Line Officer / AA Desk Guide for Fire Management
This desk reference guide for fire management was created to aid Line Officers who oversee fire program management in both wildland fire and prescribed fire/fuels treatments – pre-season planning, management of the incidents, post fire activities and prescribed fire implementation. There is some new information regarding AA qualifications hosted in the guide, this guide provides references to the original direction providing a one point of reference for Line Officers. If there is anything you as an AA/Line Officer would like to see that is not in the guide, please forward your suggestions to the contacts listed in the guide. It is sponsored by Forest Service, the National Line Officer Team (NLOT) and was developed by the WFM RD&A with recommendations from Agency Administrators and Line Officers.
Document Downloads
Line Officer/AA Desk Guide (updated 6/16/2023)
Analytics for Fire Support (2023)
Wildland Fire Decision Support Tools; a guide for AAs (updated 6/2023)
2023 FS Chief's Letter of Intent for Wildland Fire
2023 FS National Prescribed Fire Resource Mobilization Strategy
2023 Joint DOI/USDA Direction to Wildland Fire Leadership
2023 NPS Director's Leader's Intent For Wildland Fire
2022 NPS Superintendent Checklist
2019 NPS Superintendent Desk Reference for the Fire Management Program
2016 USFS Wildland Fire Risk Management Protocols
Incident Kits for Employee Behavioral Health and Wellbeing
Line Officer Guide Forms and Templates
BAER Team Delegation Template - docx version
Cost Share Agreement Template - docx version
Example Turn Back Standards & Mopup Guidelines
Delegation of Authority Template
Leaders Intent Letter Template
Briefing Package Template
Forest Service Agency Administrator Qualifications
The AA taskbook has been in place since 2019, and this was initially referred to as AA Certification for wildfire and prescribed fire positions. The process has continued to evolve providing more efficiency with AA resource ordering, AA qualifications, consistency with documentation standards and training requirements. The AA certification process has transitioned from ‘certification’ to ‘qualification’. This will be tracked within IQCS, similar to other fire positions to track experience, training, and qualifications. The taskbook covers 6 positions based on the competency of the individuals for either wildfire or prescribed fire. Additional information can be found within Chapter 5 of the Red Book.
Combined Wildfire; Prescribed Fire Agency Administrator Task Book
The following documents will need to be downloaded to initiate the taskbook, track task accomplishments and evaluation feedback from the evaluators. Both of these documents will need to be submitted to your RLOT for certification.
USFS Agency Admin Evaluation record
Additional Guidance
NLOT - AA Certification Video- Leaders Intent - USFS
AA Training / Continuing Education
IQCS WFA1 / RXA2 – Example
Prescribed Fire Pathways Diagram
Wildfire Pathways Diagram
AA refresher for New Agency Administrators – Agenda
Video part 1: Initial AA response – Panel discussion
Video part 2: Lessons Learned Case Studies and Scenarios from Past Fires
--
If you have feedback regarding the FS Line Officer AA Desk Guide, AA Certification Program (including task book, ordering, certification levels) or other items that would be beneficial to the program please submit your comments on this form.