Description: Initial attack frequency zones are used by pilots and dispatchers for purposes of response to incidents such as wildland fires. Initial attack frequency zones are agreed upon annually by the Communications Duty Officer at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), other frequency managers, and the FAA, and can't be changed during the year without required approval from the CDO at NIFC. Each zone has assigned to it FAA-issued frequencies that are to be used only within the zone boundary. The initial attack frequency zones are delineated to help ensure that frequencies used do not "bleed" over into other incident areas and causing issues for incident communications. The data contains no actual frequencies, but does contain the zones in which they are used. October 2024:Changed geometry for MT01, MT02, and MT04 to match boundary changes for Missoula Dispatch and Helena Dispatch BoundaryMT02 modified northern border to be even with the along 48 degree line as per Kim AlbrachtMT01 modified northern border to be even with the along 48 degree line as per Kim AlbrachtUpdated dispatch boundary between Grand Junction COGJC and Moab Interagency Fire Center UTMFCUpdated geometry for CO01, CO02, CO06 & CO07 to match new dispatch boundary and to simplify the dispatch perimeters Updated geometry for ID04&ID05 to match the dispatch boundary changes between the two10/15/2023 - Geospatial only changes made. Change received 9/15/2023, but not added to dataset until now Initial Attack Zone boundary between MN01 and MN02 moved west so that the Chippewa National Forest is completely encompassed within MN02 per Brendan Neylon, Eastern GACC Center Mgr. New boundary aligned to county boundaries (between Todd and Morrison Counties, and between Hubbard and Cass Counties) and roads (State Hwy 64, and County Rd 41 NW), where present. This change is proposed for use in 2024, but has yet to be approved by Frequency Managers. A final decision is expected by February 2024. No changes to any other data layers. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS.10/04/2023 - Tabular and geospatial changes made. Boundaries modified to move Benton Lake National Wildlife Refuge from MT06 to MT04 per Kat Sorenson, R1 Aircraft Coordinator. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS.10/02/2023 - Tabular and geospatial changes in the NW GACC. Per Ted Pierce, NW GACC Center Mgr, and Jerry Messinger, Air Tactical Group Supervisor, the following changes were made with input from Jason Mund. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS.Southern border of OR02 modified to match county boundaries of Jackson and Josephine Counties.Eastern WA, the dispatch boundary and initial attack frequency zone between NEC and CWC, above Warm Springs Reservation, moved east. South of The Dalles, the dispatch boundary and initial attack frequency zone moved east with Columbia (CCC) taking that piece from Central Oregon (COC). Three areas in SW Oregon along the north edge of OR02 changed Frequency/IA lines only. Federal dispatch lines did not change.West side of Warm Springs Reservation re-modified back to a straight line.Southern edge of WA02 modified for both Dispatch and Frequency/IA lines.9/7/2023 - Tabular and geospatial changes. Per Calvin Miller, Deputy Center Directory SACC, and Kymberli Hoffman, Center Manager for TNTNC, the following changes were made: Edits by JKuenzi, USFS.Cumberland Gap National Historical Park moved to KY01. Corresponding changes made to Dispatch Boundaries.Great Smoky Mountains National Park moved to TN01. Corresponding changes made to Dispatch Boundaries.9/6/2023 Tabular and geospatial changes between Payette (IDPAC) and Boise (IDBDC) Interagency Dispatch areas for both Dispatch and Initial Attack Frequency Zones ID01 and ID02 in the area of Cascade Reservoir and Long Valley, per Matthew Sorensen, Boise Center Manager, BLM, and Gina Dingman, Great Basin GACC Center Mgr. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS.08/30/2023 - Geospatial and tabular changes. Minor boundary change between CO04 and CO07 to follow dispatch boundary modification. Boundary update by KWilliamson, BLM, and THartsburg between Rambouillet Park and Jarose Mesa - 8/30/2023 03/02/2023 - Geospatial and tabular changes made to align Initial Attack Frequency Zone boundary with Dispatch and GACC Boundaries between MT03 and ID05 within the Centennial Mountains WSA (Wilderness Study Area) between Slide Mtn and Sheep Mtn and east to Hell Roaring Canyon. Changes requested by Kimberly Albracht, Communications Duty Officer. Edits by JKuenzi.01/12/2023 - Tabular changes only. Oregon Initial Attack Frequency Zones renumbered per Kim Albracht, Communications Duty Officer, with input from other Northwest personnel. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. Changes are as follows:OR09 changed to OR02OR02 changed to OR03OR03 changed to OR04OR04 changed to OR05OR05 changed to OR07OR07 changed to OR08OR08 changed to OR09OR01 and OR06 remained unchanged.01/10/2023 - Geospatial and tabular changes made. Two islands on west side of OR05 absorbed into OR03. Change made to both Initial Attack Frequency Zones-Federal and to Dispatch Boundaries per Kaleigh Johnson (Asst Ctr Mgr), Jada Altman (Dispatch Ctr Mgr), and Jerry Messinger (Air Tactical Group Supervisor). Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. 01/09/2023 - Geospatial and tabular changes to align Federal Frequency Zones to Dispatch Area boundaries in Northwest GACC. No alignments made to USWACAC, USWAYAC, or USORWSC. Changes approved by Ted Pierce (NW Deputy Coordination Ctr Mgr), Kaleigh Johnson (Assistant Ctr Mgr), and Kim Albracht (Communications Duty Officer). Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. Specific changes include: WA02 changed to WA04. New WA02 carved out of WA01 and OR01. OR09 carved out of OR01 and OR02. Boundary adjustments between OR07, OR05, and OR03.11/8/2022 - Geospatial and tabular changes. Boundary modified between Big Horn and Rosebud Counties of MT07 and MT08 per KSorenson and KPluhar. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. 09/06/2022-09/26/2022 - Geospatial and tabular changes in accordance with proposed GACC boundary re-alignments between Southern California and Great Basin in the state of Nevada. Boundary modified between CA03 and NV03, specifically between Queen Valley and Mono Valley. The team making the changes is made up of Southern Calif (JTomaselli) and Great Basin (GDingman) GACCs, with input from Ian Mills and Lance Rosen (BLM). Changes proposed will be put into effect for the 2023 calendar year, and will also impact alignments of GACC boundaries and Dispatch boundaries in the area described. Initial edits provided by Ian Mills and Daniel Yarborough. Final edits by JKuenzi, USFS. A description of the change is as follows: The northwest end of changes start approximately 1 mile west of Mt Olsen and approximately 0.5 mile south of the Virginia Lakes area.Head northwest passing on the northeast side of Red Lake and the south side of Big Virginia Lake to follow HWY 395 North east to CA 270.East through Bodie to the CA/NV state line.Follows the CA/NV State Line south to HWY CA 167/NV 359.East on NV359 to where the HWY intersects the corner of FS/BLM land.Follows the FS/BLM boundary to the east and then south where it ties into the current GACC boundary. 09/07/2022 - 09/08/2022 - Tabular and geospatial changes. Multiple boundaries modified in Northern Rockies GACC to bring Dispatch Boundaries and Initial Attack Frequency Zone lines closer in accordance with State boundaries. Information provided by Don Copple, State Fire Planning & Intelligence Program Manager for Montana Dept of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC), Kathy Pipkin, Northern Rockies GACC Center Manager, and Kat Sorenson, R1 Asst Aircraft Coordinator. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. The following changes were made:Initial Attack Frequency Zone changes made to the following: Dillon Interagency Dispatch Ctr (USMTDDC) (MT03), Helena Interagency Dispatch Ctr (USMTHDC) (MT04), Lewistown Interagency Dispatch Ctr (USMTLEC) (MT06), and Missoula Interagency Dispatch Ctr (USMTMDC) (MT02).Talk was also directed to removing the Initial Attack Frequency Zone line between MT05 and MT07, but that currently remains unchanged until Telecommunications (Kimberly Albracht) can get approval from the Frequency Managers and the FAA.10/15/2021 - Geospatial and tabular changes. Boundary alignments for the Duck Valley Reservation in southern Idaho along the Nevada border. Changes impacting ID02 and NV01. The Duck Valley Reservation remains within NV01. The only change was to the alignment of the physical boundary surrounding the Reservation in accordance with the boundary shown on the 7.5 minute quadrangle maps and data supplied by CClay/JLeguineche/Gina Dingman-USFS Great Basin Coordination Center (GBCC) Center Manager. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. 9/30/2021 - Geospatial and tabular changes. Boundary alignments for Idaho on Hwy 95 NE of Weiser between Boise Dispatch Center and Payette Interagency Dispatch Center - per CClay/JLeguineche/Gina Dingman-USFS Great Basin Coordination Center (GBCC) Center Manager. