NWCG Data Standards, PMS 910

NWCG data standards (data element and geospatial data layer) provide specifications that enable the common usage of data across wildland fire information systems. For more information login to EDG Explorer.

NWCG Data Standards

EDG Explorer is a database platform used for managing NWCG Data Standards. The following Data Standards and Geospatial Data Layer tables offer a quick view of the standards.

More detailed information such as rules, documentation, and term relationships may be viewed in EDG Explorer. Expand Data Standards or Geospatial Data Layer Standards below to see data standards term descriptions and status.

Note: If the NWCG Data Standards View is not displaying below please report it to NWCG Webmaster.

Title	Steward	Status Sort descending	Description
Radio Frequency	RSUSC Wildland Fire Radio Standards and Use Committee		A standard describing radio frequencies used in wildland fire.
ICS 209 Report Status Data Standard	PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group	Approved	Create a data standard that describes the version of the 209 report (initial, update, or final). There should never be more than one initial report, but there can be numerous updates, and even multiple finals (as determined by business rules).
Last Name Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	The last name of the resource as it appears on a government issued ID. Applies only to overhead resources.
Point of Origin Latitude Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the NWCG Latitude data standard for identifying the latitude location of the point of origin of a fire. [validated: 7/21/2008]
Initial Response Resource Quantity Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition for reporting the total number of fire resources (by kind, category, and type) used during initial response. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Landowner Kind & Category Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a two-tier classification (kind and category) of landownership. [validated: 8/25/2016]
Point of Origin Accuracy Descriptor Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition for describing the methods used to determine the certainty and precision of the fire location at the point of origin. [validated: 8/15/2008]
Employment Category Data Standard	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	The type of employment appointment or agreement under which a person is hired. [validated: 5/6/2004]
Unique Fire Report Identifier Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and rules for a code that uniquely identifies a particular fire report. [validated: 6/16/2008; next validation: 12/31/2013]
ICS 209 Report For Time Period From Data Standard	PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group	Approved	Create a data standard that describes the date and time of the beginning of the time period for the current ICS209 submission. (ICS Block 11)
Owner Vendor Data Standard	IBC Incident Business Committee	Approved	The name of the vendor that is providing a contract resource for an incident.
Multi-Jurisdictional Indicator Data Standard	IBC Incident Business Committee	Approved	Indicates if the incident covers multiple jurisdictions.
VIN Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) assigned to a piece of equipment.
Date-Time Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	The combination of date and time elements.
Initial Fire Strategy Designator Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition of the fire strategy initially used on a wildland fire. [validated: 8/15/2008]
Is National Resource Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	A status flag indicating whether a resource is a National Resource for use in Initial Response. National Resources are those which have national utilization, high demand, limited availability, and unique status reporting requirements identified by NICC. See the National Mobilization Guide, Chapter 10 for specific details on what constitutes a National Resource.
Fire Control Date & Time Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This standard provides a standard format and definition for the date and time a wildfire was declared under control. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Local Incident Identifier Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard specifies the standard format and rules for a number or code that uniquely identifies an incident for a particular local fire management organization within a particular calendar year. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Operational Name Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	The CURRENT common operational reference to a Resource, the name of the resource and/or call sign. This value will be updated for equipment, crews, modules and teams based on how the resource is currently being utilized through a filled request.
Incident Dispatch Center ID Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	A unique identifier for the dispatch center with responsibility at the incident point of origin.
Date Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	This data standard specifies a standard format for calendar date. [validated: 7/30/2002]
Primary Email Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	Individual’s primary email.
Fire Containment Date & Time Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This standard provides a standard format and definition for the date and time a wildfire was declared contained.
Incident Short Description Data Standard	PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group, NICADS National Interagency Computer Aided Dispatch	Approved	Create a data standard that describes the general descriptive location of the incident such as the number of miles from an identifiable town. (ICS Block 25)
Unique Fire Identifier Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and rules for a unique identifier assigned to each wildland fire. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Other Structures Destroyed Quantity Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition for reporting the total number of structures, other than residences, destroyed as a result of a fire. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Point of Origin Land Owner Kind & Category Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the NWCG Land Owner Kind & Category data standard for identifying the owner at the point of origin at the time of an incident. [validated: 8/15/2008]
