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Fire Behavior Subcommittee

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Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The Fire Behavior Subcommittee (FBSC) provides national leadership in fire behavior assessment and prediction in support of effective fire management decision-making.

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Primary Objectives

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  • Establish and maintain standards for fire behavior assessment and prediction.
  • Provide subject matter expertise for fire behavior modeling and related decision support applications.
  • Provide technology transfer around new models, modeling practices or research.
  • Establish and regularly update wildland fire incident position standards related to FBAN and LTAN. This includes incident position descriptions and position requirements for training, experience, physical fitness, and position currency.

Overview

Overview of Fire Behavior Subcommittee - including membership, projects, and collaboration efforts (pptx)

Guidance

NWCG Firefighter Math Course

Orientation

This video provides an overview of several orientation methods and exactly how we project flat maps from a round Earth. Watch this video before diving in to the Latitude and Longitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) Grid, or the Public Land Survey System (PLSS) videos.

Time:04:36

Latitude and Longitude

This video shows how we use latitude and longitude to map the Earth using degrees. We cover several topics, including the difference between latitude and longitude, converting from degrees minutes seconds to degrees decimal minutes to decimal degrees, and back, and reading a map using latitude and longitude.

Time:05:16

Public Lands Survey System

This video gives a brief history of the Public Land Survey System (PLSS), also known as Township Range Section. It shows how the sections are mapped in many areas of the United States using initial points, baselines, and meridians. We cover how to find your location on a map using the township, range, and section, as well as some of the pros and cons of this mapping system.

Time:06:15

 

Chair: Christopher Moore, Dan Jimenez

NWCG Coordinator: Dave Schultz

Parent Committee: Fire Environment Committee

Meeting Schedule: TBD

Page Last Modified or Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

ETC Bulletin 25-001: Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2025 Field Season

Date: April 16, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee

Due to spout failures and the associated risk of burn injuries, manufacturers have retrofitted the Hot/Cold Beverage Kits using a heat-shrinking band to secure the black spout at the insertion site. The updated kits feature a fluorescent label on each full kit assembly for easy identification. Catering units are encouraged to confirm the clear heat-shrinking bands are intact around each spout before filling.

ETC Bulletin 24-001 regarding Hot/Cold Beverage Kits has been archived and replaced by ETC Bulletin 25-001 for the 2025 season.

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC-EB-25-001 Retrofitted Hot/Cold Beverage Kits

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and Next Generation Position Task Book for Basic Faller Are Now Available

Date: April 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212, and NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-19 are now available.

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212 includes position standards designed to be used in conjunction with the Next Generation Position Task Book (Next Gen PTB). The Next Gen PTB for Basic Faller (FAL3) includes an evaluation guide with suggested rating elements to consider when assessing trainees.

References:

NWCG Standards For Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

NWCG Position Task Book for Basic Faller (FAL3), PMS 311-119

NWCG Basic Faller (FAL3)

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions

Date: April 9, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
RMC Member Eric Fransted

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) serves as the position steward for all Safety Officer incident positions and continues to improve position standards, training, and naming conventions. The implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) required changes to position titles. RMC collaborated with the NWCG Incident Position Standards Committee (IPSC) to propose and implement these updates. 

References:

RMC Memo 25-01: Summary of Updates to Safety Officer Positions 

NWCG Position Catalog

Updated, NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination, PMS 412

Date: April 8, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee

PMS 412 provides guidance for wildland fire investigations. This guide outlines recommended procedures, practices, techniques, and methods to promote a systematic approach. The last update to this publication was in 2016.

References:

NWCG Guide to Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination PMS 412