GA 2007 Wildfires and HRO Implementation Initial Impressions Report   (724KB pdf posted 11/5/2009)
Today across the wildland fire arena we are discovering the benefits of “High Reliability Organizing”—HRO. We are learning to use this “HRO mindset” as an effective wildland firefighting “tool”. A tool specifically designed to help keep operational errors small. Wildland fire managers and firefighters are also seeing how the five HRO principles can sharpen their decision-making skills—especially during wildland fire’s high-tempo times. They are learning how HRO can help improve their overall skills to better anticipate and contain unexpected events within the wildland fire workplace. This Information Collection Team report explores the lessons learned and effective practices surrounding HRO implementation by the Georgia Forestry Commission and its interagency partners.

  Initial Impressions from the Northern California 2008 Lightning Siege (1MB pdf posted 6/1/2009)

The 2008 northern California lightning siege was a “surprise” due to this event's size and duration. However, we need look no further than the historical fire regime in northern California to realize that last summer's lightning event could happen again--even within a few years. This region is known for its high frequency of fire, both on CalFire and National Forest administered lands. CalFire statistics from 1933 to 2006 reveal that the five-year average for fire frequency is 5,685 fires a year.

 

 Prescribed Fire Escapes and Near Miss Lessons Learned  (610KB pdf posted 10/31/2008)
"On many of the prescribed fire escapes examined during this Information Collection Team effort, frequent problems stemmed from a lack of adequate communication and coordination between members of the burn team—in both the planning and implementation phases. One person might write the burn plan, the agency administrator approves the plan, the plan is peer-reviewed by someone in a separate location, and, finally, a burn boss arrives the day of the burn—along with some or all of the other resources—to implement the plan." This is a Lessons Learned Center Information Collection Team analysis; with a series of key findings and sand table "prompts" using the principles of High Reliability Organizing.

 Initial Impressions Report - Type 3 Incident Management Organizations 

Southern California 2007 Fires Information Collection Team Initial Impressions Report
(1MB pdf posted 2/14/2008)
"Every firefighter says that every fire they respond to is different. That is one of the first things that became apparent when the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center’s Information Collection Team began talking to emergency responders during southern California’s 2007 fires: It was not like southern California’s fire siege of 2003. Firefighters said they experienced dramatic differences even between the fires that were burning simultaneously in 2007."

 

 

 

 

Initial Impressions Report - Appropriate Management Response, Northern Rockies 2007  (712 KB PDF Posted030608)

The information collection team traveled to southwestern Montana during a fire season in which the Northern Rockies Coordinating Group (NRCG) was aggressively implementing a planned AMR strategy. Several large and long-duration fires and complexes of fires were actively burning, numerous Incident Management Teams (IMT) were managing fires, the Northern Rockies Multi-agency Coordination Group (NRMAC) was activated and setting priorities, and they were supported by an Area Command Team (ACT). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildland Fire Use: Lessons form the Past and the Present that Impact Local Fire and Fuels Management Programs
(510 KB PDF posted 032806) The Combs Complex WFU event was visited by an Information Collection Team (ICT) from the Lessons Learned Center late in 2005. The Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have a 37-year history with WFU and its predecessor, prescribed natural fire. They have learned much and developed many effective practices that others can benefit from.

 

The Wildland Fire Use Toolbox (384 KB pdf posted 9/21/2006) is another product resulting from the 2005 ICT to SEKI.

Wildland Fire Use 2004 Initial Impressions Report (589 KB PDF posted 7/28/05) This initial impressions report describes and documents issues of concern, lessons learned, and effective practices pertaining to wildland fire use (WFU) that existed at the time this report was written. (Flash Paper version only 258 KB if you have the Flash Player installed to view it)

 

2004 Hurricane Response: Initial Impressions Report (IIR) from Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan (1 MB PDF posted 122304) "Between August 12 and September 26, 2004, six tropical weather systems made landfall on the shores of the southeastern USA. ...Over the two-month period stretching from mid-August through mid-October, approximately 1,900 personnel from the wildland fire community were committed to this hurricane response effort... The purpose of this collection effort was to prepare future all-risk response teams, gather information for training, document agreed upon best practices, identify knowledge gaps, and illuminate issues of strategic or organizational significance. It focuses on the data collected during an eight day “snapshot” while the ICT was on site..."  2004 Hurricane Response IIR: Title, Table of Contents and Introduction (362.8KB pdf posted 12/23/2004)

Alaska Wildland Fires 2004 (1.5 MB PDF Part I posted 092104) - Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center Information Collection Team Report. In July 2004 lessons learned and practices were collected regarding Urban Interface in Alaska, Crew Issues, The Local Way, Training, Wildland Fire Use and Incident Management, Alaska Fire Plan, Remoteness/Air Operations/Finding the Fire and Fire Weather/Behavior and Terrain. All Appendices (811 KB Zip File posted 092204) Individual appendices can be selected for download also if you wish: Appendix A (108 KB PDF), Appendix B (56 KB PDF), Appendix C (86 KB PDF), Appendix D (110 KB PDF), Appendix E (141 KB PDF), Appendix F (172 KB PDF), Appendix G (122 KB PDF), Appendix H (112 KB PDF) Part II is in the compilation process and is expected to be posted soon.

Southern California Firestorm 2003: An Information Collection Team (ICT) Report for the Wildland Fire Lessons Learned Center (567 KB PDF posted 122303) The ICT conducted 107 interviews with agency administrators, incident management teams, operations overhead personnel, and structural protection resources representing 12 different city, county, state and federal agencies and private citizens who participated in thirteen fires. These are their wildland urban interface lessons learned, best practices and issues for organizational leaders. Subsections available for seperate, smaller downloads: Introduction and Scope, Fire Behavior and Fuels, Interagency Cooperation, Command and Control, Evacuations and Homeowners, Incident Resource Management, Work-Rest Guidelines and Personal Safety, Strategy and Tactics, Documentation, Preparing for Post Incident, and Issues for Organizational Leaders