NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

A circular holding pattern of an aircraft around a fixed location often related to a wildland fire. For example, the circular pattern of an airtanker in the vicinity of a wildland fire, waiting to make a retardant drop.

An employee is on duty, and time spent on standby duty is hours of work if, for work-related reasons, the employee is restricted by official order to a designated post of duty and is assigned to be in a state of readiness to perform work with limitations on the employee’s activities so substantial the employee cannot use the time effectively for his or her own purposes. A finding that an employee’s activities are substantially limited may not be based on the fact that an employee is subject to restrictions necessary to ensure that the employee will be able to perform his or her duties and responsibilities, such as restrictions on alcohol consumption or use of certain medications (5 CFR 551.431(a) (1)).

That fraction of the soil that includes plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil organisms, and substances synthesized by the soil population.

Any soil or soil horizon containing at least 30% organic matter (e.g., muck, peat).

The organizational element having responsibility within a functional area in the incident command structure such as operations, planning, logistics or finance.

Pertaining to, or caused by mountains.

Photograph obtained from the orthogonal (i.e., horizontal) projection of a correctly oriented stereoscopic model formed by two overlapping aerial photographs; an orthophoto is free of tilt and relief displacements.

Aerial photographs corrected to scale such that geographic measurements may be taken directly from prints. They may contain graphically emphasized geographic features and may be provided with overlays of such features as: water systems, facility location, etc. 

A sighting device used by lookouts to determine the horizontal bearing and sometimes the vertical angle of a fire from a lookout.

A constructed building not designed for continuous human occupancy, such as barns, commercial buildings, etc.

The total number of structures, other than residences, threatened by the fire. Other structure is defined as a constructed building not designed for continuous human occupancy, such as barns, commercial buildings, etc. Other structures are threatened if they are at risk of loss or damage, or endangered during the course of the fire. This typically includes other structures subject to mandatory evacuation.

Courses defined as containing supplemental knowledge and skills not required for safe and tactical operations success on a wildfire.

All observable combustion has ceased and there is no risk of the fire again becoming active and requiring additional control or management actions.

Resources assigned to an incident but unable to respond for mechanical, rest, or personal reasons.

Firefighting assistance given to adjacent areas and nearby communities by contract or other agreement that covers conditions and payment for assistance rendered and services performed. Contrasted to mutual aid, in which neighboring firefighting organizations assist each other without charge. 

External diameter of a cylinder or tube, conductor, or coupling as distinguished from the internal diameter.

Fire department procedure of inspecting premises after extinguishment of fire, to insure that fire is completely out and unable to rekindle before returning control to owner or occupants.

Personnel assigned to supervisory positions, including incident commander, command staff, general staff, branch directors, supervisors, unit leaders, managers and staff.

A situation that taxes an operational system to the limit of its functional capabilities. Such as too many fires for an individual unit to handle (fire overload), or too many orders for an individual dispatch center to process (dispatch overload).

Gross vehicle weight (GVW) in excess of the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) specified by the chassis manufacturer. Also an excess of weight over the gross vehicle axle weight rating (GAWR) specified by the chassis manufacture.

A fire that persists through the winter months until the beginning of fire season.

A party that provides a contract resource for an incident.

Process during which oxygen combines with another substance.

The portion of a chemical mixture or compound which furnishes oxygen for burning a fuel or propellant, creating an oxide.

Used to determine the aerobic capacity of fire suppression support personnel and assign physical fitness scores. The test consists of walking a specified distance, with or without a weighted pack, in a predetermined period of time, with altitude corrections. 

The fraction of a fuel bed occupied by fuels, or the fuel volume divided by bed volume.

Photographs from a lookout point, bearing azimuth and vertical angle scales, to assist in locating fires with a firefinder.

Anything intentionally dropped, or intended for dropping, from any aircraft by parachute, by other retarding devices, or by free fall.

Method of fire suppression in which fireline is constructed approximately parallel to, and just far enough from the fire edge to enable workers and equipment to work effectively, though the fireline may be shortened by cutting across unburned fingers. The intervening strip of unburned fuel is normally burned out as the control line proceeds but may be allowed to burn out unassisted where this occurs without undue delay or threat to the fireline. 

A search technique dividing the specific origin area into lanes that are parallel to the advancing fire progression for the purpose of a systematic examination.

Procedure by which the flow from two fire pumps is combined into one hose line.

Procedure by which the flow from two fire pumps is combined into a third pump.

A variable which can be measured quantitatively; sometimes, an arbitrary constant; associated with populations. One of the unknown values that determine a model.

If related to other Treatments or Activities, Parent Treatment or Activity ID is displayed

Contribution of a specific source to human-caused risk, derived from the daily activity level assigned a risk source and its risk source ratio.

Contribution to human-caused risk made by a specific risk source; a function of the daily activity level assigned that risk source and the appropriate risk source ratio.

A burn where the outer layer of skin is burned through and the second layer of skin (dermis) is damaged and is typically, a painful injury. Burns of this type cause reddening, blistering, and a mottled appearance.

The size of a piece of fuel, often expressed in terms of size classes.

Any liquid or solid particles. "Total suspended particulates", as used in air quality, are those particles suspended in or falling through the atmosphere. They generally range in size (diameter) from 0.1 to 100 micrometers.

Different areas of the fire usually determined by the predominant direction of fire spread and delineated from the fastest moving area (head) to the slowest moving area (base or tail). The most rapidly moving portion is designated the head of the fire, the adjoining portions of the perimeter at right angles to the head are known as the flanks, and the slowest moving portion is known as the rear or the base of the fire. 

Any person aboard an aircraft who does not perform the function of a flight crew member or qualified non-crew member.

A fire in the crowns of trees in which trees or groups of trees torch, ignited by the passing front of the fire. The torching trees reinforce the spread rate, but these fires are not basically different from surface fires.

Burning in patches to prepare sites for group planting or sowing or to form a barrier to subsequent fires.

A person or group of persons who carries out patrol actions.

To travel over a given route to prevent, detect, and suppress fires. Includes interaction with the public for wildland fire prevention and educational purposes.

To go back and forth vigilantly over a length of control line during and/or after construction to prevent breakovers, suppress spot fires, and extinguish overlooked hotspots.