The Defense Department, along with several other federal agencies, has announced a memorandum of agreement to enhance interagency coordination in response to wildfires and their aftermath. The goal of this agreement is to strengthen federal coordination of recovery efforts in helping communities recover after a wildfire. This initiative is part of a broader effort to address the cascading impacts of extreme wildfires, such as mudslides, loss of habitats, and soil degradation, which can have lasting effects on communities.
The memorandum of agreement was developed by the White House Wildfire Resilience Interagency Working Group and follows recommendations by the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. The commission noted in its 2023 report to Congress that post-fire recovery efforts are often fragmented and called for better integration among federal agencies in responding to impacts across different jurisdictions. This interagency approach aims to allow for a more rapid and coordinated response to wildfire-related challenges, including those that impact military installations and defense communities.
The Defense Department has been a key stakeholder and partner in wildfire readiness, response, and recovery efforts, as military communities also face the threat of wildfires and their long-term impacts. For example, the Army’s Pohakuloa Training Area in Hawaii was affected by the Leilani fire in 2022, leading to the funding of post-fire restoration projects through programs like the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Program and the DOD Legacy Resource Management Program. These initiatives aim to address the cascading impacts of wildfires and restore built and natural infrastructure to a more resilient state through cross-jurisdictional collaboration.
Assistant Secretary of Defense for Energy, Installations, and Environment, Brendan Owens, highlighted the importance of this integrated approach in protecting environmental assets, safeguarding military missions, and maintaining operational readiness. With the memorandum of agreement, the Defense Department is working with its agency partners to create a more secure and resilient future for military forces and the communities they partner with. This collaborative effort seeks to improve federal coordination of recovery efforts in response to wildfires and their aftermath, addressing the complex challenges posed by extreme wildfires and their cascading impacts on communities.
