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The National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and the Weather Information Management System (WIMS) are the principle applications used by the federal land management agencies to assess fire danger. At every scale, fire danger rating is a key consideration for staffing and prepositioning preparedness resources, regulating industrial activity, or placing restrictions on public lands. Because these assessments are used by and affect a wide variety of stakeholders including federal and state agencies, local governments, industrial and other private entities, as well as the general public, participation in a recognized fire danger system, and careful management of weather and fire data is vital to ensure accurate assessments and the consistent application of fire danger rating, especially for broader scale assessments. 

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations (Red Book)  Chapter 10

Understanding risk is central to the National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy. Living with and managing wildland fire inherently involves facing uncertainty, success may well hinge on how risk is properly quantified and assessed. Evaluation of risk is made possible with modern evaluation tools at the planning level. Since wildland fire crosses and affects all lands and resources regardless of jurisdictional ownership, it becomes necessary for all jurisdictions to assess the level of risk and participate in establishing roles and responsibilities for mitigating threat.

These truths identified in the Cohesive Strategy clarify the need for interagency involvement; vertically from local to federal governments and horizontally across the entire nation.  Completing a zone level Fire Danger analysis cooperatively among all jurisdictions, implemented when planning for and responding to wildland fire activities align with National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy objectives.

Two Guiding Principles and Core Values are: 

  1. Fire Management decisions are based on the best available science, knowledge and experience, and used to evaluate risk versus gain.
  2. Federal agencies, local, state, Tribal governments support one another with wildfire response, including engagement in collaborative planning and the decision-making processes that take into account all lands and recognize the interdependence and statutory responsibilities among jurisdictions. 

A Direct Goal of the Cohesive Strategy Wildfire Response is:

All jurisdictions participate in making and implementing safe, effective, efficient risk-based wildfire management decisions. 

Although agency missions differ, an effective cohesive strategy must guide all organizations to recognize and accept each other’s management differences and promote a more cohesive response to the wildfire management challenges across all jurisdictions. 

Excerpts from A National Cohesive Wildland Fire Management Strategy aka 'The Cohesive Strategy':

NWCG Documents

No 19-002 National Fire Danger Rating System 2016 Release.

No 18-001 National Fire Danger Rating System 2016 Release

 

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

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

Date: Aug 15, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Fuels Management Committee

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

ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 New Guidance on Laundering Wildland Fire Clothing to Reduce Contamination

Date: Aug 8, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee
 Risk Management Committee

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) and the Risk Management Committee (RMC) have issued Safety Bulletin 25-001: Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing. Recent research revealed that wildland fire flame-resistant pants and shirts can be contaminated with chemicals from combustion byproducts, including carcinogens, and that common laundering practices can effectively remove these harmful contaminants from wildland firefighter clothing more effectively than previously understood. It is recommended to decontaminate wildland fire clothing as frequently as possible. 

Frequently Asked Questions about this new information and how to implement recommendations can be found on the NWCG Alerts page. Read the complete ETC/RMC Safety Bulletin: 25-001 to learn more. 

References:

NWCG Alerts

ETC Safety Bulletin: 25-001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Laundering to Decontaminate Wildland Fire Clothing

Equipment Technology Committee

Risk Management Committee