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M 581, Fire Program Management An Overview, N/A

Description

The M-581 Design Criteria offers an alternative approach to training. There is no standing course package available through the NWCG Publication Management System. Agencies have the authority to develop lesson plans based on the course criteria outlined below. The purpose of establishing course criteria is to give agencies the latitude to deliver training that fits their organizational needs and geographic nuances while meeting a nationally accepted set of learning outcomes.

Intent

The M-581 training will provide Agency Administrators and Fire Program Managers with knowledge required to safely and effectively administer low to moderate complexity wildland fire programs. Essential guiding principles for imparting this knowledge include: enhancing the students' understanding of the wildland fire culture; ensuring an understanding of their role in decision making in all areas of the wildland fire program; an understanding of the risks inherent in their decisions; utilizing experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to explore the policy, social, political, environmental and human elements of wildland fire program management and oversight.

Objectives

Essential guiding principles for imparting this knowledge include: enhancing the students' understanding of the wildland fire culture; ensuring an understanding of their role in decision making in all areas of the wildland fire program; an understanding of the risks inherent in their decisions; utilizing experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to explore the policy, social, political, environmental and human elements of wildland fire program management and oversight.

Target Group

Current or Future Agency Administrators and future Fire Program Managers who have direct responsibility to plan, organize, budget, manage and evaluate Fire Management Programs.

Prerequisite Qualifications and Training

  • ICS–100, Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS)
  • IS-700, National Incident Management System (NIMS), an Introduction

 

Session Offerings

This course is available for self-enrollment in the NWCG Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP).. Enrollment requires an account. Log on as a guest to search for session offerings of this course and to view other public content. To search for a specific course, use the FIND LEARNING menu at the top of the page, then select UPCOMING COURSES. To view Geographic Area training schedules, select the specific GEOGRAPHIC AREA information using the drop-down menu at the top of the page. Contact your local Training Officer for more information about local course sessions.

 

Delivery

M-581 is available as classroom instructor-led training.

Course Components and Hours to Complete

Course Component Course Time
Pre-course work 1-2
Pre-selection assessment N/A
Online training N/A
Instructor-led training 34-38
Total Hours 36-40

Course Level

National, regional, state, or area

Minimum Instructor Qualifications

The combined cadre must have career or educational backgrounds and an expert level of knowledge in risk management, wildland fire policy, budget, legal liability, wildland fire response, fuels management, aviation management, and agency administrator responsibilities. All instructors must be well prepared to present complex subject matter and lead classroom activities in order to achieve the learning objectives outlined in this course criteria. The NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1, <----Fix Link instructor requirements should be waived for Agency Administrators, College Professors and other experienced subject matter experts who may have extensive experience presenting, but may not have attended the formal M-410, Facilitative Instructor.<----Fix Link

Course schedules and instructors are determined by geographic area training coordinators.

See NWCG Standards for Course Delivery, PMS 901-1, Instructor Standards <----Fix Link for more information.

 

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

Updated NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

Date: April 23, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee

The NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515 standardizes processes and procedures for the interagency use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), including pilot inspections and approvals. This updated publication provides the aviation community with standards to ensure UAS are used safely, effectively, and efficiently in support of fire management goals and objectives.

References:

NWCG Standards for Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Operations, PMS 515

NWCG National Interagency Aviation Committee

ETC Bulletin 25-001: Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2025 Field Season

Date: April 16, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

Due to spout failures and the associated risk of burn injuries, manufacturers have retrofitted the Hot/Cold Beverage Kits using a heat-shrinking band to secure the black spout at the insertion site. The updated kits feature a fluorescent label on each full kit assembly for easy identification. Catering units are encouraged to confirm the clear heat-shrinking bands are intact around each spout before filling.

ETC Bulletin 24-001 regarding Hot/Cold Beverage Kits has been archived and replaced by ETC Bulletin 25-001 for the 2025 season.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-25-001 Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and Next Generation Position Task Book for Basic Faller Are Now Available

Date: April 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-19 are now available.

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212 includes position standards designed to be used in conjunction with the Next Generation Position Task Book (Next Gen PTB). The Next Gen PTB for Basic Faller (FAL3) includes an evaluation guide with suggested rating elements to consider when assessing trainees.

References:

NWCG Standards For Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-119

NWCG Basic Faller (FAL3)

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions

Date: April 9, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
RMC Member Eric Fransted

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) serves as the position steward for all Safety Officer incident positions and continues to improve position standards, training, and naming conventions. The implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) required changes to position titles. RMC collaborated with the NWCG Incident Position Standards Committee (IPSC) to propose and implement these updates. 

References:

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions 

NWCG Position Catalog