This section of the Manual sets out The Nature Conservancy's Standard Operating Procedure, requirements and guidelines for wildland fire. The difference between these three types of rules is explained below.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP): As specified in the Conservancy's Policies and Procedures Manual (available on the TNC Intranet), compliance with all SOPs is mandatory. Unless specified otherwise in a particular standard operating procedure, only the Director of the Worldwide Office function responsible for issuing a particular standard operating procedure has the authority to grant an exception to the procedure.

Requirements: Requirements apply to all burns and can only be exempted by the Fire Management Coordinator.

Guidelines: Guidelines are similar to requirements in that both sets of rules are not meant to be optional. However, specific conditions may exist for a particular burn that make it safer or more effective to allow for an exemption from a guideline. Exemptions from guidelines must be made by the Fire Manager in writing, with justification. There is a section in the Conservancy's standard Prescribed Burn Unit Plan for documenting most burn-specific exemptions.

Last updated October 15, 2009.