BIA Enters into the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission Compact

Author: Lucas Minton and Robyn Broyles

Nashville, Tennessee – On August 2, 2018, Fire Commissioners from each of the Northeast Forest Fire Protection Commission Compact (NFFPC) approved the Bureau of Indian Affairs request to allow Tribes and agencies in Eastern Region to become members to NFFPC.

NFFPC’s works to provide information, technology and resource sharing (mutual aid) activities for its member states and provinces to help them better cope with fires that grow beyond the response capabilities of a single member. In addition, NFFPC also assists partners with developing integrated forest fire management plans and helping each partner maintain appropriate forest management services.

Eastern Region Fire Management Officer, Lucas Minton expressed his sincere appreciation for the resolve it took to complete the compact. “I want to thank Tom Parent, NFFPC Executive Director for his support during this process. It has been a successful collaborative effort that has taken over two years to complete.”

The BIA Eastern Region encompasses a dynamic and diverse mix of Tribes and natural resources that has a jurisdictional area that covers eleven states, from Maine to Florida to Louisiana. This includes 496,899 acres held in trust, and 105,797 acres of restricted lands. Within these borders there are over 87,000 Tribal members that make up 35 federally recognized Tribes under the Eastern Region’s jurisdiction.

As an associate member, BIA agencies and Tribes join the U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. National Park Service, seven states and five Canadian provinces in supporting NFFPC’s mandate.