Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1

RXB1 Incident Position Description

The Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 1 (RXB1) ensures that all prescribed fire plan specifications are met before, during, and after a high complexity prescribed fire. The RXB1 is responsible to the Agency Administrator, prescribed fire manager, Fire Management Officer (FMO), or local fire management organization for implementing the prescribed fire plan. The RXB1 works in the Prescribed Fire functional area.

All prescribed fire operations shall be conducted in accordance with the NWCG Standards for Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation, PMS 484, and applicable federal, state, and tribal policies.

The RXB1 performs position duties commensurate with Type 1 incident complexity and characteristics stated in the Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book).

Prescribed Fire Planning Duties

• Prepare and/or ensure the prescribed fire plan is in accordance with the PMS 484, agency policy and direction, and land/resource management plan.
  • Ensure pre-burn considerations have been addressed and pre-burn monitoring has been completed.
  • Ensure necessary agreements are in place.
  • Coordinate and/or confirm with the appropriate resource management specialists that the plan meets land/resource management and operational objectives.
  • Develop contingency plan.
  • Consult with the technical reviewer to ensure that all prescribed fire plan elements are adequately addressed.
  • Perform a technical review of a high complexity prescribed fire plan, or confirm this has taken place.
  • Ensure complexity analysis has been completed and signed.
  • Make any necessary amendments to the prescribed fire plan.

Prepare and Mobilize

• Ensure individual readiness.
• Gather critical information pertinent to the assignment.
• Review the prescribed fire plan prior to implementation and ensure all required elements and objectives are addressed, and have a good understanding of the complexity determination.
• Travel to and check in at assignment.
• Check in with appropriate supervisor and/or dispatch upon arrival.
• Obtain briefing from previous shift/assignment position as necessary.

Build The Team

• Assemble and validate readiness of required prescribed fire plan personnel and equipment. 
• Verify qualifications of all assigned personnel.
• Identify reporting procedures, risk management processes, and radio frequency management. 
• Establish and maintain communication with the Agency Administrator, dispatch, prescribed fire manager, FMO, or local fire management organization.

Supervise and Direct Work Assignments

• Establish and communicate objectives, priorities, work assignments, and performance expectations.
• Identify, analyze, and use relevant situational information to make informed decisions and take appropriate actions.
• Ensure objectives and performance standards are met.
• Supervise assigned personnel and direct ignition, holding, and monitoring operations.
• Ensure all operations are conducted in a safe manner and in accordance with the approved plan and established standards and guidelines, maintaining the safety and welfare of all assigned personnel and public.

Implement a Prescribed Fire

• Obtain a spot forecast, smoke management forecasts, and/or local area forecast on any days the fire is actively spreading, and use the forecasts to determine holding, mop up, or patrol staffing needs.
• Ensure availability of contingency resources and or capabilities within maximum acceptable response times.
• Ensure a signed Agency Administrator Ignition Authorization is in the prescribed fire plan.
• Complete and sign the Prescribed Fire Go/No-Go Checklist in the prescribed fire plan.
• Take to the field those portions of the prescribed fire plan necessary for completing the briefing and safe project implementation.
• Conduct organizational briefing at the beginning of each operational period.
• Conduct the test fire and document the results.
• Adjust actions based on changing information and evolving situation awareness. Communicate changing conditions to assigned resources and supervisor.
• Implement contingency plan as appropriate.
• Implement mop up and patrol unless otherwise assigned to other qualified personnel.
• Determine when the prescribed fire is outside prescription parameters (both short- and long-term) or is not meeting prescribed fire plan objectives.
• Declare a prescribed fire a wildfire, if necessary.
• Manage or delegate responsibility, as identified in the plan, for the management of any declared wildfire.
• Manage or delegate responsibility for the management of any incident-within-an-incident.
• Declare the prescribed fire out, or formally transition responsibility to another Prescribed Fire Burn Boss, prescribed fire manager, or other designated personnel within the local fire management organization.

Communicate and Coordinate

• Follow established communication protocols.
• Coordinate and document communication with adjacent landowners, cooperators, and permit holders as designated in the prescribed fire plan.
• Conduct and/or participate in After Action Reviews (AAR).

Manage Risk

• Apply the Risk Management Process as stated in the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461:
  • Identify Hazards
  • Assess Hazards
  • Develop Controls and Make Risk Decisions
  • Implement Controls
  • Supervise and Evaluate
• Ensure Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES) are established and known to all firefighters before they are needed. Refer to guidelines stated in IRPG.
• Use Look Up, Down and Around in IRPG to help maintain situational awareness. Adjust actions accordingly. Develop and communicate contingency plans and trigger points.
• Monitor smoke impacts and adjust accordingly.
• Inspect the prescribed fire project area and or ignition unit(s) to validate prescribed fire plan elements, including location of identified values and areas of special concern, as well as ensuring that holding/contingency plans adequately address expected fire behavior outside the unit(s).
• Utilize Safety Officers, as appropriate, to assist with risk management process and provide input into safety of operations.
• Plan for medical emergencies. Ensure that assigned resources are prepared to execute the Medical Plan (ICS 206 WF). Ensure familiarity with medical responders, communication procedures, and transportation plan. Manage the medical emergency based on procedures stated in the prescribed fire plan.
• Monitor for signs and symptoms of fatigue, illness, or injury. Mitigate appropriately.
• Account for location, health, safety, and welfare of assigned personnel.
• Submit accident/incident reports with pertinent forms (SAFECOM, SAFENET, agency-specific forms) through established chain of command.

Document

• Complete, authorize, ensure timeliness of, and route as required:
  • Checklists (e.g., Go/No-Go, briefing)
  • Notifications
  • Agency Administrator Ignition Authorization
  • Test fire results
  • Smoke monitoring
  • Post-burn report
  • Cost Analysis
  • Crew Time Report (CTR), SF-261 (Watch: How to correctly fill out a CTR)
  • Emergency Equipment Use Invoice, OF-286 (Watch: How to Correctly Fill Out The Emergency Equipment Use Invoice)
  • Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF-297 (Watch: How to Correctly Fill Out The Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket)
  • Incident Time Report, OF-288 (Watch: How to Correctly fill out an Incident Time Report)
  • Incident Personnel Performance Rating (ICS 225 WF)
  • General Message (ICS 213)
  • Activity Log (ICS 214)
  • SAFECOM
  • SAFENET
  • Agency-specific forms
  • Injury forms
• Following a wildfire declaration, document the incident, including all actions prior to and after the declaration.

Demobilize

• Plan for demobilization. Identify excess resources and coordinate with local unit.
• Brief assigned resources on demobilization procedures and responsibilities. Ensure agency demobilization procedures and work/rest driving standards are followed.
• During transfer of command:
  • Ensure continuity of operations.
  • Exchange critical safety information.
  • Communicate transfer of authority through established chain of command.
• Return equipment and supplies as appropriate. 
• Complete demobilization checkout process as appropriate.
• Upon demobilization, report status to home unit including estimated time of arrival (ETA) to home unit.