NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

The basis for decision support for daily staffing of initial attack resources and other activities. A level of readiness and an indicator or daily preparedness.

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

The discharge of distinct pockets of water and air due to the insufficient mixing of foam concentrate, water, and air in a compressed air foam system.

An area that may be adversely affected by smoke from a prescribed burn.

The results of those factors in fire danger affecting long-term planning; involves consideration of past records and conditions and probable future trends.

The orderly line of authority within the rank of incident management organizations.

Agency personnel with specific delegation of procurement authority.

Property that may be endangered by a fire burning in another structure or by a wildfire.

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.

Removal or killing of unwanted vegetation, residue, etc. by use of fire, herbicides, or mechanical treatment in preparation for reforestation and future management.

Nautical miles per hour, equal to 1.15 mph.

A permanent source of air pollution that can be distinctly identified such as a smokestack.

The speed of an aircraft as shown on its pitot static airspeed indicator. Calibrated to reflect standard atmosphere adiabatic compressible flow at sea level, uncorrected for airspeed system errors.

Graph showing the increase in temperature at a specified point in a fire as a function of time, beginning with ignition and ending with burnout.

The general term referring to the undesirable addition of substances (gases, liquids, or solid particles) to the atmosphere that are foreign to the natural atmosphere or are present in quantities exceeding natural concentrations.

An airborne dust, fume, gas, mist, odor, smoke, vapor, soot, pollen, carbon, acid or particulate matter or any combination thereof.

An increase in the central pressure of a low. Counter-clockwise wind flow around the low usually decreases as filling occurs.

A NIMS guiding principle stating that each individual involved in incident management reports to and takes direction from only one person.

To detach two pieces of hose by backing the swivel thread off the nipple thread.

In fire suppression terminology, a fire spreading from any fire originally ignited to clear land or burn rubbish, garbage, crop stubble, or meadows (excluding incendiary fires).

Facilities Unit staff set up, maintain, and demobilize all facilities used in support of incident operations. This staff provides facility maintenance and law enforcement/security services needed for incident support. Facilities Unit staff set up the Incident Command Post (ICP), Incident Base, and camps (including trailers or other forms of shelter in and around the incident area) and ensure the maintenance of those facilities. This unit’s staff provide and maintain personnel support facilities, including areas for eating, sleeping, sanitation and showers, and staging. Staff in this unit order additional support items such as portable toilets, shower facilities, and lighting units through the Supply Unit.

Systematic process to comprehend the nature of risk, express and evaluate risk, with the available knowledge.

An extremely dense surface fog (water droplets suspended in the atmosphere) at the site of combustion that reduces visibility to less than three meters (ten feet).

The mass of particulate matter produced per unit mass of fuel consumed (pounds per ton, grams per kilogram).

The strategy employed in appropriate management responses where a fire perimeter is managed by a combination of direct and indirect actions and use of natural topographic features, fuel, and weather factors.

Fire hose with a smooth inner coating of rubber or plastic to reduce friction loss.

A fire in which a solid flame develops in the crowns of trees, but the surface and crown phases advance as a linked unit dependent on each other.

According to the American Meteorological Society, the layer of air near a boundary that is affected by friction against that boundary surface, and possibly by transport of heat and other variables across that surface.

According to the American Meteorological Society, the average temperature of the air as indicated by a properly exposed thermometer during a given time period, usually a day, a month, or a year.

The hours of a day (a daily tour-of-duty) and the days of an administrative workweek (a weekly tour-of-duty) that constitutes an employee's regularly scheduled administrative workweek.

Of, or pertaining to, measurement by weight.

Management of wildfire or prescribed fire to meet resource objectives specified in land/resource management plans.

Apparatus utilizing an air compressor and positive displacement pump coupled to the same engine, plumbed to a non-pressurized tank, for producing foam. The operation involves injecting compressed air into a liquid stream containing a suitable foaming agent.

Pollutants deemed most harmful to public health and welfare and that can be monitored effectively. They include carbon monoxide (CO), lead (Pb), nitrogen oxides (Nox), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), particulate matter (PM) of aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 10 micrometers (PM10) and particulate matter of aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5). 

Prediction of probable fire behavior, usually prepared by a fire behavior analyst, in support of fire suppression or prescribed burning operations.

A small ridge which extends finger-like from a main ridge.

Any obstruction to the spread of fire. Typically an area or strip devoid of combustible fuel.

Burning of any fuel outdoors without the use of mechanical combustion enhancements.

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. 

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. 

The number and size of fires historically experienced on a given unit over a given period (usually one day) at a given index of fire danger.

To examine a fire area to obtain information about current and probable fire behavior and other related fire suppression information.

For statistical purposes, a fire burning more than a specified area of land e.g., 300 acres.

Three guiding values that should be the basis for the decisions that leaders make. The three values are:

Duty ─ How a leader values their job. Duty begins with everything required by law and policy, but is much more than that. A leader commits to excellence in all aspects of their professional responsibility so that when the job is done they can look back and say, "I couldn't have given any more".
Respect ─ How a leader values their co-workers. Respect for the individual forms the very basis for the rule of law in America. This value reminds leaders that those who follow are their greatest resource. Not all followers will succeed equally, but they all deserve respect.
Integrity ─ How a leader values himself or herself. An individual cannot be in charge of others unless they are in charge of their own actions. People of integrity separate what is right from what is wrong and act according to what they know is right, even at personal cost.

Eleven principles describing tangible behaviors that reflect and demonstrate the wildland fire leadership values. The eleven principles are:
Be proficient in your job.
Make sound and timely decisions.
Ensure tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished.
Develop your subordinates for the future.
Know your subordinates and look out for their well-being.
Keep your subordinates informed.
Build the team.
Employ your subordinates in accordance with their capabilities.
Know yourself and seek improvement.
Seek responsibility and accept responsibility for your actions.
Set the example.

Manipulation of stands of brush by manual, mechanical, chemical, or biological means or by prescribed burning for the purpose of achieving land management objectives.

A landing necessitated by apparent impending failure of engines, systems, or components which makes continued flight unadvisable.

Instantaneous explosion or rapid burning of superheated gases that occurs when oxygen is introduced into an oxygen-depleted confined space. It may occur because of inadequate or improper ventilation procedures.

The organizational level having responsibility for operations within a defined geographic area. Divisions are established when the number of resources exceeds the manageable span of control of the Section Chief. See Group.

An organizational subdivision established to divide the incident management structure into functional areas of operation. Groups are composed of resources assembled to perform a special function not necessarily within a single geographic area.