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2018 WOR: Renew our commitment to the health, wellness and safety of wildland firefighters

Ribbon symbol for survivor next to the Wildland Fire Leadership logoWeek of Remembrance June 30-July 6, 2018

This Week of Remembrance is dedicated to all those who have fallen in the line of duty and is intended to serve as an opportunity to renew our commitment to the health, wellness and safety of wildland firefighters.

On June 30, 2013 nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshot crew lost their lives on the Yarnell Hill fire.  Today we mark the five year anniversary of this tragedy and honor them with lessons and conversations that should help us to adjust to an ever-changing fire environment and allow us to strive for the best possible outcomes.  An outcome where we all come off the line at the end of each shift safely.  We are here today to honor and remember the lives of the nineteen lost on this tragic day, but we are also here to remember the lives of all fallen firefighters and to honor them throughout this week.  The anniversaries of such events should signal a reminder for all of us to seek improvement and pursue successful outcomes.

“We honor and remember through learning”

Brit Rosso
Director, LLC

Each tragic event impacts us.  These events rip through our community and leave behind more questions than answers.  How do we as a fire community remember and honor the lives of those who were lost on these fires?  We need to keep talking about what happened in order to bring change. We need to be open with assessing what we’ve learned from these events and be proactive in implementing those lessons learned moving forward.

We are all struggling to understand and process the loss of any lives on the fireline, and each of us is impacted differently.  We should challenge ourselves to learn what we can by reading the reports posted on the Lessons Learned Center website and engaging in honest, sometimes difficult, but always respectful conversations.  Through facilitated conversations with our peers and subordinates this is where the learning will come about, this is how we will work to reduce the chances of such tragic outcomes in the future.  The inherent danger of our jobs makes it critical for us to learn, to take the lessons available out of these tragedies and implement them as a workforce and as individuals. 

 

6mfs-2018-learning-diagram

This year the Week of Remembrance focuses on medivacs and the lessons learned from recent medical incident responses. Changes that were brought forward out of the ashes of tragedy in an effort to reduce these unintended outcomes in the future.  We will look at the proactive changes that have developed within our fire community. Changes that came because we as a workforce kept talking and striving for a different outcome.   When we talk openly with each other, the result will create a safer work environment for all of us.  We are experiencing far more intense fires each season, our seasons run longer each year and we cannot control this.  Our workforce can control actions, decisions and hopefully outcomes if we engage in the learning process. 

 

As a crew and an individual look critically at yourself and identify the areas where you can learn and grow. 

  • Be a part of the change that is needed to bring everyone safely off the fireline at the end of each shift.
  • Prepare yourselves for the season ahead through your willingness to learn, change and grow.

 

The topics, review, and resources for the NWCG “Wildland Firefighter Week of Remembrance” have been contributed by the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center, the Wildland Fire Leadership Subcommittee, the Interagency Helicopter Operations Subcommittee, interagency dispatchers, and many other field SMEs.

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NEW! S-219, Firing Operations (Blended) Now Available

Date: Sept 11, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fuels Management Committee 

The S-219, Firing Operations (Blended) course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. Developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, this training supports individuals working towards Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB) incident qualifications.

This blended course combines online and instructor-led training to provide students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of the FIRB, as described in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Firing Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-105.

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-219, Firing Operations (Blended)

NWCG Firing Boss, Single Resource Position Page

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NWCG Committees Observe Suicide Prevention Awareness Week: September 7-13, 2025

Date: Sep 5, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Mental Health Subcommittee

The NWCG Mental Health Subcommittee (MHSC) and Risk Management Committee (RMC) recognize the unique challenges and demands faced by the wildland fire community. The MHSC and RMC know that we are all stronger together and believe in fostering a culture of support, understanding, and resilience.

Suicide Prevention Awareness encourages us to actively connect with and support each other. For more information that could make a difference for yourself or someone else please review the materials and resources provided for the 2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Week.

References:

2025 Suicide Prevention Awareness Week Materials and Resources

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
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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