Training

The Alaska Fire Service (AFS) Training Center manages and provides oversight for the BLM fire training and human resource development programs by identifying and developing fire training courses, publishing the Alaska Firefighting Field Guide (Handy Dandy), training fire instructors, and coordinating statewide and national instructors.

AFS is part of the Bureau of Land Management and subscribes to the training requirements developed by the National Wildland Fire Coordinating Group (NWCG) and outlined in the NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications (PMS 310-1).

Training Schedules and Courses

Many NWCG and other fire training course sessions can be found on the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. Search the schedule without creating an account by clicking on “Log in as a Guest” on the log in page.

Alaska Geographic Area Training Schedule

FEMA Online Fire Courses:

• I-100 Introduction to the Incident Command System
• IS-700:  National Incident Management System (NIMS)
• IS-800: National Response Framework, An Introduction

University of Alaska Courses:

• University of Alaska Fairbanks Wildland Fire Science
• University of Alaska Fairbanks Community and Technical College
• University of Alaska Anchorage Fire Science

Nomination Forms

Fillable nomination forms can be found on the “Nomination Process” tab under the Alaska Geographic Area in the Wildland Fire Learning Portal. Click on the links below and choose “Log in as a Guest” to go directly to the Nominations page:

• NWCG Nomination Form
• AK Interagency Training Nomination Form

Publications

• 310-1 Supplement
• Alaska Handy Dandy Field Guide
• BLM Standards for Fire Training and Workforce Development
• Incident Positions Qualification Guide (IPQG)
• PMS 310-1 NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications
• NWCG and Agency Specific Position Task Books
• NWCG Publications Catalog

Training Links

• NWCG Position Catalog
• NWCG Training Catalog
• BLM Fire and Aviation Training
• National Interagency Fire Center - Training
• Interagency Aviation Training (IAT)
• Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center
• Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (WFSTAR)
• Incident Qualifications and Certification System (IQCS)
• Wildland Fire Leadership Development Program
• National Interagency Prescribed Fire Training Center (NIPFTC) in Tallahassee, Florida
• U.S. Forest Service Fire and Aviation Management Training
• National Park Service Fire and Aviation Management Training
• Bureau of Indian Affairs Fire Training

Get Your Red Card

Review NWCG’s How to Become a Wildland Firefighter. You must have a sponsoring agency to be rostered as a wildland firefighter or Incident Command System (ICS) support position. Sponsoring agencies may include federal land management agencies (BLM, NPS, FWS, USFS, etc.), the Alaska Division of Forestry, local fire departments, and Alaska Native Regional Corporations.

All responders filling ICS positions, including support positions, must complete:

• I-100 Introduction to ICS
• IS-700 National Incident Management System (NIMS)

In addition to the above, all personnel filling entry-level, NWCG-recognized fireline positions must complete:

• S-130 Firefighter Training (including the required field exercises)
• S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior
• L-180 Human Factors on the Fireline

These requirements are the minimum standards for entry-level positions. Review the 310-1 or NWCG Position Catalog for further requirements, including the Wildland Fire Safety Training Annual Refresher (RT-130) and annual fitness testing.

All class certifications must be turned into to your host IQCS manager.

Career Planning

• Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM)
• Rangeland & Fire Ecology Education Program
• Oregon State University Online 401-series eCourses
• USAJobs - Federal Job Openings
• Individual Development Plan (Access through DOI Talent)
• IQCS Responder Update Form

Priority Trainee Program

The Priority Trainee Program provides an organized, streamlined way to prioritize and mobilize trainees for local, regional, and national incidents. Positions included in the Priority Trainee Program are:

1. Incident Commander: Types 1, 2, and 3
2. All Command Staff positions
3. All Logistics Section positions
4. All Finance Section positions, including Incident Business Advisors and Buying Team Positions
5. All Planning Section positions
6. Operations Section positions: Strike Team Leader and above
7. Air Operations positions: Helicopter Manager or Single Engine Air Tanker Manager and above
8. All Dispatch, Coordination, and Intelligence positions.

Priority Trainees must reapply for each year they wish to be considered. Applications generally close in May each year.

• Alaska Priority Trainee Application and SOP