NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

A layer of clouds whose ratio of dense sky cover to total sky cover is more than one-half.

Sky cover that prevents detection of higher clouds or the sky above it.

The ratio of the original volume of the nonaerated foam solution to the resultant volume of foam. The inverse of expansion.

Pressure altitude corrected for temperature.

A progressive destruction of bone or tooth; especially: tooth decay.

Above Agency in hierarchy.

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

An NDVI-derived image of vegetation greenness compared to its average greenness for the current week of the year.

A low place in the ground having no outlet for surface drainage.

The reduction in forest floor thickness due to consumption by fire.

Sometimes referred to as "alligatoring", where combustible material appears to have a fissured or scaly appearance similar to an alligator's hide. Most commonly associated with finished lumber products, such as boards and fence posts.

A fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be delegated the authority to manage a functional operation or to perform a specific task. In some cases, a deputy can act as relief for a superior, and, therefore, should be fully qualified in the position. Deputies generally can be assigned to the Incident Commander, EOC director, General Staff, and branch directors.

A type of train wreck that occurs when a rail vehicle such as a train comes off its rails.

Chemical that, when applied to a living plant, causes or accelerates drying of its aerial parts; used to facilitate burning of living vegetation by substantially lowering fuel moisture content within a few hours.

Those areas identified as principal population centers or other areas requiring protection under state or federal air quality laws or regulations.

The address where the unit must be physically located, and dispatched from, during the mandatory availability period.

The means by which the fire was initially observed.

An extreme rapid decomposition of a material in which the reaction is more than a sonic velocity, for example, high explosives.

Temperature to which a specified parcel of air must cool, at constant pressure and water-vapor content, in order for saturation to occur. The dew point is always lower than the wet-bulb temperature, which is always lower than the dry-bulb temperature, except when the air is saturated and all three values are equal. Fog may form when temperature drops to equal the dew point. 

A scale drawing showing information about a fire scene.

Fingers or islands of less intensely burned areas or areas where the fire has self extinguished.

A set of points which defines the terrain as numbers for computer applications. This data may be used to draw contours, make ortho photos, slope maps, and drive fire models.

A control strategy used in managing smoke from prescribed fires in which smoke concentration is reduced by diluting it through a greater volume of air, either by scheduling during good dispersion conditions or burning at a slower rate.

A natural or manmade water site that a helicopter can fill their bucket with water, such as a stream, river, lake, swimming pool, etc...

Any treatment applied directly to burning fuel such as wetting, smothering, or chemically quenching the fire or by physically separating the burning from unburned fuel.

Any treatment applied directly to burning fuel such as wetting, smothering, or chemically quenching the fire or by physically separating the burning from unburned fuel.

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. 

The physical characteristics of the indicators that show the direction of fire spread, i.e., advancing, backing, or lateral.

Driving directions to water source for trucks.

The ICS title for individuals responsible for supervision of a branch. Also, an organizational title for an individual responsible for managing and directing the team in an EOC.

Materials such as cigarette butts, cigars, and matches.

Determination that a fire exists. Location and reporting of a fire is not required as is with detection.

Elapsed time from start of fire (known or estimated) until the time of the first discovery that results directly in fire suppression action.

A separate radio frequency most commonly used in air traffic control which reduces frequency congestion by controlling the number of aircraft or other resources operating on a particular frequency.

The ordered movement of a resource or resources to an assigned operational mission, or an administrative move from one location to another.

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).

The dispatch center actively supporting an incident and the resources assigned or a resource who is temporarily transferred for official action i.e. details, temporary duty station, etc.

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.

The current dispatch center for an incident.

Either the home or current dispatch center for a resource.

Name of the Dispatch Area or Zone

The city and state of the dispatch center

Name of the dispatch center

Unit Identifier for the dispatch center

Levels of the wildland fire dispatch and coordination system

An organizational unit responsible for managing the effective coordination, mobilization, and demobilization of emergency management resources for their respective organizational unit e.g., GACC.

An organizational unit responsible for initial attack dispatching, coordination of communications, intelligence gathering and dissemination, and logistical support for local incidents and field operations for their respective organizational unit e.g., local dispatch or Command Center.

The decrease in concentration of airborne pollutants as they spread throughout an increasing volume of atmosphere.

In WIMS, a one-digit number representing the number of decision points used to evaluate the magnitude of the Staffing Index.