NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Personnel who have reported to the incident without an assignment (i.e., they are not assigned to an increment, strike team, or organizational unit).

The documented location where a photograph was taken.

Piling slash resulting from logging or fuel management activities and subsequently burning the individual piles.

A method of determining winds aloft by periodically reading the elevation and azimuth angles of a theodolite, usually at one-minute intervals, while tracking the ascent of a small free-lift balloon. A PIBAL is commonly used for constructing a wind profile. 

Pilot responsible for the operation and safety of an aircraft during flight time.

Navigation of aircraft by visual reference to landmarks.

Colored flags attached to metal or plastic pins to designate the location of fire pattern indicators, evidence, and other items of interest.

A hose coupling with one or more cylindrical studs on its outside rim. The studs allow the use of a spanner wrench to tighten the coupling.

Direct attack around a fire in opposite directions by two or more attack units. Usually conducted from the fire's tail to head.

Mechanized method of dispensing DAIDs (Delayed Aerial Ignition Devices) at a selected rate. The DAIDs are polystyrene balls, 1.25 inches in diameter, containing potassium permanganate. The balls are fed into a dispenser, generally mounted in a helicopter, where they are injected with a water-glycol solution and then drop through a chute leading out of the helicopter. The chemicals react thermally and ignite in 25-30 seconds. The space between ignition points on the ground is primarily a function of helicopter speed, gear ratio of the dispenser, and the number of chutes used (up to four). 

A vascular plant that has a usually continuous central internal stand of spongy tissue in the stem.

The selected course of action and organization of personnel and equipment in fire suppression, as applied to a particular fire or to all fires of a specific type.

That part of the earth's lower atmosphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the earth's surface and responds to surface forcings such as fronts, friction, evapotranspiration and convective mixing.

A map that shows the positions of feature swithout showing the elevations of all hills and valleys of the land. It can include rivers, lakes,roads, boundaries, or other human-made symbolic features.

Period of time between scheduled planning meetings.

The meeting which serves as a final review and approval, by the Command and General Staff, of operational plans and resources requirements. This meeting is an element of the Planning Cycle.

The ICS Section that collects, evaluates, and disseminates operational information related to the incident and for the development of the IAP. This section also maintains information on the current/forecasted situation and on the status of resources assigned to the incident.

Device installed, but jettisonable, in a helicopter, which injects glycol into a plastic sphere containing potassium permanganate, which is then expelled from the machine and aircraft. This produces an exothermic reaction resulting in ignition of fuels on the ground for prescribed or wildland fire applications. 

Fireline constructed by a tractor plow.

A convection column generated by combustion (of wildland fuel).

How high above the level of release an emission plume rises.

A wildland fire whose activity is determined by the convection column.

Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 10 micrometers.

Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.

A handheld electronic device that measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, and possibly other atmospheric variables, depending on brand and model.

Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers or slow burning areas.

The date and time that the fire point was collected in the field.

That part of the fire on which work is started when suppression crews arrive.

The exact physical location within the Ignition Area where a heat source and the local fuel interact, resulting in a fire.

Description of the methods used to determine the certainty and precision of the fire location at the point of origin.

A code used to describe the direction toward which the predominant slope faces at the point of origin of the fire (including ridgetops and/or flat ground). Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

The County Code identifying the county or equivalent entity at point of origin designated at the time of collection. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

The datum associated with the coordinates that identify the point of origin. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

An expression of fire intensity based on observed and/or calculated flame lengths representative across the immediate vicinity of the point of origin during the initial response. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred. Fire intensity levels (FILs) provide "an expression of fireline intensity, based on typical and/ or calculated flame length of a fire behavior condition. FILs are used in the analysis to reflect the differences in difficulty of suppression and fire effects on natural and cultural resources." (Ref. FSH5109.19 ch40.5 9/85)

More specific classification of land ownership within land owner kinds identifying the owner at the point of origin at the time of the incident. Owner in the context of this data element refers to the agency or entity having the land management responsibility at the point of origin if they are not the legal owners. E.g., NPS may be the designated "owner" even though the US Federal Government holds title to the land.

Broad classification of land ownership at the point of origin.

The latitude location of the point of origin specified in decimal degrees. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

The latitude location of the wildland fire location point specified in decimal degrees.

The longitude location of the point of origin specified in decimal degrees. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

The longitude location of the wildland fire location point specified in decimal degrees.

Point of Origin of an incident for which NO fire agency has been assigned as the protecting unit.

The unit identifier for the agency that has primary protection responsibility at the point of origin at the time of the incident. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

NWCG Unit Identifier of agency with primary fire protection responsibility at the point of origin of a fire.

The ratio between the amount of vertical rise and horizontal distance of the terrain as expressed in a percent that represents the typical slope in the immediate vicinity of the point of origin of a fire. Point of origin is the location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

The State alpha code identifying the state or equivalent entity at point of origin.

The State Code identifying the state or equivalent entity at point of origin. Point of origin is the precise location where a competent ignition source came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.

A permanent source of air pollution that can be distinctly identified such as a smokestack.