BLM Fire tackles radio interoperability on wildfires
Recognizing the need for better wildfire communication systems, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) recently took a major step forward developing advanced wildfire communication kits through a contract with private industry.
“Reliable communication is the backbone of effective wildfire suppression operations,” said BLM Fire Operations Division Chief Brian Achziger. “These new kits will provide incident management teams and firefighters with the tools they need to stay connected in the most challenging environments.”
Each kit will feature radio systems with satellite capability, ensuring that firefighters can maintain communication even when conventional radio networks fail. By integrating satellite communications, the kits eliminate some of the traditional obstacles posed by mountains, valleys, and dense smoke columns that can block VHF signals.
Additional functions of the communications kits will allow VHF and UHF radios to seamlessly talk with 7/800 MHz radios, ensuring that all personnel are able to communicate with each other on the wildfire, without having to carry multiple radios.
In addition to the hardware, the contract included on-site training provided to communications specialists from across the federal wildland fire agencies, including the National Interagency Incident Communications Division at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, the USDA Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and BLM Fire.
“To support communications in remote and high-risk environments, these kits use portable technology that creates a secure, high-speed network in the middle of nowhere,” said Morgan Gill, Telecommunications Specialist at the National Interagency Fire Center. “The system combines satellite internet and emergency cellular networks to ensure responders can connect and communicate reliably.
“At the heart of this setup is a device called the Fortinet FortiExtender, which acts like a mobile Wi-Fi router and security guard all in one. It keeps the network stable and protects data from cyber threats.”
The communication kits are expected to deploy to both initial attack operations and large fire incidents across the nation, focusing on high-risk areas where communication breakdowns could mean the difference between containment and catastrophe.
“We also use a tool called Cubic Vocality, which allows multiple radios from different agencies to be connected and work together; so federal, state, and local responders can all talk to each other, even if they use different radio systems,” Gill added.
The $2.76 million investment in the communication kits is part of a broader $10 million commitment by the BLM to modernize its wildfire communication infrastructure. This long-term effort aims not just to equip firefighters with better tools, but to ensure that wildland fire programs can keep pace with the rapidly evolving technology landscape.
By addressing radio interoperability, the BLM and its partners seek to create a fireline where every firefighter, from the seasoned smokejumper in Alaska to the municipal engine crew in California, can talk to one another clearly and immediately, no matter the badge they wear or the system they carry.
Wildland fire suppression will always pose unique and difficult challenges. But with better communications technology in their hands, today’s firefighters will become more efficient and effective on the fireline.
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