Glacier National Park (GNP) is uniquely located geographically, with boundaries shared by United States Forest Service, the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia, and the Montana Department of Natural Resources. Historically, good working relationships have existed between these groups, and they have pulled together to jointly strengthen programs and share resources. While relying on each other for resources, making joint decisions, and while managing fire on mixed-jurisdictional lands, the importance of interagency cooperation has been underscored.
An Interagency Fire Management Plan developed jointly with the Flathead National Forest (FNF) over the past several years was completed on March 19, 2004. This joint plan will strengthen both programs. The FNF has a larger initial attack capability, manages the Interagency Dispatch Center, has a helicopter module, and can provide fireline leadership. GNP has knowledge and experience in managing Wildland Fire Use fires and protecting backcountry structures. The GNP Lookouts provide thorough fire detection and radio relay for the USFS to the west and south of the park. In addition, there are plans to have a joint Fire Information Officer as well as an Aviation Officer shared between GNP and FNF.
An Operating Plan has been established for initial attack responses on the east side of Glacier National Park with the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), the Blackfeet Agency and the Lewis and Clark National Forest. With much closer proximity to the east side of the park, 51 miles from the main GNP fire operations, the likelihood of a successful suppression response is greatly enhanced with their cooperative involvement.
These close working partnerships were tested and reinforced during the fire season of 2003. During the winter of 2003-2004, the Glacier National Park Fire Management Staff built on existing relationships to improve interagency operations. In 2004, the following interagency cooperation successes have occurred.
- The GNP Fire Monitoring crew assisted with a United States Geological Survey (USGS) study comparing water quality in the Coal Creek drainage within the burned area from the 2003 Rampage Complex with water quality in the nearby Pinchot Creek; an area unburned in recent years.
- GNP fire management staff coordinated Basic Fire School and Interagency Helicopter Operations (S-271) classes that included BIA, BLM, NPS, USFS, and Montana Department of Natural Resource (MT DNRC) employees. The Fire Management staff also taught sessions for the BIA Montana Indian Firefighters Basic Fire School, and the Northwest Montana Fire Training Academy.
- The GNP Lead Fire Lookout coordinated a two-day fire lookout workshop/training for NPS, USFS, MT DNRC fire lookouts, and Flathead Interagency Dispatch personnel. This workshop was well received and will be expanded next year.
- The GNP Fire Operations Specialist is the Vice-Chair for the Northern Rockies Coordinating Group (NRCG) Equipment Committee. He coordinated an Equipment Inspection Workshop and was involved with two additional one-week workshops in Montana and Idaho, designed to teach personnel how to properly inspect contract equipment for Emergency Equipment Rental Agreements (EERA) with United States Federal agencies.
- GNP Fire Management Staff are members of the following Interagency committees: Flathead County Fire Planning Committee, NRCG Zone Executive Committee, NRCG Business Management Committee, the North Fork Community Fire Mitigation Committee, the Fire Ecology Steering Committee, Northwest Montana Zone Training Committee, NRCG Fire Use Committee, Northwest Montana Zone Prevention and Education Committee, Northwest Montana Mobilization Board, Fire Management Leadership Board coordination group, and the NPS Montana/Idaho Airshed Representative.
- GNP has a representative on the North Fork Fire Mitigation Committee. The North Fork is a remote urban interface community within and just west of the park that saw major fire activity during the Moose, Robert and Wedge Fires. GNP has provided fuels and fire history maps and attended committee meetings to assist with prioritizing and allocating cost-share dollars for defensible space fuel reduction projects on private lands.
- The FNF and the BIA each provided a member of their staff in order to fill the vacant GNP Fire Crew Supervisor position. Being able to draw on the experience of all agencies' employees allowed for important cross-training, skill development, and leadership development.
- Glacier National Park, and the Intermountain Region, administered two Rural Fire Assistance Grants to Babb and Coram/West Glacier Volunteer Fire Departments totaling $22,000. These grants will help local firefighters to obtain wildland fire training and to purchase safety and wildland firefighting equipment.
- GNP assisted Grant Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site to outfit their wildland engine with personal protective equipment (PPE), hose and nozzles, and other equipment. Grant Kohrs Ranch NHS has an agreement with the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest to assist with prescribed fire, staffing the engine, fire training, and initial attack responsibilities. The Forest detailed a USFS crew from Mississippi on severity for two weeks, and the Forest used the newly equipped engine extensively for prescribed burning during the 2004 season. GNP also helps Grant Kohrs Ranch NHS with writing burn plans, training coordination, and fire safety equipment .
- GNP Firefighters and Fire Monitors went on assignments with the Lewis and Clark Fire Use Module, Flathead Interagency Hotshot Crew, and the Flathead National Forest Helicopter Module.
Though Glacier National Park has been working on interagency relationships for years, the 2003 fire season provided the impetus for greater interagency contacts and the subsequent strengthening and formalization of our agreements. The 2004 fire season allowed GNP staff to focus on our interagency goals and will greatly enhance future cooperation for the next big fire year.
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