S390 - Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations

Reviewed: 2006     Hours: 32

Course Description:

This course is designed to introduce fire behavior calculations by manual methods, using nomograms and the Fire Behavior Handbook Appendix B. The student gains an understanding of the determinants of fire behavior though studying inputs (weather, slope, fuels, and fuel moisture). The student also learns how to interpret fire behavior outputs, documentation processes, and fire behavior briefing components.

Objectives:

• List the assumptions, limitations, and appropriate uses of fire behavior prediction models.
• Describe how environmental factors and processes affect fire behavior predictions and safety.
• Define and interpret fire behavior prediction model inputs.
• Calculate fire behavior outputs using available fire behavior processors.
• Interpret, communicate, apply, and document wildland fire behavior and weather information.

Target Group:

Personnel desiring to become qualified as division group supervisor (DIVS), prescribed fire burn boss type 2 (RXB2), incident commander type 3 (ICT3), or in a position requiring this knowledge.

Minimum Instructor Qualifications:

Lead instructor must have completed S-490, Advanced Fire Behavior Calculations and be a qualified division group supervisor, incident commander type 3 or prescribed fire burn boss type 1; it is recommended that the lead instructor be a qualified fire behavior analyst.

Unit instructors must be qualified as strike team leader, task force leader or prescribed fire burn boss type 2. A meteorologist is highly recommended to instruct the weather sections of this course.

Also see Instructor Certification at the beginning of the Field Manager's Course Guide.

Prerequisites:

Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290)

Qualified as a single resource boss.

Offer Level:
Regional, state, or area

This Course Description is verbatim from the NWCG Field Manager's Course Guide (156 page PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader required) and accurate as of 12-17-2009.

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