NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

The individual who is qualified in the position being evaluated, or supervises the position being evaluated, having responsibility for observing task(s) being performed and documenting successful performance for agency certification or re-certification. Evaluator responsibilities must remain separate from the individual assigned as Trainer/Coach. 

The transformation of a liquid to its gaseous state; heat is released by the liquid during this process.

A generic term that relates to both planned and unplanned response activities by the interagency wildland fire community.

An incident that is a scheduled non-emergency activity (e.g., sporting event, concert, parade).

An area where evidence or potential evidence is or may be located and should be secured and protected from unauthorized entry.

Categories of employees as defined in the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), who are either covered or exempted from coverage under the ActPay entitlements vary depending on the employee's FLSA status.

Device which uses the exhaust gas flow of an engine for priming a centrifugal pump.

An organization needed to support an incident which expands along with the Incident Command System.

The ratio of the volume of the foam in its aerated state to the original volume of the non-aerated foam solution.

Documented performance in a position.

Someone with sufficient skill, knowledge, or experience in a given field so as to be capable of drawing inferences or reaching conclusions or opinions that an average person would not be competent to reach. The expert's opinion testimony should aim the judge or jury in their understanding of the fact at issue. 

The side of an object facing the oncoming fire.

Direction in which a slope faces, usually with respect to cardinal directions.

The general surroundings of a site with special reference to its openness to winds.

Property that may be endangered by a fire burning in another structure or by a wildfire.

Classification for a fire not originating in a building, but which ignites building(s). A fire originating in one building and spreading to another is classified under the original cause of fire.

To drop retardant in such a way that the load slightly overlaps and links a previous drop. "Extend your last drop."

Actions taken on a wildfire that has exceeded the initial response.

An incident that exceeds the capability of the initial attack resources and/or organization to successfully manage the incident to conclusion.

The protection of structures from the exterior, with no interior access or activity.

A load that is carried or extends outside of the aircraft fuselage.

Maximum external stress load (in pounds) with full fuel and pilot in calm air at standard atmospheric temperature.

Substance used to put out a fire by cooling the burning material, blocking the supply of oxygen, or chemically inhibiting combustion.

For any particular fire which is neither contained nor controlled, any 24-hour period following the termination of the first burning period.

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. 

Person who sees evidence of criminal activity, actual commission of a crime or a criminal fleeing a crime scene.

Facilities Unit staff set up, maintain, and demobilize all facilities used in support of incident operations. This staff provides facility maintenance and law enforcement/security services needed for incident support. Facilities Unit staff set up the Incident Command Post (ICP), Incident Base, and camps (including trailers or other forms of shelter in and around the incident area) and ensure the maintenance of those facilities. This unit’s staff provide and maintain personnel support facilities, including areas for eating, sleeping, sanitation and showers, and staging. Staff in this unit order additional support items such as portable toilets, shower facilities, and lighting units through the Supply Unit.

A temperature scale on which 320 F denotes the temperature of melting ice, and 2120 F the temperature of boiling water, both under standard atmospheric pressure.

A person who fells trees.

Refers to the regulations governing all aviation activities of civil aircraft within the United States and its territories.

The person appointed by the President to coordinate federal assistance in the designated area following the declaration of a major disaster or emergency under the Stafford Act.

Principles and policies providing a common approach to wildland fire for federal agencies. The primary, interagency wildland fire policy document is the "Review and Update of the 1995 Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy" (January 2001). Implementation of that policy is through the "Guidance for Implementation of Federal Wildland Fire Management Policy" (February 2009).

Regular federal government employee who is compensated under the Federal Wage System and referred to as Wage Grade (WG), Wage Leader (WL), or Wage Supervisor (WS) employee.

Coupling made to receive a male coupling of the same thread, pitch and/or diameter.

A job-related test of work capacity designed for those with moderately strenuous duties. This test consists a two-mile hike with a 25-pound pack. A time of 30 minutes, the passing score for this test, approximates an aerobic fitness score of 40.

Large, portable tank from which helitankers can hoverfill.

An increase in the central pressure of a low. Counter-clockwise wind flow around the low usually decreases as filling occurs.

Flight path in the direction of the landing along the extended runway center line from the base leg to the runway.

The individual responsible for completing the position task book's verification statement once all tasks in the position task book have been completed and signed off. Only the evaluator on the final position performance assignment (the assignment in which all remaining tasks have been evaluated and signed off) will complete the verification statement recommending certification. 

Number of acres within the final fire perimeter of a specific, individual incident, including unburned and unburnable islands.

An airtanker is "on final" when it is on line with the target and intends to make the drop on that pass; also applies to cargo dropping.

The ICS Section responsible for an incident’s administrative and financial considerations.

The probable moisture content of fast-drying fuels which have a timelag constant of 1 hour or less; such as, grass, leaves, ferns, tree moss, pine needles, and small twigs (0-1/4").

Fast-drying dead or live fuels, generally characterized by a comparatively high surface area-to-volume ratio, which are less than 1/4-inch in diameter and have a timelag of one hour or less. These fuels (grass, leaves, needles, etc.) ignite readily and are consumed rapidly by fire when dry.

The long narrow extensions of a fire projecting from the main body.