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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.

Chainsaw Operational Complexity and Tree Size-Up - When Complexity Changes

Identify common themes from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center “2004-2019 Tree Felling Accident Analysis” to promote discussion between new and experienced sawyers about ongoing procedural size-up and complexity analysis, human factors affecting the cutting process, and complexity changing throughout a chainsaw operation.
Category: Hazards
Core Component(s):
Local Topics, Incident Reviews and Lessons Learned, Fire and Aviation Operational Safety, Human Factors, Communication and Decision Making
Estimated Delivery Time: 45 minutes
Video Length: 20:26

Intent

Identify common themes from the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center 2004-2019 Tree Felling Accident Analysis to promote discussion between new and experienced sawyers about ongoing procedural size-up and complexity analysis, human factors affecting the cutting process, and complexity changing throughout a chainsaw operation.

Facilitator Preparation

  • Review the video, module tools, and additional resources linked below.
  • Consider additional discussion questions pertinent to your location and agency.
  • Guide discussion based on the topics and guidance provided below from the NWCG Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee.

Facilitating the Discussion

  • Show the video.
  • Pause video as questions appear on screen to facilitate discussion.
  • Optional: Conduct additional activities pertinent to your location and agency.

Discussion Questions

  1. What size-up process(es) have you used or seen?
  2. What factors affect which is the good side vs. bad side of the tree?
  3. What does cutting area control mean to you?
  4. What other human factors might influence the size-up process, complexity analysis, or overall cutting operation?
  5. What experiences have caused you to reevaluate your felling operation? How do you maintain your cutting area control?

Resources

Video Information

  • This video is also available as a download (zip file, size 1.2 GB) 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 Internet Explorer (IE), right click and select Save Target As.

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters

Date: January 15, 2025
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 25-001 Non-specification fire shelters. Non-specification fire shelters claiming to meet Forest Service (FS) fire shelter specification 5100-606 were first found in February of 2023. As of September 2024, non-specification shelters are again being advertised and sold on the open market.

This Safety Warning outlines details and recommended procedures to purchase FS specification shelters made with materials and components that meet performance criteria and toxicity testing requirements outlined in FS Specification 5100-606. 

For additional information on identifying non-specification shelters, please view ETC Safety Warning 23-01.

References:

ETC Safety Warning 25-001: Non-specification fire shelters

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee

ETC Safety Warning 23-01

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Awards

Date: January 14, 2025
Contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee has awarded the 2023 Paul Gleason “Lead By Example” awards to individuals in the categories of Initiative and Innovation, Mentoring and Teamwork, and Motivation and Vision, as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Congratulations to the awardees:

  • Sam Bowen, Superintendent of the Mark Twain Veteran Crew with the U.S. Forest Service.
  • Greg Titus, Zone Fire Management Officer for the St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Renae Crippen, Manager of the Blue Mountain Interagency Dispatch Center with the U.S. Forest Service.
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References:

Paul Gleason Lead by Example Award

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Interview with Paul Gleason

Updated NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Water Scooper Operations Unit

The NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518 establishes the standards for dispatching, utilizing, and coordinating water scooping aircraft on interagency wildland fires. These standards should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision (SAS), PMS 505, and any local, state, or geographic/regional water scooping plans.

References:

NWCG Standards for Water Scooping Operations, PMS 518

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 19, 2024
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee

The Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505. PMS 505 establishes standards for aerial supervision operations for national interagency wildland fire operations. 

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505