Most narratives include an introduction to the fire, a discussion of the elements of the fire behavior triangle (fuel, topography, and weather/climate), and the predicted and observed fire behavior. Depth of discussion of these topics, and inclusion of others, varies depending on the strategy being pursued by the IMT and the character of the wildfire.

For example, narratives for fires expected to last for only short periods of time, or to exhibit only mild fire behaviors, may include some discussion of expected fire behavior and the effectiveness of suggested tactics to meet management objectives. In contrast, narratives for fires expected to last for longer periods of time, either because of difficult fire behavior or more indirect management strategies, will typically include detailed discussions of analyses and predictions for long-term fire behavior, probabilities, and risk assessments.