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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Title Steward Status Definition
Procurement Unit IBC Incident Business Committee Approved

Functional unit within the Finance/Administration Section responsible for managing all financial matters pertaining to vendor contracts.

proficiency and currency event (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event dealing with maintenance of licenses, currencies, or proficiencies, including recurring proficiencies.

progressive hose lay ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A hose lay in which double shutoff wye (Y) valves are inserted in the main line at intervals and lateral lines are run from the wyes to the fire edge, thus permitting continuous application of water during extension of the lay.

progressive method of line construction IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

A system of organizing workers to build fireline in which they advance without changing relative positions in line.

prohibited CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee Approved

Allows identification of an activity which is unlawful or otherwise prohibited (burn ban, unpermitted, etc.) by local authorities.

Project
Project Activity Level (PAL) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

An application of fire danger rating to support regulation of contractors involved in land management activities for fire prevention purposes in California.

Project Name

Equivalent to Fire Name.

project objectives IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived

The specific results expected from completing a project.

projected incident activity Approved

An estimate of the direction in which the incident is expected to spread, migrate, or expand within a specified time frame.

property information Approved

Accountable property information to track ownership.

proportioner ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A device that adds a predetermined amount of foam concentrate to water to form foam solution.

Proposal and Justification
protected lands IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee Approved

Areas for which a fire protection organization has the primary responsibility for managing a wildfire and directing fire management actions. Such responsibility may be authorized by law, contract, or personal interest of the firefighting agent (e.g., a lumber operator). Note: Several agencies or entities may have some basic responsibilities (e.g., private owner) without being known as the fire organization having primary responsibility.

protected side WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

The side of an object opposite the oncoming fire and therefore shielded from the oncoming fire by the object itself.

protecting agency IBC Incident Business Committee Approved

The agency responsible for providing direct incident management and services to a given area pursuant to its jurisdictional responsibility or as specified by law, contract or agreement.

protecting unit FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Approved

The entity responsible for providing direct incident management and services to a given area pursuant to its jurisdictional responsibility or as specified by law, contract or agreement.

protection area (polygon) DMC Data Management Committee Approved

A geographical area which is administratively defined and for which organized fire suppression activities are formally planned.

protection area (primary responsibility) DMC Data Management Committee Approved

That area for which a particular fire protection organization has the primary responsibility for attacking an uncontrolled fire and for directing the suppression action. Such responsibility may develop through law, contract, or personal interest of the firefighting agent (e.g., a lumber operator). Several agencies or entities may have some basic responsibilities (e.g., private owner) without being known as the fire organization having direct protection responsibility. 

protection boundary DMC Data Management Committee Approved

The exterior perimeter of an area within which a specified fire agency has assumed a degree of responsibility for wildland fire control. It may include land in addition to that for which the agency has jurisdiction or contractual responsibility.

provider unit NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Any government organization that is a source of resources for response or mutual aid support to an incident, whether in the field, at the scene of an incident, or operations center.  This includes government organizations that administer contracts or agreements for resources.

psychrometer ETC Equipment Technology Committee, NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

General name for instruments designed to determine the moisture content of air. A psychrometer consists of dry- and wet-bulb thermometers that give the dry- and wet-bulb temperatures, which in turn are used to determine relative humidity and dew point.

public aircraft NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

Aircraft used only in the service of a government or a political subdivision. It does not include any government-owned aircraft engaged in carrying persons for commercial purposes.

public assistance (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

A community or public service event, managed by an organization external to the fire community, which requires resource support from the fire community. This category includes VIP visits, law enforcement activities, concerts, conventions, parades, road/bridge closures, etc.

public service organization event (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

An event managed by local public service organizations (police, fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, or military).

pulaski ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A combination chopping and trenching tool widely used in fireline construction, which combines a single-bitted axe blade with a narrow adze-like trenching blade fitted to a straight handle.

pump performance value MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

Filling pump with water when pump is taking water not under a pressure head. Necessary for centrifugal pumps.

punky material FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Partly decayed material, such as old wood, in which fire can smolder unless it is carefully mopped up and extinguished. A good receptor for firebrands when dry.

purulent EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

Containing, consisting of, or being pus (a purulent discharge or a purulent lesion), accompanied by suppuration (purulent meningitis).

pyrolysis FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

The thermal or chemical decomposition of fuel at an elevated temperature. This is the preignition combustion phase of burning during which heat energy is absorbed by the fuel which, in turn, gives off flammable tars, pitches, and gases.

pyrotechnic WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

A mixture of chemicals designed to produce heat, light, gas, smoke or noise.

quadrangle GSC Geospatial Subcommittee Approved

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.

qualification sheet WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

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

qualifications and certification NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Archived

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.

qualified non-crew member NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

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.

qualified rating MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

Same value as pump performance value (USDA Forest Service standard).

qualitative risk assessment WUIMC Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee Archived

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 assessment WUIMC Wildland Urban Interface Mitigation Committee Archived

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.

radial NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

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

radiant burn RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

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

radiant heat flux FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

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

radiation (energy) FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

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).

radiation (heat) FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

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

radio cache ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

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.

radio fix NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

Determination of position by one or more radio navigational aids.

radioactive/nuclear conditions (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

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

radiosonde FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

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.

rail accident (event) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

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

rail grinding CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development

Process usually done with a maintenance of way vehicle or train to restore the profile and remove irregularities from worn tracks.

railroad CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development
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