NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

A fully qualified individual who, in the absence of a superior, can be delegated the authority to manage a functional operation or to perform a specific task. In some cases, a deputy can act as relief for a superior, and, therefore, should be fully qualified in the position. Deputies generally can be assigned to the Incident Commander, EOC director, General Staff, and branch directors.

Chemical that, when applied to a living plant, causes or accelerates drying of its aerial parts; used to facilitate burning of living vegetation by substantially lowering fuel moisture content within a few hours.

Those areas identified as principal population centers or other areas requiring protection under state or federal air quality laws or regulations.

The address where the unit must be physically located, and dispatched from, during the mandatory availability period.

The act or system of discovering and locating fires.

An extreme rapid decomposition of a material in which the reaction is more than a sonic velocity, for example, high explosives.

Temperature to which a specified parcel of air must cool, at constant pressure and water-vapor content, in order for saturation to occur. The dew point is always lower than the wet-bulb temperature, which is always lower than the dry-bulb temperature, except when the air is saturated and all three values are equal. Fog may form when temperature drops to equal the dew point. 

A scale drawing showing information about a fire scene.

Fingers or islands of less intensely burned areas or areas where the fire has self extinguished.

A set of points which defines the terrain as numbers for computer applications. This data may be used to draw contours, make ortho photos, slope maps, and drive fire models.

A control strategy used in managing smoke from prescribed fires in which smoke concentration is reduced by diluting it through a greater volume of air, either by scheduling during good dispersion conditions or burning at a slower rate.

Any treatment applied directly to burning fuel such as wetting, smothering, or chemically quenching the fire or by physically separating the burning from unburned fuel.

Any treatment applied directly to burning fuel such as wetting, smothering, or chemically quenching the fire or by physically separating the burning from unburned fuel.

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 physical characteristics of the indicators that show the direction of fire spread, i.e., advancing, backing, or lateral.

The ICS title for individuals responsible for supervision of a branch. Also, an organizational title for an individual responsible for managing and directing the team in an EOC.

Determination that a fire exists. Location and reporting of a fire is not required as is with detection.

Elapsed time from start of fire (known or estimated) until the time of the first discovery that results directly in fire suppression action.

A separate radio frequency most commonly used in air traffic control which reduces frequency congestion by controlling the number of aircraft or other resources operating on a particular frequency.

The ordered movement of a resource or resources to an assigned operational mission, or an administrative move from one location to another.

An organization from which resources are ordered, mobilized or assigned to an incident and/or demobilized. The center may process requests, coordinate response, or track resources and information under the delegation of its benefiting agency(s).

The dispatch center actively supporting an incident and the resources assigned or a resource who is temporarily transferred for official action i.e. details, temporary duty station, etc.

The dispatch center associated with a resource’s home unit. The Home Dispatch Center is responsible for initial mobilization and is the Center associated with the resource when an assignment is completed.

The current dispatch center for an incident.

Either the home or current dispatch center for a resource.

The decrease in concentration of airborne pollutants as they spread throughout an increasing volume of atmosphere.

In WIMS, a one-digit number representing the number of decision points used to evaluate the magnitude of the Staffing Index.

In WIMS, the climatological breakpoints separating the highest staffing levels. Commonly these are the index values corresponding to the 90th and 97th or 80th and 95th percentiles for the staffing index.

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.

Aircraft navigational equipment that provides the slant range distance in miles (kilometers) from the aircraft to the VOR (VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range) station to which the DME is tuned, usually at or near an airport.

An on-line mission rehearsal event providing an individual or team with an experiential learning environment utilizing the National Interagency Incident Management System to "game" a computer generated incident from multiple training locations.

A weather system usually associated with clouds, rain and/or wind.

Daily, especially pertaining to cyclic actions which are completed within 24 hours, and which recur every 24 hours, such as temperature, relative humidity and wind.

The expansion or spreading out of a horizontal wind field. Generally associated with high pressure and light winds.

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.

Development and composition of written communication instruments.

Documentation Unit staff maintain incident files and data for legal, analytical, and historical purposes, including a complete record of the major steps taken to resolve the incident. They also provide duplication services for incident personnel; compile, reproduce, and distribute the IAP; and maintain the files and records that are developed as part of the IAP and planning function.

Prescribed burning early in the dry season before the leaves and undergrowth are completely dry or before the leaves are shed, as an insurance against more severe fire damage later on.

An offender who sets two fires at one site, at the same time, in a single event.

Two lengths of hose rolled side by side or a single length rolled into two small coils for convenient handling.

A hose-coupling device having two female swivel couplings to permit joining two male hose nipples of the same size and thread type when lines are laid with couplings in opposite or reverse directions.

Fire hose having two cotton or other fiber jackets outside the rubber lining or tubing.

A hose-coupling device having two male thread nipples for connecting hose and for connecting two female couplings of the same diameter.

Equipment is staffed with 2 operators or crews (1 per shift) and must be ordered and documented on a resource order. (Reference OF-294 general clauses for payment information.) Regardless of hiring method, on-shift time for operated equipment will be recorded with clock hours on the appropriate document, e.g., equipment hired under a daily rate will be posted with start and stop time for daily work.