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Area Commander

ACDR decorative banner: photos depicting ACDR position. ACDR Position Description: Area Command (ACDR) is an expansion of the incident command function. It is designed to manage a very large incident that has multiple IMTs assigned. These teams may be established any time the incidents are close enough that oversight direction is required. This is to ensure that resource allocation conflicts do not arise among the IMTs.

The Area Commander (ACDR) is responsible for setting priorities for the use of critical resources among multiple Incident Management Teams (IMT) in an assigned area or allocating/reallocating resources during a single, large-scale incident/event. Area Command may be established when oversight direction is required to ensure that resource allocation conflicts do not arise among the IMTs. The Area Commander reports to the Agency Administrator (AA) and works in the Command functional area.

An Area Command organization is normally small with personnel assigned to the Command, Planning, and Logistics functions. Depending on the complexity of the interface between the incidents, specialists in other areas, such as aviation, hazardous materials, environment, and finance, may also be assigned to Area Command.

USWDS Paragraphs

Area Command Aviation Coordinator (ACAC) Assistant Area Commander, Planning (ACPC) Assistant Area Commander, Logistics (ACLC) Area Commander (ACDR)

The Forest Service and Department of Interior are enabled by Administratively Determined Pay Plans (AD Pay Plans) to hire persons for temporary duration for the following reasons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other all-hazard emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, has the potential to cause loss of life, serious injury, public health risk, or damage to natural or cultural resources unless brought under immediate control.
  2. To provide emergency assistance to states under formalized agreements.
  3. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Incident Business Committee (IBC) reviews positions annually and establishes pay rate classifications for each position.

For more information on the AD Pay Plans, visit Incident Business Committee.

Date: Jan 2026

Removed:

  • Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1) removed from “These Positions Maintain Currency for ACDR”
  • Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1), Logistics Section Chief Type 1 (LSC1), Logistics Section Chief Type 2 (LSC2), Operations Section Chief Type 1 (OSC1), Planning Section Chief Type 1 (PSC1) removed from “ADCR Maintains Currency for The Positions”
Date: Jan 2025

Removed:

  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Type 1 (ICT1) on a National Type 1 Incident Management Team.

Added:

  • Satisfactory performance as an Incident Commander Complex (ICCI).
Date: Jan 2023

Added:

  • Incident Commander Complex (ICCI) to "These Positions Maintain Currency for ADCR."
  • Incident Commander Complex (ICCI) and Operations Section Chief Complex (OSCC) to "ACDR Maintains Currency for These Positions."
Date: May 2022

Added:  Planning Section Chief Complex (PSCC) to "Maintains Currency For These Positions".

Date: May 2021

Added: Incident Position Description (IPD) approved.

Date: Oct 2015

Added: Logistics Section Chief Type 1 (LSC1) to Area Commander (ACDR) Maintains Currency for these Positions.

Date: Oct 1999

Added: Required training S-620 – Area Command (32 hrs).

Date: Oct 1984

Position created.

USWDS Paragraph Bundles

Primary Committee: Incident and Position Standards Committee
Steward: Incident Command Subcommittee


Last Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: January 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) and Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM) are also included.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

IPSC Memo 26-01: January 2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Incident Business Committee Memo 26-01: Updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297

Date: January 22, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Business Committee

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) has released Memorandum 26-01: OF 297 and 2026 Fire Use. This memo informs the wildland fire community that the updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297 is available for download and can be ordered through the Great Basin Cache.

Beginning January 15, 2026 the previous version of the OF 297 form has been discontinued.

For further details, please contact your IBC representative.

References:

Incident Business Committee Memorandum 26-01

Great Basin Cache

NEW! S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 22, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the new S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) training is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal.

This third course in the series combines online and instructor-led training components aimed at individuals who are involved in planning, managing, and executing wildland fire and prescribed burn operations; who require a thorough understanding of fire behavior calculations to enhance effectiveness and safety. This includes students who require the knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of a Type 3 Incident Commander (ICT3), Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS), or Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2).

Students are required to be qualified as any Single Resource Boss position and complete the prerequisite S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire behavior (Blended) course, before enrolling in S-390.

References:

S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NEW! S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 18, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal!

This blended course combines online learning with instructor-led training, designed for individuals seeking to build leadership skills and gain experience in incident management.

Students are required to complete the prerequisite trainings ICS-100, Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS), ICS-200, Basic ICS for Initial Response, and ICS-700, An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) prior to attending S-320.

References:

S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal