mr. litzenberg: thanks for that question. believe the best way to be integrated is to use existing mechanisms. there are mechanisms used successfully and perhaps they could be improved in this avenue but they are already there. the joint fire science program is one taking science and putting it in a place that is usable to practitioners. the leadership councilp and the national interagency fir places where integration is occurring and all we need to do is put focus on new and existing research and how it can be used in applied toward emerging issues. >> thank you. in your testimony, you talk about the importance and difficulty of collecting data on wildfire. >> like i mentioned before, we could deploy more resources right now you'd the national weather sore -- service has a meteorologist program. over 50 go to active wildfires around the country. they can request service weather stations but it takes a while to get them in place. they have to be driven from a location and set up in the field. we could potentially have other t

mr. webster was havingst and so my questions ar going to be to chief litzenberg as well as to mr.ssler but, chief, you mentioned in your testimony you highlighted that a collaboration among local fire departments with federal research and working with nsf, nist and nasa needs to further grow to improve the nation's wildfire response. and then you followed that with eight fieldsis of future focus this matter such as remote sensing, m fire mapping and oths and - so in that context then i want to extend my question to be how can we use these tools that you mentioned there to really increase the active force management and the implementation of fuel treatments because i think those have a real impact on being able to prevent many of these wildfires. so with wec that, chief, if you would care to comment i would appreciate that. >> thanks to the question, congressman. and, yeah, i will give you my perspective again as a local responder. i think my perspective is maybe shared by responders and fire chiefs. i said itt s a few minutes ago i will say ite again, i do believe that there is a

mr. webster was having. my questions are going to be to the chief erik litzenberg as well as to mr. geissler. chief, you mentioned in your testimony you highlighted collaboration among local fire departments with federal research and working with nsf, and i is tea, and nasa needs to further grow to improve the nation's wildfire response. you followed that with a field future focus on this matter such as remote sensing, fire mapping, and others. in that context i want to extend my question to be how can we use these tools you mentioned there to really increase the forest management and the implementation of fuel treatments? because i think those have a real impact on being able to prevent many of these wildfires. with that chief if you would care to comment i would appreciate that. thanks for the question congressman and i'll give you my perspective as a local responder. i think my perspective is probably shared by many responders and fire chiefs. i said a few minutes ago and i will say it again. i do believe that there is a lot of data that's being created and a lot a very smart people many o