Catalog Description
Hours: 61 (54 lecture, 7 laboratory)
Description: Training in proper techniques to effectively and safely perform as a member of a fire crew in controlling and suppressing wildfire. Includes physics of fire behavior, complexities and inter-relationships of weather, topography, and wildland fuel beds in fire behavior, Incident Management Organization, personal safety, situational awareness and hazard recognition. Meets NWCG S-130, S-190, S-134, L-180 and I-100 requirements. (CSU-with unit limitation)
Course Student Learning Outcomes
- CSLO #1: Analyze basic rates of spread and resistance to control factors associated with wildland fire.
- CSLO #2: Compare potential fire control tactics and strategies that can be employed on a wildland fire.
- CSLO #3: Investigate common denominators of fatal and near miss wildland fire tragedies.
- CSLO #4: Evaluate common fireline practices, situations, and injury/fatality scenarios and apply the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watchout Conditions to them.
Effective Term
Fall 2019
Course Type
Credit - Degree-applicable
Contact Hours
61
Outside of Class Hours
108
Total Student Learning Hours
169
Course Objectives
Lecture Objectives:
1. Identify various local, state and federal firefighting organizations and examine their similarities, differences, and their areas of responsibility;
2. Evaluate the effects of relative humidity, wind, and temperature on each other;
3. Analyze the relationship of fuel moisture to relative humidity, temperature, time of day, and time lag fuel classifications;
4. Correlate the effects of the interrelationships of the fire triangle;
5. Analyze basic rates of spread and resistance to control factors associated with wildland fire;
6. Compare potential fire control tactics and strategy that can be employed on a wildland fire;
7. Rank 7 basic principles and standards of fireline placement and construction;
8. Assess how topography affects a fire's intensity, rate and direction of spread;
9. Investigate common denominators of fatal and near miss wildland fire tragedies;
10. Evaluate common fireline practices, situations, and injury/fatality scenarios and apply the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Watchout Conditions to them;
11. Identify 12 safety practices of helicopter use and transport in suppression tactics;
12. Assess safety practices to utilize during fixed-wing retardant and cargo dropping operations; and
13. Outline the 5 functions of the Incident Command System (ICS).
Laboratory Objectives:
1. Correctly deploy a fire shelter in less than one minute;
2. Demonstrate correct technique for coupling fire hose while making a progressive hose lay;
3. Create a fireline using Pulaski's, McCloud's, shovels and fire rakes;
4. Build water bars to eliminate erosion on the fireline.
General Education Information
- Approved College Associate Degree GE Applicability
- CSU GE Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU approval)
- Cal-GETC Applicability (Recommended - Requires External Approval)
- IGETC Applicability (Recommended-requires CSU/UC approval)
Articulation Information
- CSU Transferable
Methods of Evaluation
- Objective Examinations
- Example: Students will take a multiple-choice test on the various methods of attaching and extinguishing a wildland fire. Standard Grading. Example question: Which of the following is correct regarding containing and extinguishing a fire at its burning edge? A. Direct attach, B, Indirect Attach, C. Flanking, D. None of the above. List and describe considerations for fireline placement on a wildland fire.
- Reports
- Example: Students will select 1 of the “18 situations that shout watch-out” and write a report outlining the significance of the situation and how and why the situation is important to wildland firefighting. Example topic: The fire is not scouted and sized up. Rubric Grading.
- Skill Demonstrations
- Example: Students will demonstrate how to correctly don a fire shelter. Graded according to industry standard, Pass/Fail.
Repeatable
No
Methods of Instruction
- Laboratory
- Lecture/Discussion
- Distance Learning
Lab:
- Following a demonstration by the instructor on correctly deploying a fire shelter, students will practice deploying the shelter.
Lecture:
- The instructor will lead a discussion of what observations need to be made for a complete size-up of a wildland fire. Students will then work in small groups to determine what each crew member can observe as part of a size-up procedure, and present their findings to the class.
Distance Learning
- Following an instructor lecture and demonstration on how to build water bars, students will build water bars to eliminate erosion on the fireline.
Typical Out of Class Assignments
Reading Assignments
1. Read the material on fire organizations, create a list of land use in your area, and identify which agency has responsibility for fire protection for each land use. 2. Read and memorize the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders and 18 Situations That Shout Watch Out. 3. Read and memorize Command, General Staff, and Operations functions of ICS.
Writing, Problem Solving or Performance
1. Using a fire spread prediction model and provided scenarios, make a prediction of fire spread for each of the next two operational periods. 2. Demonstrate basic use of typical hand tools used in fireline construction. 3. Demonstrate correct fire shelter deployment practices.
Other (Term projects, research papers, portfolios, etc.)
Required Materials
- Wildland Firefighting Practices
- Author: Joseph Lowe
- Publisher: Delmar
- Publication Date: 2001
- Text Edition: 1st
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- Fireline Handbook, Student Supplement
- Author: National Wildfire Coordinating Group
- Publisher: U.S. Government
- Publication Date: 2007
- Text Edition:
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
- Fundamentals of Fire Fighter Skills
- Author: International Association of Fire Chiefs and National Fire Protection Association
- Publisher: Jones and Bartlett Learning
- Publication Date: 2017
- Text Edition: 3rd
- Classic Textbook?:
- OER Link:
- OER:
