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M 582, Fire Program Management, Leading Complex Fire Programs, 2017

Description

This course was developed using an experiential and collaborative approach to learning. It is designed to be highly-engaging in dialogue, exercises, interactive scenarios, and simulations. The course is a comprehensive look at the Agency Administrator’s leadership role in highly complex issues within fire management programs. Topics include Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy, Fuels and Prescribed Fire Policy, risk management and decision-making, critical relationships, development of adaptive and resilient programs, and hosting complex incidents. The complex fire situation is highlighted with the intent to provide a comprehensive understanding of the processes necessary to effectively manage the situation. Included are the Agency Administrator’s briefing, developing and conveying clear intent and objectives, creating a healthy command climate and relationships within their teams and among partners and stakeholders, and other critical items.

Objectives

  • Identify the Agency Administrator’s responsibilities to provide leadership in fire and fuels management.
  • Gain a common understanding of all the fire management agencies national policy, Agency Administrator responsibility and accountability, and authority for all fire management actions.
  • Understand the importance of fire as an essential ecological process and the role of fire management programs in achieving desired future conditions.
  • Gain a common understanding of risk informed decision-making and safety philosophy in the context of wildland fire program management.

Target Group

This course is intended for line officers with a journey level of experience overseeing a wildland fire program: Forest Service Forest Supervisor/Deputy Forest Supervisor levels, National Park Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs Superintendent/Deputy Superintendent levels, Bureau of Land Management Field Manager/District Manager levels, Fish & Wildlife Service Refuge Management Project Leader level, and state and local Agency Administrators.

Prerequisite Qualifications and Training

  • M-581, Fire Program Management, an Overview<----Fix Link

OR

  • LFML, Local Fire Management Leadership

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-582 is available as a blended online training and classroom instructor-led training.

Course Components and Hours to Complete

Course Component Course Time
Pre-course work N/A
Pre-selection assessment N/A
Online training 18-24
Instructor-led training 32-36
Total Hours 50-60

Additional Course Information

Course schedules and instructors are determined by M-582, Agency Administrator Advanced Wildland Fire Steering Committee.

Course Level

National

Minimum Instructor Qualifications

Nationally recognized subject matter experts and practitioners serve as instructors in this course.

See Instructor Standards Section for more information. <----Fix Link

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

 

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