National Wildfire Preparedness Levels

This article is part of the Wildland Fire Learning In Depth series. It is designed for students who want to learn more about fire. Find the complete series on the Fire subject site.

Interagency geographic areas for wildland fire management.

National Interagency Coordination Center

National wildfire preparedness is typically described in five levels with regards to fire activity and resources committed.

The National Multi-Agency Coordination Group (NMAC) establishes preparedness levels throughout the calendar year to help ensure that firefighting resources are ready to respond to new incidents. Preparedness levels are dictated by burning conditions, fire activity, and especially resource availability.

The Five Preparedness Levels

Each preparedness level has specific management directions. As the preparedness levels rise, more federal and state employees become available for fire mobilization if needed.

Preparedness Level 1
Geographic Areas accomplish incident management objectives utilizing local resources with little or no national support. There is little risk of drawing down capability in any geographic area to support incident operations.

• Conditions are not favorable to support significant wildland fire activity in most Geographic Areas.
• Resource capability is adequate with little or no mobilization of resources occurring through NICC.
• Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is expected to remain minimal.

Preparedness Level 2
Active Geographic Areas may require national support to accomplish incident management objectives. Resource capability remains stable enough nationally to sustain incident operations and meet objectives in active Geographic Areas. There is a low to moderate probability that drawing down resources from non-active Geographic Areas may pose a risk should existing conditions change.

• Significant wildland fire or non-fire activity is increasing in a few Geographic Areas.
• Resources within most Geographic Areas are adequate to manage the current situation, with light to moderate mobilization of resources occurring through NICC.
• Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is normal to below normal for the time of year.

Preparedness Level 3
Mobilization of resources nationally is required to sustain incident management operations in active Geographic Areas. National priorities are established to address the demand for shared resources among active Geographic Areas. There is a moderate to high probability that drawing down resources from non-active Geographic Areas may pose a risk should existing conditions change.

• Significant wildland fire or non-fire activity is occurring in multiple Geographic Areas with Incident Management Teams (IMTs) actively engaged.
• Mobilization of resources through NICC is moderate to heavy.
• Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is normal for the time of year.

Preparedness Level 4
National Resources are heavily committed. National mobilization trends affect all Geographic Areas and regularly occur over larger distances. National priorities govern resources of all types. Heavy demand on inactive/low activity Geographic Areas for available resources.

• Significant wildland fire or non-fire activity is occurring in multiple Geographic Areas with a substantial commitment of IMTs.
• NICC increasingly engages GACCs to coordinate and fill orders for available resources.
• Potential for significant incidents emerging in multiple Geographic Areas indicates that resource demands will continue or increase.

Preparedness Level 5
National Resources are heavily committed, and additional measures are taken to support Geographic Areas. Active Geographic Areas must take emergency measures to sustain incident operations. Inactive/low activity Geographic Areas are reaching drawdown levels.

• Full commitment of National Resources is ongoing.
• NICC coordinates resource requests with GACCs as resources become available.
• Potential for emerging significant wildland fires is high and expected to remain high in multiple Geographic Areas.

Learn more about the Geographic Areas Coordination Centers