FONSI and Appendices for Wildland Fire Management Plan

The National Park Service (NPS) approved a wildland fire management plan for Katmai National Park and Preserve (KATM) and the Alagnak Wild River corridor (ALAG). An environmental assessment (EA) was prepared to evaluate potential impacts to cultural and natural resources associated with implementation of the fire management plan. The NPS selected Alternative 3 (Combination of Prescribed Fire and Use of Wildland Fire), which is the NPS Preferred Alternative.

The wildland fire management plan is a comprehensive document that outlines KATM and ALAG fire management goals and describes the policies and actions by which these goals will be realized. The plan formalizes park-specific responsibilities for implementing the Alaska Interagency Wildland Fire Management Plan (AIWFMP) and park-specific management decision-making and procedures, redefines fire management strategies, articulates the park's fire management organization and responsibilities, and establishes the direct linkage between the resource management goals and fire management strategies.

This fire management plan (FMP) is required to comply with NPS Director's Order-18 and codifies the way fire will be managed within KATM/ALAG. Although fire protection needs may arise and remain the NPS' first priority, managers need to consider fire as an integral component of the area's ecosystems and is critical for the maintenance of many indigenous conditions, from plant and animal populations to soil and permafrost layers. The scope of the selected alternative entails the planning and implementation of policies and practices flexible enough to allow the simultaneous pursuit of protection and resource management goals.

Document Content:

FONSI and Appendices   (518.4 KB, PDF file) Disclaimer: Links within the above document(s) were valid as of the date published. Note: Some of the files may be in PDF format and can be viewed using the Adobe Acrobat Reader software. You may download a free copy of from Adobe Systems.