diff --git a/arch/configure_new.defaults b/arch/configure_new.defaults
index 45895ba4f3..f1ab91bec3 100644
--- a/arch/configure_new.defaults
+++ b/arch/configure_new.defaults
@@ -677,7 +677,7 @@ CPP             =      cpp -C -P -xassembler-with-cpp
 AR              =      ar
 ARFLAGS         =      ru
 M4              =      m4 -B 14000
-RANLIB          =      ranlib
+RANLIB          =      ranlib -c
 CC_TOOLS        =      $(SCC) 
 
 ###########################################################
diff --git a/phys/module_fr_sfire_core.F b/phys/module_fr_sfire_core.F
index 91be27c633..1c96f42201 100644
--- a/phys/module_fr_sfire_core.F
+++ b/phys/module_fr_sfire_core.F
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 
 module module_fr_sfire_core
 
-use module_fr_sfire_phys
+use module_fr_sfire_phys, only: fire_params , fire_ros
 use module_fr_sfire_util
 
 ! The mathematical core of the fire spread model. No physical constants here.
diff --git a/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver.F b/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver.F
index 39cadf51ef..eaee5de47b 100644
--- a/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver.F
+++ b/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver.F
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ module module_fr_sfire_driver
 ! use this module for standalone call, you only need to provide some mock-up wrf modules  
 
 use module_fr_sfire_model
-use module_fr_sfire_phys
+use module_fr_sfire_phys, only : fire_params , init_fuel_cats
 use module_fr_sfire_util
 use module_fr_sfire_core, only: ignition_line_type
 
@@ -102,7 +102,9 @@ subroutine sfire_driver_em ( grid , config_flags                    &
 ! Driver layer modules
 #ifdef DM_PARALLEL
     USE module_dm        , ONLY : ntasks_x,ntasks_y,local_communicator,mytask,ntasks
-    USE module_comm_dm 
+    USE module_comm_dm , ONLY : halo_fire_fuel_sub, halo_fire_tign_sub, halo_fire_wind_f_sub, &
+halo_fire_wind_a_sub, halo_fire_ph_sub, halo_fire_zsf_sub, halo_fire_longlat_sub, &
+halo_fire_phb_sub, halo_fire_z0_sub, halo_fire_lfn_sub
 #endif
 
     implicit none
@@ -795,7 +797,7 @@ end subroutine sfire_driver_phys
 
 subroutine fire_ignition_convert (config_flags,fire_max_ignitions,fire_ignition_longlat, &
     ignition_line,fire_num_ignitions,unit_fxlong,unit_fxlat)
-    USE module_configure
+    USE module_configure, only : grid_config_rec_type
     implicit none
 ! create ignition arrays from scalar flags
 !*** arguments
@@ -1417,8 +1419,6 @@ end subroutine check_fmesh
 !*****************************
 !
 subroutine set_flags(config_flags)
-USE module_configure
-use module_fr_sfire_util
 implicit none
 TYPE (grid_config_rec_type) , INTENT(IN)          :: config_flags
 ! copy flags from wrf to module_fr_sfire_util
diff --git a/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver_wrf.F b/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver_wrf.F
index a348e16e35..19fcf38f7f 100644
--- a/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver_wrf.F
+++ b/phys/module_fr_sfire_driver_wrf.F
@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ subroutine sfire_driver_em_init (grid , config_flags               &
 
     ! stub to call sfire_driver_em with irun=0 and omit last 3 args
 
-    USE module_domain
-    USE module_configure
+    USE module_domain , only: domain , get_ijk_from_subgrid
+    USE module_configure , only : grid_config_rec_type
     implicit none
 
     TYPE(domain) , TARGET          :: grid   ! data
@@ -73,8 +73,9 @@ subroutine sfire_driver_em_step (grid , config_flags               &
 
     ! stub to call sfire_driver_em 
 
-    USE module_domain
-    USE module_configure
+    USE module_domain, only: domain , get_ijk_from_subgrid
+    USE module_configure , only : grid_config_rec_type
+    USE module_fr_sfire_util, only : fire_test_steps
     implicit none
 
     TYPE(domain) , TARGET          :: grid   ! data
diff --git a/phys/module_fr_sfire_util.F b/phys/module_fr_sfire_util.F
index 6344742565..8ed8528f6d 100644
--- a/phys/module_fr_sfire_util.F
+++ b/phys/module_fr_sfire_util.F
@@ -1135,7 +1135,6 @@ end subroutine write_array_m
 subroutine write_array_m3(its,ite,kts,kte,jts,jte,           &
                          ims,ime,kms,kme,jms,jme,               &
                          a,name,id)
-use module_dm
 
 implicit none
 ! debug
@@ -1224,7 +1223,6 @@ end subroutine read_array_2d_integer
         
 
 subroutine read_array_2d_real(filename,a,its,ite,jts,jte,ims,ime,jms,jme)
-use module_dm
 #ifdef _OPENMP
 use OMP_LIB 
 #endif
@@ -1334,7 +1332,7 @@ subroutine print_chsum( id, &
     a,name)                      
 
 #ifdef DM_PARALLEL
-    USE module_dm
+    USE module_dm , only : wrf_dm_bxor_integer
 #endif
 
 integer, intent(in):: id, &
@@ -1408,7 +1406,7 @@ real function fun_real(fun,  &
     a,b)                      
 
 #ifdef DM_PARALLEL
-    USE module_dm
+    USE module_dm , only : wrf_dm_sum_real , wrf_dm_max_real
 #endif
 
 integer, intent(in)::  fun, &