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Safety Zones 1 (LCES)

A safety zone is a location where a threatened firefighter can find adequate refuge from an approaching fire.

  • What is the difference between a safety zone and a deployment site?
    • In a safety zone, a firefighter can survive without using a fire shelter. The deployment site is used when fire conditions are such that escape routes and safety zones have been compromised.
  • How do you identify a good safety zone?
    • Consider the distance from the escaped fire as well as topography, winds, fire behavior, and fuels in the area.
    • The best locations are usually in the black, have with a minimum of, or are devoid of, ground/aerial vegetation, or are large bodies of water.
    • Location is scouted and marked well for visibility at all times.
    • Location has been reassessed in relation to line work progress, fatigue, changes in fire behavior, and arrival of additional resources.
    • For radiant heat only, the distance separation between the firefighter and the flames must be at least four times the maximum flame height. This distance must be maintained on all sides if the fire has ability to burn completely around the safety zone. Convective heat from wind and/or terrain influences will increase this distance requirement.
    • Take advantage of heat barriers such as lee side of ridges, large rocks, or solid structures.
  • What should you avoid in selecting a safety zone?
    • Locations that are downwind from the fire.
    • Locations that are in chimneys, saddles, or narrow canyons.
    • Locations that require a steep uphill escape route.

Also see: Safety Zones 2 (LCES)

 

Category
Operational Engagement
References
"LCES and Other Thoughts" by Paul Gleason
10 Standard Firefighting Orders, PMS 110
10 and 18 Poster, PMS 110-18
18 Watch Out Situations, PMS 118


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Updated NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Water Scooper Operations Unit

The NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating water scooping aircraft on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, and any local, state, or geographic/regional water scooping plans.

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NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

The Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505. PMS 505 establishes standards for aerial supervision operations for national interagency wildland fire operations. 

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

New Job Aids Available: Packing Lists for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel and Support Staff, J-101 and J-102

Date: December 3, 2024
Contact: NWCG TRAINING

Two new job aids are now available: Packing List for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel, J-101 and Packing List for Wildland Fire Support Personnel, J-102, should serve as a baseline for items needed on a wildland fire assignment. These lists will help personnel prepare for a 14 to 21-day assignment on the fireline or in a support role.

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Job Aid Catalog

NWCG Packing List for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel, J-101

NWCG Packing List for Wildland Fire Support Staff, J-102

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Date: November 14, 2024
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention. Misaligned toolless fuel caps on Stihl chainsaws have led to recurring fuel spillage, fuel ignition, and burn injuries during wildland fire management operations.

This Safety Warning is intended to highlight the details and recommended procedures for the installation of a Stihl chainsaw toolless fuel cap, as well as how to identify and correct a misaligned, damaged, or broken fuel cap to help prevent fuel spillage.

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