UPDTAE: I’m in the process of transitioning all RX-310 lesson videos from avatars to real-person recordings featuring me (and some special guests). This update will roll out gradually, with full completion expected by spring 2026. In the meantime, you may notice a mix of both formats throughout the course.

Thank you for your patience as I work through this upgrade.

— Colleen

COURSE OBJECTIVES

RX-310 Introduction to Fire Effects is a self-paced online course that explores how fire interacts with ecosystems across Canada and the United States. Built on NWCG standards and adapted through a Canada-USA lens, this 30-hour learning experience blends current case studies, exercises, short videos, and podcast-style discussions featuring insights from wildland fire practitioners and researchers around the world.

You will develop the knowledge and skills to recognize and communicate relationships between fire regimes and fire effects, understand how fire treatments influence ecological outcomes, and learn how to manipulate prescribed fire to achieve desired effects. Along the way, you’ll explore real examples of fire at work, from coastal forests to prairie grasslands, while using the latest tools, techniques, and monitoring approaches to connect science with practice.

At the successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of fire as an ecological process using the concepts of fire regimes and fire effects at multiple scales.

2. Identify realistic management solutions in an adaptive management framework.

3. Communicate effectively with fire and resource professionals based on a common understanding of fire effects.

4. Demonstrate an understanding of how fire management related resource issues interact.

5. Demonstrate an understanding of how to manipulate treatments to achieve desired first order fire effects.

What to expect in the course

• Self-paced and flexible: Learn when it works for you, no pressure. Whether you’re on duty, in the field, pulling a night shift or catching up on a rainy day, you set the pace.

• Avatars and interactive learning: You’ll notice the use of avatars.  They help keep the instruction consistent and visual. I know avatars aren’t for everyone, but don’t worry, they’re not the whole course. You’ll also get real field examples, visuals, readings, and plenty of practical exercises and reviews to keep it grounded in practical fire work.

• Your Student Manual: Download it right from the course and use it to follow along, make notes, and track your understanding as you go. Many participants print it and keep it handy for burn planning or field reference.

• Certificate of Completion: When you finish all lessons, Thinkific will automatically email you a professional certificate to confirm your completion, perfect for training records or CPD logs.

If you are looking for a course in fire effects monitoring, check out the Fire Effects Monitoring Workshop (next one June 2026).

If you are looking for a course about the Fire Effects Monitor role, contact BCWS to learn their nomination process for S-244 FOBS/FEMO.

RX-310 is complementary knowledge to both courses and a requirement for most prescribed fire leadership roles.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• What is RX-310?

  RX-310 is an introductory, self-paced online course designed to help you understand how fire interacts with various ecosystems. It’s based on NWCG standards and objectives and is suitable for anyone working with wildland and prescribed fire or interested in fire effects and fire ecology. It was designed with Canadian and American content, using examples from coast to coast.

• What is the course cost and time committment?

  The cost is $245 CAD. This fee covers access to the course materials, videos, exercises, and support from the instructor.

  The course takes approximately 30 hours, including time for online videos, interactive exercises, learning reviews, and reviewing your student manual. 

• Is the course online, in-person or field?

  • This fully online, self-paced course lets you learn anytime, anywhere.

  • Although RX-310 doesn’t require fieldwork, the exercises are designed to strengthen the skills you’ll need for effective fire management planning and future success in the field.

  • To gain more field experience, consider a fire effects monitoring workshop or seek mentorship. For FOBS or FEMO operational roles, take the in-person S-244 Field Observer/Fire Effects Monitor course offered in the U.S. and British Columbia.

  • Each lesson includes a discussion forum where you can engage with peers. The instructor checks in regularly to support your learning.

• Do I need any prerequisites?

  Nope! This is an introductory-level course with no prerequisites, open to anyone with an interest in fire ecology and fire effects.  Having some fire experience is an asset but not a requirement.

• Are there exams or graded components?

  • Unit reviews are for self-check only. They are open book and there’s no pass/fail. They're designed to reinforce your learning with helpful explanations.

  • You’ll complete a final review, which is open book and allows unlimited attempts to meet the NWCG 70% grade for passing. 

  • Take your time and we are confident that if you listened to the videos, reviewed the presentations, and completed the exercises and learning reviews, that you will pass on the first attempt.  There are no trick questions.

• Is there a certificate?

  Yes! Upon successful completion, you’ll receive a certificate of completion. If you are employed with BCWS, you will need this to prove your course completion for TP entry.

• Is this NWCG compliant?

  The learning objectives, course content, student manual, and instructional outcomes are taken directly from the NWCG RX-310 instructor and student materials, and I meet the NWCG instructor qualification requirements to teach this course. The adaptation is that the course includes both Canadian and U.S. examples and case studies, rather than relying exclusively on U.S. scenarios. This makes it NWCG-aligned.

  It meets NWCG compliance by meeting the fidelity to the course materials, qualified cadre, assessment standards (70% pass on final exam), delivery methods, and course equivalency.  I cannot write that it is fully compliant as I do not have certification authority to provide a NWCG Training Course Completion Certificate (PMS 921-1) as I’m based in Canada, but you do get a certificate proving your completion.

  Whether an NWCG-aligned course is accepted for training records is ultimately a home-agency decision, so I recommend confirming acceptance with your supervisor or training officer.  You can see topics covered including the list of exercises in the Student Manual Sneak Peak.  I suggest sharing this excerpt with your home-agency approver.

• RX-310 is required for certifications, can I use this one?

  Yes.

  This course meets the RX-310 standards and is developed by an agency qualified and certified instructor.  Share the sneak peak of the student manual with your supervisor and confirm if they will accept this course for your fireline and burn role certifications.  It contains the objectives, list of lesson topics and exercises.

  For BCWS, this is a required course for PBB3 and FEMO. Keep a copy of your course completion certificate for TP entry.

• Who is the course designed for?

  This course is ideal for:

  • Fire professionals

  • Land managers

  • Ecologists and biologists

  • Students and career changers in fire or environmental fields

  • Anyone interested in learning about fire as an ecological process

  It includes real-world examples and case studies from across North America but is also relevant globally, as fire effects principles apply to ecosystems worldwide.

• Invoicing and batch enrollments?

  Yes, you can enroll multiple people at once.

  Contact colleen@crprofessional.ca if you would like to invoice instead of paying online.

• Who has been completing this course?

  USFS fire fighters, post-secondary students, forest professionals, BC Wildfire Service employees, structure fire fighters, member of the public for overall fire awareness, professional biologists.

• Can I see the course material before enrolling?

  Yes! You can download the course objectives and content and get a sneak peek of the student manual for free before signing up.

  You also get a sneak peak of a video and case study.

• Who developed this course?

  The course is developed and overseen by a qualified instructor who meets both NWCG and BC Wildfire Service standards for instructing a 300-level course with this content. The course will be continually upgraded to meet current legislation and best practices. if there are any changes or suggesstions to the content, please reach out.

  Learn more about her background at www.crprofessional.ca.

• Can I contact the instructor with questions?

  Absolutely. If you have any questions before or during the course, you’re encouraged to email the developing instructor directly. Alternatively, you can use the discussion option found with each lesson.

• Any tips before I start?

  Yes!
  📓 Take notes. The online content builds on your student manual.
  ✅ Use the open-book format to your advantage.
  🌎 Know that this course is relevant no matter where you're from.
  🎓 And most of all, have fun learning!