NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

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.

Engine work capacity. One horsepower (hp) equals 33,000-ft/lb work per minute. (Gross hp is directly off the engine drive shaft; net hp includes power remaining after power to accessories is subtracted.)

Indentation on the inside of a hose coupling in which a rubber gasket is installed to provide the seal between the hose jacket, coupling, and expansion ring.

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.

Use of an open flame to ignite a wildfire and the source is removed from the ignition area.

Track maintenance that involves welding, soldering, cutting and brazing railroad tracks.

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.

Simultaneous contact, or arching, between a human and electrical equipment, either phase-to-phase or phase-to-ground, resulting in electrocution and short circuits.

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.

The practice of pursuing, capturing, trapping, or killing wild animals or fish for food, recreation, conservation or pest control.

The practice of pursuing, capturing, trapping, or killing wild animals or fish for food, recreation, conservation or pest control.

An event dealing with response to a hurricane or typhoon.

Resistance to wetting exhibited by some soils, also called water repellency. The phenomenon may occur naturally or may be fire-induced. It may be determined by water drop penetration time, equilibrium liquid-contact angles, solid-air surface tension indices, or the characterization of dynamic wetting angles during infiltration. 

Recording instrument combining, on one paper record, the variation of dry-bulb temperature and relative humidity as a function of time.

A synthetic rubber with excellent ozone, weathering, and acid resistance. Widely used in fire hose to retard abrasion.

The under reading of an instrument (such as a pressure gauge) with increasing values (pressure is going up) and the over reading with decreasing values (pressure is going down).

An area that, in relation to wildland/urban fire, has a set of conditions that provides the opportunity for fire to burn from wildland vegetation to the home/structure ignition zone.

Additional information pertinent to the management of the incident.

Automated date and time stamp applied when the ICS 209 report is submitted.

The beginning date and time of the reporting period of an ICS 209.

The ending date and time of the reporting period of an ICS 209.

The version of the ICS 209 report (Initial, Update, or Final).

Dry run over the target area by the leadplane to indicate an airtanker's flight path and target, while the airtanker pilot is observing.

A pyrotechnic device specifically designed to initiate burning of a fuel mixture or propellant.

The smallest area that a wildland fire investigator can define based on the physical evidence of the fire pattern indicators, within the specific origin area, in which a competent ignition source came into contact with the first fuel ignited and combustion was sustained.

A rating of the probability that a firebrand will cause an actionable fire.