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Strategic Fire Management Analyst

Position Description

Duties

  • Very high skill level in applying a wide range of concepts, principles, and practices to analyze complex fire situations and develop written explanations for use by agency leadership, partners, media and the public in explaining management of wildfires and their outcomes.
  • Analyzes fire behavior models and explains them to agency leadership, partners, media and the public.
  • Develops a chronology of preparedness and suppression actions, and predicted and actual weather, resource needs, resource availability, and fire activity.
  • Researches fire suppression strategies, tactics, and safety practices during all phases of fire operations.  Considers alternatives and evaluates effectiveness of chosen strategies and tactics.
  • Researches decision documents (WFDSS) for the response to large fires.
  • Interviews Incident Commanders and Line Officers to determine decision making on fires.
  • Briefs Line Officers and Fire Management personnel and provides critical evaluations of decisions requiring line authority.

Position Knowledge and/or Requirements

Expert knowledge of the following is required:

  • Wildfire objectives, values at risk, and effective strategies and tactics which might be used to protect those values.
  • Interagency prioritization processes for assigning and reassigning scarce firefighting resources and their relative effectiveness if assigned to one fire versus another.
  • Local, regional, and national fire dispatch and logistics systems.
  • Wildfire risk management and firefighter and public safety policies, practices and mitigation measures.
  • Skill in acquiring and addressing public and media issues, concerns and criticism (local, regional and national) concerning agency response and management of wildfires.
  • Ability/skill in acquiring, analyzing and synthesizing data and other information associated with initial and extended attack of wildfires.  Skill in explaining the context within the region and nation of local responses and long term management of wildfires.  Fire behavior and decision support technology.
  • Fire management policies, practices, and standards.
  • Tools to aid in Agency Administrator decision making.
  • Fire models and their application.
  • Incident Command System (ICS).

 

NWCG Latest Announcements

2025-2026 Wildland Fire Leadership Campaign: "Leadership Levels" Now Available

Date: October 15, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Leadership Committee

NWCG is excited to announce the release of the Leadership Committee’s 2025–2026 Leadership Campaign, themed “Leadership Levels.” This annual initiative offers all students of leadership and wildland fire management an opportunity to engage with essential leadership skills and knowledge needed to lead effectively in dynamic environments.

The campaign is structured into four quarters and may be completed at any time between October 1, 2025 -December 31, 2026. Leadership levels will be released quarterly.

Quarter One materials are now available on the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program website and focus on Leadership Level 1, Follower (Self-Leadership).

References:

2025/2026 NWCG Leadership Campaign - Leadership Levels

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Leadership Committee

Updated! L-280, Followership to Leadership (Instructor-led) Course

Date: October 3, 2024
Questions? Please contact:
Leadership Committee

NWCG is pleased to announce the updated L-280, Followership to Leadership (Instructor-led) course is now available. L-280 is intended for operational personnel at the Firefighter Type 1 level, and for individuals pursuing Leadership Level 2, New Leader. 

This instructor-led course is a primer on leadership and the second formal course in the Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program. It helps emerging leaders build the confidence, skills, and mindset needed to lead effectively in high-risk environments. 

For more information about leadership development and available courses, visit the Leadership Committee Web Portal.

References:

L-280, Followership to Leadership (Instructor-led)

Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Equipment Advisory 25-01: Pre-2006 Fire Shelter Degradation and Discontinuation of Use

Date: Sept 26, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
Equipment Technology Committee 

The Equipment Technology Committee (ETC) has released Equipment Advisory 25-01: Pre-2006 Fire Shelter Degradation and Discontinuation of Use. This advisory recommends all pre-2006 fire shelters should be removed from service by January 1, 2026.

This advisory recommends firefighters and fire managers to:

  • Inspect fire shelters immediately
  • Replace and destroy any pre-2006 shelters (identified by white or pink insert label)
  • Order replacements as needed

For further details, please refer to the complete advisory. 

References:

Equipment Advisory 25-01: Pre-2006 Fire Shelter Degradation and Discontinuation of Use

NWCG Fire Inspection Flowchart, PMS 411-1

NWCG Alerts

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