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Long Term Fire Analyst

Position Description

Duties

  • Assists in the burn plan development and review before implementing.
  • Provides appropriate historic weather information.
  • Obtains weather forecasts, updates and special advisories; document local weather before and during the fire; and communicate with Meteorologist.
  • Establishes and maintains effective communications with appropriate personnel, such as supervisors, Fire Effects Monitor, crewmembers, or adjoining forces.
  • Establishes a system to monitor fire behavior, first order fire effects, weather data before (if possible), during and after ignition.
  • Assesses real-time observations of fire behavior and immediate fire effects, and recommend tactical adjustments.
  • Identifies fuels outside of standard models because of depth, loading arrangement, or kind of fuel; and adjust predictions accordingly.
  • Analyzes observed and predicted fire behavior to make adjustments to fuel models or the assumptions used in the fire behavior calculations.
  • Estimates wind speed and direction at any time and location over a large area of varying topography, given a fire weather forecast.
  • Assembles information and calculate fire growth from a line source of fire over an extended time period.
  • Recognizes and describes special conditions that promote extreme fire behavior.
  • Calculates the rate of spread, flame lengths (fireline intensity), heat per unit area, burn size (area and perimeter) for selected time periods for a burn starting from a point source and be able to plot the burn area and perimeter on a map.
  • Predicts the rate and direction of fire spread on slope with winds at various angles on the slope.
  • Employs appropriate solutions for burns of extended durations.
  • Provides assessment of risk of a rare fire spread, significant smoke, and/or season ending event for long duration fires.
  • Synthesizes the data sets from a number of local weather stations for useful inputs to fire behavior calculations for various locations.
  • Monitors smoke emissions for health, safety, and vista impairment.
  • Locates proper sites for, and identify appropriate equipment for weather data collection.
  • Prepares written prescribed fire behavior forecast within the time frame specified by the supervisor.
  • Provides formal briefing to appropriate personnel.
  • Provides fire behavior and fire effects summary for the fire(s).

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

  • S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations
  • S-490, Advanced Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations
  • S-590, Advanced Fire Behavior Interpretations
  • S-492, Long Term Fire Risk Assessment
  • S-493, FARSITE: Fire Growth Simulation

 

Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

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

New Job Aids Available: Packing Lists for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel and Support Staff, J-101 and J-102

Date: December 3, 2024
Contact: NWCG TRAINING

Two new job aids are now available: Packing List for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel, J-101 and Packing List for Wildland Fire Support Personnel, J-102, should serve as a baseline for items needed on a wildland fire assignment. These lists will help personnel prepare for a 14 to 21-day assignment on the fireline or in a support role.

References:

Job Aid Catalog

NWCG Packing List for Wildland Fire Fireline Personnel, J-101

NWCG Packing List for Wildland Fire Support Staff, J-102

NWCG Equipment Technology Committee Releases Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention

Date: November 14, 2024
Contact: Equipment Technology Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention. Misaligned toolless fuel caps on Stihl chainsaws have led to recurring fuel spillage, fuel ignition, and burn injuries during wildland fire management operations.

This Safety Warning is intended to highlight the details and recommended procedures for the installation of a Stihl chainsaw toolless fuel cap, as well as how to identify and correct a misaligned, damaged, or broken fuel cap to help prevent fuel spillage.

References:

NWCG Safety Warning: 24-001 Stihl Chainsaw Toolless Fuel Cap Spill Prevention

Advertencia de equipos 24-001: Prevención de derrames de la tapa de combustible sin herramientas de la motosierra Stihl

NWCG Alerts