See Wildland Fire Management Technician.

Supervises one or more Wildland Fire Management Lead or Supervisor positions and assists higher-level fire program managers in developing and implementing operational plans.

Incumbents work independently to resolve issues within their area of responsibility. Examples of positions at this level include crew boss, assistant air base manager, or assistant fire unit manager.

Assists in developing a wildland fire unit operations plan or helitack air operations plan based on fire prevention, suppression, mitigation and preparedness program budget and deliverables; cooperates with interagency wildland fire partners in creating and maintaining prevention, suppression and mitigation plans, including tactics, communication, command, and logistics;

Recommends wildland fire staffing levels and analyzes training needs required to meet Incident Command System and appropriate National Wildfire Coordinating Group position qualification and readiness levels;

Serves as a unit instructor for National Wildfire Coordinating Group fire courses for an assigned geographic area; plans and provides drills and training exercises for crews; coordinates training activities with interagency wildland fire partners (e.g. federal agencies, tribes, county fire districts, other state agencies);

Implements unit operational plan or helitack air operations plan, ensuring staff, resources, equipment and facilities are available and ready to meet region operational plan or statewide aviation plan;

Analyzes and determines suppression action needed on Type 3, 4 and 5 wildland fires within the unit; develops and implements appropriate suppression response as required; ensures the assignment of appropriate fire suppression resources to meet the operational plan; directs or oversees the progression of suppression work to extinguishment or until transition to another level of fire staff;

Participates in wildland fire suppression assignments; may serve in a variety of positions from firefighter to incident commander;

Creates initial incident reports, fire situations narratives, and follow up investigative reports for fire recovery billings; reviews fire reports written by subordinate staff;

Assists in developing annual pre-suppression project work plans for wildland fire staff; coordinates implementation of work plan activities (e.g. marking timber, pre-commercial thinning, brushing secondary roads, etc.) with other region program managers and specialists; assigns work plans to Wildland Management leads and crewmembers and monitors performance;

Assesses, analyzes, and determines wildland fire risks to private forested landowners within the unit; recommends prevention activities/actions to mitigate risks and educates the public within the unit; assists with implementing prevention activities;

Implements the forest fuel reduction program, including project design, layout, and compliance under the direction of the fire unit manager;

Conducts annual review of Forest Fire Protection Assessments for local unit by reviewing tax rolls and recommending additions and corrections to FFPA to unit manager;

Implements the unit’s fire regulatory program, including the issuance, compliance and auditing of burn permits under the direction of the fire unit manager;

Performs the duties of the lower levels in the series;

Performs other duties as required.

Knowledge of: fire behavior, suppression, resources, equipment, tools, methods and techniques; Incident Command System; accepted safety practices in suppressing fires; forest fire regulations (e.g., Forest Protection Assessment and Outdoor Burning regulations); supervisory methods, personnel practices and procedures; National Wildfire Coordinating Group standards.

Ability to: evaluate and select appropriate level of command required for the safe, efficient and effective management of an incident; recognize changing environmental or situational conditions; supervise and direct a fire suppression module; serve as an instructor of fire training; perform duties under stressful and adverse operating conditions; operate communication hardware including multi-channel two-way radios, computers, and GPS units.

There may be instances where individual positions must have additional licenses or certification. It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure the appropriate licenses/certifications are obtained for each position.

Four years of experience in wildland fire suppression and regulation, including at least two years of supervisory experience.


One year as a Wildland Fire Management Supervisor.

National Wildfire Coordinating Group qualified as a Task Force Leader or Helibase Manager Type 2 and as an Incident Commander Type 4.

Establishment, adopted 6/13/2019, effective 7/1/2019.
Add class series concept, adopted 11/10/2021, effective 1/1/2022.
Revised title, definition, typical work, knowledge and abilities, desirable qualifications, adopted June 22, 2023, effective July 1, 2023.