Increased capabilities of the National Fire Danger Rating System have given fire managers new tools for evaluating various facets of fire management problems. These new tools require familiarization processes and new techniques for best and effective application. Suggested approaches for use of NFDR numbers in prevention, presuppression planning, and in initial attack efforts are presented. Specific examples are shown. All such techniques require that managers be more than casually familiar with the NFDRS in order to take full advantage of it. Experience thus far has shown that knowledge fire managers welcome these new tools, and are putting them to work.