Fires can move more quickly uphill. This Watch Out shows rolling logs and debris that are on fire and can ignite fuels below the crew building fireline.

Lookouts provide time-sensitive information to firefighters. This Standard Firefighting Order demonstrates firefighters installing a pump and hose lay with a designated lookout to keep watch for and communicate possible hazards.

Firefighting resources are often called to respond to fires at night in unfamiliar terrain. This Watch Out shows firefighters working at night in an area they are seeing for the first time which requires extra attention to surroundings and caution while working.

Having a good sizeup is important to give both the Incident Commander (IC) and Fire Management Officer (FMO) a good idea of existing problems and what resources may be needed for effective firefighting.

Use the following reporting factors for sizeup and reference local fire sizeup cards.  Discuss others that may be used.

A primary objective of every operational fire plan is to keep firefighters out of entrapment situations. However, firefighters must always be prepared to deploy their fire shelters. The key to a successful fire shelter deployment is proper site selection. Consider the following for shelter deployment site selection:

The Incident Command System (ICS) relies on interagency communications between firefighting resources for collaborative fire suppression. This Standard Firefighting Order shows a variety of firefighting resources working together to effectively suppress a wildland fire.

Rocks, dead and down trees, heavy fuels, and steep terrain can make escape to safety zones slow and difficult. This Watch Out shows firefighters already weighed down by heavy fire gear and tools trying to walk through uneven terrain and heavy fuels.

Read about all 18 Watch Out Situations.

Managing fatigue during wildland fire suppression is important for firefighter health and safety. This Watch Out depicts fire behavior increasing while firefighters take a nap without a lookout.

Fire managers make decisions throughout the day on how to suppress fires and best use resources while protecting life and property. This Standard Firefighting Order depicts a firefighter observing increased fire behavior during a time of day when temperatures are high and relative humidity is low.

The 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and the 18 Watch Out Situations, as referenced in the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, provide wildland firefighters with a set of consistent best practices and a series of scenarios to be mindful of when responding to a wildland fire.