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RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)

RT-130 Decorative banner. Group of photos depicting wildland firefighters performing various duties.

Assessing the Fire Environment to Anticipate Fire Behavior

Good situational awareness is a cornerstone of good decision making. Assessing the fire environment is a key component of the Situational Awareness Cycle for wildland firefighters.
Category: Fire-Environment
Core Component(s):
Fire and Aviation Operational Safety, Human Factors, Communication and Decision Making
Estimated Delivery Time: 40 minutes
Video Length: 14:46

Intent

Utilizing factors identified on the NWCG Fire Environment Poster, PMS 439, and the Look Up, Down, and Around principles, describe a step-by-step process to assess the fire environment and anticipate the next big changes in fire behavior.

Facilitator Preparation

  • Review the video and module tools.
  • Print or display the Cheat Sheet Companion to How to Assess the Fire Environment to Anticipate Fire Behavior and explore the digital information sources listed in the online resources column.
  • Print or display the NWCG Fire Environment Poster, PMS 439.
  • Reference the Look Up, Down and Around principles in the Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461. Provide copies of the IRPG for students to utilize and answer questions.

Facilitating the Discussion

  • Show the video.
  • Facilitate a discussion after each phase of the video, using the Cheat Sheet as a guide. Consider pausing the video after each of the three phases to initiate a review of the topics.
  • Use the NWCG Fire Environment Poster, PMS 439 as a discussion reference.

Discussion Questions

Phase 1: Before an Assignment 2:28-5:55

  • What information sources are used to evaluate forecasts? To review yesterday’s activity? And to anticipate today’s problems?
  • Identify information sources available that were not listed in the module.

Phase 2: Assigned and En Route 5:56-8:57

  • What tools are used to get on-scene weather and fire information?
    • Evaluate maps and photos.
    • Ask for a spot forecast.
    • Interpret sky and smoke.
  • Identify strengths/weaknesses of these tools and how/when each may be best used.

Phase 3: On-Scene Fire Assessment 8:58-12:38

  • What methods are used to determine the current situation, including:
    • What fuel and terrain are ahead of the fire?
    • How to verify forecast and request updates?
    • How to determine escape route and safety zone requirements?
  • Identify existing references to assist you with these methods.

Big Change Factor Clues 12:39-13:38

  • Which clues determine what the next big change will look like and where/how fast it will occur?
  • How do you determine if it is time to act or time to move to safety and wait it out?
  • Identify big change factor clues in your local area.

Resources

Additional Video Information

  • This video is also available as a download (zip file, size 982 MB) with .srt file for closed captioning (you may need to right click and Save As). For information on how to add closed captioning to a video, see this how to page.
  • Note: For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, right click the word download and select Save Link As; For IE, right click and select Save Target As.

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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