NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Mapping unit which defines an area in terms of longitude and latitude distance. Two common scales are 1:24,000 quadrangles, which are 7.5' longitude x 7.5' latitude, and 1:62,500 quadrangles, which are 15' longitude x 15' latitude.

A written resume of an expert witness used to show that expert's sufficient special expertise in the field.

This subsystem of NIIMS provides recommended qualification and certification for those personnel responding to an incident regionally or nationally, allowing for the development of local minimum standards to meet local needs. Standards typically include training, experience, and physical fitness.

An individual, other than a member of the crew, aboard an aircraft whose presence is required to perform, or is associated with the performance of, a governmental function.

Qualitative risk assessment is the application of judgment based in knowledge and experience when assessing wildfire risk, the potential for ignitions and recommendations regarding possible ways to mitigate the risk.

Quantitative risk assessments provide a method by which we can calculate risk based on measurements or estimates of various risk components such as likelihood of fire occurrence, intensity of fire should it occur, and susceptibility to fire of the various values being evaluated.

A magnetic bearing extending from a ground-based navigational system, providing airborne navigation information.

A thermal trauma that maybe a superficial, partial thickness or full thickness burn.

The amount of heat flowing through a given area in a given time, usually expressed as calories/square centimeter/second.

Propagation of energy in free space by virtue of joint, undulatory variations in the electric or magnetic fields in space, (i.e., by electromagnetic waves).

Transfer of heat in straight lines through a gas or vacuum other than by heating of the intervening space.

A cache may consist of a number of portable radios, base station, and, in some caches, a radio repeater that is stored in a predetermined location for dispatch to incidents.

Determination of position by one or more radio navigational aids.

An event dealing with the various situations that arise as a result of the presence of radioactive materials.

A device carried aloft by a balloon equipped with measuring instruments that automatically convert temperature, pressure, and humidity data into electrical impulses and transmit this information to a ground recorder.

An event dealing with an accident or mishap involving railway vehicles.

A fire resulting from any operation or activity of a railroad, except smoking.

Any wildfire on rangeland.

Technique of landing specifically trained and certified firefighters from hovering helicopters; involves sliding down ropes with the aid of friction-producing devices.

The relative activity of a fire in extending its horizontal dimensions. It is expressed as rate of increase of the total perimeter of the fire, as rate of forward spread of the fire front, or as rate of increase in area, depending on the intended use of the information. Usually it is expressed in chains or acres per hour for a specific period in the fire's history.

A factor usually on a scale of 1 to 100 which represents a relative rate of forward spread for a specific fuel condition and fixed weather conditions (or fuel model). Factors can be used as multipliers, arguments for entering tables, or provide a ratio of values between two fuels. 

A device that computes the probable rate of spread of a fire for different combinations of fuel moisture, wind speed, and other selected factors.

The period of time during which a fire danger rating value is considered valid or representative for administrative or other purposes. Normally it is 24 hours extending from midnight to midnight.

Method of upper-air observation consisting of an evaluation of the wind speed and wind direction, temperature, pressure, and relative humidity aloft by means of a balloon-borne radiosonde tracked by a radar or radio direction-finder.

Confirmation through the re-issuance of an incident qualification card that an individual has regained qualifications for a specified position that was lost through a lack of current experience. A key component in the certification or re-certification process is the subjective evaluation by the appropriate agency official of an individual's capability to perform in a position. 

The rate of heat release, per unit area of the flaming fire front, expressed as heat energy/area/time, such as Btu/square foot/minute, or Kcal/square meter/second.

Condition or degree of being completely ready to cope with a potential fire situation.

Mental readiness to recognize changes in fire danger and act promptly when action is appropriate.

That portion of a fire spreading directly into the wind or down slope.

That portion of a fire edge opposite the head.

Slowest spreading portion of a fire edge.

The rationale an agency responded to an incident where the point of origin is on unprotected land.

Control measures developed by EPA which apply to residential wood combustion, fugitive dust, and prescribed and silvicultural burning in and around "moderate" PM-10 non-attainment areas. RACM is designed to bring an area back into attainment and uses a smoke management program which relies on weather forecasts for burn/no-burn days. 

A resource on a filled request has been reassigned from one incident to the another, but the mobilization travel has not started.

An area that has reburned.

Repeat burning of an area over which a fire has previously passed, but left fuel that later ignites when burning conditions are more favorable.

To examine a fire area to obtain information about current and probable fire behavior and other related fire suppression information.

Individuals within ICS organizational units who are responsible for recording information. Recorders may be found in planning, logistics and finance/administration units.

The increase in fuel moisture as a result of increased relative humidity, usually occurring overnight.

The general term used to describe the maximum overnight value of atmospheric relative humidity.

A fire resulting from recreational use, except smoking.

Training scheduled at established intervals that has been identified as required training in order to maintain position currency.

Term used by fire weather forecasters to alert forecast users to an ongoing or imminent critical fire weather pattern.

A frame on which hose is wound, now chiefly used for "booster" or small hose (3/4- or l-inch hose) (19 or 25 mm) supplied by a water tank on the apparatus; also, a hand-drawn 2-wheel frame for 2-1/2 inch (64 mm) hose used in industrial plants.

A fixed location(s) used in correlation with field measurements to document spatial relationships between items of interest at the scene.

Above Unit in hierarchy, Relates to Department, Agencies

Day/Month/Year officially accepted by the region program manager as meeting all region requirements to receive funds in the planned year.

Visibility impairment caused by the cumulative air pollutant emissions from numerous sources over a wide geographic area.