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PMS 437

Weather References

Fire weather notes for slash burning, Alberta Forest Service, 1985.

Andrews, Patricia L, Modeling Wind Adjustment Factor and Midflame Wind Speed for Rothermel’s Surface Fire Spread Model, General Technical Report RMRS-GTR-266, USDA Forest Service. Rocky Mountain Research Station, 2012.

Bishop, Jim, Technical Background of the FireLine Assessment Method (FLAME), RMRS-P-46CD. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. CD-ROM. pages 27-74.

Lawson, B.D., Armitage, O.B., Weather Guide for the Canadian Forest Fire Danger Rating System, Edmonton, AB.

Haines, D.A., A Lower Atmospheric Severity Index for Wildland Fire, National Weather Digest. Vol 13. No. 2:23-27, 1988.

Latham, Don J. and Rothermel, Richard C., Probability of Fire-Stopping Precipitation Events, USDA Forest Service, Research Note INT-410; page 8, 1993.

Interagency Wildland Fire Weather Station Standards & Guidelines, PMS 426-3, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, 2014.

Schroeder, Mark J. and Buck, Charles C., Fire Weather: A Guide For Application of Meteorological Information to Forest Fire Control Operations, USDA Forest Service Agricultural Handbook 360, pages 85-126, 1970.

Seager, R., A. Hooks, A. Williams, B. Cook, J. Nakamura, and N. Henderson,  Climatology, Variability, and Trends in the U.S. Vapor Pressure Deficit, an Important Fire-Related Meteorological Quantity, 2015.

Simard, A.J., Calibration of Surface Wind Speed Observations in Canada, Forest Fire Research Institute, Ontario, 1971.

Werth, Paul and Ochoa, Richard, The Haines Index and Idaho Wildfire Growth, Fire Management Notes, 1990.

Werth, John and Werth, Paul, Haines Index Climatology for the Western United States, NOAA National Weather Service Western Region Technical Attachment No. 97-17, 1997.

Werth, Paul A., Potter, Brian E., Clements, Craig B., Finney, Mark A., Goodrick, Scott L., Alexander, Martin E., Cruz, Miguel G., Forthofer, Jason A., McAllister, Sara S.,  Synthesis of Knowledge of Extreme Fire Behavior: Volume I for Fire Managers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 2011.

Whiteman, C. David, Mountain Meteorology: Fundamentals and Applications, Oxford University Press, 2000.

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Quarter Three Materials for the 2025-2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign Now Available

Date:  April 1, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that Quarter Three materials for the 2025/2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign are now available. This annual initiative offers all students of leadership and wildland fire management an opportunity to engage with essential leadership skills and knowledge needed to lead effectively in dynamic environments.

Quarter Three materials focus on Leadership Level 3: Leader of People (Develop Intent). Leadership Level 3 is where your values, your team, and your influence come together. Leaders of People put their teams first, build trust, and lead with authenticity. They mentor future leaders and shape decisions up and down the chain.

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2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Committee

WFSTAR 2026 Core Components Module Package and 2025 Fire Year in Review Now Available

Date:  March 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Joe Schindel

The 2026 Core Components Module Package for RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) and the 2025 Fire Year in Review are now available on the NWCG website. The 2026 Core Components Module Package provides all content needed to deliver RT-130.

References:

2026 Core Components Module Package

2025 Fire Year in Review Module

NEW! S-490, Advanced Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) Available Now

Date:  March 17, 2026
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Please contact: Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S-490, Advanced Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended), 2026 course is now available.

This training includes performance-based activities that allow students to apply the knowledge and concepts required for the Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN), Long Term Fire Analyst (LTAN), and Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1 (RXB1) positions. It supports individuals working towards these incident qualifications.

This blended course begins with a self-paced online training (OLT) in the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP), followed by an in-person instructor-led training (ILT).

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S-490, Advanced Fire Calculations (Blended)

NWCG Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) Position Page

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2024 Paul Gleason Award Winners Announced

Date:  March 13, 2026
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The NWCG Leadership Committee is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Paul Gleason "Lead By Example" awards. Award categories include Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Justin Baxter, National Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Operations Specialist, with the U.S. Forest Service — Initiative and Innovation
  • Kelly Woods, Director of the Wildland Firefighting Lessons Learned Center — Mentoring and Teamwork
  • Doug Booster, Instructor, ProHealth Net, Inc. — Motivation and Vision
  • Pam McDonald, Writer-Editor for the National Interagency Fire Center — Lifetime Achievement Award

References:

Paul Gleason Lead By Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program (WFLDP)

Leadership Committee