This paper examines the relationship between decision making, risk management, and guidelines ( especially SOPs) in high reliability organizations, specifically how experience and training impact the perception of risk, and decision making in high risk situations such as wildland firefighting.  Specific examinations will be made of the (1) fire guidelines (the Ten Standard Orders, the Watchout Situations, etc.), (2) incident organizers, and (3) Forest Fire Plans ( For the purposes of this paper, these three sets of rules are called the "wildland firefighting rules.")  A socio historical analysis is conducted on the development of wildland firefighting rules.  The causal relationship between the wildland firefighting rules and safe or risky decision making is made.  A SWOT analysis on the relationship between the wildland firefighting rules and decision making is conducted.  The paper concludes by delineating the anticipated developments in decison making in wildland firefighting and by offering suggestions for enhancing both decision making and SOPs.