United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Fire and Aviation
3833 South Development Avenue
Boise, Idaho 83705-5354
In Reply Refer To: October 3, 2007
9210 (FA-600) P
EMS Transmission 10/03/07
Instruction Memorandum No. FA IM 2007-023, Change 1
Expires: 09/30/08
To: State Directors
From: Assistant Director, Fire and Aviation
Subject: Revision of the Firing Boss (FIRB) Position
Program Area: Fire Management
Purpose: This Instruction Memorandum (IM) transmits the reclassification of the National
Wildland Fire Coordinating Group (NWCG) FIRB position into two positions; the current FIRB
position with modifications and a new Firing Leader (FIRL) position.
Policy/Action: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will implement additional standards
for the current NWCG FIRB position and will implement a new BLM specific FIRL position.
All BLM personnel qualified as FIRB will meet the new BLM standards, qualifications and
training (see requirements below). The BLM will accept other agency personnel FIRB
qualifications for firing or ignition operations on BLM managed wildland fires.
The use of the FIRL position on higher complexity wildfire or wildland fire use firing operations
is not required. However, when a firing boss is assigned to a wildfire or wildland fire use
incident, the type of firing boss assigned should be based upon the complexity of firing
operations, the firing objectives, type, and number of firing resources and firing activities
required.
Qualification criteria for the BLM specific FIRB position:
Required Training: Intermediate Wildland Fire Behavior (S-290), Crew Boss (single
resource) (S-230), Annual Fireline Safety Refresher (RT-130), Ignition Operations
(S-234) (BLM additional training requirement).
Required Experience: Satisfactory performance as a firefighter type 1 (FFT1) plus
successful position performance as a single resource FIRB on a wildland fire incident.
Physical Fitness Level: Arduous
Other Position Assignments that will Maintain Currency: Any single resource boss,
incident commander type 4 (ICT4) and any higher position for which this position is a
prerequisite.
Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills: Basic
Incident Command System (I-200), Leadership (L-280), Basic Air Ops (S-270),
Interagency Incident Business Management (S-260), Ignition Operations (S-234),
Introduction to Fire Effects (RX-310).
Qualification criteria for the new BLM FIRL position:
Required Training: Introduction to Fire Behavior Calculations (S-390), plus required
training for FIRB.
Required Experience: Satisfactory performance as a strike team leader (STL) or task
force leader (TFLD) or prescribed fire burn boss (RXB2) and FIRB; plus successful
position performance as a FIRL, Attachment 1: FIRL Position Task Book (PTB).
Physical Fitness Level: Moderate
Other Position Assignments that will Maintain Currency: STL, TFLD, RXB2, FIRB.
Other Training Which Supports Development of Knowledge and Skills: Introduction
to Fire Effects (RX-310), Prescribed Fire Plan Preparation (RX-341), Smoke
Management Techniques (RX-410), and training in appropriate aerial ignition devices.
Note: The FIRL PTB stands alone. Completion of the tasks is required to demonstrate
proficiency in implementing complex wildland fire ignition operations.
The table below identifies the position requirements for prescribed fire ignition operations when
assigned by the prescribed fire plan. The requirements are based on levels of complexity or
type/number of resources assigned to the prescribed fire.
POSITION COMPLEXITY TYPE/NUMBER OF
RESOURCES ASSIGNED
FIRL
Required:
Prescribed fire moderate and high complexity,
With
Multiple ignition resources/types or more than two firing locations or aerial ignition
FIRB
Required:
Prescribed fire low and moderate complexity,
With
Single ground ignition firing resource/type or no more than two firing locations
The BLM fire management staffs will ensure that the following transition to the FIRB and FIRL
positions takes place:
FIRB to BLM FIRB
Current FIRB qualified employees must complete the additional training (S-234) and
achieve the physical fitness rating (arduous) to qualify as a BLM FIRB. Current FIRB
trainees must complete the BLM additional training and achieve the arduous physical
fitness rating to qualify as a BLM FIRB.
