopters prohibited – Based on a national risk assessment
conducted in the aftermath of a fatal helicopter accident in 2008, the Steering Committee and Aviation
Working Team decided not to allow transport of passengers on Type 1 helicopters.
 Supported Fire Knowledge Transfer Consortium – The Steering Committee lent its support to the
development of an interagency fire knowledge transfer consortium for the Pacific Northwest. The
consortium is described as a “virtual mechanism” to share fire knowledge among universities, research
agencies and other interested parties.
 PNWCG website updated – The PNWCG website was updated and the usability enhanced.
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