Learn wildland fire science, fire prevention, suppression tactics, and forest ecosystem management to earn this merit badge.

Requirements

  1. The History of Wildland Fire

    Research and discuss with your counselor the history of wildland fire, its suppression, prevention, and management in the United States.

  2. The Harms of Wildfire

    Do all
    Research the harm caused by wildfire in the United States, including annual acres burned for the past three years. Discuss with your counselor. Include the negative impacts that wildfire has on the following:
    1. a Commercial forest products
    2. b Fish and wildlife habitat
    3. c Soil and water
    4. d Recreation and public use
    5. e Homes, communities, and human resources
    6. f Air quality and public health

  3. Prescribed Fire

    Do all
    Fire as a Management Tool. Discuss with your counselor how prescribed fire is used to accomplish the following:
    1. a Fuel reduction
    2. b Fish and wildlife habitat enhancement
    3. c Ecosystem restoration
    4. d Forest regeneration
    5. e Insect and disease control
  4. Do all
    Discuss the following with your counselor:
    1. a.

      Wildfire Prevention:

      Do all
      1. 1.

        The main causes of wildfire in the United States

      2. 2.

        How you can prevent human caused wildfires in your community and on outings with your unit.

    2. b.

      Wildfire Mitigation:

      Do all
      1. 1.

        Wildland-Urban Interface

      2. 2.

        Defensible space and how homes and communities in the wildland-urban interface can be protected from wildfire

  5. Fire Behavior

    Do all
    Do the following:
    1. a.
      Discuss with your counselor how the fire environment affects wildland fire behavior. Include examples of the influences of weather, topography, and fuel.
    2. b.

      Explain how a wildfire can be suppressed by removing heat, fuel, or oxygen.

    3. c.

      Draw a diagram to illustrate the parts of a wildfire.

  6. Do all
    Do the following:
    1. a.

      Personal Protective Equipment

      Discuss with your counselor the personal protective equipment used by wildland firefighters and its use.
    2. b.

      The 10, the 18, and LCES

      Do all
      Discuss the following with your counselor, including why each is an important consideration for maintaining personal safety and situational awareness during wildland fire suppression activities:
      1. 1 10 Standard Firefighting Orders
      2. 2 18 Watch Out Situations
      3. 3 Lookouts, Communication, Escape Routes, and Safety Zones (LCES)
  7. Do all
    Do the following:
    1. a.

      Suppression Tactics

      Do all
      Alone or with a small team, using the diagram you created in Requirement 5(c) or a map of a wildfire, and tokens to represent firefighting resources, demonstrate the following wildland fire suppression tactics. Explain under which conditions each tactic would be used:
      1. 1 Direct attack
      2. 2 Indirect attack
      3. 3 Minimum impact suppression tactics
      4. 4 Use of hand crews, machinery, and aircraft
      5. 5 Mop-up
      6. 6 Repair and restoration
    2. b.

      The Incident Command System

      Draw a diagram of the Incident Command System. Alone or with your team, explain the responsibilities of the Command and General Staff positions on a wildfire incident.

  8. Suppression Tools & Equipment

    Do all
    Do the following:
    1. a.
      Demonstrate the use of three hand tools unique to wildland fire suppression. Use one of these tools to demonstrate how to construct a fireline.
    2. b.

      Discuss seven other tools, equipment, or apparatus that are unique to wildland fire suppression and explain how these resources are used.

  9. Choose Your Project

    Choose 1
    Do ONE of the following:

    1. Build a Fire Readiness Plan

      Develop a fire readiness plan for a wildland area with which you are familiar. The plan should include a map showing available resources, water supplies, natural and manmade barriers, and access. The plan should discuss fuel loads, available fire apparatus, structure protection needs, values at risk, medical and evacuation considerations and potential fire suppression tactics.

    2. Talk With a Forestry Official

      Visit with a state or federal forestry official or your local fire warden. Discuss the causes of and types of wildland fire that occur in your area. Discuss the prime fire season(s) in your area. Identify the agency responsible for wildland fire suppression in your area. Discuss what you learned with your counselor.

    3. Firewise Assessment & Project

      Conduct a Firewise assessment of a home or a building in the wildland-urban interface, which could include a Scout camp building or facility. Identify potential risks and fire hazards. With your counselor’s approval, complete a project to reduce the wildfire risk and increase the preparedness of the building. Write a brief report about what you did and learned from the assessment and project.

    4. Create a Prevention Message

      Meet with a Fire Prevention Specialist or a local fire official to learn about fire prevention efforts in your community. From what you learned, prepare a fire prevention message (skit, video, or billboard concept) and share with your counselor and troop (or other group approved by your counselor).

    5. Talk Fire Weather

      Meet with a meteorologist or someone familiar with fire weather and discuss the fire weather concerns and typical fire seasons that exist in your area. Discuss the conditions that lead to a Fire Weather Watch or a Red Flag Warning. Discuss what you learned with your counselor.

  10. Lessons From a Catastrophic Fire

    Apply Your Learning to a Real Event. Research an historic catastrophic wildland fire incident that occurred in the United States. Discuss with your counselor and/or your troop or a group approved by your counselor the conditions that led to the incident, how the incident was managed, and how the incident could have been prevented. Explain what lessons were learned and how this incident affected future fire suppression policy or suppression tactics.

  11. Careers in Wildland Fire

    Explore careers related to this merit badge. Research one career to learn about the training and education needed, costs, job prospects, salary, job duties, and career advancement. Your research methods may include-with your parent or guardian’s permission-an internet or library search, an interview with a professional in the field, or a visit to a location where people in this career work. Discuss with your counselor both your findings and what about this profession might make it an interesting career.