NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

An agent that extinguishes the flaming and glowing phases of combustion by direct application to the burning fuel.

All the work to extinguish or limit wildland fire spread.

Two or more firefighters stationed at a strategic location for initial action on fires. Duties are essentially the same as those of individual firefighters.

Intentional application of fire to speed up or strengthen fire suppression action on wildfires. Types of suppression firing include burning out, counter firing, and strip burning.

The ratio between the surface area of an object, such as a fuel particle, to its volume. The smaller the particle, the more quickly it can become wet, dry out, or become heated to combustion temperature during a fire.

Fire that burns loose debris on the surface, which includes dead branches, leaves, and low vegetation.

Fuels lying on or near the surface of the ground, consisting of leaf and needle litter, dead branch material, downed logs, bark, tree cones, and low stature living plants.

An area on the earth's surface where atmospheric pressure is at a relative maximum. Winds blow clockwise around highs in the Northern Hemisphere but, due to friction with the earth's face, tend to cross constant pressure lines away from the high center. Air is usually subsiding above a surface high. This causes warming due to air compression. This results in stable atmospheric conditions and light surface winds. 

An area on the earth's surface where atmospheric pressure is at a relative minimum. Winds blow counter-clockwise around lows in the Northern Hemisphere but, due to friction with the earth's surface, tend to cross constant pressure lines toward the low center. Upon converging into the low's center, air currents are forced to rise. As air rises it cools due to expansion. Cooling reduces its capacity to hold moisture; so cloudiness and precipitation are common in lows. If a low center intensifies sufficiently it will take on the characteristics of a storm center with precipitation and strong winds.

The elastic-like force at the surface of a liquid, tending to minimize the surface area and causing drops to form. Expressed as Newtons per meter or dynes per centimeter (1 Newton/m=1,000 dynes/cm).

Wind measured at a surface observing station, customarily at some distance (usually 20 feet) above the average vegetative surface to minimize the distorting effects of local obstacles and terrain.

A surface active agent; any wetting agent. A formulation which, when added to water in proper amounts, will materially reduce the surface tension of the water and increase penetration and spreading abilities of the water.

Rapid increase in water flow which may result in a corresponding pressure rise.

Any excess personal property not required for the needs and the discharge of the responsibilities of all federal agencies as determined by the General Services Administration (GSA).

A natural or cleared area of sufficient size and location to protect fire personnel from known hazards while inside a fire shelter. Examples include rock slides, road beds, clearings, knobs, wide ridges, benches, dozer lines, wet areas, cleared areas in light fuels, and previously burned areas. These are all areas where you expect no flame contact or prolonged heat and smoke. 

A wildland fuel that is suspended off the ground in such a way that fire may burn both over and under it.

Continuing fire suppression action until fire is under control.

A worker on a dozer crew who pulls winch line, helps maintain equipment, etc., to speed suppression work on a fire.

A worker who assists fallers and/or sawyers by clearing away brush, limbs and small trees. Carries fuel, oil and tools and watches for dangerous situations.

Act of clearing brush and other material from around the base of trees and where trees are to be bucked, prior to falling or bucking, as protection against saw kickback and to provide safe footing.

An accessory used between the helicopter cargo hook and sling load to allow free turning of the load.

Literally, at one time. Thus, in meteorological usage, the weather conditions over a large area at a given point in time.

In meteorology, any chart or map on which data and analyses are presented that describe the state of the atmosphere over a large area at a given moment in time.

The systematic application of methods, procedures, and techniques common to the field of wildand fire investigation as regularly applied to solve the problems of the investigation within each specifc scene's conditions and needs.

Cards filled out with essential tracking information for each resource they represent. The cards are color-coded to represent different types of resources.

A simple role-play simulation technique that challenges participants to make decisions and communicate those decisions to others. A tactical decision game is an experiential learning method that is tactical in nature and has time and information constraints to put participants under some level of stress.

Direction given by the operations section chief which includes the tactics appropriate for the selected strategy, the selection and assignment of resources, tactics implementation, and performance monitoring for each operational period.

Deploying and directing resources on an incident to accomplish the objectives designated by strategy.

Connecting a (airtanker) drop to the forward part of a previous drop.

The numerical identification of an aircraft, also known as the registration number for an aircraft, as displayed on the aircraft’s tail section.

A small rotor, mounted on the tail of a conventional helicopter, which counteracts torque of the main rotor and provides a measure of directional control.

Back step of a wildland or structural fire engine.

Brief meetings held at the beginning, during, or end of an operational period to discuss new work assignments, new work methods, changes in plans, use of tools and equipment, and recognition and protection against work hazards that may be encountered.

Two or more units of any one type working one in front of the other to accomplish a specific fire suppression job; the term can be used in connection with crews of firefighters, power pumps, bulldozers, etc.

Tanks, doors, and release mechanism installed in aircraft for cascading fire retardants.

Specialized trailer on which is mounted a tank, fire pump, hose, and ancillary equipment.

Specific portion of the fire on which fire retardant or water is to be dropped by airtankers or helitankers.

Facilities in which there is great likelihood of loss of life or property.

A specific description of a unit of work activity that is a logical and necessary action in the performance of a behavior; how the behavior is demonstrated or performed in a particular context.
 
From PMS 310-1
 

Any combination of single resources assembled for a particular tactical need, with common communications and a leader. A task force may be pre-established and sent to an incident, or formed at an incident.

The relative change of some measurable quantity with change of temperature, like burning time per unit length, mostly expressed as mean change per degree in percentage of mean temperature within a certain range.

The moisture content of the l0-hour timelag roundwood fuels.

Dead fuels consisting of roundwood 1/4 to l-inch (0.6 to 2.5 cm) in diameter and, very roughly, the layer of litter extending from immediately below the surface to 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) below the surface.

Device for throwing a stream of flaming liquid, used to facilitate rapid ignition during burn out operations on a wildfire or during a prescribed fire operation.

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

A prescribed fire set to evaluate such things as fire behavior, fire effects, detection performance, or control measures.

An area of mountainous slope (characteristically the middle third), where the top of the radiation inversion intersects the slope. It typically experiences the least variation in diurnal temperatures and has the highest average temperatures and, thus, the lowest relative humidity. Its presence is most evident during clear weather with light wind. 

The display or printout of an infrared scanner operating over a fire.