When should firefighters continually assess the fire and its potential?

Firefighters should continually assess the fire and its potential during tactical maneuvers because this is crucial for adapting to changing conditions on the ground. Fire behavior can rapidly evolve due to factors such as wind changes, fuel availability, and topography. Therefore, ongoing assessment allows firefighters to make informed decisions about their actions, ensuring safety and effectiveness in their strategy to control the fire.

Continual assessment during tactical maneuvers enables teams to identify new hazards, determine the effectiveness of existing tactics, and adjust their approach as necessary. This proactive stance is vital for minimizing risk to personnel and maximizing the chances of successful fire suppression.

The other contexts involve situations that do not require active evaluation of a fire’s current behavior and potential danger. For instance, assessing a fire only after it has been extinguished does not allow for real-time adjustments and may overlook critical learning opportunities. Similarly, training sessions focus on skill development rather than real-time assessment of an active fire situation, and the start of the wildfire season is more about readiness than active engagement with a particular fire.