National Interagency Fire Ctr

What National Interagency Fire Ctr does

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is the United States' national logistical support center for wildland fire management, headquartered in Boise, Idaho and operating under the U.S. Department of the Interior. Established in 1965 as the Boise Interagency Fire Center and renamed in 1993, NIFC coordinates wildfire response, prescribed fire, fuels management, and post-fire recovery across the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Weather Service, and partner state and tribal agencies. Operations are executed through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC), 10 Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs), 9 smokejumper bases (approximately 450 smokejumpers), the National Interagency Incident Communications Division (NIICD) with P25 digital radios, the Great Basin Cache supply system, and a network of Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS). The January 2026 establishment of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) consolidated previously fragmented DOI wildland fire programs under a unified structure.

NIFC does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through federal appropriations and provides coordination services to partner agencies at no charge under interagency agreements. The technology stack is operational rather than productized: Cisco-based VoIP telephony (Cisco Unity, Jabber, 8841/8851 IP phones), FAMWEB for incident data management, RAWS for fire weather monitoring, P25 digital radio communications, and Phoenix infrared aerial reconnaissance. The center operates no commercial pricing model, APIs, or third-party integrations; instead, it runs a tiered government-to-government dispatch system in which local agencies escalate resource requests through GACCs to NICC when needs exceed regional capability. International support is dispatched via USAID/OFDA coordination, and military support is enabled through a DOD liaison and Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS).

The organization's customer base is entirely public-sector: federal fire management agencies, state forestry agencies (coordinated through the National Association of State Foresters), tribal nations, and international partners. NIFC has no parent company in the commercial sense, no funding rounds, no M&A activity, and no patents or trademarks; it operates as a statutory interagency coordination entity under congressional appropriation. Its 2026 USWFS consolidation represents the most significant structural change in the organization's 60-year history, positioning NIFC as the operational hub for an increasingly unified federal wildland fire response system.

Name

National Interagency Fire Ctr

Legal name

National Interagency Fire Center

Website

https://nifc.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) is the U.S. federal interagency coordination center for wildland fire management, headquartered in Boise, Idaho. It mobilizes firefighters, aircraft, smokejumpers, equipment, and supplies across BLM, USFS, NPS, USFWS, BIA, and state and tribal partners through a tiered national dispatch network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildland Fire Coordination and Emergency Management

NAICS

Fire Protection (922160), Support Activities for Forestry (1153)

SIC

Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Wildfire Risk Assessment, Prevention & Suppression Services (IMAMAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Response Coordination & Incident Command (EOC/ICS) (HLAJAGAB), Integrated Forest Health & Fire Management Planning (AFAMAEAK), Incident Command System (ICS) & Emergency Management Training/Exercises (Tabletop/Drills) (EUAHALAE)

Keywords

• Wildland fire coordination
• Interagency fire management
• Wildfire suppression resources
• Aerial firefighting dispatch
• Incident mobilization services

Headquarters

HQ city

Boise

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Federal Government Appropriation: As a Department of the Interior facility, NIFC is funded through federal appropriations that support wildland fire management operations, coordination activities, and the National Interagency Coordination Center. Funding covers personnel, equipment, aircraft, and interagency cooperation programs.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

NIFC operates as the nation's logistical support center for wildland fire management, coordinating the mobilization of firefighters, smokejumpers, aircraft, engines, equipment, and supplies across federal, state, tribal, and international jurisdictions through the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) and ten Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs). Its core services also include incident communications (NIICD with P25 digital radios and Phoenix infrared reconnaissance), predictive fire weather services via RAWS, fire information dissemination through InciWeb and National Fire News, training and qualification standards (Red Book), and unified programs for fuels management, smoke management, post-fire recovery, and firefighter health and wellbeing.

