NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Use of two or more fire pumps to move water a distance which would require excessive pressures in order to overcome friction loss if only one pump were employed at the source.

A tank, usually collapsible, used as a reservoir in the relay of water from one fire pump to another.

The order that defines when personnel and/or equipment will be ready for release from an incident.

A resource on a filled request has been released, but the demobilization travel has not started.

A pressure-controlled device which bypasses water at a fire pump to prevent excessive pressures when a nozzle is shut down.

An airfield where airtankers are reloaded but not permanently stationed.

A weather station that transmits weather observations via GOES satellite to the Wildland Fire Management Information system.

A radio signal station that automatically relays a radio transmission, sometimes over a different frequency, thereby increasing the range of transmission. Repeaters are often named for the mountaintops or peaks where they are installed.

Elapsed time from fire discovery until the first personnel charged with initiating action for fire suppression are notified of its existence and location.

Any wildfire that requires fire suppression to protect natural resources or values associated with natural resources, or is destructive to natural resources.

Location or facilities where incoming resources can check-in at the incident. Check-in locations include: incident command post (resources unit), incident base, camps, staging areas, helibases, helispots, and direct to the line. Check-in at one location only. 

The entity submitting a given incident report.

A scale that expresses the ratio of th emap distance to the ground distance in ‘SAME’ units of measurements. It is usually written as a fraction or ratio.

As resources are ordered to respond to an incident, Request Numbers (occasionally referred to as a resource order number) are issued. The order number includes the incident number, an alpha character (S = Supplies, E = Equipment, O = Overhead, A = Aircraft, C = Crews, M = Agency Provided Medical Care) followed by a sequential number.

Documented, satisfactory performance in a specified position needed to qualify for another (usually higher level) position. Required experience cannot be challenged.

A course or courses that must be completed prior to initiating a position task book. Training which has been identified as required cannot be challenged; an agency equivalent course may be used as a substitute when the course meets or exceeds a required course's learning and performance objectives. 

Saving a life from fire or accident; removing a victim from an untenable or unhealthy atmosphere.

Any staffed ground vehicle capable of providing medical services.

Any staffed ground vehicle capable of providing emergency medical care and staffed with appropriate number of trained personnel and equipment for that incident.

In wildland fire suppression terminology resources not assigned to a specific task, but available for assignment.

The resource has been assigned to a request but has not started travel. Either no travel has been assigned, or if travel has been assigned, the ETD has not yet passed.

The time, in seconds, required for the flaming front of a fire to pass a stationary point at the surface of the fuel. The total length of time that the flaming front of the fire occupies one point.

The total number of residences destroyed, or damaged to an extent requiring rebuilding, as a result of the fire. Residence is defined as a place where one lives; a house, apartment, or other shelter used as the residence of a person, family or household. This includes primary and secondary residences.

The total number of residences threatened by the fire. Residence is defined as a place where one lives; a house, apartment, or other shelter used as the residence of a person, family or household. This includes primary and secondary residences. Residences are threatened if they are at risk of loss or damage, or endangered during the course of the fire. This includes, but is not limited to, residences subject to mandatory evacuation.

The smoldering zone behind the zone of an advancing fire front.

Smoke produced by smoldering material. The flux of smoke originating well after the active flaming combustion period with little or no vertical buoyancy and, therefore, most susceptible to subsidence inversions and down-valley flows.

In general, the ability of a system (ecological or human) to resist damage and recover from a disturbance. In ecology, resilience refers to the ability of the system to return to the pre-disturbed state with no assessment of whether that state is desirable or not. From a social perspective, resilience references the ability to return to the original state but also refers to the ability to recover to a state more likely to resist or recover quickly from future disturbances.

At a general level used to refer to the ability of a system (ecological or human) to resist damage and recover from a disturbance. In ecology, resiliency tends to refer to the ability of the system to return to the pre disturbance state with no assessment of whether that state is desirable or not. From a social perspective, resilience may reference ability to return to the original state but also can refer to the ability to recover to a state more likely to resist or recover quickly from future disturbance.

The relative difficulty of constructing and holding a control line as affected by resistance to line construction and by fire behavior.

The relative difficulty of constructing control line as determined by the fuel, topography, and soil.

The ability of the wildland fire program to respond to current and anticipated workload needs for the area of concern.

The competency level in which the overhead resource is qualified to perform a position. May also be used to define how the resource performed on a specific incident. In both cases the capacity is defined as “trainee” or “qualified”.

The form used by dispatchers, service personnel, and logistics coordinators to document the request, ordering or release of resources, and the tracking of those resources on an incident.

An event dealing with agency-specific non-fire program(s), such as forestry, mining, wildlife, fisheries, recreation, etc. Includes mechanical fuel treatment, timber operations, aerial bug-spraying projects, Rainbow gatherings, etc.

The date and time that reflects the period for which the resource counts are current.

Visual aid containing pertinent information regarding fire organization, current operational period resources, previous operational period resources, and next operational period resources being prepared; placed at a convenient location in fire camp for review by fireline overhead personnel on large fires. 

The IRWIN username of the system that currently is the System of Record for the resource and the capabilities for that resource.

The process that all incident personnel and equipment from associated organizations use to maintain information regarding the location and status of resources ordered for or assigned to an incident.

Fire suppression planning tool providing a relative expression (in five classes) of fire effects on all resources (not the value of the resources themselves).

The natural resources of an area, such as timber, grass, watershed values, recreation values, and wildlife habitat.

Personnel and equipment available or potentially available for assignment to incident operations and for which status is maintained. Resources are described by kind and type.

Resources Unit staff track the location and status of all resources assigned to an incident. They ensure all assigned resources have checked in at the incident.

A device that is designed to protect the wearer from the adverse effects of inhalation hazards by removing contaminants from the surrounding air or by supplying clean air from a safe source.

Administrative entity that provides resources in response to the incident.

Agency with primary responsibility for fire suppression on any particular land area.

Airspace of defined dimensions identified by an area on the surface of the earth within the flight of an aircraft, which is subject to restrictions (but not wholly prohibited).

Aircraft that is generally used for cargo, retardant dropping, agricultural operations, survey work and other specific projects, and may not transport passengers.