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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Term Steward Status Definition
ABCD Miscellaneous FBC Finance/Business Management Committee, IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved A FireCode used by the USDA Forest Service to track and compile cost information for emergency initial attack fire suppression expenditures for A, B, C, & D size class fires on Forest Service lands.
absolute humidity IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved According to the American Meteorological Society, (also called vapor density). In a system of moist air, the ratio of the mass of water vapor present to the volume occupied by the mixture; that is, the density of the water vapor component.
accounting code FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Agency-specific accounting data. Each agency assigns a specific accounting code to an incident.
accuracy descriptor (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Description of the methods used to determine the certainty and precision of the fire location at the point of origin.
active fire IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Any fire that has not been called out.
activity (fire cause) PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved The thing that a person is doing when a wildland fire ignition occurs.
activity group PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Further refines wildfire cause supporting data, providing information for prevention programs for targeted messaging.
activity name PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Common name of activity
activity type IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Type of activity or event
actual completion date FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved Date when treatment was physically completed
apparatus ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved A motor-driven vehicle, or group of vehicles, designed and constructed for the purpose of fighting fires. May be of different types such as engines, water tenders, ladder trucks, etc.
apparatus identifier ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved The alphanumeric characters assigned to an apparatus.
apparatus number IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Archived The external alphanumeric value painted on the side of the equipment.
aspect code (Point of Origin) (POO) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved 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.
assigned resources QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Resources checked in and assigned work tasks on an incident.
at incident IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource is committed and at the assigned incident.
attack time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The starting date, hour, and minute of the first suppression work on a fire.
authority having jurisdiction QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved An organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard, or for approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure.
available DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource can be used to fill a request. Resources on preposition incidents qualify as available.
available resources QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Resources assigned to an incident and available for assignment.
backing fire FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee, FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved That portion of the fire with slower rates of fire spread and lower intensity normally moving into the wind and/or down slope.
blowup IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Sudden increase in fireline intensity or rate of spread of a fire sufficient to preclude direct control or to upset existing suppression plans. Often accompanied by violent convection and may have other characteristics of a fire storm.
burn block FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A discrete area within a larger prescribed or fire use project.
burning index (fire behavior) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved A relative number related to the contribution that fire behavior makes to the amount or effort needed to contain a fire in a specified fuel type. Doubling the burning index indicates that twice the effort will be required to contain a fire in that fuel type as was previously required, providing all other parameters are held constant.
burning rotation FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The planned number of years between prescribed fires on a specified area.
Call When Needed (CWN) IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Employing office is a government or contractor entity; there is no set work schedule; the person is in a call-when-needed status; employee receives compensation for work.
candling FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved The burning of the foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees, from the bottom up.
cardinal altitudes AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Odd or even thousand-foot (305 m) altitudes or flight levels. E.g., 5,000, 6,000, 7,000; FL 250, FL 260, and FL 270.
career IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Employing office is a government entity Employees are permanent employees Year-round work schedule Employee receives compensation for work
career-seasonal IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Employing office is a government entity Employees are permanent employees who are placed in nonduty/non-pay status and recalled to duty in accordance with pre-established conditions of employment Annually recurring periods of work of at least 6 months, but less than 12 months, during a calendar year Employee receives compensation for work
casual hire IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Term of appointment is based on duration of the emergency situation for which the employee is hired. Employee receives compensation for work based on Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan for Emergency Workers
center location IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The city and state pairing for the dispatch center location
chain of command QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved The orderly line of authority within the rank of incident management organizations.
comments (repair) Approved Comments on the suppression repair for each feature.
complex identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) of the complex.
complex name IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The name of the complex that the fire is assigned.
conceptual model IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved A model that is a diagram or description of a set of relationships between factors that describe how a system works, such as an ecological model.
confine IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved A wildfire response strategy of restricting a wildfire to a defined area, primarily using natural barriers that are expected to restrict the spread of the wildfire under the prevailing and forecasted weather conditions.
contained IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread.
containment (hazardous materials) FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The act of controlling hazardous spilled or leaking materials.
containment (wildfire) FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread.
contracted resource vendor IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The name of the company who, through a contract, provides resources to support incident management activities.
control line FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges used to control a fire.
control time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The time a fire is declared controlled.
controlled FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The completion of control line around a fire, any spot fires therefrom, and any interior islands to be saved; burned out any unburned area adjacent to the fire side of the control lines; and cool down all hotspots that are immediate threats to the control line, until the lines can reasonably be expected to hold under the foreseeable conditions.
