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Field Observer

Position Description

Duties

  • Obtains briefing from Situation Unit Leader or work supervisor.
  • Obtains materials, transportation, and communications.
  • Performs general field observations and maintain field map.
    • Determines and records incident perimeter and identify potential changes.
    • Determines appropriate and safe travel routes.
    • Determines areas threatened.
    • Monitors weather changes and reports appropriately.
    • Anticipates, characterizes, and reports the range of variability of fire effects.
    • Identifies and reports hazardous situations and problem areas.
    • Identifies and reports safety zones.
    • Reports progress of operations and logistical support.
    • Maps current and potential facilities, such as drop points, water sources, and helispots.
  • Reports hazardous situations.
    • Immediately reports hazardous, life threatening situations to appropriate incident management personnel.
  • Monitors and records weather conditions.
    • Selects suitable weather sampling site(s).
    • Records temperature.
    • Calculates relative humidity.
    • Measures wind speed and direction.
    • Completes weather observation form.
    • Submits weather observations or forms as directed by supervisor.
  • Monitors incident situation.
    • Monitors, records, and reports fire behavior
      characteristics:
      • Flame lengths
      • Rate of spread
      • Smoke indicators
      • Fuel models/conditions
    • Monitors, records, and immediately reports extreme fire behavior.
  • Safety.
    • Takes immediate corrective actions as conditions may warrant.
    • Adheres to agency specific and incident appropriate safety standards while performing all tasks.
  • Reports field data.
  • Maps and overlays production.
  • Maintains incident history on maps and narratives as required.
  • Provides documentation of situation unit activities.
  • Confirms demobilization instructions with supervisor.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • Qualified in one Strike Team Leader position
    OR
  • Qualified in two Single Resource Boss positions (one must be CRWB or ENGB), and ICT4

NWCG Latest Announcements

WFSTAR 2025 Core Component Module Package and 2024 Fire Year in Review Now Available

Date: March 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Joe Schindel at mschindel@blm.gov
 

The 2025 Core Component Module Package for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) and the 2024 Fire Year in Review are now available on the NWCG website. The 2025 Core Component Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

References:

2025 Core Component Module Package

2024 Fire Year in Review Module

NEW! NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053

Date: March 12, 2025
Contact: Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee

The NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 provides mitigation practitioners at all experience levels with recommendations on the most effective and efficient ways to accomplish mitigation work in communities at risk to wildfire damage or destruction. The content in this guide was written in coordination with the NWCG Standards for Mitigation in the Wildland Urban Interface, PMS 052.

References:

NWCG Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Field Guide, PMS 053 

Updated, NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Date: March 11, 2025
Contact: Fire Use Subcommittee
Wildland Fire Module Unit

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430 standardizes procedures and expectations for Wildland Fire Modules (WFMs). These standards are to be used by staff, supervisors, specialists, and technicians for planning, administering, and conducting WFM operations. These standards will also be used as a measure of WFM qualifications, capabilities, and expected performance, for both Type 1 and Type 2 WFMs.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

NEW! NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514

Date: March 7, 2025
Contact: National Interagency Aviation Committee

The NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating airtankers on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, NWCG Standards for Airtanker Base Operations (SABO), PMS 508, and any applicable agency plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Airtanker Operations, PMS 514