NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

A device that adds a predetermined amount of foam concentrate to water to form foam solution.

Areas for which a fire protection organization has the primary responsibility for managing a wildfire and directing fire management actions. Such responsibility may be authorized by law, contract, or personal interest of the firefighting agent (e.g., a lumber operator). Note: Several agencies or entities may have some basic responsibilities (e.g., private owner) without being known as the fire organization having primary responsibility.

The side of an object opposite the oncoming fire and therefore shielded from the oncoming fire by the object itself.

The entity responsible for providing direct incident management and services to a given area pursuant to its jurisdictional responsibility or as specified by law, contract or agreement.

A geographical area which is administratively defined and for which organized fire suppression activities are formally planned.

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 exterior perimeter of an area within which a specified fire agency has assumed a degree of responsibility for wildland fire control. It may include land in addition to that for which the agency has jurisdiction or contractual responsibility.

Any government organization that is a source of resources for response or mutual aid support to an incident, whether in the field, at the scene of an incident, or operations center.  This includes government organizations that administer contracts or agreements for resources.

General name for instruments designed to determine the moisture content of air. A psychrometer consists of dry- and wet-bulb thermometers that give the dry- and wet-bulb temperatures, which in turn are used to determine relative humidity and dew point.

Aircraft used only in the service of a government or a political subdivision. It does not include any government-owned aircraft engaged in carrying persons for commercial purposes.

A combination chopping and trenching tool widely used in fireline construction, which combines a single-bitted axe blade with a narrow adze-like trenching blade fitted to a straight handle.

Partly decayed material, such as old wood, in which fire can smolder unless it is carefully mopped up and extinguished. A good receptor for firebrands when dry.

The thermal or chemical decomposition of fuel at an elevated temperature. This is the preignition combustion phase of burning during which heat energy is absorbed by the fuel which, in turn, gives off flammable tars, pitches, and gases.

A mixture of chemicals designed to produce heat, light, gas, smoke or noise.

Mapping unit which defines an area in terms of longitude and latitude distance. Two common scales are 1:24,000 quadrangles, which are 7.5' longitude x 7.5' latitude, and 1:62,500 quadrangles, which are 15' longitude x 15' latitude.

A written resume of an expert witness used to show that expert's sufficient special expertise in the field.

This subsystem of NIIMS provides recommended qualification and certification for those personnel responding to an incident regionally or nationally, allowing for the development of local minimum standards to meet local needs. Standards typically include training, experience, and physical fitness.

An individual, other than a member of the crew, aboard an aircraft whose presence is required to perform, or is associated with the performance of, a governmental function.

Qualitative risk assessment is the application of judgment based in knowledge and experience when assessing wildfire risk, the potential for ignitions and recommendations regarding possible ways to mitigate the risk.

Quantitative risk assessments provide a method by which we can calculate risk based on measurements or estimates of various risk components such as likelihood of fire occurrence, intensity of fire should it occur, and susceptibility to fire of the various values being evaluated.

A magnetic bearing extending from a ground-based navigational system, providing airborne navigation information.

A thermal trauma that maybe a superficial, partial thickness or full thickness burn.

The amount of heat flowing through a given area in a given time, usually expressed as calories/square centimeter/second.

Propagation of energy in free space by virtue of joint, undulatory variations in the electric or magnetic fields in space, (i.e., by electromagnetic waves).

Transfer of heat in straight lines through a gas or vacuum other than by heating of the intervening space.

A cache may consist of a number of portable radios, base station, and, in some caches, a radio repeater that is stored in a predetermined location for dispatch to incidents.

Determination of position by one or more radio navigational aids.

A device carried aloft by a balloon equipped with measuring instruments that automatically convert temperature, pressure, and humidity data into electrical impulses and transmit this information to a ground recorder.

A fire resulting from any operation or activity of a railroad, except smoking.

Any wildfire on rangeland.

Technique of landing specifically trained and certified firefighters from hovering helicopters; involves sliding down ropes with the aid of friction-producing devices.

The relative activity of a fire in extending its horizontal dimensions. It is expressed as rate of increase of the total perimeter of the fire, as rate of forward spread of the fire front, or as rate of increase in area, depending on the intended use of the information. Usually it is expressed in chains or acres per hour for a specific period in the fire's history.

A factor usually on a scale of 1 to 100 which represents a relative rate of forward spread for a specific fuel condition and fixed weather conditions (or fuel model). Factors can be used as multipliers, arguments for entering tables, or provide a ratio of values between two fuels. 

A device that computes the probable rate of spread of a fire for different combinations of fuel moisture, wind speed, and other selected factors.

The period of time during which a fire danger rating value is considered valid or representative for administrative or other purposes. Normally it is 24 hours extending from midnight to midnight.

Method of upper-air observation consisting of an evaluation of the wind speed and wind direction, temperature, pressure, and relative humidity aloft by means of a balloon-borne radiosonde tracked by a radar or radio direction-finder.

Confirmation through the re-issuance of an incident qualification card that an individual has regained qualifications for a specified position that was lost through a lack of current experience. A key component in the certification or re-certification process is the subjective evaluation by the appropriate agency official of an individual's capability to perform in a position. 

The rate of heat release, per unit area of the flaming fire front, expressed as heat energy/area/time, such as Btu/square foot/minute, or Kcal/square meter/second.

Condition or degree of being completely ready to cope with a potential fire situation.

Mental readiness to recognize changes in fire danger and act promptly when action is appropriate.

That portion of a fire spreading directly into the wind or down slope.

That portion of a fire edge opposite the head.

Slowest spreading portion of a fire edge.

The rationale an agency responded to an incident where the point of origin is on unprotected land.

Control measures developed by EPA which apply to residential wood combustion, fugitive dust, and prescribed and silvicultural burning in and around "moderate" PM-10 non-attainment areas. RACM is designed to bring an area back into attainment and uses a smoke management program which relies on weather forecasts for burn/no-burn days.