cost FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved The dollar amount associated with an incident.
country IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved A nation with its own government, occupying a particular territory.
country code IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Short alphanumeric identification code for countries and dependent areas.
country subdivision IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Pending Political subdivisions that fall within a country
country subdivision code IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved A code for the identification of first-level administrative subdivisions within a country.
county code (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved 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.
create date GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Date the feature was created.
create name (feature class) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Name of the person creating the feature.
created by system IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved System that created the data record.
created on date time IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Date and time the event record was created
date IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved A particular day of a calendar year.
date current (geospatial data) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The last edit, update, of this GIS record.
date-time IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The combination of date and time elements.
datum (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved 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.
delete this GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved An attribute flag to tell editors to remove a feature added in error.
demob en route DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource is no longer assigned to an incident and travel has started, but the resource has not yet arrived home.
discovery time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Elapsed time from start of fire (known or estimated) until the time of the first discovery that results directly in fire suppression action.
dispatch center FBC Finance/Business Management Committee, IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved An organization from which resources are ordered, mobilized or assigned to an incident and/or demobilized. The center may process requests, coordinate response, or track resources and information under the delegation of its benefiting agency(s).
dispatch center (home) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The dispatch center associated with a resource's home unit. The Home Dispatch Center is responsible for initial mobilization and is the Center associated with the resource when an assignment is completed.
dispatch center area IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Name of the Dispatch Area or Zone
dispatch center location IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The city and state of the dispatch center
dispatch center name IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Name of the dispatch center
dispatch center unit identifier IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Unit Identifier for the dispatch center
dispatch tier IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Levels of the wildland fire dispatch and coordination system
Documentation Unit QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Documentation Unit staff maintain incident files and data for legal, analytical, and historical purposes, including a complete record of the major steps taken to resolve the incident. They also provide duplication services for incident personnel; compile, reproduce, and distribute the IAP; and maintain the files and records that are developed as part of the IAP and planning function.
edit name (feature class) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Name of the person editing the feature.
elapsed time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived The total time taken to complete any step(s) in fire suppression.
elevation feet GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Assigned A geographic location's height above or below a fixed reference point
employment category IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The employment appointment or agreement under which a person is hired.
Energy Release Component (ERC) IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved The computed total heat release per unit area (British thermal units per square foot) within the flaming front at the head of a moving fire.
estimated containment date IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The expected containment or completion date of the incident.
estimated incident cost FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Estimated dollar amount associated with an incident.
event (generic) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A generic term that relates to both planned and unplanned response activities by the interagency wildland fire community.
experience IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Pending Documented performance in a position.
experience from date PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved The time when the Experience began.
experience to date PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved The time when the Experience ended.
extreme fire behavior FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved Extreme implies a level of fire behavior characteristics that ordinarily precludes methods of direct control action. One or more of the following is usually involved: high rate of spread, prolific crowning and/or spotting, presence of fire whirls, strong convection column. Predictability is difficult because such fires often exercise some degree of influence on their environment and behave erratically, sometimes dangerously.
feature access GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Determines who or what groups can view a particular feature.
feature category GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Type of wildland fire polygon or unburned areas
final acres IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Number of acres within the final fire perimeter of a specific, individual incident, including unburned and unburnable islands.
final approach AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Flight path in the direction of the landing along the extended runway center line from the base leg to the runway.
final fire size IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Number of acres within the final fire perimeter of a specific, individual incident, including unburned and unburnable islands.
fire cause PIC Public Information Management Committee, FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Agency or circumstance which started a fire or set the stage for its occurrence; source of a fire's ignition. For statistical purposes fires are grouped into broad cause classes. The nine general causes used in the U.S. are lightning, campfire, smoking, debris burning, incendiary, machine use (equipment), railroad, children, and miscellaneous.
fire cause class FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved Any class into which wildland fires are grouped according to their origin.
fire containment date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date and time a wildfire was declared contained.
fire control date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date and time a wildfire was declared under control.
Fire Danger Rating System FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved The complete program necessary to produce and apply fire danger ratings, including data collection, data processing, fire danger modeling, communications, and data storage.
fire discovery date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date and time a fire was discovered or confirmed to exist.
