The Simtable is an interactive sand table for training and is the mainstay for traditional wildland fire training. The Simtable uses interactive agent-based fire modeling, bringing sand table exercises to life in your own high-risk areas allowing mitigation and fuels planning in a truly interactive experience! This incredible device may be utilized for three-dimensional training, planning and real-time event strategy.

The WRTC also works with our partners, collaborators and community members to reduce catastrophic wildfires and restore resilient, fire and climate-adapted ecosystems. We envision a fir- and climate-adapted New Mexico that prioritizes cross-boundary collaboration for healthier human and ecological communities, sustainable economies, and environmental justice. We believe that resilient lands support resilient communities.

We create and support summer student restoration programs, land and forest restoration classes and workshops and community-oriented, hands-on outreach and learning events, consistent and supportive of our partners and collaborators.

The WRTC participates in several outreach events every year.  Contact us for more information.

Smokey Bear Birthday Outreach @ Capitan, NM - May 1-2, 2026

Las Vegas Middle School MESA  - May 11, 2026

Después del Fuego/Wildfire Recovery @LCC Media Event Center - May 16, 2026

YCC River Source Student Program - June 8-July 17, 2026

Funding Agencies

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Strategic Partners

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Collaborators

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La Querencia In Action  Hermits Peak Watershed Alliance  Albuquerque Wildlife Federation   
NMHU Department of Forestry  NM Association of Counties

   

EMT 100--First Aid, CPR, BLS (offered through the Allied Health Dept.) 

 Red Cross-National certification in first aid, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and basic life support.

Additional treatment techniques and procedures which will include remote injuries which will require extended treatment and transportation techniques in remote field scenarios

Advanced medical treatment and techniques such as wound care, immobilization and transportation techniques for higher level injuries and medical conditions in remote field scenarios.

S-130 Objectives / Details:

• Describe the purpose of the Standard Firefighting Orders and Watch Out Situations.
• Describe what the Lookouts, Communications, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES) system is and how it relates to the  Standard Firefighting Orders.
  Describe the various communication methods and tools used for collecting, producing, and distributing information.
• Describe the standards, tools and equipment, and various methods used in fire line construction. ​
• Describe the methods for extinguishing a fire with or without the use of water. ​
• Demonstrate the ability to construct fire line to required standards using various methods, tools and equipment, and techniques.

S-131, Firefighter Type 1 is designed to meet the training needs of the Firefighter Type 1 (FFT1) and/or Incident Commander Type 5 (ICT5).  Topics include operational leadership, communications, LCES, and tactical decision-making.

Objectives / Details:

• Identify position responsibilities and demonstrate the ability to apply principles of Operational Leadership found in the Incident  Response Pocket Guide (IRPG), PMS 461.
• Describe how to incorporate and maintain open lines of communication with appropriate personnel.
• Identify Look Up, Down and Around indicators, and demonstrate the ability to apply the components of Lookouts, Communications,  Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES) as described in the IRPG.
• Demonstrate the ability to apply tactical decision-making procedures.
• This course incorporates the previous course S-133 (Look up, Look Down, Look Around) training.

Course Description Pending

This course covers wildfire behavior, specifically related to the Wildland-Urban Fire Scenario. The course includes information on wildland fuel types and densities, and how structures ignite during wildfires. The student will also be familiarized with the Firewise, USA © and Fire Adapted Communities program.

Objectives:

• Knowledge of wildland fire behavior and how it effects structural ignition potential.
• How to reduce structure ignitability, vegetation management and employ related techniques.

This course introduces students to the basic concepts of wildland fire behavior, including: the primary wildland fire environment components: fuels, weather, and topography; how characteristics and interactions of fuels, weather, and topography affect fire behavior; how fire behavior affects risk to firefighters.

S-190 Objectives / Details:

• Describe the basic terminology used in wildland fire.
• Identify and discuss the fire triangle.
• Identify and discuss key characteristics of the primary wildland fire environment components - fuels, weather, and topography.
• Identify critical fire weather factors that, combined with receptive fuels, may result in extreme fire behavior.
• Recognize how alignment of fuels, weather, and topography can increase the potential for extreme fire behavior.
•  Introduce human performance factors in high-risk work environments and add this knowledge to student’s skill set.
• Provide opportunities to explore human performance concepts and the related vocabulary.
• Reinforce professional responsibility to address human performance issues while on the job

This course is designed to meet the training needs of the incident commander type 4 (ICT4). It is presented in a discussion/exercise format. The six instructional units include Foundation Skills; Intelligence Gathering and Documentation; Size Up the Incident; Develop a Plan of Action; Post-fire Activities; Evaluating Incident Objectives and Manage the Incident. Evaluation of the student is by unit tests and performance-based evaluations.

