NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

This involves the recall of more information than a level 1 and allows the student more control over the lesson scenario through screen icons and other peripherals, such as light pens or touch screens. Typically level 2 is used for non-complex operations and maintenance lessons. Simple emulations or simulations are presented to the user. As an example, the user is requested to rotate switches, turn dials, make adjustments, or identify and replace a faulted component as part of a procedure. This also may include simple to standard developed graphics, and/or clip art, and video and audio clips. 

A system of interactive computer programs for modeling fuel and fire behavior, comprised of two systems: BURN and FUEL. 

A specification for standardizing the reusability and interoperability of learning content. SCORM has been developed by the Advanced Distributed Learning initiative (ADL). SCORM focuses on two critical pieces of learning content interoperability:

It defines an aggregation model for packaging learning content.
It defines an API for enabling communications between learning content and the system that launches it.

Soil pushed over the edge of a fireline by a tractor plow or dozer.

Resources dispatched to an incident, that have not yet checked in.

Elapsed time from origin of fire to arrival of the first suppression force.

Any resource or grouping of resources on which individual status is maintained.

Cleared path wide enough to permit single-lane vehicular access in a remote area.

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

Continuing fire suppression action until fire is under control.

Training device that imposes simulated fire and smoke on a landscape image, for the purpose of instructing fire suppression personnel in different fire situations and fire suppression techniques.

Person combining the functions of lookout and dispatcher.

The area where the factors that principally determine home ignition potential during extreme wildfire behavior (high fire intensities and burning embers) are present. The characteristics of a home and its immediate surroundings within 100 feet comprise the HIZ.

Individuals within ICS organizational units who are responsible for recording information. Recorders may be found in planning, logistics and finance/administration units.

A circle, graduated in degrees, printed on some charts or marked on the ground at an airport or heliport. It is used as a reference to either true or magnetic direction.

A map having lines of equal elevation that represent the land surface (Topographic).

Angle or bearing 180 degrees opposite of azimuth.

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.

The specific results expected from completing a project.

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.

Incident Position standards are a component of NWCG standards. They enable consistent and uniform performance by personnel mobilized by position under NIMS-ICS principles. Incident position standards include incident position descriptions (duties and responsibilities) and position qualification requirements for training, experience, physical fitness, and position currency.

Landscaped and regularly maintained fuel break, usually put to some additional use (e.g., golf course, park, playground).

Person responsible to the Compensation/Claims Unit Leader for administrative matters arising from serious injuries and fatalities occurring on the incident.

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

An area established by the government of a state primarily for public recreation or for the preservation of unique natural or historic resources, administrative details varying widely. NOTE: Such parks may also be established by lesser administrative units, e.g. counties, municipalities, and also by large private owners. 

Assigned resources which have checked in at the incident.

Map showing the time required for the initial attack crew to reach various parts of a protection unit from specified positions.

The 24-hour clock system where midnight is 2400, one minute after midnight is 0001 and progresses to 2400 daily.

The message center is part of the incident communications center and is collocated or placed adjacent to it. It receives, records, and routes information about resources reporting to the incident, resource status, and administrative and tactical traffic.

Person whose principal function is fire suppression.

An individual who may be assigned to or requested by an incident to serve as the sending unit's representative to oversee the care and treatment of crews, overhead, and equipment assigned to an incident.

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. 

A concept of providing access to quality wildland fire education and training using appropriate instructional technology, delivered anywhere, anytime to prepare a fire management work force to safely achieve fire management objectives.

Conceptually represents the optimum integration of modern educational methods and professional staff development training with state of the art technology. The primary goal is enhancing on-the-job performance, motivation, and learning performance.

Substantial transportation route for fire suppression motor vehicles, built prior to a fire. Also known as a fire road.

Any federal, state, or local emergency public safety, law enforcement, emergency responder, emergency medical (including hospital emergency facilities), and related personnel, agencies, and authorities. It is any organization responding to an emergency, or providing mutual aid support to such an organization, whether in the field, at the scene of an incident, or operations center. 

An activity that imitates something real, but it is not real itself and it can be altered by users for the specific purpose of providing an experiential learning environment. Examples: Sand Table Exercise or CBT/WBT Forest Service Wildland Fire Simulation Scenario Editor. 

The horizontal direction to or from any point, usually measured clockwise from true north, or some other reference point through 360 degrees.

A fire edge that crosses a control line or natural barrier intended to confine the fire.

The collected technical fire protection standards prepared by various committees of the National Fire Protection Association and published annually in 15 volumes.

A lookout point that must be staffed to meet planned minimum seen area coverage in a given locality. For that reason, continuous service is necessary during the normal fire season and the lookout (person) is not sent to fires.

Person combining the functions of lookout and firefighter.

A quantitative expression of the presence or absence of individuals of a species in a population; the ratio between the number of sample units that contain a species and the total number of sample units.

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

A description of the intended outcome of a training class, program, or evolution. The learning objective identifies the condition, the task, and the standard to which the student much achieve.

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

Observers are posted at one or more strategic locations in the proximity of a fire to detect and warn fire personnel of pending critical weather changes that might significantly affect the fire.

Any premeditated, unlawful act dangerous to human life or public welfare that is intended to intimidate or coerce civilian populations or governments.

A plan that integrates federal government domestic prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery plans into one all-discipline, all-hazard plan.

A general term for a firefighter, lookout, patrol, prevention guard, or other person directly employed for prevention and/or detection and suppression of fires.