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NWCG Guidance for Use of Firenet.gov

Official government entities are mandated to use government websites and platforms for communications, including email correspondence. The implementation of FireNet is due in part as a solution to NWCG’s identification of the following capability as a high priority for development by the Wildland Fire Information and Technology (WFIT) program:

Intergovernmental collaborative workspace to message, schedule, share, review, develop, and store materials among federal, tribal, state, local, and territorial stakeholders in support of all areas of national wildland fire management.

Photo of fire camp with tents and trucks The fire season of 2018 was the first opportunity for many to use this new tool. In May 2018, the National Multi-Agency Coordination Group issued a memo encouraging FireNet use on incidents. Users’ feedback on the capabilities and capacity that FireNet offers has been enthusiastically positive.

Due to limited availability, FireNet accounts are being prioritized for dispatch centers and IMT support. As more user accounts become available, FireNet could eventually support the collaborative needs of the intergovernmental wildland fire service, including NWCG.

FireNet provides the full suite of applications with which users of Google products are familiar behind the security protection of a government site. Team Drives assist in maintaining shared information because, unlike an individual drive, they are owned by FireNet. If an individual changes roles or email accounts, the Team Drive continues to exist and content is preserved, whereas an individual Drive would be altered and perhaps removed. Role-based and collaborative accounts are another way of managing communications by allowing multiple people to access a single email account, typically one that is generic to a group or incident.

NWCG groups are expected to use their homepages on the https://sites.google.com/a/firenet.gov/firenet/home.

NWCG Latest Announcements

Updated NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

Date: April 23, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee

The NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515 standardizes processes and procedures for the interagency use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including pilot inspections and approvals. This updated publication provides the aviation community with standards to ensure UAS are used safely, effectively, and efficiently in support of fire management goals and objectives.

References:

NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

NWCG National Interagency Aviation Committee

ETC Bulletin 25-001: Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2025 Field Season

Date: April 16, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

Due to spout failures and the associated risk of burn injuries, manufacturers have retrofitted the Hot/Cold Beverage Kits using a heat-shrinking band to secure the black spout at the insertion site. The updated kits feature a fluorescent label on each full kit assembly for easy identification. Catering units are encouraged to confirm the clear heat-shrinking bands are intact around each spout before filling.

ETC Bulletin 24-001 regarding Hot/Cold Beverage Kits has been archived and replaced by ETC Bulletin 25-001 for the 2025 season.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-25-001 Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and Next Generation Position Task Book for Basic Faller Are Now Available

Date: April 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-19 are now available.

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212 includes position standards designed to be used in conjunction with the Next Generation Position Task Book (Next Gen PTB). The Next Gen PTB for Basic Faller (FAL3) includes an evaluation guide with suggested rating elements to consider when assessing trainees.

References:

NWCG Standards For Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-119

NWCG Basic Faller (FAL3)

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions

Date: April 9, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
RMC Member Eric Fransted

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) serves as the position steward for all Safety Officer incident positions and continues to improve position standards, training, and naming conventions. The implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) required changes to position titles. RMC collaborated with the NWCG Incident Position Standards Committee (IPSC) to propose and implement these updates. 

References:

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions 

NWCG Position Catalog