Product overview

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) serves as the nation's logistical support center for wildland fire management, providing a comprehensive suite of coordination and operational services rather than a commercial software product. NIFC's offerings include firefighter resources (hand crews, smokejumpers, incident management teams), aircraft assets (airtankers, helicopters, tactical aircraft, smokejumper aircraft), firefighting equipment (dozers, engines, water tenders), and specialized services through the National Interagency Incident Communications Division (NIICD) with P25 digital radios and infrared reconnaissance. The organization operates the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) and ten Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs) for resource mobilization, and provides fire information services including National Fire News, InciWeb, and Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS). Standards are maintained through the Red Book, while programs span fuels management, smoke management, post-fire recovery, training, medical standards, and the Joint Fire Science Program. In 2026, the DOI unified its wildland fire programs into the U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS). The organization also provides health and wellbeing support, career services through DOI FIRES, and maintains active social media channels for public outreach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) Centralized national-level operation providing logistic support, intelligence reporting, and dispatch of crews, overhead personnel, aircraft, supplies, and services for wildland fire incidents across the U.S. and internationally.
• Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs) Ten regional coordination centers that locate and dispatch firefighters and support personnel throughout their geographic areas and forward resource orders to NICC when needs exceed regional capability.
• Firefighter Resources Personnel resources including hand crews, overhead personnel, smokejumpers, and incident management teams mobilized for wildfire suppression and all-risk incidents.
• Aircraft Resources Aerial firefighting assets including airtankers, helicopters, tactical aircraft, and smokejumper aircraft mobilized for fire suppression operations.
• Smokejumper Aircraft Fixed-wing aircraft (Twin Otter, Casa, Dornier, Sherpa) that deliver smokejumpers and cargo by parachute from 3,000 feet for initial attack on remote wildland fires.
• Tactical Aircraft (Leadplane and Air Attack) Leadplane and Air Attack aircraft that direct aerial fire suppression, coordinate airspace over wildfires, and provide reconnaissance for incident commanders.
• Firefighting Equipment Heavy equipment including dozers, engines (over 325 wildland fire engines deployed), water tenders, plus support services such as caterers and showers for fireline operations.
• Dozers Specially designed heavy construction equipment adapted for wildland firefighting, including small, medium, and large dozers used for fireline construction.
• National Interagency Incident Communications Division (NIICD) Communications services including P25 digital radios, avionics, engineering, maintenance, technical training, and the Phoenix infrared reconnaissance branch for incident operations.
• Phoenix Infrared Aerial Reconnaissance Infrared aerial reconnaissance using Phoenix systems to detect heat sources, map fire perimeters, and provide intelligence to incident commanders.
• Supplies (Great Basin Cache) Pre-positioned supplies and equipment cache system operated by NIFC for rapid deployment to wildfire incidents nationwide, including accountability, demobilization, ordering, and returns processes.
• Fire Information Services Wildland fire news, statistics, situation reports, maps, news releases, and incident information disseminated through National Fire News and InciWeb.
• Remote Automatic Weather Stations (RAWS) Automated weather monitoring stations providing real-time meteorological data used for fire behavior forecasting and fire weather predictions.
• Interagency Standards (Red Book) Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations providing guidelines and standards governing wildland fire management across federal agencies.
• Joint Fire Science Program Research program delivering scientific information and technology to support wildland fire management decision-making.
• Smoke Management Program Programs to manage smoke impacts from wildland and prescribed fires on air quality and public health.
• Post Fire Recovery Program Burned area rehabilitation and recovery programs for federal, tribal, and other lands affected by wildland fires.
• Fuels Management Program Vegetation and fuels management programs including mechanical treatments, prescribed fire, and biological and chemical treatments to reduce wildfire risk (600,000 to 900,000 acres treated annually by BLM).
• DOI Casual Payment Center Payment processing center for casual/emergency firefighter employees, including AD pay plans, hiring documents, procedures, and travel administration.
• Medical Standards Program Federal interagency medical standards establishing physical and medical qualifications for wildland firefighters to safely perform arduous duties.
• Health and Wellbeing Program Health services including Employee Assistance Program, Critical Incident Stress Management, suicide prevention, and peer support for wildland firefighters.
• Training Programs Fire training and workforce development including qualification standards, position task books, and professional development for wildland fire personnel.
• U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS) Unified wildland fire service established January 2026 within the Department of the Interior, combining fire programs previously spread across BIA, BLM, NPS, USFWS, Office of Aviation Services, and Office of Wildland Fire.
• InciWeb Public incident information website providing up-to-date information on active wildland fire incidents across the nation.
• Predictive Services Intelligence and predictive services providing weather forecasts, fire behavior predictions, seasonal outlooks, and NICC intelligence reports.