Tail Number Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	The numerical identification of an aircraft, also known as the registration number for an aircraft, as displayed on the aircraft's tail section.
Position Code & Position Title Data Standard	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a code (mnemonic) and title for each position used in incident management response. [validated: 2/15/2005; updated: 12/17/2018]
Forest Service Assisted Indicator Data Standard	IBC Incident Business Committee	Approved	Indicates if the Forest Service provided assistance on an incident outside their jurisdiction.
Capacity Data Standard	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	The capacity in which the overhead resource is qualified to perform a position. May also be used to define how the resource performed on a specific incident. In both cases the capacity is defined as “trainee” or “qualified”.
Forest Service Job Code Data Standard	IBC Incident Business Committee	Approved	A code used to indicate the Forest Service job accounting code for the incident. This is specific to the Forest Service, and is usually displayed as two-character prefix on the FireCode.
Weather Concerns Data Standard	FENC Fire Environment Committee	Approved	A field collected in the ICS 209 containing a brief summary of how the current weather is affecting the incident and how the anticipated weather will affect the incident.
Evaluation Timestamp Data Standard	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	The date/time the trainee experience was evaluated.
Fire Report Approver Name Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition for the name of the person that approved the fire report. [validated: 4/10/2008]
Fire Reporting Agency Unit Identifier Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the NWCG Unit Identifier data standard to identify the agency preparing a fire report. [validated: 4/10/2008]
Point of Origin State Code Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the NWCG State Code data standard to identify the state or equivalent entity at the point of origin of a fire. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Manager Contact Info Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	Contact information for the manager of the resource. For use in duplicate resolution and also transferring resources from one SOR (system of record) to another. Based on the Resource SOR, this information would be the person who is responsible for certifying that this resource meets the requirements for the Type, Kind and Category.
Residences Threatened Quantity Data Standard	PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group	Approved	This data standard provides a standard format and definition for reporting the total number of residences threatened by the fire. [validated: 7/21/2008]
Point of Origin Responsible Agency Unit Identifier Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the NWCG Unit Identifier data standard to identify the agency with primary fire protection responsibility at the point of origin of a fire. [validated: 6/16/2008]
County Code Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	This standard adopts the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) publications 6-4, Counties and Equivalent Entities of the United States, Its Possessions, and Associated Areas. This FIPS standard was approved on August 31, 1990, and is published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Computer Systems Laboratory, Gaithersburg, MD 20899. FIPS PUB 6-4 implements the American National Standard ANSI X3.31-1988, Information Systems - Codes - Structure for the Identification of the Counties and County Equivalents of the United Sates and Its Outlying and Associated Areas for Information Interchange. ANSI X3.31 is published by the American National Standards Institute, 11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 1003.
Is Location Tracking Enabled Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	A status flag indicating whether a resource's location (geometry object/shape) is being updated by a real-time GPS tracking such as AVL (Automated Vehicle Locator).
Country Code Data Standard	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	This standard adopts the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard for two-letter country codes.
Latitude Data Standard	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard specifies a standard format for latitude. [validated: 12/15/2006]
Experience To Date Data Standard	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	The date and time when the Experience ended.
Is Valid Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	A status flag indicating whether a resource is valid for use in Initial Response. Invalid resources should be removed from the data stream.
Point of Origin Datum Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This data standard adopts the proposed NWCG Horizontal Datum data standard for identifying the datum associated with the coordinates of the point of origin of a fire. [validated: 6/16/2008]
Point of Origin State Data Standard	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	The State alpha code identifying the state or equivalent entity at point of origin.
Unit Identifier Data Standard	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	This data standard specifies the standard format and rules for Unit Identifier, a code used within the wildland fire community to uniquely identify a particular government organizational unit. [validated: 12/18/2012]
FireCode Data Standard	IBC Incident Business Committee	Approved	This data standard specifies the standard format and rules for FireCode, a code used within the interagency wildland fire community to track and compile cost information for emergency fire suppression expenditures. [validated: 5/18/2005]

Note: If the NWCG Geospatial Data Layer View is not displaying below please report it to NWCG Webmaster.

