NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Elapsed time from completion of original mopping up until the fire is declared to be extinguished.

Any light, mobile unit with limited pumping and water capacity.

The distribution of an aerially delivered retardant drop on the target area in terms of its length, width, and momentum (velocity x mass) as it approaches the ground. The latter determines the relative coverage level of the fire retardant on fuel within the pattern. 

A group of indicators in a close proximity, of the same or different categories, that exhibit consistent directional values.

Weight of passengers and/or cargo being carried by an aircraft.

That period of the fire season during which fires are expected to ignite most readily, to burn with greater than average intensity, and to create damages at an unacceptable level.

Highest monthly average of human-caused fires calculated for a protection unit.

The greatest 5-second average wind speed during the previous hour that exceeded 25 knots.

Direction at peak wind speed.

Maximum wind speed during the previous 60 minutes.

Passage of liquid through a porous body, as movement of water through soil.

A plant that lives for more than two growing seasons. For fire danger rating purposes, biennial plants are classed with perennial plants.

A chart, table, or graph provided by the manufacturer for use in determining an aspect of helicopter and fixed-wing aircraft performance.

On-the-job performance enhancement is a result of online training. Performance oriented objectives or learning objectives for this training is developed, agreed to, and tested to ensure skill transfer. The purpose of learning objectives is to define the type of learning or performance outcomes that will occur at the conclusion of instruction and how learning will be assessed. Both objectives and performance outcomes should be written as precisely as possible in order to best determine whether they have been achieved. 

Any road, trail, or route that will allow firefighting forces to reach the perimeter of a wildland fire.

The date and time that the fire perimeter was collected (mapped).

Period of time when suppression crews, equipment, and aircraft are kept ready for deployment on short notice; usually employed when fire danger reaches a predetermined severity index.

A short term for "permanently frozen ground"; any part of the earth's crust, bedrock, or soil mantle that remains below 32° F (0° C) continuously for a number of years.

A system created to rank create, read, update, delete actions on business applications to ensure a system can only take those actions when they are considered an authoritative data source, which varies based on the state of the incident.

The authorization stage of create, read, update and delete actions in an application based on where the incident is occurring within the lifecyle.

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

That equipment and clothing required to mitigate the risk of injury from or exposure to hazardous conditions encountered during the performance of duty. PPE includes but is not limited to: fire resistant clothing, hard hat, flight helmets, shroud, goggles, gloves, respirators, hearing protection, chainsaw chaps, and shelter. 

The ability to account for the location and welfare of personnel, accomplished when supervisors ensure that the ICS principles and processes are functional and personnel are working within these guidelines.

Personnel who have reported to the incident without an assignment (i.e., they are not assigned to an increment, strike team, or organizational unit).

The documented location where a photograph was taken.

Piling slash resulting from logging or fuel management activities and subsequently burning the individual piles.

A method of determining winds aloft by periodically reading the elevation and azimuth angles of a theodolite, usually at one-minute intervals, while tracking the ascent of a small free-lift balloon. A PIBAL is commonly used for constructing a wind profile. 

Pilot responsible for the operation and safety of an aircraft during flight time.

Navigation of aircraft by visual reference to landmarks.

Colored flags attached to metal or plastic pins to designate the location of fire pattern indicators, evidence, and other items of interest.

A hose coupling with one or more cylindrical studs on its outside rim. The studs allow the use of a spanner wrench to tighten the coupling.

Direct attack around a fire in opposite directions by two or more attack units. Usually conducted from the fire's tail to head.

Mechanized method of dispensing DAIDs (Delayed Aerial Ignition Devices) at a selected rate. The DAIDs are polystyrene balls, 1.25 inches in diameter, containing potassium permanganate. The balls are fed into a dispenser, generally mounted in a helicopter, where they are injected with a water-glycol solution and then drop through a chute leading out of the helicopter. The chemicals react thermally and ignite in 25-30 seconds. The space between ignition points on the ground is primarily a function of helicopter speed, gear ratio of the dispenser, and the number of chutes used (up to four). 

A vascular plant that has a usually continuous central internal stand of spongy tissue in the stem.

The selected course of action and organization of personnel and equipment in fire suppression, as applied to a particular fire or to all fires of a specific type.

That part of the earth's lower atmosphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the earth's surface and responds to surface forcings such as fronts, friction, evapotranspiration and convective mixing.

Period of time between scheduled planning meetings.

The meeting which serves as a final review and approval, by the Command and General Staff, of operational plans and resources requirements. This meeting is an element of the Planning Cycle.

The ICS Section that collects, evaluates, and disseminates operational information related to the incident and for the development of the IAP. This section also maintains information on the current/forecasted situation and on the status of resources assigned to the incident.

Device installed, but jettisonable, in a helicopter, which injects glycol into a plastic sphere containing potassium permanganate, which is then expelled from the machine and aircraft. This produces an exothermic reaction resulting in ignition of fuels on the ground for prescribed or wildland fire applications. 

Fireline constructed by a tractor plow.

A convection column generated by combustion (of wildland fuel).

How high above the level of release an emission plume rises.

A wildland fire whose activity is determined by the convection column.

Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 10 micrometers.

Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.

A handheld electronic device that measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, and possibly other atmospheric variables, depending on brand and model.

Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers or slow burning areas.

The date and time that the fire point was collected in the field.