Refinancing and restructuring federal fire management

Abstract

Changes in fire-dependent ecosystems, fuel accumulations, and an ever-increasing population in the wildland-urban interface have increased fire management complexity and expenditures. To manage wildland fire more efficiently, this article suggests developing a national fire organization, reallocating budgets, and using private markets to finance emergency firefighting expenditures. By tapping the private capital market, federal agencies could reallocate current spending and firefighting activities, while hedging against the risk of loss in severe fire years.