Fire Intensity Level (FIL) code (Point of Origin) (POO) PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee, FESC Fire Environment Subcommittee Approved 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.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)
fire occurrence identifier GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) assigned to the spatial record.
fire out date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date when all observable combustion has ceased or there is no risk of the fire again becoming active and requiring additional control or management actions.
fire report IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved An official record of a fire, generally including information on cause, location, action taken, damage, costs, etc., from start of the fire until completion of suppression action. These reports vary in form and detail from agency to agency.
fire report approver name IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Name of the person that approved the fire report. Approval authority varies by agency.
fire report provider name IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Name of person that provided the data for the fire report or is the contact for questions regarding the fire report.
fire reporting agency unit identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The unit identifier for the agency preparing the fire report.
fire resource category IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The intermediate classification of operational resources available to respond to a fire.
fire resource kind IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The most general classification of operational resources available to respond to a fire.
fire resource status (record) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Indicates if the resource record being submitted or updated is an initial response resource or daily resource record.
fire resource type IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The most specific classification of operational resources available to respond to a fire.
fire size class code IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A code that corresponds to one of several ranges of fire size based on the number of acres within the final fire perimeter.
fire storm FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved Violent convection caused by a large continuous area of intense fire. Often characterized by destructively violent surface indrafts, near and beyond the perimeter, and sometimes by tornado-like whirls.
Fire Year IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Calendar year in which the fire started
FireCode FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved A standardized code used by the federal wildland fire agencies/bureau assigned to effectively track and compile cost information for emergency suppression expenditures. The FireCode is incorporated into each agency’s accounting code structure.
first name IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The first name of the resource as it appears on a government issued ID.
fitness level PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved A descriptor of a human resource's physical work capacity.
fix GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Geographical position determined by visual reference to the surface, by reference to one or more radio navigational aids, by celestial plotting, or by any other navigational device.
flare-up PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, FESC Fire Environment Subcommittee Approved Any sudden acceleration in rate of spread or intensification of the fire. Unlike blowup, a flare-up is of relatively short duration and does not radically change existing control plans.
Forest Service assisted indicator FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Indicates if the Forest Service provided assistance on an incident outside their jurisdiction.
Forest Service job code FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved A code used to indicate the Forest Service job accounting code for the incident. This is specific to the Forest Service and is usually displayed as two-character prefix on the FireCode.
Forest Service override code FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved A code used to indicate the Forest Service override code for the incident. This is specific to the Forest Service, and is usually displayed as a four-character suffix on FireCode.
frequency identifier Approved Code used to ease identification of a zone.
frequency use designator RSUSC Wildland Fire Radio Standards and Use Committee Approved A designation of the kind of communications that will occur on an assigned radio frequency.
fuel model FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved Simulated fuel complex for which all fuel descriptors required for the solution of a mathematical rate of spread model have been specified.
fuels treatment polygon GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Assigned A polygon representing the area(s) of unique fuels treatments during a single timeframe.
fulfillment comment IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Communication about the request and fulfilling that request
fulfillment status IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Indicates the state of the request.
general status (resource) PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved Indicates whether the resource is available or unavailable to fill a capability request.
geographic area IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A boundary designated by governmental agencies (wildland fire protection agencies) within which they work together for the interagency, intergovernmental planning, coordination, and operations leadership for the effective utilization of emergency management resources within their area. There are ten geographic areas. A listing of the areas can be found in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide, Chapter 70 along with listings of the Geographic Coordinating Areas and Geographic Area Coordination Centers.
Geographic Area (GA) code IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A code that identifies one of the wildland fire geographic areas.
Geographic Area (GA) name IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The name of the geographic area that identifies a boundary designated by wildland fire protection agencies within which they work together for the interagency, intergovernmental planning, coordination, and operations leadership for the effective utilization of emergency management resources.
Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The physical location of an interagency, regional operation center for the effective coordination, mobilization and demobilization of emergency management resources. A coordination center serves federal, state and local wildland fire agencies through logistical coordination of resources throughout the geographic area, and with other geographic areas, as well. Listings of geographic coordination centers and their respective geographic coordinating areas can be found within the National Interagency Mobilization Guide.
Geographic Area Coordination Center (GACC) code IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Shortened form of Geographic Area Coordination Center name.
geographic coordinating area IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A boundary designated by governmental agencies (wildland fire protection agencies), that may coincide with a geographic area boundary or may be a subdivision of a geographic area within which they work together coordinating, for the effective, mobilization and demobilization of emergency management resources within their area. Listings of geographic coordinating areas and geographic coordination centers can be found in the National Interagency Mobilization Guide, Chapter 20, Section 21.1.
Geographic Coordinating Area (GCA) code IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A code representing a wildland fire geographic coordinating area.
Geographic Coordinating Area (GCA) name IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The name of the wildland fire geographic coordinating area.
Geographic Information System Acres GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved GIS calculated acres within the fire perimeter, not adjusted for unburned areas
geometry identifier GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Primary key for linking geospatial objects with other database systems.
Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved The satellite used for data relay from NFDRS weather stations to ASCADS.
getaway time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Elapsed time from receipt of notification by the personnel charged with initiating suppression action to the departure of the first attack unit.
Height Above Ground Level (HAGL) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved A height measured with respect to the underlying ground surface.
Height Above Sea Level (HASL) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Height above mean sea level in feet.
home dispatch unit IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The NWCG Unit Identifier of the center primarily responsible for dispatching the resource.
home unit (administrative) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The administrative organization where a resource is regularly assigned or the agency location where an individual is hired or a contract is administered.
horizontal datum code GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The identification given to the reference system used for defining the coordinates of points.
host IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved 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.
ICS 209 remarks wfnwcgorg:NISC Approved Additional information pertinent to the management of the incident.
ICS 209 report date time wfnwcgorg:NISC Approved Automated date and time stamp applied when the ICS 209 report is submitted.
ICS 209 report for time period from wfnwcgorg:NISC Approved The beginning date and time of the reporting period of an ICS 209.
ICS 209 report for time period to IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The ending date and time of the reporting period of an ICS 209.
ICS 209 report status IMC Integration Management Committee Approved The version of the ICS 209 report (Initial, Update, or Final).
ignition component FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved A rating of the probability that a firebrand will cause an actionable fire.
ignition method FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The means by which a fire is ignited, such as hand-held drip torch, helitorch, and backpack propane tanks.
ignition source PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Any process or event capable of causing a fire.
incident QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved An occurrence, either human-caused or a natural phenomenon, that requires action or support by emergency services personnel to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage to property and/or natural resources.
Incident Command System (ICS) QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved A standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of on-scene incident management, providing a common hierarchy within which personnel from multiple organizations can be effective. ICS is the combination of procedures, personnel, facilities, equipment, and communications operating within a common organizational structure, designed to aid in the management of on-scene resources during incidents. It is used for all kinds of incidents and is applicable to small, as well as large and complex, incidents, including planned events.
Incident Commander (IC) name IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The first (optional) and last name of the Incident Commander(s) currently assigned to the incident.
incident management organization IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The incident management organization for the incident.
Incident Management Team name Approved Name of the Incident Management Team in charge of the fire.
incident name IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The name assigned to an incident.
incident overhead QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Pending All supervisory positions described in the Incident Command System.
incident personnel fatality quantity SRC Safety/Risk Management Committee Approved The total number of deaths, connected with the performance of work duties, that occurred in conjunction with an incident.
incident personnel injury illness quantity SRC Safety/Risk Management Committee Approved Total number of reportable occupational injuries and illnesses, which resulted in lost work days, that occurred in conjunction with an incident. Also includes cases without lost work days which result in transfer to another job, termination of employment, or required medical treatment (other than first aid); or which involved loss of consciousness, or restriction of work or motion. (First aid and lost work days are further defined under OSHA Part 1904.)
incident short description NICADS National Interagency Computer Aided Dispatch Approved General descriptive location of the incident as it relates to an identifiable town or population center. In the case of a Complex, this may describe 1) one of the points of origin of one of the member or “child” incidents, or 2) a center or other representative point that related to the group of incidents.
incident size PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved How large the incident is, measured in acres. This number can change over the life of the incident.
Incident Type Category (fire) DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A sub‐group of the Incident Type Kind "Fire" that describes the types of incident or planned event to which the interagency wildland fire community responded to.
incident type endorsement PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved The type of incident for which a resource is qualified to perform in a position.
initial fire strategy designator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The fire strategy initially used on a wildland fire. The initial fire strategy is the general plan or direction utilized until it succeeds or changes.
initial fire strategy met indicator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether the objectives for the initial fire strategy were attained.
initial response resource quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The total number of fire resources by kind, category, and type (if listed and applicable) used during the initial response. Initial response resources will only be counted during initial attack. Extended Attack Incidents are those which persist beyond the first full operational period where local resources are not sufficient and the complexity elevates beyond initial attack commander capability.
