Skip to main content

6MFS

Committee Home

6MFS Calendar

Topics Categories

All 6MFS Topics

Aviation

Airtankers

Felling Safety

Fire Communication

Firefighter Health and First Aid

Leadership

Miscellaneous Fireline Hazards

Operational Engagement

This Day in History

Vehicles - Roads

Weather - Fire Behavior

Week of Remembrance

Search All 6MFS Topics by Keyword

Parking an Engine on the Fireline

You’ve been engaged in mobile attack on the left flank of a fire for over an hour. Every time you come close to hooking the head of the fire, a wind pulse pushes it out of your reach. It seems the Incident Commander (IC) is asking for progress reports every five minutes. Ahead the fire is burning onto a steep rocky slope, looks like it’s hose packs from here…

When fighting wildland fire, there are occasions when crews must leave their engines and equipment to implement suppression tactics. In doing so, fire equipment remains the responsibility of all crew members and its safety must be seen to. In the heat of the moment, with pressures to get to work, it can be hard to remember to pause and think about things like where we park our vehicles.

When parking vehicles on or near wildfire incidents:

  • What do you look for in a fireline parking spot? Look up, look down, look all around.
    • Look for cold black, bare soil, sparsely vegetated areas, plowed fields, or other natural or human made barriers. Be careful to not get stuck in soft soils.
    • Complete a walk around looking for ash pits, penetrating stobs, unburned adjacent fuel, snags, or other hazards that may damage the apparatus.
    • Do not block the access or egress of others. Be careful to not block dozer lines, safety zones, or helispots. Back in and face your danger when turning around. Chock your tires.
  • What types of situations may require you to park your vehicle in unburned fuels?
  • What should be considered when leaving an individual with a fire vehicle?

The following mental checklist and flowchart can be used to ensure the safety of yourself and your equipment.

Is your truck S.E.C.U.R.E.?

Set parking brake

Environmental hazards mitigated

Chock the wheels

Under carriage inspected

Roll up windows

Ensure equipment is safe to leave

 

Image of safety chart for parking an engine on a fireline.

Download a printable version of the
Parking an Engine on the Fireline cutout to put in your vehicle.

References:

Category
Vehicles - Roads

6MFS Suggestion Form


Have an idea or feedback?

Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee
 


Follow NWCG on X and Facebook
 


 

Last Modified / Reviewed:

Print PDF

NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Week of Remembrance

Date:  June 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2026 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on past incidents from 2016 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

2026 Week of Remembrance: Letter to Leadership

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

RMC Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNetX Launch

Date:  June 25, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) is pleased to announce the launch of SafeNetX, the modernized safety reporting system now available to the wildland fire community. Effective June 15, 2026, SafeNetX enables reporting of unsafe, unhealthy, near-miss, and high-risk operations across wildland fire, all-hazard incidents, training, and related work environments.

SafeNetX is the result of a multi-agency modernization effort led by RMC, which began evaluating improvements to the legacy SAFENET system in 2021. To learn more, read the full RMC memorandum in the links provided.

References:

SafeNetX

RMC Safety Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNet X Launch

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee