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Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

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Mission Statement

Mission Statement

The Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee (HTTFS) provides and promotes the application of an effective risk management process when working in hazard tree environments and conducting chain saw operations.

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Primary Objectives

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  • Provide products to assist in the identification and mitigation of risk factors and decision-making ability in the hazard tree environment.
  • Provide analysis and guidance to the interagency wildland fire community concerning tree hazard identification and mitigation, chain saw and cross-cut saw operations, and tree felling operations in wildland fire.
  • Produce various hazard tree training products and reference materials designed to reduce hazard tree related accidents and maintain consistency and standardization among the NWCG partners.

Assessment Toolbox

Individual Tree Risk Assessment Tools

Tree Felling Toolbox

Historical Documents

*This document is historical and is not currently accessible; please contact NWCG if you need assistance having the documents read.

Lessons Learned

OSHA Logging Toolbox

Fuel Geyser Awareness

Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire Aviation Operations, Chapter 13 Firefighter Training and Qualifications

Region 1: Northern Region

  • No resources

Region 2: Rocky Mountain Region

Region 3: Southwestern Region

  • No resources

Region 4: Intermountain Region

  • No resources

Region 5: Pacific Southwest Region

Region 6: Pacific Northwest Region

Region 8: Southern Region

  • No resources

Region 9: Eastern Region

  • No resources

Region 10: Alaska Region

Canada, British Columbia

West Wide

Miscellaneous

Contacts

6 Minutes For Safety Topics Related to HTTFS 

Chair: Guarino, Michael

NWCG Coordinator: Lee, Sarah

Parent Committee: Risk Management Committee

Meeting Schedule:

Monthly on the Second Tuesday

Page Last Modified or Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

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

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