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Week of Remembrance

On A Hillside Where Rolling Material Can Ignite Fuel Below

 

13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below. Several firefighters use tools to dig fireline up a steep hill. Above them, logs and trees are on fire.

13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.

Fires can move more quickly uphill. This Watch Out shows rolling logs and debris that are on fire and can ignite fuels below the crew building fireline.

Read about all 18 Watch Out Situations.

When firefighters find themselves in Watch Out Situation #13, on a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below, they must answer the following questions:

  • Can you locate/construct a line to prevent material from rolling below? What do you call line that catches rolling material?
    • Describe how you would construct this type of line and what factors you would have to consider (e.g., slope, fuels, etc.).
  • Will you get enough warning of rolling material to prevent being hit by it? Who needs to be watching for rolling material? What kinds of warning systems could you establish?
  • Can you see where any material that rolls below you goes and what it does? What can happen when material rolls out of the fire and below you, out of view? What needs to be done to mitigate this danger?
  • Is the area free of large amounts of flashy fuels? Is the area free of chimneys, gullies, and steep slopes?
  • Do you have two escape routes so you can go either way? Talk about where your most likely escape routes and safety zones will be when you are on a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.
  • To reduce the risks:
    • Post lookouts.
    • Consider locating line in a defensible position.
    • Talk about fires in steep terrain where you had material roll out below you and how you dealt with it.

 

Category
Operational Engagement
References
10 Standard Firefighting Orders, PMS 110
10 and 18 Poster, PMS 110-18
18 Watch Out Situations, PMS 118


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NWCG Latest Announcements

2024 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee 

As we approach the 2024 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30 to July 6, we dedicate this time to thoughtfully reviewing and recognizing the events of the 2018 Mendocino Complex. As such, this year’s theme of “Learning From the Mendocino Complex” embodies a longstanding hallmark of WOR, honoring through learning.

Throughout the week, our energy will be directed toward fostering generative conversations in briefing rooms and at tailgates.

References:

6 Minutes for Safety - 2024 Week of Remembrance

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Updated NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Date: June 24, 2024
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee 

The June 2024 update of the NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236, is now available to meet the current needs for incident management typing.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment should be used to evaluate firefighter safety issues, assess risk, and identify the appropriate incident management organization based on incident complexity. Assessing risk, determining incident complexity, and identifying an appropriate incident management organization is a subjective process based on examining a combination of indicators or factors, which can change over time.

References:

NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Next Gen PTB Available

Date: June 10, 2024
Contact: NWCG Feedback 

The NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Branch Director (OPBD), PMS 311-109 is now available for use within the OPBD position qualification pathway. As part of the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), the OPBD Next Gen PTB was developed and the position qualification pathway updated.

More information about the Next Gen PTB format can be found on the NWCG Position Task Book webpage.

References:

Operations Branch Director Position Page

Operations Branch Director Next Gen PTB

NWCG Position Task Books

Updated NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

Date: June 5, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 is now available. The uniform application of interagency incident business management standards is critical to interagency fire operations. PMS 902 assists NWCG agencies in constructively working together to provide effective execution of each agency's incident business management program.

References:

PMS 902