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S-491, Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (ILT)

Course Title
Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System (ILT)
Training Required For
FBAN 310-1 Training Path 01, LTAN 310-1 Training Path 01
Version Date

2015

Course Number
S-491
Course Description

The course develops the knowledge and skill to operate, maintain and manage the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) at the local unit. Course lecture and exercises support practical and technical application of the intellectually complex subject matter.

Course Objective

Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to operate, apply, and manage the National Fire Danger Rating System.

Lead Instructor Minimum Qualifications
At a minimum, the lead instructor has general knowledge of the entire S-491 course material; has previous experience as a lead instructor or unit leader for S-491; has broad experience applying NFDRS outputs; has the ability to relate each unit and lesson to the next and to the entire course; and is competent to teach any lesson in the course.
Format
Instructor Led
Special Delivery Considerations

The course requires a computer classroom with Internet access to present.

Computer Specialist
It is essential that a computer specialist either be one of the cadre members or be immediately available to the course presentation to resolve any computer, network, or printing problems encountered. Persons selected to fill this capacity must be thoroughly familiar with the hardware (personal computers, network, internet connection, printers, projector) used in presenting the course, with directory structures used, and to a lesser extent the software and its installation.

Business Steward
S491CSC S491 Intermediate National Fire Danger Rating System Course Steering Committee
Prerequisite Training Notes

Successful completion of S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior.

Unit Instructor Minimum Qualifications
At a minimum, unit and lesson instructors have completed S-491 and preferably attended the advanced NFDRS course (S-591). The unit leader must be competent in all the areas of emphasis within the unit, be able to teach any of the lessons or provide answers to detailed questions about the lesson’s content, and provide leadership to coaches.
Alternate Delivery Mode
Not Applicable
Class Size Recommendations

The ratio of instructors and coaches to students must be no fewer than 1:5 to ensure availability of adequate coaching during exercises.

Class Size Recommendations

The ratio of instructors and coaches to students must be no fewer than 1:5 to ensure availability of adequate coaching during exercises.

Special Cadre Considerations

In order to maintain consistency and oversight of course delivery, course coordinators must consult with the NWCG Fire Environment Curriculum Subcommittee (FENC) when selecting lead instructors to present the S-491 course. See roster for contact information. The lead instructor shall be responsible for selecting the remainder of the cadre for the course. The subject matter of this course is highly technical and complex. The lead instructor shall make every effort to select the most qualified individuals to teach individual lessons and lead units, paying special attention to matching the instructor to the content and complexity of those units.

The lesson instructors should be competent and comfortable in presenting the content of the lesson, answering technical questions on the lesson subject matter, and have expertise with the course software sufficient to coach students through course exercises.

NWCG Latest Announcements

Leadership Committee IAP Flyer Now Available

Date:  May 8, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Leadership Committee

The NWCG Leadership Committee promotes and enables leadership development across the wildland fire service. The committee provides education, training opportunities, and support for leadership innovation and best practices throughout the community.

A new IAP flyer is now available on the committee website, offering an overview of the products, curriculum, and learning opportunities the Leadership Committee develops. This resource is ideal for posting in your office, sharing with new employees, or distributing through your incident management teams to engage new voices in the leadership journey and reinforce a culture of self‑reflection, development, and growth.

References:

Leadership Committee 2026 IAP Flyer

Incident Operations Subcommittee Updates the Next Generation Position Task Book for FFT1

Date:  May 7, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Operations Subcommittee

The NWCG Incident Operations Subcommittee (IOSC) has updated the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14. The FFT1 Position Task Book transitioned to the Next Generation (Next Gen PTB) format in June 2025 through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization effort. Since then, IOSC has received feedback from the wildland fire community regarding coding for one of the tasks. Task #13 has been updated to include the option of evaluation in a simulation.

See IOSC Memorandum 26‑01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Position Task Book for Firefighter Type 1 (Squad Boss) (FFT1), PMS 311‑14 for more information.

References:

IOSC Memorandum 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementation of Updates to the NWCG Postion Task Book for Firefighter Type 1

NWCG Firefighter Type 1 Squad Boss Position Page 

NEW! S-212, Intermediate Faller (Online) Course Available Now 

Date:  April 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Hazard Tree and Tree Felling Subcommittee

NWCG is pleased to announce that the new S‑212, Intermediate Faller (Online), course is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP). This second course in the series provides students with the knowledge and skills required to perform the duties of an Intermediate Faller (FAL2), as described in the FAL2 Incident Position Description. This course is intended for individuals seeking to advance from Basic Faller (FAL3) to FAL2.

S‑212, Intermediate Faller is a fully online, self‑paced training program consisting of 13 units. Learners will engage with interactive, scenario‑based content designed to progressively build foundational skills and knowledge essential for the FAL2 role.

Students must be qualified as a Basic Faller (FAL3) prior to enrolling in S‑212, Intermediate Faller course.

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 2027.

References:

S-212 Intermediate Faller (Online)

RMC Memo 26-01: Transition Plan for Implementing Updates to Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Qualifications

Intermediate Faller (FAL2) Position Page

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Chainsaw Operations, PMS 212

New Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

Date:  April 17, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: National Coordination System Committee

A new publication from the National Coordination System Committee (NCSC) is now available. The NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249, will be used for aviation crews and dispatch to share flight information that is needed for resource tracking, and if needed, for emergency procedures.

For further details, please contact your NCSC representative. 

References:

NCSC Memo 26-01: Implementation of NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249

NWCG Aircraft Flight Schedule Form, PMS 249