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Stand 2 - Baca Ranch Boundary

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

The Baca Ranch (currently referred to as the Valles Caldera Trust) is located northwest of Cerro Grande Peak with the boundary located in the saddle west of the peak. This first stand is accessed from the parking area by hiking directly up Frijoles Canyon.

After working a regular workday in preparation of the Upper Frijoles Prescribed Burn implementation, Upper Frijoles prescribed fire personnel including a 10-person Type II crew and 10 NPS employees hiked approximately 2½ hours up Cerro Grande Peak to attend a second operational briefing from the Burn Boss at 1900 on May 4, 2000. At 1920, a test fire is ignited near the summit of Cerro Grande Peak. The test fire is successfully completed and the fire behavior is within parameters. The go-decision is made to continue the prescribed fire by the Burn Boss.

Crews began blacklining by burning down the northeast edge of the fire from the test fire area. The holding crew will use backpack pumps, spruce bows, and changes in fuels and terrain to limit fire spread during blackline operations. Progress was slow using the ignition pattern outlined in the plan. The ignition pattern was changed to speed up the progress and the decision made by the burn boss to stop suppressing the fire on the interior side of the ignition lines.

Photo taken in September 2003 from the west side of Cerro Grande Peak, looking northwest towards Baca Ranch (Valles Caldera).

Photo was taken in September 2003 from the west side of Cerro Grande Peak, looking northwest towards Baca Ranch (Valles Caldera).

Photo taken in September 2003 from the saddle that borders Baca Ranch (Valles Caldera), looking towards Cerro Grande Peak. The fuels consist of primarily clump grass with light brush.

Photo was taken in September 2003 from the saddle that borders Baca Ranch (Valles Caldera), looking towards Cerro Grande Peak. The fuels consist of primarily clump grass with light brush.

 
Location (SRS)
POINT (-106.4175 35.8645333)
Related Stand
Staff Ride to the Cerro Grande Fire

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

Date: Aug 8, 2025
Questions? Please contact:
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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. 

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FAQ Now Available for Archiving Type 1 and Type 2 Incident Positions

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To support the transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM), NWCG will archive all Type 1 and Type 2 Command and General Staff (C&G) position qualifications in January 2026, as outlined in NWCG Executive Board Memo 25-002. To assist with this transition, a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is now available.

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For additional information on CIM and the transition of C&G positions, see NWCG Executive Board Memos 23-005, 24-005, and 25-002, as well as the Incident Workforce and Development Group webpage.

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Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books Now Available for UASD, UASM, UASL and UASP

Date: July 31, 2025
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Interagency Fire Unmanned Aircraft Systems Subcommittee
 

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Books are now available for all four Unmanned Aircraft Systems positions:

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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.

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The Performance Support Packages for these positions were 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 January 2026.

References:

NWCG Radio Operator Position Page

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