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Refuges Assist Ugandan Firefighters

Mississippi Sandhill Crane and Piedmont National Wildlife Refuges - 2003

As part of the Department of Interior's International Assistance Program, Tony Wilder of Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge and Carl Schmidt of Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge traveled to Uganda to provide expertise in fire suppression tactics for two Uganda National Parks.

During their three-week trek, Tony and Carl taught two courses in fire suppression techniques. They also developed fire management plans for the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, one of the last remaining homes of mountain gorillas, and Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to African Savannahs, lions, elephants and hippos.

The two Service employees were nationally recognized for their efforts by the African Wildlife Foundation and the Uganda Wildlife Authority.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages public land in every U.S. state and territory, including 547 national wildlife refuges and 69 national fish hatcheries.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service manages 75 million burnable acres, including 24 million acres of forest/brushland and 4 million acres of grassland.

More than 50% of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands in the continental U.S. (and more than 90% in Alaska) include fire-adapted ecosystems with vegetation dependent on periodic fire.

An average of 500 wildfires burn 260,000 acres each year on U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lands. The Service also burns about 300,000 acres a year using prescribed fire.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service annual fire program budget is approximately $80 million.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employs more than 530 permanent fire professionals, along with 270 seasonal and temporary fire employees during fire season.

More than 3,000 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service employees are qualified to assist with wildland fire management on an interagency basis.

The U.S. Fish and Wildland Service Fire Management Program protects more than 700 communities and wildland-urban interface areas.

Historically, an acre was the amount of land tillable by one man behind an ox in one day. This measures 90% of a football field. There are 640 acres in a square mile.

More than 90% of the hazardous fuels reduction by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is completed using prescribed fire.