FIRE EFFECTS GUIDE - National Wildfire Coordinating Group

During the planning of fire management projects, objectives are
formulated and used as the basis for development of an action plan.
Interdisciplinary (I.D.) teams coordinate various concerns and develop
objectives for a project. The I.D. teams are composed of resource
specialists from different disciplines who address concerns of the
affected resources and resolve conflicts among resource disciplines that
arise from specific management actions.
2. Qualities of Good Objectives. Fire management objectives must be
made up of certain attributes or they will not convey the necessary
guidance. Good objectives must be informative and SMART. Objectives
that are SMART are:
S - Specific - what will be accomplished, using limiting factors, and
identifying the range of acceptable change from the present to the
proposed condition.
M - Measurable - the present and proposed condition must be
quantifiable and measurable.
A - Achievable - can be achieved within a designated time period.
R - Related/Relevant - related in all instances to the land use plan goals
and relevant to current fire management practices.
T - Trackable - objectives must be trackable over time and must include
a definite timeframe for achievement, monitoring, and evaluation.
3. Kinds of Objectives.
a. Land use decisions (goals). These are broad statements, usually
specified in land management plans, that deal with large areas over long
time periods (e.g., 10 years). Land use decisions establish resource
condition objectives; the allowable, limited, or excluded uses for an area
(land use allocations) and the terms and conditions for such use; and
management actions that will be taken to accomplish multiple use goals.
b. Resource management objectives. Resource management
objectives identify the changes in water, soil, air, or vegetation from the
present to proposed conditions. Resource objectives can also describe
an existing resource condition that should be maintained.