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About

About

Who We Are & What We Do

National Advanced Fire & Resource Institute (NAFRI) is a national training center managed by the US Forest Service. We serve the interagency wildland fire community through the development and implementation of innovative learning experiences related to wildland fire, natural resources, and all-hazards incident management. Our mission is to prepare organizational leaders for success in the most complex environments.

Location

NAFRI is located at 3265 East Universal Way, Tucson, Arizona, 85756 - about 2 miles from Tucson International Airport - Google Maps/NAFRI

Accessibility

NAFRI's facility is wheelchair accessible, and we can accommodate various mobility, visual, hearing, and technological accessibility needs. If you have accessibility needs or would like additional information, please contact the course coordinator or use the Contact Us form

Computers, Printers & Internet

Computers: Please bring your own laptop and all necessary accessories that you will need for individual work during your training or meeting. 

Printers: Printers are available for printing pdf files from USB drives. Contact NAFRI staff for specialty printing needs. 

Internet: Forest Service devices can access the Forest Service wired and wireless networks. Any device can access NAFRI's guest Wi-Fi network.  

Dress Code

Business-casual is the preferred dress code at NAFRI. However, some trainings may require specific clothing for field trips and exercises.

Lodging

There are several quality hotels in the Tucson Airport/NAFRI area - Google Maps/hotels

Although NAFRI is within walking distance to most of these hotels, it is located in a commercial area with restaurants, offices, warehouses and large empty lots. It is recommended that you stay at a hotel that provides a shuttle to and from the airport and NAFRI, rent a car, or walk in groups. Contact hotels directly to inquire about their shuttle service.  

GSA has different per diem lodging rates for Tucson, depending on the time of year. GSA per diem rates 

Food & Drink

NAFRI no longer has vending machines or coffee in the lobby so come prepared with snacks. Circle K convenient store and Black Rock Coffee Bar are located close by.

There are 17 eateries within one mile of NAFRI - Google Maps/restaurants

If you want to explore great local cuisine in the evenings, you will need a vehicle. 

Tucson Information

Tucson Weather

Visit Tucson.org

Presenting at NAFRI?

Presentation software: Use Microsoft PowerPoint to ensure compatibility with our a/v system.

Slide layout: Widescreen slide layout and a background that is black or dark in color displays best on our monitors.

Grid guidelines: Our auditorium uses a video wall consisting of 25 monitors (5 rows of 5). Use this YouTube video tutorial to size and place your content on your slides that will display well on the video wall. 

Presenter notes: Due to the way our audio/visual system is set up and because presenter mobility is highly encouraged for improved audience interaction and learning outcomes, we do not display presenter notes on confident monitors. If you need to rely on presenter notes, please be prepared to use printed notes.

Looking to host a training or meeting?

NAFRI's facility is sometimes available for other government trainings and meetings. Our facility includes:

  • An auditorium that fits 64 people comfortably with a large video wall and side wall monitors.
  • Eight 10-person classrooms with moveable walls that can be configured into various sizes.
  • Meeting rooms: two 10-person rooms, one 12-person room, and one 20-person room.

 

Use the Contact Us form to request further details and to start the reservation process.  Please include the host agency, number of attendees, dates, and general description of the meeting or training in your message.

Our Story

NAFRI’s history is tied to the 1957 Fire Task Force Report ordered by US Forest Service Chief, Richard McArdle, in response to a series of 16 fatality fires that span the years of 1937 to 1956. Seventy-nine firefighters perished in those fires. The first was the Welcome Lake fire on the Huron National Forest and the final fire was the Inaja fire on the Cleveland National Forest. One of the key recommendations of the report was the creation of a service-wide “Fire Control Training Center”.  As a result, the National Fire Training Center was established in February 1967 at the Marana Air Park (now Pinal Air Park), just north of Tucson, Arizona. Its purpose was to plan, develop and deliver the annual national fire management training program. In 1980 the name was changed to National Advanced Resource Technology Center (NARTC) to reflect the addition of non-fire management curriculum.  The training center operated as NARTC from 1980 to 2004. In 2004, NARTC was relocated to the current Tucson location and renamed National Advanced Fire & Resource Institute (NAFRI). 

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