Data Standard Title	Steward	Status Sort descending	Description
Initial Attack Frequency Zone Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	Polygons depicting areas in which FAA/DOI/USDA annually assign initial attack frequencies for incident needs.
Resource Tracking Points	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, ETC Equipment Technology Committee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	This geospatial layer displays the real-time location of wildland fire resources.
Fire Restrictions Polygon	CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This geospatial layer depicts areas where measures have been taken by jurisdictional agencies to impose bans and standards of use on certain human activities that could lead to the cause of wildland fire. These rules are called fire restrictions.
Aviation Obstruction Polygon	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This layer captures physical features that may present a hazard to pilots during aviation operations. Generally speaking these are permanent features.
Aviation Activity Polygon	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This layer captures activities that may present a hazard to pilots during aviation operations.
Aviation Activity Point	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This layer captures activities that may present a hazard to pilots during aviation operations.
Aviation Obstruction Line	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This layer captures physical features that may present a hazard to pilots during aviation operations. Generally speaking these are permanent features.
Aviation Obstruction Point	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	This layer captures physical features that may present a hazard to pilots during aviation operations. Generally speaking these are permanent features.
Water Source	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The Engine Water Sources data standard includes definition of a point feature class for storing information in support of fire-related operations. This layer provides information about the locations, capacity, type, etc. of water sources that may be used for firefighting purposes.
Wildland Fire Event Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The Wildland Fire Event Polygon data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.
Fuels Treatments Polygon	CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The Fuels Treatments (polygon) data layer represents the area(s) of unique fuels treatments during a single timeframe. Each treatment may be made up of multiple polgons.
Wildland Urban Interface Polygon	WUIMC Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The wildland urban interface (WUI) geospatial data standard defines minimum attribution for interagency collaboration and data sharing.
Jurisdictional Unit Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	This geospatial layer depicts areas of wildland fire jurisdiction to the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) Unit level. Jurisdictional Unit is defined by NWCG as "The governmental entity having overall land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical area as provided by law."
Wildland Fire Dispatch Office Location Point	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved
Geographic Area Coordination Center Boundaries Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	Geographic boundary polygons depicting the administrative area of the Geographic Area Coordination Centers
Wildland Fire Dispatch Area Boundaries Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	Geographic boundary polygons depicting the administrative area of the Wildland fire Dispatch Areas
Predictive Services Area Boundaries Polygon	PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group, GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	Geographic boundary polygons depicting the extent of the Predictive Services Area Boundary
Wildland Fire Perimeters Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	Wildland Fire Perimeter Polygons geospatial data layer standard provides the standard template for exchange/transfer of wildland fire perimeter polygons, representing the daily and final perimeters for wildfires and prescribed fires. Replaces the Fire History (polygons) geospatial data layer standard (archived) and incorporates the Daily Fire Perimeter geospatial data layer standard
Wildland Fire Locations Point	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	Wildland Fire Location Points represent the final spatial locations of the fire occurrences. Fire occurrences represent the ignition points (preferred), the polygon centroids, or more generalized locations (least desirable) when the ignition points are not known or not available.
Wildland Fire Event Line	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The Wildland Fire Event Line data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.
Potential Operational Delineations Line	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	This geospatial layer depicts linear potential control features that may form wildland fire potential operational delineation polygon boundaries.
Wildland Fire Event Point	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	Approved	The Wildland Fire Event Point data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.
Fire Danger Rating Areas	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee, FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	In Development
Wildland Fire Event Point	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	In Development	The Wildland Fire Event Point data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.
Wildland Fire Event Line (Dev)	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	In Development	The Wildland Fire Event Line data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.
Wildland Fire Event Polygon	GSC Geospatial Subcommittee	In Development	The Wildland Fire Event Polygon data standard will define the minimum attributes necessary for collection, storage and dissemination of incident based data on wildland fires (wildfires and prescribed fires). The standard is not intended for long term data storage, rather a standard to assist in the creation of incident based data management tools, minimum standards for data exchange, and to assist users in meeting NWCG Standards for Geospatial Operations, PMS 936, guidance on incidents.

Comment on a proposed data standard

When a new or revised data standard is ready for review and comment, it will have a status of Proposed. Submit your feedback to the Data Standards and Terminology Board.

Request for a new or revised standard

Requests for the development of a new data standard, or for changes to a current standard, may be submitted on a Request form.

Download the User Guide and other reference materials

The User Guide for Development and Maintenance of NWCG Data Standards, PMS 938, explains the processes for developing and maintaining both NWCG data element and geospatial data layer standards.

National Wildfire Coordinating Group

PMS 910

PMS 910

NWCG Data Standards, PMS 910