WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST - LOW COMPLEXITY

1. Basic OPM Requirements for this Position

 Refer to the appropriate OPM Group Coverage Qualification Standard

2. NWCG Incident Management Qualifications - Currency Required*

Primary Core Requirement Secondary Core Requirement

ENGB or CRWB or HMGB ICT4

3. Additional required training as presented in the following courses, or agency 

equivalent:

 None

Common grade level: GS-7 (Note: Actual grade level will depend on the duties and 

responsibilities of the position.)

Selective Factor Justifications:

 Attainment of either single resource boss qualification (CRWB, ENGB or HMGB) or 

Helicopter Manager (HMGB) provides the incumbent the competencies required to 

supervise and lead fire fighters on wildland fire incidents.

 The ICT4 qualification provides the incumbent with the knowledge of fire behavior, 

strategies and tactics, resources, equipment, and management objectives sufficient to safely, 

efficiently, and effectively direct the management of wildland fires. 

Employee Development Training - Employee should receive the following developmental 

training, (or agency equivalent) to fully achieve competencies:

 FI-210 (formerly P-151) “Wildfire Origin and Cause Determination”

 RX-301 (formerly RX-300) “Prescribed Fire Implementation”

 RX-341 “Prescribed Fire Plan Preparation”

 RX-310 (formerly RX-340) “Introduction to Fire Effects”

 S-300 “Extended Attack Incident Commander”

 S-390 “Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior Calculations”

 S-491 “National Fire Danger Rating System”

 M-581,” Fire Program Management, an Overview”

 40-hour Supervisory Training

 BEHAVE
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) training
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST – MODERATE 

COMPLEXITY

This position can be established at either the professional or technical level, depending upon the 

competency of the position which in turn will determine whether professional or technical 

knowledge is required. This, in turn, depends upon the structure which the position is 

established. If the position is established at the technical level, any professional duties would be 

handled by a separate, usually higher graded, professional position.

1. Basic OPM Requirements for this position

 Refer to the appropriate OPM Group Coverage Qualification Standard

2. Specialized Experience

a) DOI Bureaus: Refer to PB#: 07-13, December 04, 2007, Qualification Requirements for 

GS-0401 Fire Program Management

3. NWCG Incident Management Qualifications - Currency Required *

Primary Core 

Requirement

Secondary Core 

Requirement

Moderate Complexity Pathway #1 TFLD ICT3 or RXB2

Moderate Complexity Pathway #2 HEBM ICT3

4. Additional required training as presented in the following courses, or agency 

equivalent:

 None

Common grade level: GS-9 (Note: Actual grade level will depend on the duties and 

responsibilities of the position.)

Selective Factor Justifications:

Moderate Complexity Pathway #1 (TFLD + ICT3 or RXB2):

The combined qualifications of TFLD + ICT3 or RXB2 provide the incumbent with the skill and 

knowledge to organize, manage and develop fire behavior prescriptions or strategies and tactics 

to meet land management objectives, commensurate with a moderate complexity unit. Without 

these qualifications, the incumbent would be unable to perform the major duties of their job.
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

 TFLD qualification provides the incumbent with the knowledge of fire behavior, 

suppression, resources, equipment, tools, methods and techniques sufficient to safely, 

efficiently, and effectively manage moderately complex fire situations.

 ICT3 or RXB2 qualifications are commensurate skill levels for providing oversight and 

management of wildland incidents or prescribed fire projects that require a large 

workforce over multiple burn periods.

Moderate Complexity Pathway #2 (HEBM + ICT3)

The combined qualifications of HEBM and ICT3 provides the incumbent with the skill and 

knowledge to organize, manage and develop fire behavior prescriptions or strategies and tactics 

to meet land management objectives, commensurate with a moderate complexity unit. Without 

these qualifications, the incumbent would be unable to perform the major duties of their job.

 The HEBM qualification provides the incumbent with the knowledge of wildfire 

suppression operations, including resources, equipment, methods and techniques 

necessary to effectively manage moderately complex fire aviation operations

 ICT3 qualifications are commensurate skill levels for providing oversight and 

management of wildland incidents that require a large workforce over multiple burn 

periods.

