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Air Operations Map

Note: The Situation Map has been deprecated as a map standard. The Operations map should be used as an acceptable substitute for task book purposes.

Product Description

The Air Operations Map provides air operations with enough detail to aid in locating key features on an incident.  A secondary Air Operations map, the Pilot Map, may be created for pilots.

Target Audience

Air Operations Branch, pilots 

Guidelines

  • Standard Incident Command System (ICS) symbology.
  • Simplified base map without elevation contours to enable air navigation.
  • A table that includes the latitude and longitude coordinates in Degrees, Decimal Minutes for relevant point features.
  • Pilot map is typically for easy lap reading in the aircraft.
  • Air Operations map is typically an Arch E (36” x 48”); Pilot map is typically Tabloid (11” x 17”) size.

Standard Elements

All map products produced should include the STANDL-SGD cartographic elements.  Scale bar must be in nautical miles rather than statute miles.

Data

  • Wildfire Daily Fire Perimeter (Polygon) with Contained and Uncontained Perimeter Lines.
  • Limited / relevant Event Lines (including, but not limited to: Aviation Route, Aerial Hazard such as Transmission Lines, Completed lines, Temporary Flight Restriction).
  • Limited / relevant Event Points (including, but not limited to: Aerial Hazard, Airstrip or Airport, Aviation Check Point, Dip Site, Helibase, Helispot, Incident Command Post, Mobile Retardant Base, Repeater, Restricted Water Source, Sling Site, UAS Launch and Recovery, and Unimproved Landing Area).
  • Assignment (Division, Branch, Zone) breaks and labels.
  • Mountain peaks with elevation labels.
  • Major Roads and key landmarks.
  • Hydrography (e.g., rivers, lakes).
  • Elevation shaded relief.
  • Other Situation Unit Leader (SITL)-requested data such as Drop Points or Federal Aviation Administration sectionals. 

Examples

These are examples from actual incidents and may include non-standard elements.

Also note that examples use the standard symbols at the time of their creation and may not reflect the current GeoOps symbology. Map elements, incident features, and composition remain consistent across these visual changes.

  1. Air Operations Map - Cedar Creek and Cub Creek 2
  2. Air Operation Map - Delta Lake
  3. Air Operations Map - 2010 Wrangler Fire
  4. Pilot Map - 2023 Flying V
  5. Pilot Map - 2016 Beaver Creek Fire
  6. Pilot Map - 2017 Pinal Fire
  7. Air Operations Map - 2015 National Creek Complex

 

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Date: January 23, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

The Incident and Position Standards Committee has updated the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

These updates address changes to incident position names and requirements for qualification, training, and experience. Updates related to the implementation of Complex Incident Management (CIM) and Incident Performance Training Modernization (IPTM) are also included.

The NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308 has also been updated to reflect the recent changes.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1

NWCG Wildland Fire Position Qualification Flowchart, PMS 308

IPSC Memo 26-01: January 2026 Updates to the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Positions Qualifications, PMS 310-1

Incident Business Committee Memo 26-01: Updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297

Date: January 22, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Incident Business Committee

The Incident Business Committee (IBC) has released Memorandum 26-01: OF 297 and 2026 Fire Use. This memo informs the wildland fire community that the updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297 is available for download and can be ordered through the Great Basin Cache.

Beginning January 15, 2026 the previous version of the OF 297 form has been discontinued.

For further details, please contact your IBC representative.

References:

Incident Business Committee Memorandum 26-01

Great Basin Cache

NEW! S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 22, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Fire Behavior Subcommittee

NWCG is excited to announce that the new S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended) training is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal.

This third course in the series combines online and instructor-led training components aimed at individuals who are involved in planning, managing, and executing wildland fire and prescribed burn operations; who require a thorough understanding of fire behavior calculations to enhance effectiveness and safety. This includes students who require the knowledge and skill necessary to perform the duties of a Type 3 Incident Commander (ICT3), Division/Group Supervisor (DIVS), or Prescribed Fire Burn Boss Type 2 (RXB2).

Students are required to be qualified as any Single Resource Boss position and complete the prerequisite S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire behavior (Blended) course, before enrolling in S-390.

References:

S-390, Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

NEW! S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) Available Now

Date: December 18, 2025
Questions about RT-130? 
Please contact: Incident and Position Standards Committee

NWCG is excited to announce that S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended) is now available on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal!

This blended course combines online learning with instructor-led training, designed for individuals seeking to build leadership skills and gain experience in incident management.

Students are required to complete the prerequisite trainings ICS-100, Introduction to Incident Command System (ICS), ICS-200, Basic ICS for Initial Response, and ICS-700, An Introduction to the National Incident Management System (NIMS) prior to attending S-320.

References:

S-320, Introduction to Incident Management Teams (Blended)

Wildland Fire Learning Portal