July 2 designated first annual “National Wildland Firefighter Day”

Wildland firefighting is difficult, physically arduous work, often largely undertaken out of the public eye. Every year, thousands of federal, state, local, Tribal, military and contract firefighters and support personnel respond to wildland fires across the U.S. As a result of climate change and other factors, these wildfires are increasingly larger and more complex, placing additional demands on a dedicated workforce.

In honor of our nation’s wildland firefighters who answer the call throughout the year, the National Interagency Fire Center’s Fire Management Board was proud to proclaim July 2, “National Wildland Firefighter Day.” The board represents the national fire programs for the Bureau of Indian Affairs, BLM, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service and USDA Forest Service, along with partners including the National Association of State Foresters, U.S. Fire Administration, the National Weather Service, and the Department of Defense.

The July 2 date will hereafter be designated each year to honor the important work of wildland firefighters.

“While we support and appreciate wildland fire personnel today and every day, National Wildland Firefighter Day is designed to recognize the hard work and devotion of all wildland firefighters and support personnel who are the backbone of the wildland fire community,” said Grant Beebe, BLM Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation Management.

“Today we pause to recognize our dedicated wildland firefighters before they head out once again to fight larger and more intense wildfires across the West,” said Jerry Perez, Forest Service Director of Fire and Aviation Management. “These dedicated men and women are working to protect communities, private property and public lands in increasingly challenging conditions, and we are grateful for their work.”

“National Wildland Firefighter Day” will occur annually during the previously established, “Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance,” (June 30-July 6), during which wildland firefighters review the lessons of previous fatality fires and incorporate those safety principles into firefighting today. “National Wildland Firefighter Day” is the first designation of a day specifically for wildland firefighters.  

On average, wildland firefighters respond to nearly 63,000 wildland fires every year across the U.S. Factors such as drought and wildfires in the wildland-urban interface have led to increasingly complex and challenging fire activity that starts earlier in the year and lasts later into the fall. Despite these conditions, wildland firefighters have remained dedicated and resilient – every year, they save lives, property, communities, infrastructure, and precious natural and cultural resources.

“Firefighters are integral to state operations, including those we rely on to help us from our federal and local interagency partners, private fire service and Tribal nations,” said George Geissler, Washington State Forester. “We could not do this alone.”

National Wildland Firefighter Day will offer an opportunity to reflect on those who have been lost during wildland firefighting while recognizing the on-going work of all federal, state, local, Tribal, military and contract wildland firefighters and support personnel.

For more information on National Wildland Firefighter Day, including a history of wildland firefighting, visit: https://www.nifc.gov/nwffd.