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Week of Remembrance

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2025 WOR: Fire Season 2015 – Opening Remarks

Letter to Leadership |  Day 1  |  Day 2  |  Day 3  |  Day 4  |  Day 5  |  Day 6  |  Day 7  

 

This Week of Remembrance (WOR) reflects on firefighters who have died in the line of duty during the 2015 fire season. WOR is a time for honoring through remembrance and learning from unintended outcomes. While we look back on those lost 10 years ago, we also remember the Granite 19 who perished together on this day in 2013.

Granite Mountain Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) was entrapped by rapidly moving fire driven by powerful outflow winds when traveling through an unburned area towards a designated safety zone on the Yarnell Hill Fire. Communication was lost for a duration of time while they were on the hill before their escape route was cut off. Granite Mountain had minutes to improve a deployment site before the fire overran them in deployed shelters. 19 perished together and one crewmember serving as lookout survived. 

Gone, but never forgotten. We will always remember. 

poster of the nineteen fallen firefighters.

Fire Season – 2015

Nationally, 68,151 wildfires were reported (93% of the 10-year average), burning 10,125,149 acres (145% of the 10-year average), breaking the earlier record for total acres burned. It was the worst fire season in history since the 1960s and the first time that 10 million acres burned had been recorded. The season was preceded by a dry winter and followed by higher temperatures. It was a year marked with intense drought that contributed to the increase in fire activity. The year appears to have preempted an overall and continued increase to year-round fire seasons. The wildland fire community lost 13 firefighters during the 2015 season.

This Week of Remembrance, we honor these fallen firefighters:

Clifford “Cliff” Sanders 
(January 29, 2015 – KS) 
Collapsed during IA response, stroke.
Jerold “Jerry” Bonner 
(Mar 6, 2015 – CA) 
Pilot, Alma Helitack Base, heart attack.
Brandon Ricks 
(Mar 30, 2015 – MS) 
DeSoto RX, helicopter crash.
Steve Cobb 
(Mar 30, 2015 – MS) 
DeSoto RX, helicopter crash.
Matthew C. Miller, Sr. 
(April 7, 2015 – OR) 
WCT, heart attack.
Raymond Araujo 
(April 13, 2015 – CA) 
PT, heart attack.
Ian Haxton 
(June 6, 2015 – AZ) 
WCT, collapsed.

Terry K. Sonner 
(June 10, 2015 – ID) 
PT, medical emergency.
David “Dave” Ruhl 
(July 30, 2015 – CA) 
Frog Fire entrapment.
Michael “Mikey” Hallenbeck 
(Aug 8, 2015 – CA) 
Sierra Fire, tree strike.
Richard Wheeler 
(Aug 19, 2015 – WA) 
Twisp River Fire, entrapment.
Andrew Zajac 
(Aug 19, 2015 – WA) 
Twisp River Fire, entrapment.
Tom Zbyszewski 
(Aug 19, 2015 – WA) 
Twisp River Fire, entrapment.

Reflections:

Our personal experiences influence how we respond to events. WOR can be a challenging time for all of us as we remember those lost. Give each other space and grace to process and do not be afraid to ask for help. Check in with your people. Remember, it is okay to not be okay.

Discussion:

  • Where were you/what were you doing when you heard the 19 had perished?
  • What does the WOR mean to you and what are some ways you reflect?
  • How do the tragedies you have experienced or learned about affect you and continue to affect you? 

References:

Category
Week of Remembrance

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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