Integrated Reporting of Wildland Fire Information Identifier IMC Integration Management Committee Approved Primary key for linking to the Wildland Fire Locations Point dataset.
intermittent IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Employing office is a government or contractor entity; there is no set work schedule; the person is in a call-when-needed status; employee receives compensation for work.
invasive concern ISSC Invasive Species Subcommittee Approved A list of invasive species that are cause for concern related to the use of water sources.
is location tracking enabled IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether a resource's location (geometry object/shape) is being updated by a real-time GPS tracking such as AVL (Automated Vehicle Locator).
is national resource IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether a resource is a National Resource for use in Initial Response.
is primary capability AMC Aviation Management Committee, ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Indicates that the capability is the primary capability for the equipment or aircraft.
is valid (resource) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether a resource is valid for use in Initial Response. Invalid resources should be removed from the data stream
is visible GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Provides a flag for mapping display.
jurisdiction IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The range or sphere of authority. Public agencies have jurisdiction at an incident related to their legal responsibilities and authority for incident mitigation. Jurisdictional authority at an incident can be political/geographical (e.g., city, county, state or federal boundary lines), or functional (e.g., police department, health department, etc.).
jurisdictional agency category IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Assigned The agency category having land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical or functional area as provided by federal, state or local law.
jurisdictional agency kind IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Assigned The agency kind having land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical or functional area as provided by federal, state or local law.
jurisdictional unit IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The governmental entity having overall land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical area as provided by law.
jurisdictional unit identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Code used in interagency wildland fire to uniquely identify the governmental entity having overall land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical area as provided by law.
jurisdictional unit name IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Assigned The name of the governmental entity having overall land and resource management responsibility for a specific geographical area as provided by law.
Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved An estimate (0-800) of the amount of precipitation (in 100ths of inches) needed to bring the top 8 inches of soil back to saturation. A value of 0 is complete saturation of the soil, a value of 800 means 8.00 inches of precipitation would be needed for saturation. In the 1988 version of NFDRS, outputs of KBDI are used to adjust live and dead fuel loadings.
Kind QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved As applied to incident resources, a class or group of items or people of the same nature or character or classified together because they have traits in common. Category sometimes referred to as subset of kind.
label GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The label applied to the feature in a GIS system.
landowner IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The person or entity that owns the land or has the authority to convey title to others.
landowner category (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Agency or entity having the land management responsibility at the point of origin.
landowner contact information Approved Full contact information for the landowner including name, phone number, email, etc.
landowner kind (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Broad classification of land ownership at the point of origin.
landowner unit (Point of Origin) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved NWCG Unit Identifier of landowner agency at the point of origin of a fire.
last name IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The last name of the resource as it appears on a government issued ID.
latitude (Decimal Degrees) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The angular distance north or south of the earth's equator, measured in units of decimal degrees along a meridian.
latitude (Decimal Degrees) (Point of Origin) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The latitude location of the wildland fire location point specified in decimal degrees.
latitude (Degrees Decimal Minutes) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Latitude in degrees, decimal minutes WGS84 for labeling purposes.
latitude (initial) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee, GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The location coordinate for the latitude value corresponding to the initial reported point of origin specified in decimal degrees.
latitude (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved 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.
license plate number ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved The vehicle’s license plate number for purposes of identifying equipment.
lighting (aviation obstruction) AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Indicates if the aviation obstacle is lighted.
limitations (water source) Approved Limitation of the water source like duration of use, seasonality, slow refill, must have specific size screen on draft hose, etc.
line date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date and time that the fire perimeter was collected in the field.
local fire report identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A number or code that uniquely identifies an incident report for a particular reporting unit and a particular calendar year.
local incident identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A number or code that uniquely identifies an incident for a particular local fire management organization within a particular calendar year.
location timestamp IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The date/time for the resource’s last known position.
longitude (Decimal Degrees) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The angular distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in units of decimal degrees.
longitude (Decimal Degrees) (Point of Origin) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The longitude location of the wildland fire location point specified in decimal degrees.
longitude (Degrees Decimal Minutes) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Longitude in degrees, decimal minutes WGS84 fore labeling purposes.
longitude (initial) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee, GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The location coordinate for the longitude value corresponding to the initial reported point of origin specified in decimal degrees.
longitude (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved 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.
longitude (World Geodetic System 1984) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Longitude format for labeling and display.
management complexity level designator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The highest management level utilized to manage a fire event.
manager contact information IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Contact information for the manager of the resource.
map method GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved How the geospatial feature was derived
mathematical model IWSC Incident 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.
merge identifier IMC Integration Management Committee Approved Identifies that a merge between multiple fires occurred.
middle name IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The middle name of the resource as it appears on a government issued ID. Applies only to overhead resources.
mob en route DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource is assigned to an incident and travel has started, but the resource has not yet arrived at the incident. This is the time between ETD and ETA.
model IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved A simplified or generalized representation of reality; a description, analogy, picture, or hypothesis to help visualize something that cannot be directly observed.
modified by system IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Username of system that modified the record.
modified on date time IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Date/time that the record was modified.
