NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

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.

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

Rate at which a propellant and other combustibles burn.

A progressive system of building a fireline on a wildfire without changing relative positions in the line. Each worker does one to several "licks", or strokes, with a given tool and then moves forward a specified distance to make room for the worker behind.

Water storage tank for fire protection and sometimes community water service that supplies water by gravity pressure.

A proportioning method or device that readily adjusts to changes in water flow and or pressure to maintain a desired mix ratio.

Agencies and bureaus may have their own SOR for their data. An ISORs are identified by an interagency business area as the official application source of interagency data. An ISOR is the source that resolves duplicate records that may arise from various IADSs and ensures the data meets defined quality standards before it is included in official historical data sets. An ISOR can be an external source of data used by wildland fire.

The processes and procedures for activating, assembling, and transporting resources that have been requested to respond to or support an incident.

Supply Unit staff order, receive, process, store, inventory, and distribute all incident-related supplies. The Supply Unit staff are responsible for all off-incident ordering.

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.

Communication that does not use codes.

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.

Wind, in miles per hour, measured at 20 feet above ground, or above the average height of vegetation, and averaged over at least a 10-minute period.

A statement of declaration in writing and affirmed before an official with authority to administer an oath; a statement of declaration alleging fact to support the issuance of a search or arrest warrant.

Average forward horizontal distance from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night.

An individual, a piece of equipment and its personnel complement, or a crew/team of individuals with an identified work supervisor that can be used on an incident.

Load of hose specially arranged on top of a standard hose load to permit dropping the working line at the fire.

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.

In prescribed fire terminology, a fire used to dispose of scattered, piled, or windrowed dead woody fuel, generally in the absence of a merchantable overstory. Its purpose is to reduce unsightly fuel concentrations, or consume unwanted natural fuels to facilitate subsequent resource management or land use actions on the area. 

Time of actual work, ordered standby, or compensable travel with a specific start and ending time.

The art of providing purpose, direction, and motivation to a group of people in order to accomplish a mission and improve the organization. Leaders provide purpose by clearly communicating their intent and describing the desired end state of an assignment to their followers. Leaders provide direction by maintaining standards of performance for their followers. Leaders provide motivation by setting the example for their followers. 

A fire that is intentional and wrongfully set to burn one's own or someone else's property.

A particularly active part of a fire.

A guide to collection, communication, and application of fire danger ratings at the local level.

Plants and vegetation communities which have evolved adaptations such as a reliance on fire as a disturbance agent, protection as a species against the effects of wildland fire, or even a strengthening or enhancement by it.

In prescribed burning, the initial line of fire, usually set as a backing fire along a barrier or control line, which serves to contain subsequent burning operations.

Wheels powered by all of the vehicle's drive axles. Dual tires are considered as single wheels. The number of wheels is commonly referenced by the terms "4x2", "4x4", etc. where the first figure indicates the total number of wheels on the ground and the second figure, the number of drive wheels.

Objective ranking of protection units within an administrative group based on the number of human-caused fires for at least the past five years.

A unified area command is established when incidents under an area command are multijurisdictional.

At common law, the malicious and willful burning of another's dwelling, outhouse or parcel; by most modern statutes, the intentional and wrongful burning of someone else's, or one's own, property. Frequently requires proof of malicious or wrongful intent.

Flow characteristics of liquid fire retardants, especially their cohesiveness or ability to hold together while falling through the air.

An event measured by the occurrence of fire(s) that requires mobilization of additional resources from outside the fire event area.

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.

The number assigned to an incident. This number follows a standard format where the first two letters indicate the state, the next letters are the incident agency, and the last six digits are agency assigned.

An area that has reburned.

A source category of air pollution that generally extends over a large area. Prescribed burning, field burning, home heating, and open burning are examples of area sources.

Reduction in water pressure between a pump or hydrant and a nozzle due to expenditure of pressure energy required to move water through a hose; includes losses due to back pressure, friction loss, elevation loss, and/or losses in fittings.

The organizational level having functional or geographical responsibility for major aspects of incident operations. A Branch falls between the Section Chief and the division or group in the Operations Section, and between the section and units in the Logistics Section. Branches are identified by Roman numerals or by functional area.

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.

Approved protection suit worn for smokejumping.

Spacing of personnel while performing line construction activities.

A task given to a person or team to perform based on operational objectives defined in the IAP.

A set of physics and empirical equations that form a mathematical representation of the behavior of fire in uniform wildland fuels.

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

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

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.

Defect on the surface of a tree resulting from a wound where healing has not re-established the normal cross-section.

An organization that oversees the management of multiple incidents or oversees the management of a very large or evolving situation with multiple ICS organizations.

Limit the spread of fire by any appropriate means.