Employee Development Training - Employee should receive the following developmental 

training, (or agency equivalent) to fully achieve competencies:

 FI-210 (formerly P-151) “Wildfire Origin and Cause Determination

 RX-301 (formerly RX-300) “Prescribed Fire Implementation”

 RX-341 “Prescribed Fire Plan Preparation”

 RX-310 (formerly RX-340) “Introduction to Fire Effects”

 RX-410 (formerly RX-450) “Smoke Management Techniques”

 S-491 “National Fire Danger Rating System”

 M-581,” Fire Program Management, An Overview”

 40-Hour Supervisory Training

 Aviation safety, operations, and management training

 BEHAVE

 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) training
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

MINIMUM QUALIFICATION STANDARDS

WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST – HIGH COMPLEXITY

1. Basic OPM requirements for this position

 Refer to the appropriate OPM Group Coverage Qualification Standard

2. Specialized Experience

a) DOI Bureaus: Refer to PB#: 07-13, December 04, 2007, Qualification Requirements for 

GS-0401 Fire Program Management

3. NWCG Incident Management Qualifications - Currency Required*

Primary Core 

Requirement

Secondary Core 

Requirement

High Complexity Pathway #1 DIVS ICT3 or RXB2

High Complexity Pathway #2 ASGS ICT3

4. Additional required training as presented in the following courses, or agency 

equivalent:

 None

Common grade level: GS-11 (Note: Actual grade level will depend on the duties and 

responsibilities of the position.)

Selective Factor Justifications:

High Complexity Pathway #1 (DIVS + ICT3 or RXB2):

The combined qualifications of DIVS + ICT3 or RXB2 provide the incumbent with the skill and 

knowledge to organize, manage and develop fire behavior prescriptions or strategies and tactics 

to meet land management objectives. Without these qualifications, the incumbent would be 

unable to perform the major duties of their job.

 DIVS qualification provides the incumbent with the knowledge of fire behavior, 

suppression, resources, equipment, tools, methods and techniques sufficient to safely, 

efficiently, and effectively manage highly complex fire situations.

 ICT3 or RXB2 qualifications are commensurate skill levels for providing oversight and 

management of wildland incidents or prescribed fire projects that require a large 

workforce over multiple burn periods.
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

High Complexity Pathway #2 (ASGS + ICT3)

The combined qualifications of ASGS and ICT3 provide the incumbent with the skill and 

knowledge to organize, manage and develop fire behavior prescriptions or strategies and tactics 

to meet land management objectives. Without these qualifications, the incumbent would be 

unable to perform the major duties of their job.

 ASGS qualification provides the incumbent with the knowledge of wildfire suppression 

operations, including resources, equipment, methods and techniques necessary to 

effectively manage highly complex fire aviation operations.

 ICT3 qualification is commensurate skill levels for providing oversight and management 

of wildland incidents that require a large workforce over multiple burn periods.

Employee Development Training – Employee should receive the following developmental 

training, (or agency equivalent) to fully achieve competencies:

 FI-210 (formerly P-151) “Wildfire Origin and Cause Determination”

 RX-301 (formerly RX-300) “Prescribed Fire Implementation”

 RX-341 “Prescribed Fire Plan Preparation”

 RX-310 (formerly RX-340) “Introduction to Fire Effects”

 RX-410 (formerly RX-450) “Smoke Management Techniques”

 S-491 “National Fire Danger Rating System”

 M-581,” Fire Program Management, An Overview”

 40-Hour Supervisory Training

 Aviation safety, operations, and management training

 BEHAVE

 Leadership and organizational skills training

 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Training

*Currency

The Interagency Fire Program Management (IFPM) Standard identifies currency as a

requirement for certain IFPM positions. The original intent of the Task Group that developed the 

IFPM Standard was to document that currency was defined as “current and qualified” (i.e. “red 

card” qualified). However, it has since been clarified per Office of Personnel Management

(OPM) standards, that currency cannot be used as a selective factor because it does not meet the 

OPM’s definition of a selective factor

(http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/policy/ApplicationOfStds-06.asp).

The following points are intended to provide clarification for Human Resources (HR) and Fire 

Management regarding the term “currency”:

1. “Currency” will now be defined pursuant to the Wildland Fire Qualification System

Guide (PMS 310-1).

2. Federal bureaus cannot use “currency” to screen out applicants. As long as applicants can 

produce documentation that they have obtained the IFPM competencies at some point (as 
WILDLAND FIRE OPERATIONS SPECIALIST

March 13, 2019

validated by the Incident Qualifications and Currency System (IQCS) Master Record or 

equivalent documentation), they will meet the IFPM Selective Factors.

3. The hiring official can use “currency” as justification for selection. However, for

Delegated Examining advertisements, currency cannot be a reason to pass over a person who is a 

qualifying veteran.

4. As indicated in the IFPM Standard, certain positions still require the employee to remain 

current and qualified (i.e. “red card” qualified). If an applicant is selected less “currency”, or an 

incumbent loses “currency”, the employee and management must develop a plan for regaining 

currency.