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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Overview

The NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire provides an extensive listing of approved terms and definitions used by the NWCG community. It contains terms commonly used by NWCG in the areas of wildland fire and incident management and is not intended to list all terms used by NWCG groups and member agencies. The NWCG has directed that all committee and subgroup product glossaries be contained within the NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire to maintain definition consistency and clarity among documents.

Comments, questions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the appropriate agency program manager assigned to the Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB). 

NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205  (Quick View)

EDG Explorer is a database platform used for managing NWCG Glossary terms.  The following table is a quick view of the terms found in EDG. More detailed information such as rules, documentation, and term relationships may be viewed in EDG Explorer.  

Note: If the NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire is not displaying below please report it to NWCG Webmaster

Title Steward Status Definition
emission rate FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The amount, or mass of smoke produced per unit of time. For example: Emission Rate = Available Fuel x Burning Rate x Emission Factor.

emission reduction FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A strategy for controlling smoke from prescribed fires that minimizes the amount of smoke output per unit area treated.

emission standard FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A general type of standard that limits the mass of a pollutant that may be emitted by a source. The most straightforward emissions standard is a simple limitation on mass of pollutant per unit time (e.g., pounds of pollutant per hour).

employment category IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

The employment appointment or agreement under which a person is hired.

empty weight ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Weight of an aircraft/engine including the structure, power plant, all fixed equipment, all fixed ballast, unusable fuel, undrainable oil, and total quantity of hydraulic fluid.

encephalitis EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

Inflammation of the brain.

encephalopathy Approved

A brain dysfunction from trauma, or other metabolic condition.

end MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

One thread of the warp, either before weaving or in the jacket.

Energy Release Component (ERC) FWS Fire 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.

engine ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Any ground vehicle providing specified levels of pumping, water, and hose capacity but with less than the specified level of personnel.

engine (machine) MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

Gasoline, or other fuel-powered machine that drives a pump, transmission, or other device.

engine company ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A resource that includes an engine of a specific type. The type specifies tank capacity, pump rating, hose capacity and number of personnel.

engine type (water source) NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Largest engine type that can use the water source.

entrapment RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

A situation where personnel are unexpectedly caught in a fire behavior-related, life-threatening position where planned escape routes or safety zones are absent, inadequate, or compromised. An entrapment may or may not include deployment of a fire shelter for its intended purpose. These situations may or may not result in injury. They include "near misses."

entrapment avoidance RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

A process used to improve the safety of personnel on the fireline, which emphasizes tools and tactics available to prevent being trapped in a burnover situation. This process includes appropriate decision making through risk management, application of LCES, use of pre-established trigger points, and recognition of suitable escape routes and safety zones. 

envelopment IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

Direct attack with multiple anchor points, that allows for multiple points of attack. Generally used as an engine tactic in the wildland urban interface.

environment FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

The complex surroundings of an item or area of interest, such as air, water, natural resources, and their physical conditions (temperature, humidity).

environmental lapse rate FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

The actual rate of decrease of temperature with elevation.

environmental specialist IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived

Person responsible to the planning section chief for collecting and analyzing environmental information about the incident area, determining environmental restrictions and requirements, and providing the information as an input to the incident action and to incident personnel as needed. 

epiglottitis EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

Inflammation of the epiglottis.

episode (pollution) FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A condition of poor contaminant dispersion which may result in concentrations considered potentially harmful to health or welfare. Episodes may also occur during periods of fairly good dispersion if the source of air contaminants is extremely large.

epistaxis EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

Nosebleed.

Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC) FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Moisture content that a fuel particle will attain if exposed for an infinite period in an environment of specified constant temperature and humidity. When a fuel particle reaches equilibrium moisture content, net exchange of moisture between it and its environment is zero. 

equipment and vehicle use CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development
equipment use fire WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

Fire caused by mechanical equipment other than railroad operations.

erosion MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

Act of eroding or wearing away of a surface by the impingement of abrasive materials.

erythema EMC Emergency Medical Committee Approved

Abnormal redness of the skin due to capillary congestion (as in inflammation).

escape route RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

A preplanned and understood route firefighters take to move to a safety zone or other low-risk area. When escape routes deviate from a defined physical path, they should be clearly marked (flagged).

escaped fire IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

Fire which has exceeded or is expected to exceed initial attack capabilities or prescription.

escaped prescribed fire FMC Fuels Management Committee, FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Proposed New

a prescribed fire that has exceeded or is expected to exceed prescription parameters or otherwise meets the criteria for conversion to wildfire

escaped prescribed fire CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development

A prescribed fire that has exceeded or is expected to exceed prescription parameters or otherwise meets the criteria for conversion to wildfire.

