S-290, Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior

This is a skills focused course designed to prepare the developing fireline supervisor to undertake safe and effective fire management operations. It is the second course in a series that collectively serves to develop fire behavior prediction knowledge and skills. The course will train students how to make a thorough, timely assessment of the fire environment and to anticipate changes in fire behavior based on changes in and/or alignment of the fuels, weather, and topography. Students will then practice using this information to support their decision-making and risk management on the fireline.

This BLENDED course is designed to introduce students to the characteristics and interactions of the wildland fire environment (fuels, weather, and topography) that affect wildland fire behavior for safety purposes.  Students will also be shown how such information can be applied.  

The course is a blended training combining an Online Training (OLT) component and an Instructor-led Training (ILT) component. 

Online Training component 

The focus of the online training is to teach knowledge and concepts. The course lessons build upon the basics in S-190, and provide more detailed information on fuels, weather, and topography.  They also provide a basis for analyzing variables and understanding how different interactions affect wildland fire behavior for firefighter safety. The online training will take approximately 22 hours to complete. Your progress will be saved as you move along.

Students are required to complete the online component of the course and pass the assessment prior to taking the ILT portion. At the conclusion on the online component, student receive a Memo of Completion of the online component. The memo is proof of your successful completion of the online component and must be provided to the instructor prior to the instructor-led portion of the course.

Instructor-led Training component

The ILT will reinforce the content learned online and provide opportunities to apply this knowledge to real-world scenarios and practical exercises.

Upon successful completion of the Instructor-led portion, the lead instructor will issue a NWCG Training Course Completion Certificate.

Objectives

By the end of this course, you will be able to:

• Identify and describe the attributes of the fire environment that influence wildland fire behavior.
• Acquire, interpret, and communicate the characteristics of the fire environment.
• Recognize the critical interactions between the elements of the fire environment and their effects on wildland fire behavior.
• Anticipate changes in fire behavior that will impact on-the-ground decision-making and risk management.

Target Group

Personnel desiring to be qualified as any Single Resource Boss or Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO).

NOTE: Be sure to check agency-specific guidelines; some agencies may have different requirements.

Course Components and Hours to Complete

• Instructor-led training - 16 Hours
• Pre-course work - N/A
• Pre-selection assessment - N/A
• Online training (Self-directed) - 22 Hours
• Field Exercise - N/A
• Recommended Total Hours - 38 Hours

Any question regarding the Academy can be directed to Clayton Swanger at clayton.swanger@usda.gov