Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group
CHARTER
Fire Program Analysis Advisory Council
I.
Background and Purpose
The Fire Program Analysis (FPA) system supports analysis of alternative organizations
and strategies on an appropriate interagency landscape scale to achieve fire management
objectives in a cost effective manner. The Fire Program Analysis system must be
developed and implemented through a coordinated interagency effort in order to achieve
an optimal level of program effectiveness. In order to meet the needs of the federal
wildland fire program provided by federal policy guidance as well as Congressional and
executive direction (references may be found at http://fpa.nifc.gov), the five federal
wildland fire agencies started implementation of FPA on October 1, 2004.
The purpose of this charter is to identify how the wildland fire agencies in the Pacific
Northwest will organize themselves for successful implementation of FPA. This charter
establishes the understanding that each agency agrees to serve as a participant in the
implementation of the FPA system by developing and enhancing working relationships to
promote a coordinated interagency effort.
II.
Name
The Pacific Northwest Fire Program Analysis Advisory Council (PNWFPAAC);
hereinafter referred to as the Team.
III.
Authority
This Team is established pursuant to the charter authority granted to the parent group, the
Pacific Northwest Wildfire Coordinating Group (PNWCG) through the respective agency
fire management leadership for the Department of Agriculture and the Interior, plus the
states of Oregon and Washington to assist in accomplishing the PNWCG’s mission and
goals. The Team has the authority to develop and execute an annual program of work or
execute work as assigned by PNWCG. The Team Chair has authority to make contacts,
assign work within the Team, make commitments on behalf of the Team and commit
such resources that are available within the Team. The Chair may request further
resources and authority as needed.
2
IV.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Team is to provide advice, monitoring and assistance to field units in
the interagency implementation of FPA. FPA is an interagency analysis that includes an
aggregation of all lands being considered in the analysis called a Fire Planning Unit
(FPU).
Interagency FPUs have been identified in the Pacific Northwest and are listed in the
Advisory Council Program of Work (POW). Contact information for the lead in each
FPU can also be found in the POW.
V.
Objectives
The Team will address the needs of the wildland fire management community by:







VI.
Coordinating development and revision of interagency Fire Planning Unit (FPU)
boundaries, through local FPU teams and neighboring geographic areas as needed.
Promoting consistency between FPUs whenever possible through the development and
distribution of tools, aids and guidelines.
Providing a communications link between PNW FPUs and the National level FPA
Program Team for successful interagency implementation of FPA.
Working with interagency fire management to resolve FPU and land managers’ issues
and questions.
Developing a POW each year for the Advisory Council and submit to the PNWFPAAC
Chair for approval.
Participating in monitoring of FPA implementation as necessary.
Implementing the approved certification process and ensure all FPU submissions are
certified in a timely manner.
Membership
Federal members should include one voting representative from each of the following
agencies:





USDA Forest Service
DOI Bureau of Land Management
DOI US Fish and Wildlife Service
DOI National Park Service
DOI Bureau of Indian Affairs
State members should include one non-voting representative from each of the following
state agencies:
 Washington Department of Natural Resources
3
 Oregon Department of Forestry
State members participate as “ad-hoc” members who do not rotate through the Chair or
Vice Chair position
Replacement members should be selected by the team based on a list of candidates from
the providing agency
VII.
Organization
The Team functions under the direction of PNWCG. Annually the Team appoints the
Chair and Vice-Chair. When the Chair steps down, the vice-Chair will assume the chair
position on an interim basis until a new Chair is appointed. The succession of Team
leadership and the re-adjustment of the Team membership will be forwarded to PNWCG
for approval.
VIII.
Membership definitions and responsibilities
Chair:
 Serves for a minimum one year term but with no limitation in number of successive terms
 Represents the Team to PNWCG.
 Serves as Team spokesperson.
 Convenes meetings as deemed necessary by the Team or PNWCG.
 Presides over the meetings.
 Recommends the need for further resources and authority when it becomes evident.
 Assigns work to task groups.
 Selects ad hoc subject matter experts to assist in issue resolution.
 Prepares and signs correspondence approved by the majority of the voting members.
 Sends meeting announcements, agenda items, etc., to membership.
 Works closely with the Team’s PNWCG liaison.
Vice-Chair:
 Functions as Chair in the event the Chair is unavailable.
 Becomes Chair after serving as Vice-Chair for one year.
 Is responsible for follow up on on-going projects and the development and
implementation of Team procedures.
 Ensures a note taker is available for record keeping.
 Maintains the permanent record of Team activities.
 Distributes executive summary to Team, PNWCG, and other Advisory Councils’
chairs/task groups.
Members:
 Solicit topics from their constituents for inclusion in the meeting agendas.
4




Participate in all regularly scheduled meetings or send a designated representative
*(except for ODF and DNR members; refer to Section VI Membership).
Members unable to regularly attend meetings should resign their position *(except for
ODF and DNR members; refer to Section VI Membership).
Submit sufficiently in advance any briefing papers concerning issues to be included on
the upcoming meeting’s agenda.
Relay team activities and developments to constituents.
Subject Matter Experts:
 Assemble information requested by the Team for presentation and peer review.
IX.
Cooperation and Coordination
The Team shall strive to coordinate with strategic partners as necessary on all projects
and products. Issues, problems, and concerns raised by FPUs may be brought to the
PNWCG for elevation to the appropriate national level representatives (FPA and/or
agency fire management).
Line Officers at the various levels, from the FPU to the state/regional level to the national
level, are ultimately responsible for dispute resolution among partnering agencies. If any
FPU runs into a dispute among the partner agencies that cannot be resolved by the FPU
level line officer, then that dispute is elevated by the FPU through the affected agencies
line officers for resolution. However, where possible the Advisory Council will facilitate
this process, working with the agencies to resolve the conflict.
The Advisory Council’s primary responsibility is to provide consistent information flow
to all FPUs from and to the FPA Implementation National Coordination Group (ICG).
This information flow also includes the gathering and disseminating of information that
will help FPUs implement FPA, training nominations, and dissemination of Tech Tips
and other pertinent information from the ICG or other sources. The committee serves as
a collection point for issues/problems/concerns that are then presented to the PNWCG for
elevation to the national level as needed.
X.
Meetings
Meetings, including teleconferences, will be held to the minimum necessary to
accomplish the defined purposes of the Team in a timely fashion. Team meeting
schedules will be forwarded to the Team’s PNWCG liaison.
No scheduled meeting shall occur unless three (3) voting members or their designated
representatives (DR) are present. The DR will be authorized to attend the meeting and
vote for the absentee member who made the temporary appointment.
5
Agenda and briefing papers should be made available to all Team members two weeks
prior to a scheduled meeting. Minutes and executive summaries of the meetings will be
made available to the PNWCG. These items as well as other pertinent information
concerning Team activities will be posted on the Team’s website.
XI.
Reports and Minutes
Sufficient records should be kept to analyze the performance of the Team and to keep the
Team progressing toward its objectives. Reports and accomplishments shall be submitted
to PNWCG as often as required.
XII.
Charter Approval and Amendment
Original Charter approved March 9, 2009 as the Fire Program Analysis Working Team.
This “Appended” Team Charter is effective on the date of signature by the PNWCG
Chair.
Charter revisions are made on the recommendation of the Team and with the concurrence
of the PNWCG. All modifications to this Charter will be filed as supplements to the
original Charter.
/s/ Carl W. Gossard.
__
Chair, Pacific Northwest Coordination Group
May 18, 2011
Date