Objectives / Details:

• Demonstrate effective foundation skills (leadership, risk management, and communications) at the ICT4 level.
• Gather and document essential information about the incident.
• Size up the incident, develop plan of action.
• Manage the incident through effective leadership.
• Demonstrate the ability to evaluate plan of action and adjust the plan when necessary.
• Conduct post-fire activities.

This course will instruct the student in the structure, use and importance of the Incident Management System and will combine the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) curricula for qualification at the ICS 200, 300 levels. Instruction will include an emergency exercise scenario.

Instructional units include firefighter safety in the interface, managing human factors in the interface, pre-incident planning, size up and initial strategy, structure triage, structure protection overview, tactics in the interface, tactical operations and resource use in the interface, action assessment, plan update, and after-action review.

Objectives / Details:

• Students will be taught how to operate safely and effectively in a wildland urban interface incident by using situation awareness,  performing structure triage, using pre-planning tools, while having a basic understanding of fire behavior, and using strategy and  tactics unique to the wildland urban interface environment.

Basic fire pump operations including emergency vehicle pump operations/hydraulics as well as drafting operations and progressive hose lay techniques in wildland operations.

The course introduces the roles and responsibilities of a Firing Boss, Single Resource (FIRB), and outlines duties of other personnel who may engage firing operations. The course discusses and illustrates common firing devices and techniques. Although comprehensive in nature, the course work is not a substitute for the dynamic fire environment. The course provides students with important information regarding general tasks required to be successful. Any opportunity to show students a real ignition or demonstrate the use of an actual firing device will assist in transferring these new concepts and skills to the job. 

Objectives:

• Identify the roles and responsibilities of the FIRB for planning, execution, safety, coordination, and evaluation of an ignition  operation on a wildland or prescribed fire.
• Describe the characteristics, applications, safety and availability of the various firing devices a FIRB has at their disposal.
• Given a wildland or prescribed scenario, prepare a firing plan and briefing that contains desired fire behavior, firing techniques,  required resources, coordination, safety and risk management factors, and communication, to meet specific objectives.

This course is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to perform the duties of the Crew Boss (CRWB) position, as described in the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Crew Boss, Single Resource, PMS 350-98. Topics include travel and check-in, briefings, assigning tasks and assessing crew performance, implementing fire line duties, mop-up, firing operations, using aerial resources, medical emergencies, and wildland urban interface. Engine Boss (ENGB): This is a skill course designed to produce student proficiency in the performance of the duties associated with Engine Boss, Single Resource (ENGB). Topics include engine and crew capabilities and limitations, information sources, fire size up considerations, tactics, and wildland/urban interface.

Objectives / Details:

Given a scenario and supporting materials, students will be able to:

• Demonstrate briefing of assigned resources.
• Evaluate, implement, and provide the rationale for the appropriate decisions to accomplish each of the following assignment objectives:
  • Direct attack
  • Firing operations
  • Aerial resources
  • Medical emergency
  • Wildland-urban interface
  • Mop-up
• Identify the resource needs and tactical adjustments for the assignment).

● Perform the tasks of an Engine Boss in making the tactical decisions required tosafely manage an engine on an incident.

This is a skill course designed to meet the training needs of a Heavy Equipment Boss, Single Resource (HEQB) on an incident as outlined in the NIMS: Wildland Fire Qualification System Guide, PMS 310-1, and the position task book developed for the position. Primary considerations are tactical use and safety precautions required to establish and maintain an effective dozer operation. A field exercise is required as part of the course.

Objectives:

• Identify the administrative duties and procedures required of an HEQB.
• Identify and demonstrate the heavy equipment inspection process and related duties of an HEQB.
• Demonstrate the actions required of an HEQB to safely and effectively complete an assignment.
• Discuss relevant information and methods for communication and tactics related to heavy equipment.
• Identify the process of preparing for an all-hazard assignment.

This course meets the general training needs of all positions for which an understanding of interagency incident business management is required. The NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902, is used as the primary job aid to supplement this course. It provides basic policy and direction for incident business management.

