Incident Management Teams

On larger wildland fires there are two types of teams that can be assigned, designated a Type I or Type II team.

A Type II incident is the first level at which most or all of the Command and General Staff positions are activated. The IC and Command/General Staff must function as a team, supervising a large organization over multiple operational periods, gathering information to develop an action plan, and providing logistical support including the establishment and operation of a base and possibly multiple fire camps.

The primary differences between a Type I and a Type II incident is a matter of size and complexity. The factors that affect the decision to go to a Type I operation are extremely variable and depend to a large extent upon the need and policies of the agency or agencies involved.

Large, complex incidents require well-qualified personnel at the IC and Command/General Staff level. Incident Management Teams assigned to Type I incidents consist of the most qualified personnel.

The Type I incident has all of the characteristics of a Type II Incident with all Command and General Staff positions filled. Many or all divisions require qualified division/group Supervisors. The number of Divisions may be such that Branches are needed to reduce span-of-control. Operations personnel may often exceed 500 per operational period and total personnel on the incident will usually exceed 1000.

As a national resource the Teams are under the control of the National Interagency Coordination Center (NICC) in Boise, Idaho. NICC produces a Situation Report every day during fire season that lists all fire information where national resources have been committed. You can read the report on their web site at http://www.nifc.doi.gov/news/sitreprt.html/