Hopefully Fennessy will keep his fingers crossed behind his back when he says he will take the 100% suppression strategy .
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There’s a massive difference between a VMP burn and a wildfire. The intensity difference between the two is enough cause to warrant aggressive initial attack.
I don’t think the issue lies in suppression of unplanned vegetation fires, but more so in the lack of ability because of policy restrictions to perform proper VMP burns.
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I feel it’s a combination of both. When there are no values at risk do point protection and let it clear out the 100 years of the 10am rule. But, there absolutely needs more VMP
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I think what I come back to with having a blanket policy for all Federal lands about requiring full suppression for all wildfires is that we have an enormous country, with an incredibly wide variety of fuels, settlement patterns, and ecologies. There are places like Alaska and the Northern Rockies where we have multi-million acre wilderness areas, robust fire histories, and locals that are tuned into fire - it can be possible to let natural ignitions burn naturally here with very little risk to assets at risk! Throwing out that option for the simplicity of a National policy seems shortsighted and problematic.
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Now that the season is really going, what is your experience in how the new agency is working out on the ground, especially for communication and coordination?
Definitely not trying to start anyone down a political rabbit hole here, but…
It’s important for folks to keep in mind that Chief Fennessy is just being a good government employee and passing along the leader’s intent that he is receiving from up the chain. The 100% suppression “direction” (mistake) is coming from the misguided/misinformed/ignorant Secretary of the Interior and above.
Smokey Bear strategies got us into this mess, and they definitely won’t get us out. I think most of us on here are educated/experienced enough to know that.
Hopefully this will be a short-lived era and we can get back to managing natural ignitions and putting good fire on the ground again sooner than later. Realistically, one year of full suppression isn’t going to tip the scale, but hopefully it doesn’t continue beyond 2026.
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Lots to say here, however I don’t know if everyone is ready for that conversation.
Until the time is right; on the ground leadership would benefit by filtering the noise, including the noise from top leadership, take it one day at a time, and LCES when the bell rings.
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As we’re seeing in Colorado and Utah, fire itself didn’t get the ‘full suppression’ memo, or if it did, is choosing to ignore the directive. Now NorCal, that’s another story, it could be a great year to let some puzzle pieces fill in on the Klamath - which could actually happen if all our resources are out of Region saving the Colorado WUI Front Range communities. The world works in mysterious ways…
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Zeke
2 things. Isn’t the 
suppression “direction” from Chief Fennessey ,highlighted by terms indirect OR direct attack?
Sounds alot like a guideline rather than policy… Which allows for interpretation and flexibility. Just takes education,trust,hope,knowledge and information sharing.
Discussion of the KNF, PODS, theory, indigenous values and preservation of forests, were all discussed with key players in the last 48 hours… Bill, Will and Frank would agree. 
Let’s change the vernacular from “wildland” and “let burn” to " hazmat" and " ph"
Not any haz mat is the same,
After assessing and testing the pH of a hazmat, mitigation ( not containment ) may require adding base vs. acid to obtain a desired result.( Gas or brake )( Extinguish or propagate)
Not any wildland fire is the same.
After assessing fuels,wx,activity,location, mitigation ( or containment) may require adding ({acid}Rx style implementation- indirect) or creating and subtracting ( control features and actions,theories,)
Benefits should be evaluated, and absolutes are a poor theory.
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The FS still has the option to request approval to implement an “indirect strategy” Approval lies with the Regional Forester. I expect approvals will be limited.
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Chief Fennessey in his own words..