NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

The utilization of helicopters to transport crews, equipment, and fire retardants or suppressants to the fireline during the initial stages of a fire. The term also refers to the crew that performs helicopter management and attack activities.

A crew of firefighters specially trained and certified in the tactical and logistical use of helicopters for fire suppression.

Specially designed tank, generally of fabric or metal, fitted closely to the bottom of a helicopter and used for transporting and dropping suppressants or fire retardants.

A helicopter equipped with a fixed tank, Airtanker Board certified, capable of delivering a minimum of 1,100 gallons of water, foam, or retardant.

An aerial ignition device hung from or mounted on a helicopter to disperse ignited lumps of gelled gasoline. Used for backfires, burnouts, or prescribed burns.

A plant that does not develop woody, persistent tissue but is relatively soft or succulent and sprouts from the base (perennials) or develops from seed (annuals) each year. Includes grasses, forbs and ferns.

In NFDRS, a calculated value representing the approximate moisture content of the live herbaceous vegetation in the rating area expressed as a percentage of the oven dry weight of the sample.

The modeled condition of herbaceous vegetation (pre-green, green-up, transition, cured, frozen) for the 1978 version of NFDRS.

Fire scar in a tree resulting from fire injury to the cambium without destruction of the overlying bark and therefore not readily discernible.

Removal of the first (i.e., outside) thread of a female or male coupling to prevent crossing or mutilation of threads. Dimpled rocker lug on female coupling indicates beginning of Higbee Cut.

Foam with an expansion between 201:1 and 1000:1.

A day when an ignition trigger and/or significant weather trigger and an appropriate fuel dryness level combine to create conditions that historically have resulted in a significant fire event for a particular area.

Small capacity spray jet produced at very high pressures (greater than 250 psi, the normal maximum pressure for standard ground tankers) and discharged through a small hose with a gun-type nozzle.

A naturally occurring mass of earth material whose crest or summit is at a lower elevation than a mountain.

In WIMS, a weather station that is no longer in service for which access to archived observations is still available in NIFMID.

All actions taken to stop the spread of fire.

A predetermined maneuver which keeps an aircraft within a specified airspace while awaiting further orders.

Resources assigned to do all required fire suppression work following fireline construction but generally not including extensive mopup.

A fire that remains dormant for a considerable time.

An adjective that describes a permanent place associated with a resource.

Evaluation of a dwelling and its immediate surrounding to determine its potential to escape damage by an approaching wildland fire. Includes the fuels and vegetation in the yard and adjacent to the structure, roof environment, decking and siding materials, prevailing winds, topography, fire history, etc., with the intent of mitigating fire hazards and risks. 

The NWCG Unit Identifier of the center primarily responsible for dispatching the resource.

The area where the factors that principally determine home ignition potential during extreme wildfire behavior (high fire intensities and burning embers) are present. The characteristics of a home and its immediate surroundings within 100 feet comprise the HIZ.

The physical location of a resource when not on assignment.

The administrative organization where a resource is regularly assigned or the agency location where an individual is hired or a contract is administered.

The designated agency or entity providing contracted resources that employs the individual who is actively pursuing a position performance assignment (completion of a position task book).

The identfication given to the reference system used for defining the coordinates of points.

Composition of fuel laterally across the landscape.

Crimping device for stopping the flow of water in a hose.

Arrangement of connected lengths of fire hose and accessories on the ground, beginning at the first pumping unit and ending at the point of water delivery.

A fitting that may be installed between lengths of hose to provide an independently controlled outlet for a branch line.

Item for storing drying fire hose.

A rotating drum used for winding booster hose (normally) for storing and dispensing.

The specific dimensions of screw thread employed to coupled fire hose and equipment. American National Standards (NH) have been adopted for fire hose couplings threads in 3/4, 1-1/2, 2-1/2, 3-1/2, 4, 5, and 6-inch sizes.

Device for cleaning the exterior of fire hose.

A term historically used to indicate the agency or unit with jurisdiction or protection responsibilities or who was financially responsible for the incident response. Its use is not recommended.

Intensively trained fire crew used primarily in handline construction (Type-1).

A particularly active part of a fire.

Checking the spread of fire at points of more rapid spread or special threat. Is usually the initial step in prompt control, with emphasis on first priorities.

A stationary in-flight condition for helicopters when no directional flight is achieved.

Highest altitude above sea level at which a helicopter can hover at maximum computed gross weight. It is generally specified whether the quoted hover ceiling refers to hovering in ground effect (HIGE) or hovering out of ground effect (HOGE).

Attaching of a cargo lead line to a hovering helicopter.

The process by which a helicopter fills a helibucket while hovering above the water source.

The situation in which a helicopter is hovering sufficiently close to the ground to achieve added lift due to the effects of "ground cushion." The HIGE ceiling, for a given gross weight, thus is greater than the HOGE (Hovering Out of Ground Effect) ceiling.

Any fire caused directly or indirectly by person(s).

A model for predicting the average number of reportable human caused fires from a given ignition component value.

Number relating human-caused fire incidence to the ignition component in a fire danger rating area. It is based on three to five years of fire occurrence and fire weather data that adjusts the prediction of the basic human-caused fire occurrence model to fit local experience. 

General term referring to the moisture content of the atmosphere.

Layer of decomposed organic matter on the forest floor beneath the fermentation layer and directly above the soil. It is that part of the duff in which decomposition has rendered vegetation unrecognizable and mixing of soil and organic matter is underway.

An event dealing with response to a hurricane or typhoon.