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Public Distribution

With the retirement of the GeoMAC website for data hosting and public data distribution in 2019, another method of delivering incident geospatial information to the public was needed. The Wildland Fire Interagency Geospatial Service (WFIGS) Group provides authoritative geospatial data products under the interagency Wildland Fire Data Program. Hosted in the NIFC Org, WFIGS provides both internal and public-facing data, accessible in a variety of formats. The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) “Open Data” site creates a publicly accessible, searchable website. Open Data sites make authoritative data easy to find and access in multiple commonly used formats. Making perimeters that have been approved for sharing with the public accessible through the NIFC Open Data site has a number of key benefits:

  • Users can access the data in their preferred format – shapefile, geodatabase, spreadsheet, or several flavors of web service.
  • Perimeter data can be shared from the same site as other wildland fire reference data, including dispatch boundaries, Geographic Area boundaries, and predictive service areas.
  • Open Data sites are cloud-hosted and scale to the load put on them, depending on traffic, reducing the cost, and management workload of providing public-facing data.

The NIFC Open Data site URL is http://data-nifc.opendata.arcgis.com/ and requires no login or password.

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Screenshot of the NIFC Open Data Site homepage.

Datasets

Several data sets are publicly available through the NIFC Open Data Site. Details can be found in the description of each service on the site.

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Screenshot of icons and links for the NIFC Open Data Site.

As a GISS you could be asked to use current and/or historic wildland fire data for analysis or maps.  To help understand and use WFIGS data, watch the WFIGS training video.

 

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NWCG Latest Announcements

Updated NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431

Date: May 14, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Fire Use Subcommittee

The updated NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431 serves as a supplemental resource for wildland fire module operations, providing information frequently used in the field.

PMS 431 defines the organizational structure, staffing, and qualifications for Type 1 and Type 2 Wildland Fire Modules, outlining their roles in wildland fire suppression, prescribed fire, and resource management. The NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431, should be used in conjunction with the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430.

References:

NWCG Guide for Wildland Fire Modules, PMS 431

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Module Operations, PMS 430

Updated NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 Now Includes Off-Highway Vehicle Typing Standards

Date: May 13, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee 

The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 has been updated to include newly developed Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) typing standards. These standards organize OHV information into logical categories and outline key safety requirements for occupants.

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200 establishes minimum typing standards for aircraft, crews, and equipment used in national mobilization to wildland fire incidents. Typing designations are assigned based on measurable capability and performance criteria.

References:

NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Resource Typing, PMS 200

NEW! S-204, Interpersonal and Critical Thinking Skills for Safety Officers Now Available

Date: May 12, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Risk Management Committee

The S-204, Interpersonal and Critical Thinking Skills for Safety Officers self-directed online course is now available! Developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort, this training supports individuals working towards Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) incident qualifications.

S-204, Interpersonal and Critical Thinking Skills for Safety Officers focuses on facilitating hazard mitigation conversations and building trust to influence safety-related decisions. Individuals can self-enroll through the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP).

Any changes to qualification pathways will take effect with the next update of the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

S-204, Interpersonal and Critical Thinking Skills for Safety Officers 

NWCG Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) Position Page

Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Great Basin Cache Upgrading to New Inventory System

Date: May 7, 2025
Questions?  Please contact:
Great Basin Cache
Phone: (208) 387-5104
Fax: (208) 387-5573

The Great Basin Cache (GBK) is transitioning to a new inventory system to better serve the wildland fire community. During this upgrade, GBK will be unable to process standard orders from Part 1: Fire Supplies and Equipment and Part 2: Publications between May 8-20, 2025, with exceptions made for emergency fire orders. Orders will be accepted through close of business May 7.

To browse the latest available items, please refer to the National Fire Equipment System (NFES) catalogs. 

References:

NWCG NFES Catalog-Part 1: Fire Supplies and Equipment, PMS 449-1

NWCG NFES Catalog-Part 2: Publications, PMS 449-2