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6.11 Base, Township, Range, Sections, & Corners

Base and meridian lines are similar to latitude and longitude lines. Use geographic locations, such as prominent features of the area, as reference points.

Townships are rectangular blocks of land about 6 miles square. The squares are gridded and numbered according to their position north or south of the base line.

Ranges are columns of townships set side by side. They are numbered starting at the meridian that runs through the point of origin of each system. Ranges run east and west.

Sections represent further divisions of a township. A township can be divided into 36 sections. Each section is about 1 square mile. Sections are numbered from the top right, or northeast section, then to the left, and down in an "S" formation. The section below is taken from T.2S., R.2E. Any township can be found by identifying the township number, then the range number, and finally the base and meridian system.

Corners describe areas within a section to provide more specific location information. Corners can be described as northeast, southeast, northwest, and southwest. There are corners within corners. For example, the figure below indicates a lightning strike at the point labeled "X" in section 22. The lightning strike is located in the northwest corner of the northwest corner of section 22 of T.2S., R.2E. 

The legal description of land begins with the smallest unit and ends with the largest unit. In the case below, the section location is written as T.2S., R.2E., M.D.M., which describes Township 2 South, Range 2
East, Mt. Diablo Meridian. 
base / meridian chart



Example 1 - What is the township, range, and section of the lightning strike labeled "X" in the figure?

Step 1. Write the township.
T.2S.

Step 2. Write the range.
R.2E.

Step 3. Write the section.
22

Example 2 - What would you tell the dispatcher is the exact location of the lightning strike using corners?

Step 1. Write the corners.
Northwest corner of the northwest corner

Step 2. Write the section.
22

Step 3. Write the township and range.
T.2S., R.2E.

NW corner of the NW corner, Section 22, T.2S., R.2E.

NWCG Latest Announcements

The Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are now available for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN)

Date: August 27, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32, NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32, and Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111 are now available.

The Performance Support Package, which for SCKN includes the Incident Position Standards, Next Generation Position Task Book, and job aid were developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort. The Performance Support Package will support trainees, those qualified in the position, and evaluators.

References:

NWCG Status/Check-In Recorder Position Page

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Status/Check-In Recorder, PMS 350-32

NWCG Position Task Book for Status/Check-In Recorder (SCKN), PMS 311-32

Checking In Resources Customer Service Job Aid, J-111

The Next Generation Position Task Book and Incident Position Standards are now available for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF)

Date: July 26, 2024
Contact: Risk Management Committee 

NWCG is excited to announce that the NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81 and NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81 are now available.

The Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) is responsible for monitoring operations on an incident from a risk management perspective to provide for the welfare of incident resources and the public. The new Incident Position Standards and Next Generation Position Task Book are developed through the Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM) effort.

References:

NWCG Safety Officer, Field (SOFF) Position

NWCG Incident Position Standards for Safety Officer, Field, PMS 350-81

NWCG Position Task Book for Safety Officer, Field (SOFF), PMS 311-81

Updated NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

Date: July 25, 2024
Contact: Incident Planning Subcommittee 

The Incident Planning Subcommittee has updated the NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277.

The NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc) establishes the standards for collection and retention of records on wildland fires. This July 2024 update will provide incident management teams the most current standards required to maintain incident records and submit them to host units at the close of an incident.

References:

NWCG Standards for Electronic Documentation (eDoc), PMS 277

eDoc Box Directory (zip file)

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle Typing Standard Request for Comment

Date: July 24, 2024
Contact: Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee 

The Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee has released Equipment Bulletin 24-002 NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment. This bulletin outlines the proposed NWCG OHV typing standard, as well as the business need for establishing the standard. Comments on the proposed standard will be accepted through August 15th using the comment form linked below.

References:

ETC-EB-2024-02: NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard - Request for Comment

NWCG Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Typing Standard Comment Form