By MES Dispatch Staff
The Briefing
- U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz signed a delegation of authority Aug. 11 transferring national fire and aviation oversight to Deputy Chief Sarah Fisher.
- The change gives Fisher authority over wildfire response, aviation management, critical fire-related spending, resource allocation and emergency declarations.
- Geographic Area Fire Directors will now report directly to Fisher, shortening the agency’s chain of command.
- The delegation took effect immediately but does not alter field-level fire operations or the agency’s operational posture for the current fire season.
- The move implements a 2025 executive order and USDA directive requiring consolidation of wildland fire programs across federal agencies.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Forest Service has placed its national fire and aviation authorities under a single deputy chief, a change agency leaders say will shorten reporting lines and clarify decision-making authority during wildfire response.
Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz signed the delegation of authority Aug. 11, transferring the authorities to Sarah Fisher, deputy chief for Fire and Aviation Management, Safety, and Employee Wellbeing. The change took effect immediately and covers authorities outlined in Forest Service Manual 1230, governing delegations of authority, and Manual 5100, covering fire management. Powers specifically reserved for the Forest Service chief remain with that office.
Under the delegation, Fisher will oversee the agency’s wildfire response, preparedness and aviation management programs, along with authority to approve critical fire-related spending, allocate resources, oversee communications and manage emergency response actions and declarations. The agency’s Geographic Area Fire Directors will now report to Fisher, which officials said creates a more direct chain of command across geographic areas.
“Today, it is more important than ever that we move with speed, clarity and accountability when fire threatens our communities, our forests and our critical infrastructure,” Schultz said in a statement. “This action streamlines reporting structures, creates clarity and ensures the people responsible for managing these critical programs have the authorities they need to get the job done.”
The delegation does not change the Forest Service’s fire organization or field structure at the forest level, and officials said it does not alter the agency’s operational posture for the current fire season.
The move is part of the agency’s implementation of Executive Order 14308 and USDA Secretary Memorandum 1078-017, which directed the Agriculture and Interior departments to consolidate wildland fire programs and improve coordination, technology and response capabilities. The Forest Service said it and its interagency partners have completed the action items required under the executive order, including updates to national wildfire governance and interagency agreements used to coordinate wildfire response, and that the new delegation aligns the agency’s internal reporting structure with those changes.