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National Incident Feature Services

Purpose

The National Incident Feature Service (NIFS) refers primarily to an ArcGIS Online (AGOL)-hosted feature service. The NIFS is designed for use on wildland fires of any size to improve standardization and compatibility nationwide. It helps streamline data sharing, speed deployment of web and mobile applications and improve situational awareness for firefighters. Because the NIFS is available to all wildland fire personnel, regardless of agency or affiliation, data can be easily shared near-real time and at any location.

The NIFS is hosted on AGOL and can be accessed using a NIFC AGOL account.

While often referred to as a single entity, the NIFS actually is a suite of services that are all sourced from the same underlying data. Multiple services of the same data are needed to control the different permissions and access of multiple applications and user groups. See the Service List for a description of the individual services.

The NIFS must be used by all Geographic Information System Specialists (GISS). Editing the National Incident Feature Services and other hosted feature services is an essential skill for the role of a GISS.

Specifications

The GISS will adhere to the following:

  • Approval of features in the NIFS is the responsibility of the Situation Unit Leader (SITL). GISS should work with the SITL to ensure there is a process in place to review and approve data in the NIFS.
  • The NIFS is a shared service, users with the GISS role will be able to view/edit all records on the service, including adjacent fires. It is critical that the GISS only edit data for the incident to which they are assigned.

References

Responsibilities

The GISS will load and manage incident data within the NIFS. Any data edits should be synchronized with the NIFS. The GISS will work with the SITL to ensure all data within the NIFS is the most accurate representation of the wildfire incident. GISS will use appropriate care when working with the NIFS to ensure no adverse impacts to other incidents using NIFS.

 

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