monitoring FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved The orderly collection, analysis, and interpretation of environmental data to evaluate management's progress toward meeting objectives, and to identify changes in natural systems. Monitoring is also conducted on wildland fires to observe fire effects, fire behavior, or both. For example, the work done by Fire Effects Monitor (FEMO) or Field Observer (FOBS) positions.
mop up time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Elapsed time from containment or control of a fire until mop up is complete.
multi-agency incident QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved An incident where one or more agencies assist a jurisdictional agency or agencies. May be single or unified command.
multijurisdiction incident QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved An incident requiring action from multiple agencies that have a statutory responsibility for incident mitigation. In ICS these incidents will be managed under unified command.
National Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved The Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating representative of an area that best describes the potential initiation, spread, and difficulty of control during initial response. Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating: A method of normalizing rating classes across different fuel models, indexes, and weather station locations. It is a resultant descriptor of the combination of both constant and variable factors that affect the initiation, spread, and difficulty of control of wildfires on an area.
National Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating Code FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved The Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating representative of an area that best describes the potential initiation, spread, and difficulty of control during initial response. Fire Danger Adjective Class Rating: A method of normalizing rating classes across different fuel models, indexes, and weather station locations. It is a resultant descriptor of the combination of both constant and variable factors that affect the initiation, spread, and difficulty of control of wildfires on an area.
National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved A uniform fire danger rating system that focuses on the environmental factors that control the moisture content of fuels.
National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) Fuel Model code IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A code that corresponds to one of the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) fuel models representing the predominant fuel bed properties contributing towards fire spread across the fire area.
National Fire Incident Reporting System unit identifier IMC Integration Management Committee Approved National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) fire department ID used to uniquely identify a non-federal organizational unit (office administratively responsible for either managing incidents, providing resources, or providing logistical services).
obstruction name AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Common name of feature.
obstruction type AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Specific descriptor of aviation obstruction identified on a map.
offshore flow IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Wind blowing from land to water.
operational name IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The current common operational reference to a Resource, which is the name of the resource and/or call sign.
operational period QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved The time scheduled for executing a given set of operation actions, as specified in the IAP. Operational periods can be of various lengths, but are typically 12 to 24 hours.
operational status IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The state of a resource as it is utilized by an incident.
other structures destroyed quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The total number of structures, other than residences, destroyed as a result of a fire.
other structures threatened quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The total number of structures, other than residences, threatened by the fire.
out (fire) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Pending All observable combustion has ceased and there is no risk of the fire again becoming active and requiring additional control or management actions.
owner organization IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The agency or company to be reimbursed for providing a resource to an incident.
owner vendor FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved A party that provides a contract resource for an incident.
paracargo AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Anything intentionally dropped, or intended for dropping, from any aircraft by parachute, by other retarding devices, or by free fall.
patrol time IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Elapsed time from completion of original mopping up until the fire is declared to be extinguished.
perimeter date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee, GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The date and time that the fire perimeter was collected (mapped).
perimeter extant GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Identifies if a related wildland fire perimeter polygon exists for the wildland fire location point feature.
permission state IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved The authorization stage of create, read, update and delete actions in an application based on where the incident is occurring within the life cyle.
Planning Section QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved 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.
point date time IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The date and time that the fire point was collected in the field.
point name GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved An additional field to assist with identifying the feature.
point type GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Description of the type of point.
point/zone protection IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee Approved A wildfire response strategy which protects specific assets or highly valued resources from the wildfire without directly halting the continued spread of the wildfire.
polygon date time GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The date and time that the polygon was collected in the field
position code QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee Approved A code (mnemonic) for designating a position used in incident management response
position title QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee Approved A title for a position used for incident management response.
precipitation IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Any or all forms of water particles, liquid or solid, that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground.
Predictive Services Area Name IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Unique name of the Predictive Services Area defined by Predictive Services.