ESF Coordinator NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

An entity which oversees the preparedness activities for a particular ESF and coordinates with its primary and support agencies.

ESF Primary Agency NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

A Federal agency with significant authorities, roles, resources, and capabilities for a particular function within an ESF.

ESF Support Agency NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

An entity with specific capabilities or resources that support the primary agencies in executing the mission of the ESF.

Estimated Asset Cost

Approximate planned funding for the Group 30 Budget Object Class that covers Aquisition of Assets (more specifically - Equipment, Land and Structures, Investments and Loans).

estimated containment date FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Approved

The expected containment or completion date of the incident.

Estimated Contractual Cost
Estimated Durability

Estimated duration in years (1-300) that treatment will accomplish its purpose.
 
This information is intended to support the understanding of maintenance needs as well as anticipated effectiveness when intersected by a wildfire (e.g. if expected to be effective for 8 years, and an intersection occurs at 10 and the treatment fails - it would have performed as expected without maintenance)

Estimated Grants Fixed Cost

Approximate planned funding for the Group 40 Budget Object Class that covers Grants and Fixed Charges (more specifically - Grants, Subsidies, and Contributions, Insurance Claims and Indemnities, Interest and Dividends, and Refunds).

estimated incident cost IBC Incident Business Committee Approved

Estimated dollar amount associated with an incident.

Estimated Other Cost

Approximate planned funding for the Group 90 Budget Object Class that covers Other Charges (more specifically - Unvouchered, Undistributed, Financial Transfers, Adjustments for Rounding)

Estimated Personnel Cost

Approximate planned funding for the Group 10 Budget Object Class that covers Personnel Compensation and Benefits ( more specifically includes Personnel Compensation, Personnel Benefits, and Benefits for Former Personnel).

Estimated Position Error (EPE) WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

A measurement of horizontal position error for a GPS unit expressed in feet or meters.

Estimated Success Probability

25% Treatment objectives are difficult to achieve and/or multiple treatments are likely to be necessary to achieve success.
 
50% Treatment objectives are moderately difficult to achieve and/or additional treatments are likely to be necessary to achieve success.
 
75% Treatment objectives are moderately easy to achieve and/or just one additional treatment is likely to be necessary to achieve success.
 
100% Treatment objectives are easy to achieve and/or this is likely the final treatment necessary to achieve success.

Estimated Time En Route (ETE) IBC Incident Business Committee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Term used in resource planning/following to estimate time spent between points.

Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) IBC Incident Business Committee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Term used in resource planning/following to estimate time of arrival at a point.

Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) IBC Incident Business Committee, NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

Term used in resource planning/following to estimate time of departure from a point.

Estimated Total Cost

Sum of all estimated cost fields.

evacuation NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

The organized, phased, and supervised withdrawal, dispersal, or removal of people and/or animals from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas, and their reception and care in safe areas.

evaluate FMB Fire Management Board Approved

To review and compare outcomes with management and incident objectives desired for a wildland fire. One of the six component activities in an adaptive management process that may lead to adjusting future actions.

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NWCG Latest Announcements

Great Basin Cache Construction Impacts NWCG Publications Delivery

Date: February 13, 2024
Contact: Randy Chindarak 

Please be advised that construction at the Great Basin Cache will impact the delivery of NWCG publications and training products after February 21st. If you have a need for hard copy publications or training materials, please put your order in ASAP and those orders will be sent out within the next week. This impact is anticipated to last two weeks.

Last date to order publications prior to demolition is February 21, 2024.

References:

NWCG NFES Catalog - Part 2: Publications, PMS 449-2

NWCG Work Capacity Test Administrator's Guide, PMS 307

Date: December 7, 2023
Contact: Risk Management Committee (RMC) 

An updated NWCG Work Capacity Test Administrator's Guide is now available. This publication is intended to aid WCT Administrators in preparing and performing a WCT. 

The WCT Administrator will be able to complete proper paperwork and administer respective job-related field tests to determine a worker's capacity to meet NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1.

References:

NWCG Work Capacity Test Administrator's Guide, PMS 307

Updated NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Date: December 6, 2023
Contact: Interagency Aerial Supervision Subcommittee (IASS) 

The December 2023 revision of the NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505, is now available for download. No changes have been made to the associated forms and documents.

References:

NWCG Standards for Aerial Supervision, PMS 505

Training catalog will migrate to the Wildland Fire Learning Portal

Date: October 23, 2023
Contact: NWCG Training 

In November 2023, the training catalog will be migrated from the NWCG website to the Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP) as part of a streamlining and process improvement effort. This will first occur for all training that is required for positions, followed by training that has been recommended for positions.

References:

NWCG Training Courses

Wildland Fire Learning Portal (WFLP)