RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)

Country Fire Deployment Case Study

A case study involving a shelter deployment on a fire near Sacramento, California. An engine responding to an initial attack call was burned over after conditions rapidly and dramatically changed fire behavior. The two crewmembers were forced to use their fire shelters to survive. This case study examines the situation and their decisions.

Category: Case Studies

Core Component(s):

Local Topics, Incident Reviews and Lessons Learned, Fire Shelters and Entrapment Avoidance

Estimated Delivery Time: 1 hour

Video Length: 11:20

Intent

Review the decisions and outcome of the two engine crewmembers arriving on the scene of an initial attack fire. Understand how quickly situations can change on a fireline and how quickly a firefighter might have to make life-or-death decisions.

Facilitator Preparation

Review the video, module tools, and additional resources linked below.
Consider additional activities and discussion questions pertinent to your location and agency.
Guide discussion based on the Risk Management Process and the the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461. Provide copies of the IRPG for students to utilize and answer questions.

Facilitating the Discussion

Show the video.
Facilitate a discussion using the Discussion Questions below.
(Optional) Conduct additional activities pertinent to your location.
Discuss group responses.

Discussion Questions

Situation

What are some common denominators of fire behavior on tragedy fires? Consult your IRPG and compare those denominators to this incident.
What watchout situations were present in the beginning?
When the engine arrived the fire was estimated at 3-5 acres. The firefighters approached toward one of the flanks. What happened to quickly change the situation?

Discussion

The firefighters on this engine tried all of their options:
1. First, they tried to escape.
2. When that option failed, they sheltered in their vehicle.
3. When they realized that was no longer a viable option, they resorted to their fire shelters.
Do you think they made the right choices? What would you have done?
Consult and discuss the “Last Resort Survival” section of your IRPG.
If time allows, read the incident summary (link below) for more details.

Application

Consider your local unit.
1. What sort of terrain is in your area? How might that influence potential fire behavior there?
2. What special precautions or considerations might exist in your area?
3. What SMEs (subject matter experts) may be available on your unit who may be able to offer more insight?

Resources

Document: CalFire Incident Summary
Publication: NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461

Additional Video Information

The video is also available as a download (zip file, size 998 MB) with .srt file for closed captioning (you may need to right click and Save As). For information on how to add closed captioning to a video, see this how to page.

Note: For Chrome, Firefox, and Edge, right click the word download and select Save Link As; for IE, right click and select Save Target As.

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Last Modified / Reviewed: February 13, 2026

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date: June 12, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Emergency Medical Committee

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2025 Wildland Fire Emergency Medical Service (EMS) Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2025 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Emergency Medical Committee

Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book Now Available for RAMP

Date: June 12, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Airtanker Base Operations Unit

NWCG is excited to announce that Incident Position Standards and the Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Ramp Manager (RAMP).

The Performance Support Package for this position was 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 release in January 2027.

References:

NWCG Ramp Manager Position Page

National Interagency Aviation Committee

Make an Impact: Serve the Wildland Fire Community as an IPTM SME!

Date: June 11, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: NWCG SME Specialist

Note: Positions with an * will last approximately 6 months.
Positions with ** will last 12 - 18 months.

NWCG is seeking experienced wildland firefighters and support personnel to serve as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) for the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) initiative. IPTM aims to transition NWCG’s training and qualification system to a performance-based model by updating position descriptions, Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Books (Next Gen PTBs), and training where needed.

NWCG is currently recruiting SMEs for the Fall 2026 positions listed below:

Equipment Manager (EQPM)*
Fixed Wing Parking Tender (FWPT)**
Mixmaster (MXMS)*
Public Information Officer Complex (PIOC)*
Retardant Crewmember (RTCM)*
Strike Team Leader Crew (STCR)*
Strike Team Leader Engine (STEN)*
Strike Team Leader Heavy Equipment (STEQ)*
Task Force Leader (TFLD)**
Wildland Fire Investigator (INVF)**

Projects begin October 2026. Sign up by July 10, 2026, at the link below and review the attached document for additional details.

References:

NWCG SME Interest Sign-up

IPTM Subject Matter Expert Duties and Expectations Document

Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

Date: May 28, 2026
Questions?
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) has issued Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters. Research from 2016 to 2025 shows that 88 cases of rhabdomyolysis (rhabdo) were reported. Analysis of reports from eSafety, the Safety Management Information System (SMIS), and the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (LLC) indicates that rhabdo is common during this time of year due to Work Capacity Tests and contributing factors such as weather, hydration, nutrition, and medication or supplement use.

RMC issued this safety bulletin to raise awareness in the Wildland Fire Community, and to provide research findings and educational resources that support reducing future cases of rhabdo.

References:

NWCG Alerts

RMC Safety Bulletin 26-001: Rhabdomyolysis in Wildland Firefighters

RT-130 (WFSTAR)

RT-130, Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)