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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Title Steward Status Definition
luminary
luminary (aerial/ground) CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee Superceded
machine pile/slash CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development
macroclimate FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

General large-scale climate of a large area or country as distinguished from smaller scale mesoclimate and microclimate.

macroscale fire pattern indicator WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

Large single fire pattern indicator or overall patterns of indicators that are readily visible from a distance.

magnetic bearing IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee Approved

Bearing by magnetic north rather than true north.

magnetic north IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee Approved

The direction toward which a magnetic needle of a compass points.

main ridge IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

Prominent ridgeline separating river or creek drainages. Usually has numerous smaller ridges (spur) extending outward from both sides.

major disaster NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Archived

Any natural catastrophe or, regardless of cause, any fire, flood, or explosion, in any part of the United States, which in the determination of the President causes damage of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant major disaster assistance.

major repair (aviation) NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

A repair (1) that, if improperly done, might appreciably affect weight, balance, structural strength, or other qualities affecting airworthiness or (2) that is not done according to accepted practices or cannot be done by elementary operations.

male coupling ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

An externally threaded hose nipple which fits in the thread of a female (internally threaded) swivel coupling of the same pitch and diameter. Nozzles attach to this type of coupling.

management action points FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Geographic points on the ground or specific points in time where an escalation or alternative of management actions is warranted. These points are defined and the management actions to be taken are clearly described in an approved Prescribed Fire Plan. Timely implementation of the actions when the fire reaches the action point is generally critical to successful accomplishment of the objectives.

management by objectives NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee, ICSC Incident Command Subcommittee Approved

A management approach, fundamental to NIMS, that involves (1) establishing objectives, e.g., specific, measurable and realistic outcomes to be achieved; (2) identifying strategies, tactics, and tasks to achieve the objectives; (3) performing the tactics and tasks and measuring and documenting results in achieving the objectives; and (4) taking corrective action to modify strategies, tactics, and/or performance to achieve the objectives.

management complexity level designator FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Approved

The highest management level utilized to manage a fire event.

management event (internal) (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event dealing with agency-specific administrative, programs, such as public relations.

management requirements FMB Fire Management Board Approved

The technical and scientific specifications for management activities or potential actions mandated by the agency administrator and defined in land/resource management plans. Management requirements are derived from land/resource management plan and fire management plan standards and guidelines information. 

manager contact information NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Contact information for the manager of the resource.

managers NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

Individuals within ICS organizational units that are assigned specific managerial responsibilities, e.g., staging area manager or camp manager.

manual weather station FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

A non-telemetered weather station that provides one observation every 24 hours for manual entry into WIMS.

manually regulated ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A proportioning method or device that requires a manual adjustment to maintain a desired mix ratio over a changing range of water flows and pressures.

map IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee Approved

A line drawing, to some scale, of an area of the earth's surface. It shows objects and features by conventional signs.

map method GSC Geospatial Subcommittee Approved

How the geospatial feature was derived

map scale IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee Approved

Indicates the ratio or proportion of the horizontal distance on the map to the corresponding horizontal distance on the ground.

marine accident (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event dealing with an accident or mishap involving watercraft.

marine air FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Air which has a high moisture content and the temperature characteristics of an ocean surface due to extensive exposure to that surface. An intrusion of marine air will moderate fire conditions. Absence of marine air in coastal areas may lead to more severe fire danger. 

marine climate FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Regional climate under the predominant influence of the sea, that is, a climate characterized by marine air; the opposite of a continental climate.

marine search/rescue/recovery (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event dealing with a search, and/or rescue, and/or recovery in a marine setting.

maritime air FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Air which has assumed high moisture content and the temperature characteristics of a water surface due to extensive exposure to that surface.

mass arsonist WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

An offender who sets three or more fires at the same location during a limited period of time.

mass fire FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A fire resulting from many simultaneous ignitions that generates a high level of energy output.

master fire chronology FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Chronological listing of the dates of fires documented in a designated area, the dates being corrected by crossdating. Size of the area must be specified.

material first ignited WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

The fuel that is first set on fire by the heat of ignition.

mathematical model FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

A model that is a quantitative and mathematical representation or simulation which attempts to describe the characteristics or relationship of physical events.

mattock ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Hand tool with a narrow hoeing surface at one end of the blade and a pick or cutting blade at the other end; used for digging and grubbing.

maximum certified gross weight NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

Absolute maximum allowable gross weight for an aircraft as established by the manufacturer and approved by the FAA.

maximum computed gross weight NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

Computed gross weight for an aircraft, obtained from the appropriate performance chart, which is the maximum gross weight appropriate to the applicable circumstance of configuration and/or environmental conditions.

maximum dry bulb temperature FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

The highest value for dry bulb temperature measured at the observation site during the preceding 24-hour period.

maximum hydraulic units MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

Unit of measure in testing of a pump. The highest value obtained when multiplying pressure by flow of a performance curve of a pump.

Maximum Manageable Area (MMA) FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The maximum geographic limits of spread within which a wildland fire is allowed to spread.

maximum performance MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

The maximum flow at various pressures of a pump with peak revolutions per minute of the engine or motor.

maximum relative humidity FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

The highest value for relative humidity measured at the observation site during the preceding 24-hour period.

may day RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

International distress signal/call. When repeated three times it indicates imminent and grave danger and that immediate assistance is required.

Mcleod ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A combination hoe or cutting tool and rake, with or without removable blades.

mean fire return interval FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Arithmetic average of all fire intervals in a given area over a given time.

Mean Sea Level (MSL) FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Average height of the surface of the sea for all stages of the tide over a 19-year period.

measured woody fuel moisture FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Moisture content of the small branch wood and foliage of live woody plants, expressed as a percentage of the oven dry weight of the sample, collected monthly and used to supplement NFDRS modeled outputs.

medical assist (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event dealing with a rescue, and/or recovery, and/or service for a non-accident medical emergency (e.g., heart attack, illness, etc.).

medical director EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

A physician responsible for the oversight of the EMS system, EMS agencies and licensed EMS personnel WITHIN A SPECIFIC GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.

Medical Unit NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

Medical Unit staff are responsible to plan for and provide health and medical services for incident personnel.

medium expansion ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Foam with an expansion between 21:1 and 200:1.

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