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. Boundary changes at: Weiser (T11N R5W Sec 32), (T11N, R5W, Sec 3), (T12N R5W, Sec 25), and Midvale.9/21/2021 - Geospatial and tabular changes in accordance with proposed GACC boundary re-alignments between Southwestern and Southern GACCs where a portion of Texas, formerly under Southwestern GACC direction was moved to the Southern GACC. Changes to Federal Initial Attack Frequency Zones by Kim Albracht, Communications Duty Officer (CDO) include the following: State designation TXS06 changed to federal TX06.State designation TXS05 changed to federal TX05.State designation TXS04 changed to federal TX04.State designation TXS03 changed to federal TX03.State designation TXS02 changed to federal TX02.State designation TXS01 changed to federal TX01.The Oklahoma Panhandle, formerly TXS01 changed to OK04.All changes proposed for implementation starting in January 2022. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. See also data sets for Geographic Area Coordination Centers (GACC), and Dispatch Boundary for related changes.8/17/2021 - Tabular changes only. As part of GACC realignment for 2022, area changed from state designation TXS01 to federal TX01 per Kim Albracht, Communications Duty Officer (CDO) at National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC). Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. 2/19/2021 - Geospatial and tabular changes. Boundary changes for Idaho originally submitted in 2016 but never completed in entirety. Changes between Initial Attack Zones ID01 and ID02 and with Dispatch Boundaries - per Chris Clay-BLM Boise, DeniseTolness-DOI/BLM ID State Office GIS Specialist, and Gina Dingman-USFS Great Basin Coordination Center (GBCC) Center Manager. Edits by JKuenzi, USFS. Boundary changes at: (T13N R3E Sec 25), (T15N R3E Sec 31), (T16N R3E Sec 18-20, and 30), and (T16N R2E Sec 13) all from ID02 to ID01. (T10N R4E Sec 4-9,17-18, 20) and (T11N R4E Sec15-16, 21-22, 27-29, 34-31) from ID01 to ID02. 11/10/2020 - Michigan split from MI01 only, to MI01(Upper Penninsula) and MI02 in the south, per Kim Albracht, Communications Duty Officer. No change made to Dispatch Zone Boundary. Edits by JKuenzi. 11/4/2020 - Oregon OR07 divided into OR07 and OR08 per Kim Albracht, Communications Duty Officer. Edits by JKuenzi.10/26/2020 - Multiple boundary changes made to Federal Initial Attack Zones, but without any change to Dispatch Zone Boundaries: Raft River District of Sawtooth National Forest changed from UT01 to ID04; land east of Black Pine District of Sawtooth National Forest changed from ID05 to ID04. Direction from Denise Tolness, DOI/BLM GIS Specialist, and Gina Dingman, Great Basin Coordination Center Manager. Parts of Craters of the Moon National Monument changed from ID04 to ID05; Sheep Mountain (Red Rocks) area changed from MT03 to ID05, per Denise Tolness, Gina Dingman, and Kathryn "Kat" Sorenson, R1 Assistant Aircraft Coordinator. Edits for all changes made by JKuenzi.4/2/2020 - State owned land added and a portion of the boundary modified between MT01 and MT02 per Mike J Gibbons, Flathead Dispatch Center Mgr, and Kathryn "Kat" Sorenson, R1 Assistant Aircraft Coordinator. Edits by JKuenzi.2/21/2020 - Existing boundaries are updated, where possible, to a uniform base layer using the August 2019 Census State & County boundaries, along with Geographic Area Command Center boundaries, Dispatch Zone Boundaries, and Initial Attack State Zones. Edits by JKuenzi.2019-2020 - Initial Attack Frequency Zone data was provided by Kim Albracht, Acting and Permanent Communications Duty Officer (CDO) at National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and maintained by Jill Kuenzi, USFS Fire & Aviation Mgt Geospatial Coordinator, NIFC, Boise, ID. Efforts made to tie changes with the Initial Attack Frequency Zones to other closely related datasets such as Geospatial Area Command Centers (GACCs),and Dispatch Areas, Major work completed to bring all the datasets up to date on consistent base data (8/2019 Census data), into alignment where possible, and to establish a scheduled update cycle for the nation. 2017-2019 - Initial Attack Frequency Zone data was provided by Gary Stewart, Communications Duty Officer (CDO) at National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and maintained by Jill Kuenzi, USFS Fire & Aviation Mgt Geospatial Coordinator, NIFC, Boise, ID.2015-2016 - Initial Attack Frequency Zone data was provided by Gary Stewart, Communications Duty Officer (CDO) at National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), and maintained by Dianna Sampson, BLM Geospatial Data Analyst, NIFC, Boise, ID.
Copyright Text: National Wildfire Coordinating Group
Geospatial Subcommittee
National Interagency Fire Center
Boise, ID 83705