The 6 Minutes for Safety Program

Have you ever wondered how or why
the 6 Minutes for Safety Program was formed?

In 1994, 34 wildland firefighters lost their lives in the line of duty. In July of that year on the South Canyon Fire, near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, the wildland fire community lost 14 of our own in a single incident. Following this deadly season, the Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior called on the wildland fire agencies to review the organizational and safety culture in the wildland fire program. The agencies chartered the Wildland Firefighter Safety Awareness Study (TriData Study) which proposed changes to enhance firefighter safety. Over the next decade, several of these recommendations were implemented including the establishment of the Wildland Fire Leadership Program, the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, the formalization of the Wildland Fire Safety Annual Refresher (WFSTAR) program and the 6 Minutes for Safety Program (6MFS).

The 6MFS program began as a grassroots effort by a group of wildland firefighters to highlight the basic tenets of firefighter safety. Part of the value in these messages that remains today is that the topics and contents come from the field, for the field, to share lessons with other firefighters. In the early days, the 6MFS group established a calendar with topics for two-week periods and shared across the wildland fire community through emails. By 2000, a simple website was created to share these daily topics. Today, 6MFS is a subcommittee under the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Risk Management Committee comprised of members from the field representing each NWCG participating agency.

Why six minutes?

The name and short safety message style originated from organizational and operational risk management expert Gordon Graham, who used a 6-minute style to brief his staff on important information with messages that focused on the basics. A group of firefighters were inspired by one of Graham’s presentations at the Lookouts-Communication-Escape routes-Safety zones (LCES) conference in the late 90s. The backbone of this initiative was the basics: the 10 and 18s, and LCES. The audience was the boots on the ground, and the intent was for the messages to be “By the firefighter. For the firefighter.”

Any individual or crew can write their own or submit a 6MFS Daily Topic Suggestion, at any time.

Over the years, 6MFS has continued to evolve with the addition of new daily topics, the creation of ‘This Day in History,’ and the Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance. These additions provide an opportunity to take a deeper dive into incidents where powerful learning opportunities exist as well as to honor and remember the fallen as we discuss the lessons learned.

2024 marks the 30th anniversary of the 1994 fire season, the South Canyon Fire, and the origins of major cultural shifts in the wildland fire community to include the 6MFS program.

A special thank you to Kathy Komatz for carrying the torch for so many years and ensuring that every component of the program was created to support and inform the boots on the ground!

Discussion Questions:

Why is it important to discuss the 6MFS daily topic?
How do you incorporate the daily topic into day-to-day activities?
What are the different ways to access 6MFS in the field?
What other types of topics should be considered?
How do you submit feedback or suggest for a new topic?

Useful Resources

6MFS Suggestion Form

Have an idea or feedback?

Share it with the NWCG 6MFS Subcommittee

Follow NWCG on X and Facebook

Last Modified / Reviewed: 2024-12-30

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NWCG Latest Announcements

NEW! Incident Performance and Training Modernization Story Map Now Available

Date: Aug 26, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
National Wildfire Coordinating Group

NWCG is excited to announce the launch of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) Story Map, a new interactive resource that showcases how NWCG is transforming wildland fire training and qualifications through a performance-based system.

Since its launch in 2023, IPTM has made major strides in updating how we manage incident positions:

36 incident positions now have new Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Books available for field use
6 more incident positions are nearing completion
111 total incident positions are being analyzed through the IPTM initiative

The Story Map guides you through the IPTM process, highlights key accomplishments, and outlines what’s ahead. Whether you are a trainer or a trainee, this tool offers valuable insight into the modernization effort shaping the future of wildland fire training and qualifications.

This effort would not be possible without the contributions of NWCG staff, NWCG committees, and hundreds of subject matter experts across the wildland fire community.

References:

IPTM Story Map

Incident Performance and Training Modernization Webpage

NEW! S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended) Available Now

Date: Aug 15, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended) training is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. S-290 (Blended) training combines online training and instructor-led training components that support individuals working towards any Single Resource Boss or Fire Effects Monitor incident qualifications.

This second course in the series collectively serves to develop fire behavior prediction knowledge and skills, and provides more detailed information on fuels, weather, and topography that affect wildland fire behavior for safety purposes.

Students are required to finish the prerequisite S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior, before enrolling in S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended).

References:

S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (Blended)

S-190, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NEW! S-271, Helicopter Crewmember (Blended) Now Available

Date: Aug 14, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee

The S-271, Helicopter Crewmember (Blended) is now available. Developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, this training supports individuals working towards Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) incident qualifications.

S-271, Helicopter Crewmember (Blended) training combines online training and instructor-led training components. This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform the duties of the HECM position, as described in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Helicopter Crewmember, PMS 350-22.

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 2026.

References:

S-271, Helicopter Crewmember (Blended)

NWCG Helicopter Crewmember (HECM) Position Page

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for FBAN and LTAN

Date: Aug 13, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for Fire Behavior Analyst (FBAN) and Long Term Fire Analyst (LTAN).

The Performance Support Packages for these positions were developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. These resources support trainees, qualified personnel, and evaluators in their respective roles.

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 2026.

References:

NWCG Fire Behavior Analyst Position Page

NWCG Long Term Fire Analyst Page

6MFS

The 6 Minutes for Safety Program

Why six minutes?

Any individual or crew can write their own or submit a 6MFS Daily Topic Suggestion, at any time.

Discussion Questions:

Useful Resources

6MFS Suggestion Form

NWCG Latest Announcements

References:

References:

References:

References:

NWCG National Wildfire Coordinating Group

NWCG

National Wildfire Coordinating Group