Wildland Fire Management Plan Craters of the Moon National Monument I. Introduction

A. Reasons for Developing This Plan

This plan outlines in as detailed a manner as possible those actions that will be taken by Craters of the Moon National Monument in meeting the fire management goals for the area. This meets the requirement in Director's Order-18 (DO-18) that all park units with vegetation capable of sustaining fire develop a Fire Management Plan. Until a fire management plan is approved, parks must aggressively suppress all wildland fires, taking into account the resources to be protected and firefighter and public safety. Parks lacking an approved fire management plan may not use resource benefits as a primary consideration influencing selection of a suppression strategy, but they must consider the resource impacts of suppression alternatives in their decision. Development of an approved fire management plan will facilitate the goal of managing wildland fires in portions of Craters of the Moon National Monument for resource benefits. As a secondary benefit the plan is intended to reduce suppression costs without compromising public or firefighter safety.

B. Resource Management Relationship

The General Management Plan and the Natural Resources Component of the Resource Management Plan (RMP) for Craters of the Moon National Monument address the issue of fire management in a general manner. This specific action plan implements fire related management actions from the RMP.

C. Compliance

An environmental assessment serves as the NEPA documentation for this plan and is included as Appendix C. National Historical Preservation Act compliance is documented in appendix D.

D. Authorities for Implementing this Plan

Authority for carrying out a fire management program at Craters of the Moon National Monument originates with the Organic Act of the National Park System, August 25, 1916. This Act states that the primary goal of the National Park Service is to preserve and protect the natural and cultural resources found on lands under its management in such manner as will leave them unimpaired for future generations.

The Management Authorities (Directors Order-18, November 1998 and Reference Manual RM-18, February 1999) are the guiding documents for fire management plan implementation.

Servicewide fire management policy is expressed in the current revisions of the Directors Orders and attendant Reference Manual for the National Park Service, and "The Wildland and Prescribed Fire Management Policy: Implementation and Reference Guide" (1998), and is incorporated herein by reference. The monument's fire management objectives conform to the referenced documents.