Prescribed burning is a land management tool that benefits the safety of the public, the environment, and the economy of the state. The Florida Forest Service offers a certification program for those who practice prescribed burning. Certified burners in Florida, because of their additional training, are allowed to burn when others cannot, to burn longer through the day, and are given liability protection as long as they follow the requirements in the law.
The Florida Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Training Course is offered in two formats:
- The Distance Learning Format
- The Classroom Format
These courses are designed to train individuals in public and private agencies and organizations that are charged with the responsibility of performing prescribed fires.
The current schedule for the classroom format is listed below but can change, so please check it periodically.
Distance Learning
The Certified Burner Correspondence Course is a web-based self-study course for experienced burners who want to polish their skills and receive certification from the Florida Forest Service. Only those individuals who indicate that they have direct experience (not standby) in three or more acreage burns will be accepted as applicants. Please review the registration form (see link below) for more details.
Course Dates, Fees and Registration for Distance Learning
- Tuition for this class is $175 per student.
- Registration is open year-round.
Classroom Version
This course is open to individuals of all experience levels.
While not required, it is recommended that the student have taken Incident Command System (I.C.S.) courses S-130 Firefighter Training and S-190 Introduction to Wildland Fire Behavior or have hands-on fire experience. Check with local Florida Forest Service offices for these I.C.S. classes.
Course Dates, Fees and Registration for Classroom-Format Courses
- Tuition for this class is $175 per student.
Course Location | Course Dates | Registration Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Withlacoochee Training Center, Brooksville* | October 27-30, 2026 | September 23, 2026 |
| Deseret Administration Building – St Cloud | October 28-30, 2026 | September 23, 2026 |
| Bear Creek Education Center -Havana | November 3-5, 2026 | September 25, 2026 |
| Jacksonville District Office - Bryceville | December 1-3, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| Welaka Training Center - Welaka* | December 1-4, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| Pensacola State College- Milton | December 2-4, 2026 | October 16, 2026 |
| Wekiwa Springs State Park - Apopka* | January 20-22, 2027 | December 11, 2026 |
Corbett Wildlife Management Area - West Palm Beach* | January 25-27, 2027 | December 11, 2026 |
| *Welaka, Wekiwa and Withlacoochee are four-day courses that start at 1 p.m. on the first day. All other locations are three-day courses and start at 8 a.m. on the first day. | ||
Prescribed Fire Course Information and Registration (Classroom Format)
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Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Training: Course Manual
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Table of Contents
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24.3 kB
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Chapter 1: Introduction
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94.4 kB
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Chapter 2: Why We Burn
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42.8 kB
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Chapter 3: Legal Requirements
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100.9 kB
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Chapter 4: Public Relations
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95.6 kB
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Chapter 5: Safety
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159.3 kB
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Chapter 6: Weather
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1 MB
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Chapter 7: Fire Behavior
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348.3 kB
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Chapter 8: Smoke Management
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97.2 kB
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Chapter 9: Ecological Effects
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586.6 kB
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Chapter 10: Firing Techniques
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380 kB
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Chapter 11: Holding and Contingencies
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179.8 kB
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Chapter 12: Planning and Evaluation
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114.3 kB
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Appendices
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6.3 MB
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Certified Prescribed Burn Managers (CPBM)
- Online Authorization Requests (WebOBA)
- CPBM Violations - Point Assessment Table [ Microsoft Word Document ]
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CPBM Certification Process
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21.1 kB
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CPBM Renewal Criteria
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36.4 kB
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CPBM Approved Training for Education Requirement
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17.5 kB
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CPBM Documentation Requirements
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49.2 kB
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