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Week of Remembrance

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2026 WOR: June 30 to July 6, 2026 Fire Season 2016

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

 

Week of Remembrance 2026 has been spent in reflection of incidents that occurred during the 2016 fire season—10 years ago. Today, on the 32nd anniversary of the South Canyon Fire, we also remember the Fallen 14 who lost their lives on Storm King Mountain in 1994. We honor you through our commitment to learning. You are not forgotten.

Storm King 14, July 6, 1994 memorial picture.
Wildland Firefighter Foundation Memorial Ribbon

Our work is dangerous. During the 2016 fire season, as in all seasons before and since, firefighters in our community died at work. We remember and honor them by continuing our commitment to learn and improve. Despite our best efforts to create training, standard operating procedures, and policy to protect our own, we still face objective hazards, equipment failures, and accidents. The 2026 season will be no different. That fact must motivate us to hone our craft further, to be judicious about how we perform our work, and to be observant and attentive to our tasks as we do them. For our processes to have integrity, we must carry out tasks methodically and with awareness, focus, constant communication, and consistency. Let there be integrity in your process and have confidence that this approach tilts the scales in the direction of firefighter safety over the long haul. 

In the fire organization, we say we have a safety culture. And by “culture,” we mean our shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices. Culture is a way of doing things. But, sometimes we do things because we always have, or because one admired person did it that way, or because it’s easier to keep doing it the same instead of investing time and energy to evolve the process. Every now and then, we need to audit ourselves—hold our feet to the fire, and take an honest look at the working environment we have created. Are we applying the lessons? Are we listening to the good and opposing ideas of our people? Are we in tune with the real hazards of our environment and employing the best practices to manage them consistently? Where is there room to add integrity?

Discussion:

To close Week of Remembrance 2026, take inventory: What does your safety culture look like? What are the little things your crew does intentionally every day that add up to create safety? What are the structures, systems, and behaviors you implement consistently at the shop and on the fireline to manage the risks of our work? How do your communication practices, up and down the chain of command, promote sharing ideas and perspectives? Does everyone feel safe to speak up? How do you maintain a decision-making process that considers probabilities, multiple perspectives, and trade-offs among multiple courses of action?

References:

South Canyon Fire
 

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Week of Remembrance

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date:  June 12, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was developed as part of the Incident Performance and Training Modernization 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 release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Make an Impact: Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date:  June 11, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

Note: Positions with an * will last approximately 6 months.
Positions with ** will last 12 - 18 months.

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. IPTM aims to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model by updating position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the Fall 2026 positions listed below:

  • Equipment Manager (EQPM)*
  • Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT)**
  • Mixmaster (MXMS)*
  • Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC)*
  • Retardant Crewmember (RTCM)*
  • Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR)*
  • Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN)*
  • Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ)*
  • Task Force Leader (TFLD)**
  • Wildland Fire Investigator (INVF)** 

Projects begin October 2026. Sign up by July 10, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for additional details. 

References:

NWCG SME Interest Sign-up

IPTM Subject Matter Expert Duties and Expectations Document

Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

Date:  May 28, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has issued Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters. Research from 2016 to 2025 shows that 88 cases of rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) were reported. Analysis of reports from eSafety, the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) indicates that rhabdo is common during this time of year due to Work Capacity Tests and contributing factors such as weather, hydration, nutrition, and medication or supplement use.

RMC issued this safety bulletin to raise awareness in the Wildland Fire Community, and to provide research findings and educational resources that support reducing future cases of rhabdo.

References:

NWCG Alerts

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters