January 27, 2019

Tom Nichols

Tom is one of the owners of Wildland Fire Associates, following a 37-year career with the National Park Service. He retired as the Chief of Fire and Aviation Management, working at the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, and managing wildland fire, structural fire, and aviation management programs for the agency.

After completing a Master’s Degree in fire ecology, Tom began his career at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, measuring the effects of fire and subsequently planning, developing, and implementing prescribed fires, as well as the parks’ fire management plan. He later worked as the Prescribed Fire Specialist for the Pacific West Region of the National Park Service, and later as its Fire Management Officer. He was also the Fire Management Officer for Yosemite National Park.

Tom has experience in a wide variety of fire related issues, including smoke management, fire research, environmental compliance, fire management planning, the effects of fire on natural and cultural resources, communication/education activities with stakeholders, and working in an interagency environment at the local, state, and national levels.