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Fire Management Board

FMB header graphic. Decorative.

The FMB provides a mechanism for coordinated and integrated federal wildland fire program management and implementation. The Board, taking strategic policy and program direction from the Fire Executive Council, directs, coordinates and oversees the development and implementation of federal wild land fire policy and programs to provide consistent and cost-effective program management. The Board is accountable for and has the authority to coordinate federal program management and oversight.

Functions

The Board is responsible for and has the authority to:

  • Provide common, integrated implementation strategies, approaches, programs, and oversight for implementing federal wildland fire policies
  • Provide federal wildland fire program strategy, policy, budget and program recommendations to the Fire Executive Council
  • Provide recommendations on information and technology requirements, priorities, and investments to the Wildland Fire Information and Technology Executive Board
  • Provide recommendations on science and research requirements and priorities necessary to support wildland fire program management activities
  • Identify requirements and recommend priorities for standards necessary to ensure interoperability of intergovernmental wildland fire activities and operations
  • Consult with our non-federal partners
  • Develop recommendations for interagency wildland fire administrative/business support needs

Key Documents

USWDS Paragraphs

Member Role Title Organization Email
Chris Wilcox Chair Chief, Fire Management FWS chris_wilcox@fws.gov
Julian Affuso Member Assistant Director, Doctrine, Learning and Risk Management FS julian.affuso@usda.gov
Aaron Baldwin Member Branch Chief Wildland Fire Management BIA aaron.balwin@bia.gov
Aitor Bidaburu Member Fire Program Specialist, U.S. Fire Administration USFA aitor.bidaburu@usda.gov
Meagan Conry Member Deputy Assistant Director DOI mconry@blm.gov
Sarah Fisher Vice-Chair Deputy Director Aviation and Operations USFS sarah.fisher@usda.gov
Erin Horsburgh Member Deputy Director, Management & Programs, Office of Wildland Fire DOI erin_horsburgh@ios.doi.gov
Brad Koeckeritz Member Division Chief, Office of Aircraft Services DOI bradley_koeckeritz@ios.doi.gov
Charles Russell Member Acting Chief Branch of Wildland Fire NPS Charles_russell@nps.gov

NWCG Latest Announcements

2024 Week of Remembrance

Date: June 27, 2024
Contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee 

As we approach the 2024 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30 to July 6, we dedicate this time to thoughtfully reviewing and recognizing the events of the 2018 Mendocino Complex. As such, this year’s theme of “Learning From the Mendocino Complex” embodies a longstanding hallmark of WOR, honoring through learning.

Throughout the week, our energy will be directed toward fostering generative conversations in briefing rooms and at tailgates.

References:

6 Minutes for Safety - 2024 Week of Remembrance

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

Updated NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Date: June 24, 2024
Contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee 

The June 2024 update of the NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236, is now available to meet the current needs for incident management typing.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment should be used to evaluate firefighter safety issues, assess risk, and identify the appropriate incident management organization based on incident complexity. Assessing risk, determining incident complexity, and identifying an appropriate incident management organization is a subjective process based on examining a combination of indicators or factors, which can change over time.

References:

NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment, PMS 236

Operations Branch Director (OPBD) Next Gen PTB Available

Date: June 10, 2024
Contact: NWCG Feedback 

The NWCG Position Task Book for Operations Branch Director (OPBD), PMS 311-109 is now available for use within the OPBD position qualification pathway. As part of the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), the OPBD Next Gen PTB was developed and the position qualification pathway updated.

More information about the Next Gen PTB format can be found on the NWCG Position Task Book webpage.

References:

Operations Branch Director Position Page

Operations Branch Director Next Gen PTB

NWCG Position Task Books

Updated NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

Date: June 5, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 is now available. The uniform application of interagency incident business management standards is critical to interagency fire operations. PMS 902 assists NWCG agencies in constructively working together to provide effective execution of each agency's incident business management program.

References:

PMS 902