Self-Development Plan

For Wildland Firefighters...a Lifetime of Learning

No matter how long you work in the wildland fire service, being a successful firefighter means being a student of fire. Along your career path you will have many opportunities to learn. A complete leadership development process will include formal training, challenging field experiences, and your own self-directed learning efforts.

Read the Individual Development Plan (IDP) Guide.

Learn about the different levels of leadership and self-study learning opportunities within the Wildland Fire Learning Portal:

Use the table below as a guide for starting your self-development plan worksheet.

Leadership Level	Development Goals
Follower/Aspiring Leader Takes responsibility for personal actions and decisions Becomes competent in basic job skills Takes initiative and learns from others Asks questions and develops their communication skills	Read the Individual Development Plan Guide. Speak with your supervisor about your agency's formal IDP process. Start your Self-Development Plan Worksheet. Become familiar with the Wildland Fire Leadership Values and Principles. Become familiar with Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. Select and read a book from the Professional Reading Program. Attend the L-180 Human Factors course. Lead a small group discussion on a familiar topic such as pump or chainsaw operations or safety session.
New Leader Accepts responsibility, not only for their own actions, but for those of their team Understands organizational structures (ICS and agency) Demonstrates proficiency in job skills as a leader Asks questions in order to learn from others	Review and update your Self-Development Plan Worksheet. Read and discuss Leading in the Wildland Fire Service. Select and read a book from the Professional Reading Program annually. Attend the L-280 Followership to Leadership course. Obtain and review your agency organization chart. Attend next formal course in your ICS function. Do a Crew Cohesion Assessment for your crew. Seek a temporary assignment on a different type of crew. Serve as a unit instructor for a fire training course at your home unit. Research and present to your crew a historic fire, near miss, incident review, etc.
Leader of People Demonstrates expertise in job skills Develops credibility and reputation Develops own ideas Mentors New Leaders	Review and update your Self-Development Plan Worksheet. Read and discuss Leaders We Would Like to Meet. Read at least two books annually from the Professional Reading Program. Attend the L-380 Fireline Leadership course. Attend the next formal course in your primary ICS function. Attend an entry level course in another ICS function. Be the lead instructor for a fire training course at your home unit. Become a proficient facilitator of After Action Reviews.
Leader of Leaders Demonstrates breadth of experience Provides direction in situations with significant consequence Shares ideas for the broader organization	Review and update your Self Development Plan Worksheet. Read and discuss Communicating Intent. Read at least three books annually from the Professional Reading Program. Attend the L-381 Incident Leadership course. Attend formal training in your primary and secondary ICS functions. Write an article for an agency or professional publication. Become a proficient facilitator in Tactical Decision Games.
Leader of Organizations Influences organizational decisions Anticipates and plans for future operations Mentors promising Leaders of Leaders for key roles in the organization	Review and update your Self-Development Plan Worksheet. Read the monthly Wharton Leadership Digest. Read at least four books annually form the Professional Reading Program. Attend the L-480 IMT Leadership course. Attend formal training in your primary and secondary ICS functions. Attend a NWCG Committee meeting as a guest. Be a lead instructor at a Geographic Area Training Center. Design and conduct a Staff Ride. Attend L-580 Leadership is Action.

NWCG Latest Announcements

Leadership Committee IAP Flyer Now Available

Date: May 8, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee promotes and enables leadership development across the wildland fire service. The committee provides education, training opportunities, and support for leadership innovation and best practices throughout the community.

A new IAP flyer is now available on the committee website, offering an overview of the products, curriculum, and learning opportunities the Leadership Committee develops. This resource is ideal for posting in your office, sharing with new employees, or distributing through your incident management teams to engage new voices in the leadership journey and reinforce a culture of self‑reflection, development, and growth.

References:

Leadership Committee 2026 IAP Flyer

Incident Operations Subcommittee Updates the Next Generation Position Task Book for FFT1

Date: May 7, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

The NWCG Incident Operations Subcommittee (IOSC) has updated the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14. The FFT1 Position Task Book transitioned to the Next Generation (Next Gen PTB) format in June 2025 through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. Since then, IOSC has received feedback from the wildland fire community regarding coding for one of the tasks. Task #13 has been updated to include the option of evaluation in a simulation.

See IOSC Memorandum 26‑01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14 for more information.

References:

IOSC Memorandum 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Postion Task Book for Firefighter Type 1

NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss Position Page

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now

Date: April 23, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, scheduled for January 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

New Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Date: April 17, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: National Coordination System Committee

A new publication from the National Coordination System Committee (NCSC) is now available. The NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249, will be used for aviation crews and dispatch to share flight information that is needed for resource tracking, and if needed, for emergency procedures.

For further details, please contact your NCSC representative.

References:

NCSC Memo 26-01: Implementation of NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Self-Development Plan

For Wildland Firefighters...a Lifetime of Learning

Follower/Aspiring Leader

New Leader

Leader of People

Leader of Leaders

Leader of Organizations

NWCG Latest Announcements

References:

References:

References:

References:

NWCG National Wildfire Coordinating Group

NWCG

National Wildfire Coordinating Group