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Week of Remembrance

Spot Weather Forecast

 

Spot weather forecasts should be requested or submitted online for those fires that have potential for extreme fire behavior, exceed initial attack, or are located in areas where Red Flag Warnings have been issued.

Basic elements needed for a spot weather forecast include:

  • Location by street address/zip code/city name, latitude/longitude, or US National Grid, or drag to a location using the spot weather forecast request webpage.
  • Type of incident (wildfire, prescribed burn, hazardous materials, search and rescue).
  • Project/incident name.
  • Requesting agency/official, email address, and phone number.
  • Elevation (at top and bottom of incident).
  • Drainage name, size, aspect, fuel type, and sheltering (full, partial, unsheltered).
  • Forecast delivery time (i.e., as soon as possible or a later time), time forecast should start, and time zone.
  • Any remarks that can help meteorologists forecast the site, pertinent feedback information (i.e., humidity values were lower than predicted), or special requests (i.e., very interested in potential wind shifts).

Activity

Calibrate your handheld fire weather meter and review belt weather kit use. Refer to the NWCG Standards for Fire Weather Stations, PMS 426-3, for information.

 

Category
Weather Fire Behavior
References
Incident Response Pocket Guide, PMS 461, Spot Weather Forecast, Other Reference…
NWCG Guide to Fire Weather Forecasts, PMS 425
NWCG Standards for Fire Weather Stations, PMS 426-3


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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