Addressing wildfire is not simply a fire management, fire operations, or wildland-urban interface problem - it is a larger, more complex land management and societal issue. The vision for the next century is to: Safely and effectively extinguish fire, when needed; use fire where allowable; manage our natural resources; and as a Nation, live with wildland fire. Three primary factors have been identified as presenting the greatest challenges and the greatest opportunities for making a positive difference in addressing the wildland fire problems to achieve this vision. They are: (1) Restoring and maintaining resilient landscapes - The strategy must recognize the current lack of ecosystem health and variability of this issue from geographic area to geographic area. Because landscape conditions and needs vary depending on local climate and fuel conditions, among other elements, the strategy will address landscapes on a regional and sub-regional scale. (2) Creating fire-adapted communities - The strategy will offer options and opportunities to engage communities and work with them to become more resistant to wildfire threats. (3) Responding to Wildfires - This element considers the full spectrum of fire management activities and recognizes the differences in missions among local, state, tribal and Federal agencies. The strategy offers collaboratively developed methodologies to move forward. The Cohesive Strategy is defined by three phases. This phased approach allows stakeholders to both systematically and thoroughly develop a dynamic approach to planning for, responding to, and recovering from a wildland fire incident. The three phases include: Phase I: National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy; Phase II: Development of Regional Strategies and Assessments; and Phase III: National Trade-Off Analysis and Execution.