Predictive Services Area national code Approved Unique code for every PSA associated to a single unit.
prescribed fire FMB Fire Management Board Approved A wildland fire originating from a planned ignition in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations to meet specific objectives.​
prescribed fire escape indicator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether the wildfire resulted from an escaped prescribed fire. Y or N.
primary email IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Individual’s primary email
primary phone IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Individual’s primary phone.
primary weather station identifier PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group Approved The six-digit National Weather Station ID for the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) weather station that best represents the predominate weather and climate conditions for the incident site at the time of initial response.
prohibited PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Allows identification of an activity which is unlawful or otherwise prohibited (burn ban, unpermitted, etc.) by local authorities.
projected incident activity PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, FESC Fire Environment Subcommittee 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 ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved A device that adds a predetermined amount of foam concentrate to water to form foam solution.
protecting agency FBC Finance/Business Management 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 IRSC Incident 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.
provider unit IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee 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 AMC Aviation Management Committee, ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee 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.
radiation (heat) FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved Transfer of heat in straight lines through a gas or vacuum other than by heating of the intervening space.
reassigned (at incident) DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending A resource on a filled request has been reassigned from one incident to the another, but the mobilization travel has not started.
released (at incident) DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending A resource on a filled request has been released, but the demobilization travel has not started.
repair status Approved Status of the Suppression Repair project for each feature.
report time (resources) FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved Elapsed time from fire discovery until the first personnel charged with initiating action for fire suppression are notified of its existence and location.
reserved DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource has been assigned to a request but has not started travel. Either no travel has been assigned, or if travel has been assigned, the ETD has not yet passed.
residences destroyed quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The total number of residences destroyed, or damaged to an extent requiring rebuilding, as a result of the fire. Residence is defined as a place where one lives; a house, apartment, or other shelter used as the residence of a person, family or household. This includes primary and secondary residences.
residences threatened quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The total number of residences threatened by the fire. Residence is defined as a place where one lives; a house, apartment, or other shelter used as the residence of a person, family or household. This includes primary and secondary residences. Residences are threatened if they are at risk of loss or damage, or endangered during the course of the fire. This includes, but is not limited to, residences subject to mandatory evacuation.
resource capacity PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved The competency level in which the overhead resource is qualified to perform a position. May also be used to define how the resource performed on a specific incident. In both cases the capacity is defined as trainee or qualified.
resource quantity current as of date time IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The date and time that reflects the period for which the resource counts are current.
Resource System of Record (RSOR) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The exchange username of the system that currently is the System of Record for the resource and the capabilities for that resource.
resources [incident] QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Personnel and equipment available or potentially available for assignment to incident operations and for which status is maintained. Resources are described by kind and type.
responsible agency unit identifier (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The unit identifier for the agency that has primary protection responsibility at the point of origin at the time of the incident.
returned from assignment DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource has returned from the assignment but is not yet available for dispatch.
rural fire protection IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Fire protection and firefighting problems that are outside of areas under municipal fire prevention and building regulations and that are usually remote from public water supplies.
secondary phone IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Individual’s secondary phone.
selection area IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved Indicates the dispatch center inside/outside the current dispatch center for which resources are being requested.
serial number IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A set of numbers that is put on equipment by the manufacturer so that each has a different number and can be recognized.
significant events IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved In the ICS209, observed fire behavior or significant incident events for the current reporting period.
size class IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Identifies the fire size based on number of acres within the final fire perimeter
size class of fire IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved As to size of wildfire: Class A - one-fourth acre or less; Class B - more than one-fourth acre, but less than 10 acres; Class C - 10 acres or more, but less than 100 acres; Class D - 100 acres or more, but less than 300 acres; Class E - 300 acres or more, but less than 1,000 acres; Class F - 1,000 acres or more, but less than 5,000 acres; Class G - 5,000 acres or more.
slope percentage (Point of Origin) (POO) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved 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.
source agency Approved Land management agency with responsibility for creating and administering the data.
source depth (water) Approved Depth in feet of the water source.
source gallon capacity (water source) Approved Capacity in gallons of the water source.
source hyperlink (mapping) GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee A link to documentation about the mapping effort
special land designator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Officially designated special land types within the fire perimeter.
spread component FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved A rating of the forward rate of spread of the head of a fire.
staffing index FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved A NFDRS component, index or related indicator (ignition component, spread component, energy release component, burning index, Keetch-Byram drought index) whose outputs are correlated to the local fire problem, used to determine staffing levels.
Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) QMC Qualifications Management Committee, LTSC Leadership Training Subcommittee, LDSC Leadership Development Subcommitte Approved Specific instructions clearly spelling out what is expected of an individual every time they perform a given task. A standard operating procedure can be used as a performance standard for tasks that are routinely done in the operational environment.
Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) QMC Qualifications Management Committee, LTSC Leadership Training Subcommittee, LDSC Leadership Development Subcommitte Approved Specific instructions clearly spelling out what is expected of an individual every time they perform a given task. A standard operational procedure can be used as a performance standard for tasks that are routinely done in the operational environment.
state (Point of Origin) (POO) IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved The Country and State alpha code identifying the state or equivalent entity at point of origin.
state and landowner final fire acre quantity IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Number of acres measured by each Landowner Kind and Category within a State Code associated with the land within the final fire perimeter of a specific, individual incident. The area measured within the perimeter includes unburned and unburnable islands or portions of such.
state code IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Superseded A code for the identification of the states, the District of Columbia and the outlying areas of the United States, and associated areas.
suppression FMB Fire Management Board Approved All the work to extinguish or limit wildland fire spread.
tail number IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The numerical identification of an aircraft, also known as the registration number for an aircraft, as displayed on the aircraft’s tail section.
temporary IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: Employing office is a government entity Term of appointment is not to exceed one year Employee receives compensation for work
tentative release DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending A resource may be tentatively released from At Incident so that a dispatcher can have a view of where resources are and their availability to be assigned to an incident.
time point IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved A point in time during a 24-hour Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) day.
torching FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved The burning of the foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees, from the bottom up.
travel time FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Compensable time en route to or from an emergency incident.
treatment acres PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Acreage of treatment polygon as calculated with GIS
treatment category PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Describes major class of treatment.
treatment identifier PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Unique identifier for fuels treatment polygon(s).
treatment identifier database PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved The database containing additional information related to the treatment identifier
treatment name PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved The name of the fuels treatment
treatment status PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Status of the fuels treatment polygon(s).
treatment type PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Describes the kind of treatment work. Type is more specific than treatment category.
unavailable Pending The resource is not available to fill a resource order request.
unavailable (transferred) DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Pending The resource has been transferred to another dispatch, but the transfer has not been completed.
uncontrolled fire IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Any fire which threatens to destroy life, property, or natural resources, and (a) is not burning within the confines of firebreaks, or (b) is burning with such intensity that it could not be readily extinguished with ordinary tools commonly available.
unified command QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Established when more than one agency has incident jurisdiction or when incidents cross political jurisdictions. This is accomplished by establishing a common set of incident objectives and strategies, without losing or abdicating authority, responsibility, or accountability.
unique fire identifier IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved A unique identifier assigned to each wildland fire.
unique fire report identifier IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A code that uniquely identifies a particular fire report.
Unit Identifier (UnitID) UIB Unit Identifier Board Approved A code used within the interagency incident management community to uniquely identify a particular governmental or non-government organizational unit recognized by NWCG as a wildland fire or all-risk cooperator.
Universal Transverse Mercator easting coordinates GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Grid coordinates expressed as a distance in meters to the east.
Universal Transverse Mercator northing coordinates GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved Coordinates measured relative to the equator.
Universal Transverse Mercator Zone GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved A division of the Earth's surface into 60 north-south zones, each 6 degrees of longitude wide.
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) IMC Integration Management Committee, DCSC Dispatch Coordination Subcommittee Approved The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) assigned to a piece of equipment.
volunteer IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appointment/agreement that meets the following conditions: The person does not receive compensation (other than reasonable reimbursement or allowance for expenses actually incurred)
water source IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved Any strategically located supply of water that is readily available for pumps, tanks, trucks, helicopters, or fire camp use.
water source type IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved The type of water source.
weather concerns PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, FESC Fire Environment Subcommittee Approved A field collected in the ICS 209 containing a brief summary of how the current weather is affecting the incident and how the anticipated weather will affect the incident.
wet FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved The contractor furnishes all equipment operating supplies.
wet-bulb temperature IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved The lowest temperature to which air can be cooled by evaporating water into it at a constant pressure when the heat required for evaporation is supplied by the cooling of the air. It is measured by the wet bulb thermometer, which usually employs wetted wicking on the bulb as a cooling (through evaporation) device.
wet-bulb thermometer IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved In a psychrometer, the thermometer with its bulb covered with a jacket of clean muslin which is saturated with distilled water before an observation.
wildfire FMB Fire Management Board Approved A wildland fire originating from an unplanned ignition, such as lightning, volcanos, unauthorized and accidental human caused fires, and prescribed fires that are declared wildfires.
wildfire response strategies ICSC Incident Command Subcommittee Approved The range of options available for response to a wildfire.
wildfire suppression IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved An appropriate management response to wildfire or prescribed fire that results in curtailment of fire spread and eliminates all identified threats from the particular fire.
wildland fire FMB Fire Management Board Approved Any non-structure fire that occurs in vegetation or natural fuels. Includes wildfires and prescribed fires.
Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) FMB Fire Management Board Approved The line, area, or zone where structures and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland or vegetation fuels.​​
Wildland Urban Interface indicator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved A flag that indicates if the presence of Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) increased the cost or management complexity of a wildfire.
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