FIRB to FIRL
If all the current FIRB PTB elements, prerequisite qualifications (STL or TFLD or
RXB2), and training (S234 and S390) of current FIRBs have been completed in the past
and the employee and local Red Card Committee are satisfied with the employee’s skills,
then a FIRL PTB must be completed to qualify as a BLM FIRL.
RXI1 to FIRL
If all the current FIRB PTB elements and prerequisite qualifications (STL or TFLD or
RXB2) and training (S234 and S390) of a former prescribed fire ignition specialist 1
(RXI1) have been completed in the past and the employee and Red Card Committee are
satisfied with the employee’s skills, then the BLM FIRL position will be awarded.
However, if the employee or Red Card Committee finds deficiencies in the employee’s
skills or incomplete tasks, then a FIRL PTB will be initiated.
RXI1 (T) to FIRL(T)
An employee who meets the prerequisite qualifications (STL or TFLD or RXB2) and
training (S234 and S390) for FIRL and who has an initiated and partially completed RXI1
PTB prior to February 20061 will be given credit for those tasks which correspond to
those in the BLM FIRL PTB. A BLM FIRL PTB will be initiated for these employees.
An employee who does not meet the prerequisite qualifications (STL or TFLD or RXB2)
and training (S234 and S390) for BLM FIRL and who has initiated and partially
completed RXI1 PTB prior to February 20061 will not be given credit for those tasks nor
have a BLM FIRL PTB initiated until the prerequisite qualifications have been met.
Those employees have a maximum of 3 years from the date of the RXI1 PTB initiation to
obtain the required qualifications before their RXI1 PTB expires.
Timeframe: This guidance takes effect on the date of issuance.
Budget Impact: There is minimal impact to State and Field Offices.
1 Reference NWCG 310-1 Transition Memorandum; June 1, 2006. The memorandum
can be accessed electronically at: http://www.nwcg.gov: NWCG Publications,
Qualifications link.
Background: In January 2006, the NWCG Incident Operations Standards Work Team
(IOSWT) dropped the ignition specialist (RXI1 & RXI2) positions and merged them into the
single resource firing boss (FIRB) position.
The BLM field prescribed fire practitioners and fire management officers, state fire management
officers and agency administrators expressed concerns with the creation of the FIRB position.
• The new single classification did not adequately address the various complexities of
firing operations on wildland fires.
• Experience and training with multiple ignition operations and/or complex firing
equipment (e.g., terra torch and aerial firing equipment) is not required for the current
FIRB qualification.
• The ignition operations on prescribed fire as compared to a wildfire may be very different
(i.e., meeting resource objectives vs. control).
• Skills and abilities to implement complex firing patterns and manipulation of fire
behavior to meet resource and control objectives need not be exhibited to qualify as an
FIRB.
As a result, a group of national, state, and local BLM personnel met to develop BLM specific
qualifications and standards which adequately recognize ignition complexities inherent in
prescribed fire and wildfire ignitions and better fulfill the requirement for firefighter safety and
mission accomplishment. The implementation of additional standards for the FIRB and the new
FIRL position will ensure that wildland fire ignition operations are implemented by qualified and
experienced personnel.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: Manual Section 9214; Prescribed Fire Management,
Manual Section 9215; Training and Qualifications, Interagency Standards for Fire and Fire
Aviation Operations, (January 2007).
Coordination: This IM is the result of coordination with Fire and Aviation (FA100), BLM Fire
Operations (FA300), Department of the Interior, Office of Wildland Fire Coordination, and State
Offices.
Contacts: Questions regarding this subject should be addressed to David Mueller, Fuels
Management Specialist, Fire and Aviation, at 208-387-5151.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Jim Douglas Pat Lewis
Assistant Director Supervisory Mgmt. Asst.
1 Attachment
1 – FIRL, Position Task Book (13 pp)
Distribution:
FA DAD (NIFC)
FA DAD (WO)
BLM ADs
FA Management Team
BLM Library
Dave Mueller, FA-600
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