Quantifiable outcome

• Smokejumpers deliver 8-10 personnel plus initial gear via parachute drop from 3,000 feet above ground level
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1979USFWS joined BIFC in 1979 and provides fire management for national wildlife refuges and hatcheries. Coordinates with NIFC for wildland fire response and fuels management on refuge lands.
• National Weather Service (NWS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1969NWS is one of the original three founding partners of the Boise Interagency Fire Center in 1969. The Boise Weather Forecast Office provides fire weather forecasts critical to wildland fire management. NWS National Fire Weather program is located at NIFC, supporting incident meteorologists (IMET) and predictive services.
• Bureau of Land Management (BLM)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1965BLM is an original founding partner of NIFC and the primary agency operating smokejumpers, helitack crews, and engine crews coordinated through NIFC. BLM provides significant firefighting resources including over 325 wildland fire engines deployed nationwide.
• U.S. Forest Service (USFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSDA Forest Service is an original founding partner of NIFC (established 1965). USFS provides wildland fire management on National Forests and Grasslands and works closely with other federal, tribal, state, and local partners. USFS fire positions and resources are coordinated through NIFC's National Interagency Coordination Center.
• National Park Service (NPS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNPS joined the Boise Interagency Fire Center in the mid-1970s. NPS provides fire management for national parks and coordinates resources through NIFC for prescribed fire, fuels management, and wildfire suppression on park lands.
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBIA joined the Boise Interagency Fire Center in the mid-1970s. BIA provides fire protection for Indian Country and contributes to interagency wildland firefighting efforts nationwide. As of 2025, permanent BIA funding was established for Tribal Nations to offer pay supplements to tribal wildland firefighters.
• U.S. Fire Administration (USFA)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSFA is the lead federal agency for fire data collection, public fire education, fire research, and fire service training. Partners with NIFC for wildland fire information and coordination.
• National Association of State Foresters (NASF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 1920, NASF is composed of directors of state forestry agencies managing and protecting state and private forests (nearly two-thirds of the nation's forests). NASF coordinates with NIFC for interstate fire support and resource sharing.
• Department of Defense (DOD)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDOD maintains a liaison at NIFC to coordinate military support for wildland fires. Military aircraft equipped with Modular Airborne Firefighting Systems (MAFFS) can be mobilized to assist with wildfire suppression when requested through appropriate channels.
• U.S. Wildland Fire Service (USWFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished January 2026, USWFS unifies DOI wildland fire management across BIA, BLM, NPS, USFWS, Office of Aviation Services, and Office of Wildland Fire. This represents a historic modernization creating a more efficient, effective wildfire response system within DOI.
• Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACCs)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner10 GACCs across the U.S. (Alaska, Eastern Area, Great Basin, Northern California, Northern Rockies, Northwest, Rocky Mountain, Southern Area, Southern California, Southwest) that locate and dispatch firefighters and support personnel throughout their geographic areas. GACCs forward resource orders to NICC when needs exceed regional capability.
• U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational fire support requests are facilitated through USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), coordinated by USFS International Programs Disaster Assistance Support Program (DASP). NICC dispatches resources to other countries based on these requests.
• National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNWCG develops standards and training for wildland fire management. NIFC supports NWCG initiatives including qualification standards, training curriculum, and innovative ideas submission for product or process improvement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Oregon Department of Forestry: Oregon Department of Forestry operates the largest state fire protection program in the Pacific Northwest and is a primary recipient of NIFC-coordinated resources during western fire seasons. It is closely comparable in mission (wildland fire suppression, prevention, fuels) and is integrated into NIFC's coordination via the Northwest GACC.
• New South Wales Rural Fire Service: NSW RFS is Australia's largest volunteer-based wildfire agency and a globally recognized peer for large-scale wildland fire coordination. While geographically distant and structurally different, its operational model for coordinating multi-agency wildfire response is closely analogous to NIFC's mission.
• Washington State Department of Natural Resources — Wildfire Division: Washington DNR's wildfire division operates detection, suppression, and forest health programs comparable to NIFC-coordinated operations and is a top-tier state partner through the Northwest GACC. Its mission and asset structure closely parallel NIFC's coordination of federal resources.
• British Columbia Wildfire Service: BC Wildfire Service is Canada's largest provincial wildland fire agency and a frequent cross-border partner for resource sharing with NIFC. It operates comparable aerial and ground suppression programs and is a key counterpart in NIFC's international coordination mandate.

Broad incumbents

• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): FEMA is the federal government lead for all-hazards emergency management, including wildfire disasters declared under the Stafford Act. While NIFC handles wildfire-specific operational coordination, FEMA provides broader emergency management, recovery, and disaster declaration frameworks that overlap with NIFC's mission.

Direct peers

• National Park Service — Wildland Fire Management: NPS Wildland Fire Management operates fire programs across all national parks and is a founding interagency partner of NIFC. It runs its own engine crews, helitack units, and prescribed fire programs, with daily operational coordination through NIFC's NICC and GACCs.
• USFS Fire and Aviation Management: The U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management program is one of NIFC's original founding partners (1965) and independently operates a national network of hotshot crews, smokejumpers, and aviation assets. It is NIFC's primary internal counterpart and shares responsibility for national wildland fire coordination.
• Bureau of Land Management — Division of Fire: BLM's National Office of Fire and Aviation is the other founding partner of NIFC and operates the largest share of wildland fire engines (325+), smokejumpers, and helitack crews coordinated through NIFC. It is functionally co-extensive with NIFC's resource-mobilization mission.
• CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection): CAL FIRE is the largest state-level wildland fire protection agency in the U.S., operating engine crews, airtankers, helicopters, and incident command teams with responsibilities closely mirroring NIFC's federal coordination role. It is NIFC's most significant state-level counterpart and frequently the lead agency on incidents NIFC supports.
• Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre (CIFFC): CIFFC is Canada's national interagency wildland fire coordination body, sharing NIFC's exact structural model — a central coordination center coordinating resources across provincial and federal agencies. It is the closest international functional peer and a regular partner for trans-boundary resource sharing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NIFC_Fire
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/BLMNIFC
• Facebookfacebook.com/NIFCFire
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-interagency-fire-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about National Interagency Fire Ctr