What is the first principle of ground cover fire management?

The first principle of ground cover fire management is life safety. This priority emphasizes that the safety of human life must always come first in any situation involving fire management. Ensuring that people, including firefighters and civilians, are not in harm’s way sets the foundation for all other fire management strategies. Once life safety is assessed and secured, attention can then turn to protecting property, containing the fire, and managing resources effectively.

While property protection, fire containment, and resource management are all critical components of fire management, they are secondary to life safety. If the principle of life safety isn't established, the risk to human life becomes the primary concern, overshadowing the effectiveness of other management strategies. Therefore, focusing on life safety as the first principle ensures that all other efforts are aligned to protect individuals impacted by ground cover fires.