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RX Burn Boss Type 1

Position Description

Duties:

  • The Prescribed Fire Burn Boss is responsible to the agency administrator or Prescribed Fire Manager for implementing the Prescribed Fire Plan
  • Review prescribed Fire Plans prior to implementation and ensure that plan requirements are met
  • Perform a reconnaissance of the site to validate burn plan elements, including areas of special concern and that holding/contingency plans adequately address the expected fire behavior outside of the unit
  • Maintain communication with the FMO and/or Agency Administrator
  • Obtain weather forecasts, updates and advisories from a meteorologist
  • Ensure that the Agency Administrator Go/No-Go decision and checklist is still valid
  • Coordinate with resource advisor and or land owners and permittees when burning on or adjacent to private lands
  • Make the go/no-go decision, complete and sign the implementation go/no-go checklist
  • Conduct the personnel/safety briefing to ensure a safe operation
  • Conduct the test burn
  • Supervise assigned personnel
  • Direct the ignition, holding and monitoring operations
  • Ensure that a log records all activities during each operational period
  • Determine when the prescribed fire is not within prescription parameters or is not meeting project objectives
  • Manage the incident or oversee the transition to another Incident Commander if an escape occurs
  • Evaluate and document objective accomplishments, operational procedures, assigned personnel and costs
  • Declare the prescribed fire out unless the project is formally passed to another burn boss, prescribed fire manager or the local fire management organization
  • Ensure that reports are completed

Position Needs:

  • Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (S-490)
  • Satisfactory performance as a Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 AND
  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Type 3 AND
  • Satisfactory position performance as a Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1 in representative fuel group(s)
  • Recommended training includes: Smoke Management Techniques (RX-410), Applied Fire Effects (RX-510), Fire in Ecosystem Management (M-580), Fire Program Management (M-581)
  • RX300 and RX341

 

Listed in 310-1
Yes

NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Professional Reading Program

Date: February 18, 2025
Contact: Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)

The Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program is announcing the 2025 Professional Reading list! The goal of the annual reading list is to promote the reading and discussion of the books throughout the year.

The five books chosen for this year are: Surf When You Can by Brett Crozier, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl, Elephant Company by Vicki Constantine Croke, Simply Managing by Henry Mintzberg, and Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Metcalf.

References:

Professional Reading Program

Task Group Volunteers Needed to Update the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289

Date: February 5, 2025
Contact: Julie Bennett, Incident Business Committee Chair

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) is requesting volunteers for a new task group to revise the 1981 version of the Property Loss or Damage Report, OF 289 and create an incident replacement job aid. The volunteers may be recruited from within or outside the Geographic Area Incident Business Committees.

References:

IBC Memorandum 25-02

IBC Correspondence

2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: February 4, 2025
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The NWCG Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1. 

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) are also included.  

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

NWCG Memo: 2025-01 January 2025 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01