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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Term Steward Status Definition
green-up FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved Green-up for the 1978 version of NFDRS model is defined as the beginning of a new cycle of plant growth. Green-up usually occurs once a year, except in desert areas where rainy periods can produce a flush of new growth more than once a year. Green-up may be signaled at different dates for different fuel models. Green-up should not be started when the first flush of green occurs in the area. Instead, the vegetation that will be the fire problem (represented by the NFDRS fuel model associated with the weather station) when it matures and cures should be identified. Green-up should start when the majority of this vegetation starts to grow. 
greenbelt WMSC WUI Mitigation Subcommittee Archived Landscaped and regularly maintained fuel break, usually put to some additional use (e.g., golf course, park, playground).
greenhouse effect IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved The heating of the earth's surface by both atmospheric infrared radiation and incoming solar radiation.
greenness factor FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved In the 1988 version of NFDRS, a code scaled from 0 to 20 representing the greenness of grasses and shrubs from near dead to maximum greenness.
grid ignition technique FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved Method of igniting prescribed fires in which ignition points are set individually at predetermined spacing with predetermined timing throughout the area to be burned.
grid search technique FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved A search technique typically dividing into squares the specific origin area and ignition area of a wildland fire to systematically search for microscale fire pattern indicators and evidence.
gridding IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved To search for a small fire by systematically traveling over an area on parallel courses or gridlines.
Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved The value specified by the manufacturer as the maximum allowable weight placed on an axle of a vehicle when fully equipped, including payload, fluids and occupants.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Actual vehicle weight, including chassis, body, cab, equipment, water, fuel, crew, and all other load.
Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved The value specified by the manufacturer as the maximum allowable weight of a vehicle fully equipped, including payload, fluids and occupants.
gross weight AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Total allowable weight of a loaded aircraft for takeoff or landing, adjusted for altitude differences.
ground effect AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Reaction of a rotor downdraft against the ground surface, forming a 'ground cushion' that increases lifting capability of that section of air.
ground fire FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved Fire that consumes the organic material beneath the surface litter ground, such as a peat fire.
ground fog IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Fog which extends vertically to less than 20 feet.
ground fuel FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved All combustible materials below the surface litter, including duff, tree or shrub roots, punky wood, peat, and sawdust, that normally support a glowing combustion without flame.
ground speed AMC Aviation Management Committee Approved Speed with which an aircraft traverses the ground over which it flies.
Ground Support Unit QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved Ground Support Unit staff provide ground transportation in support of incident operations. They maintain and repair vehicles and mobile ground support equipment and perform pre- and postuse inspections on all ground equipment assigned to the incident. The staff supply fuel for incident mobile equipment, and develop and implement the incident Traffic Plan. Additionally, during major incidents, Ground Support Unit staff maintain a transportation pool of vehicles (e.g., cars, buses, pickup trucks) suitable for transporting personnel, as opposed to tactical vehicles such as ambulances. Ground Support Unit staff also provide information to the Resources Unit on the location and status of vehicles assigned to the Ground Support Unit.
ground truth IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Verification at the site of what has been observed and/or measured from aircraft, satellites, other aerial platforms, aerial photographs, or maps.
ground visibility IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Horizontal visibility observed at the ground.
Group QMC Qualifications Management Committee, NISC NIMS Integration Subcommittee Approved An organizational subdivision established to divide the incident management structure into functional areas of operation. Groups are composed of resources assembled to perform a special function not necessarily within a single geographic area.
growing season burning FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved Prescribed burning or use of wildland fire during the photosynthetically-active growing season, where live fuel moistures are relatively high and the dominant vegetation, grasses, forbs, and herbaceous vegetation are fully greened.
guard unit IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived Geographic subdivision of a fire-protected area, delimiting the initial attack bounds of a single fire guard or fire crew.
Gum Thickened Sulphate (GTS) ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved A dry chemical product which is mixed with water to form a fire retardant slurry.
gust IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved Rapid fluctuations in wind speed with a variation of 10 knots (11.5 mph) or more between peaks and lulls.
hachures (topographic) PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved A series of short, nearly parallel lines used in map making to represent a sloping surface. Representing a depression or pit, the contour line is joined forming a circle with the hachures on the inside of the circle.
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