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

RT-130 Decorative banner. Group of wildland firefighters hiking down a valley to a fire. Black topo map and WFSTAR logo on left.

WFSTAR 2026 Core Components Module Package

Local Topics

  • Fire Year in Review 2025
    • Revisit significant events and statistics from the 2025 fire season. Identify lessons learned to prepare for the future. Explore available intelligence sources to independently improve big-picture situational awareness.
    • Hear from Brian Fennessy, Chief of the U.S. Wildland Fire Service; Sarah Fisher, Deputy Chief of U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation; Scott Mayer from the National Interagency Coordination Center; Greg Smith, Fire Director for the National Association of State Foresters; Travis Touchette, Director of the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center; meteorologist Jim Wallmann; and Brandon Hankla from 6 Minutes for Safety.

Fire and Aviation Operational Safety

  • Module (Patient Assessment)
    • Firefighters learn how to use standardized checklists from the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, during emergency responses. These tools improve communication and guide responders through medical procedures. Firefighters with minimal medical experience can utilize the Patient Assessment and Medical Incident Response (MIR) checklists in the IRPG.
  • Module (Specific Treatments)
    • This module shows firefighters how to use the Specific Treatments page from the Emergency Medical Care section of the NWCG Incident Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461, to treat common injuries that occur during wildland fire operations. This module focuses on simple, effective treatments that can help firefighters stabilize patients and support successful outcomes.
  • Module (Deer Creek Fire Pyro-Vortex)
    • This module discusses the warning signs and hazards of a pyro-vortex by examining a well-documented pyro-vortex that occurred on the Deer Creek fire in Utah on July 12, 2025. This pyro-vortex was large enough and caused enough damage for the National Weather Service to classify the incident as an EF2 tornado.

Incident Reviews and Lessons Learned

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  • Module (Ransom Road Fire Immersive Case Study)
    • This module provides learners with an enhanced understanding of the Ransom Road Fire that occurred on June 8, 1981. This Storymap is a supplement to the Ransom Road Fire video that was released Fall 2025.

Fire Shelter and Entrapment Avoidance

  • Next Generation Fire Shelter Video (Updated 2026) 

    The Next Generation Fire Shelter video is also available as a download (Size 6.86 GB); with the .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.

  • PMS 411 Web Portal

Resources

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NWCG Latest Announcements

2026 Week of Remembrance

Date:  June 30, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: 6 Minutes for Safety Subcommittee

As we approach the 2026 Week of Remembrance (WOR), June 30–July 6, we dedicate this time to reflect on past incidents from 2016 and honor the fallen through learning. Since its inception in 2014, WOR has honored wildland firefighters who made the ultimate sacrifice while encouraging critical discussions that reinforce lessons learned.

Throughout the week, we encourage thoughtful and generative conversations that promote a culture of continuous learning and safety.

References:

2026 Week of Remembrance: Letter to Leadership

Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center

RMC Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNetX Launch

Date:  June 25, 2026
Questions? 
Please contact: Risk Management Committee

The Risk Management Committee (RMC) is pleased to announce the launch of SafeNetX, the modernized safety reporting system now available to the wildland fire community. Effective June 15, 2026, SafeNetX enables reporting of unsafe, unhealthy, near-miss, and high-risk operations across wildland fire, all-hazard incidents, training, and related work environments.

SafeNetX is the result of a multi-agency modernization effort led by RMC, which began evaluating improvements to the legacy SAFENET system in 2021. To learn more, read the full RMC memorandum in the links provided.

References:

SafeNetX

RMC Safety Memorandum 26-02: SAFENET Modernization and SafeNet X Launch

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