Objectives / Details:

• Given the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902, students will locate and apply the appropriate regulations, established interagency procedures, and necessary forms for each of the following incident management areas:
  • Application of conduct and ethics in incident support
  • Recruitment, classification, pay provisions and timekeeping/recording, commissary, injury compensation, and travel
  • Acquisition
  • Managing and tracking government property
  • Interagency coordination and cooperation
  • Investigating, documenting, and reporting claims
  • Containing incident costs

● All Hazard Incidents

This course covers aircraft types and capabilities, aviation management and safety for flying in and working with agency aircraft, tactical and logistical uses of aircraft, and requirements for helicopter take-off and landing areas. Note: The regulations, procedures and policies addressed in this course are primarily those governing federal agency and ICS operations. State, county, or other political subdivisions using this course will need to consult their agency having jurisdiction with respect to regulations, procedures and policies.

Objectives / Details:

• Upon completion of this course, the student will have obtained the basic understanding of the different functions of Air Operations.

This is a classroom-based skills course designed to prepare the prospective fireline supervisor to undertake safe and effective fire management operations. It is the second course in a series that collectively serves to develop fire behavior prediction knowledge and skills. Fire environment differences are discussed as necessary; instructor should stress local conditions.

Objectives:

• Identify and describe the characteristics of fuels, weather, and topography that influence wildland fire behavior.
• Describe the interaction of fuels, weather, and topography on wildland fire behavior, fireline tactics, and safety.
• Describe the causes of extreme fire behavior conditions (long range spotting, crowning, and fire whirls) that develop due to weather,  fuels, and/or topography.
• Interpret, communicate, apply, and document wildland fire behavior and weather information.

This course prepares the student for crew leadership in active wildfire suppression and planning activities including personnel accountability, scene safety, communications.

Details:

This is a leadership development training recommended for unit supervisors. Class is targeted at leaders whose decisions have immediate consequences in dynamic, high-risk environments. The intent is to provide small unit supervisors with the tools to build and maintain effective and cohesive crews/teams. Training will enhance students’ understanding of the human dimension when leading others in dynamic work environments; utilize experiential training techniques that will engage students in ways that challenge them to perform under realistic and high-stress situations; and motivates students to examine their role, strengths, and weaknesses as a leader.

Objectives:

The intent of this training recommendation is to provide unit supervisors with the tools to build and maintain effective and cohesive  crews/teams.

Course materials address these topics:

• Application of leadership styles
• Communicating vision and intent
• Team building
• Detecting operational error

●Managing stress

This course is designed to introduce fire behavior calculations by manual methods, using nomograms and the Fireline Handbook Appendix B: Fire Behavior, PMS 410-2. Students gain an understanding of the determinants of fire behavior though studying inputs (weather, slope, fuels, and fuel moisture). Students also learn how to interpret fire behavior outputs, documentation processes, and fire behavior briefing components. This course content meets the NWCG standards for intermediate-level wildland firefighting.

Objectives:

• List the assumptions, limitations, and appropriate uses of fire behavior prediction models.
• Describe how environmental factors and processes affect fire behavior predictions and safety.
• Define and interpret fire behavior prediction model inputs.
• Calculate fire behavior outputs using available fire behavior processors.
• Interpret, communicate, apply, and document wildland fire behavior and weather information.

This course will instruct the student in the structure, use and importance of the Incident Management System and will combine the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) curricula for qualification at the ICS 700, 800 levels. Instruction will include an emergency exercise scenario.

Advanced pump operations from Type 1 to Type 6 apparatuses. To include hydraulics, friction loss, water supply, pressurized and draft water systems.

This course provides basic medical care, treatment and CPR skills. The AHA’s Heartsaver First Aid CPR AED Course is designed for anyone with little or no medical training who needs a course completion card for their job, regulatory (e.g., OSHA), or other requirements, or anyone who wants to be prepared for an emergency in any setting.

Objectives:

• First aid basics.
• Medical emergencies.
• Injury emergencies.
• Environmental emergencies.
• Preventing illness and injury.
• Adult CPR and AED use.
• Opioid-associated life-threatening emergencies.
• Optional modules in Child CPR AED and Infant CPR.

Objectives:

• Understand how wildland-urban (WU) fire disasters occur.
• Understand how homes can ignite related to the Home Ignition Zone (HIZ)*.
• Identify factors that increase home ignition potential within the HIZ.
• Assess an existing home’s ignition potential.
• Recommend mitigations for reducing a home’s ignition potential.
• Understand why traditional fire responses have not significantly reduced home losses.
• Understand how research and observations have changed the understanding of home ignition during wildfires.
• Learn how the application of new knowledge and approaches can more effectively reduce the loss of homes during wildfires.