NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

The ICS Section responsible for implementing tactical incident operations described in the IAP. In ICS, the Operations Section may include subordinate branches, divisions, and/or groups.

A circular holding pattern of an aircraft around a fixed location often related to a wildland fire. For example, the circular pattern of an airtanker in the vicinity of a wildland fire, waiting to make a retardant drop.

An employee is on duty, and time spent on standby duty is hours of work if, for work-related reasons, the employee is restricted by official order to a designated post of duty and is assigned to be in a state of readiness to perform work with limitations on the employee’s activities so substantial the employee cannot use the time effectively for his or her own purposes. A finding that an employee’s activities are substantially limited may not be based on the fact that an employee is subject to restrictions necessary to ensure that the employee will be able to perform his or her duties and responsibilities, such as restrictions on alcohol consumption or use of certain medications (5 CFR 551.431(a) (1)).

That fraction of the soil that includes plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition, cells and tissues of soil organisms, and substances synthesized by the soil population.

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

The recommended organization for the incident based on analysis.

The organizational element having responsibility within a functional area in the incident command structure such as operations, planning, logistics or finance.

Three to four alpha-numeric characters specific to a unit existing within the agency’s official organizational structure. The organizational unit code identifies the unit within the interagency incident management community in a common manner.

The full name of the organization found on official documents or web sites.

The type of organizational unit within the interagency incident management community represented by the Unit ID.

Pertaining to, or caused by mountains.

Photograph obtained from the orthogonal (i.e., horizontal) projection of a correctly oriented stereoscopic model formed by two overlapping aerial photographs; an orthophoto is free of tilt and relief displacements.

Aerial photographs corrected to scale such that geographic measurements may be taken directly from prints. They may contain graphically emphasized geographic features and may be provided with overlays of such features as: water systems, facility location, etc. 

Of, relating to, or caused by erect posture.

A sighting device used by lookouts to determine the horizontal bearing and sometimes the vertical angle of a fire from a lookout.

A category or classification to group data points that doent fit neatly into predefined or standard categories, often used for values or entries that are uncommon or don't conform to the expected set of categories.

Groups or activities associated with the fire cause or origin that don't fit the named categories.

Refers to wildfire ignitions not classified under common cause categories. 

Surge of current, leading to equipment damage, power outages, and potential safety hazards.

Land clearning not covered in a traditional prescribed burn or field/ag burn.

A constructed building not designed for continuous human occupancy, such as barns, commercial buildings, etc.

The total number of structures, other than residences, destroyed as a result of a fire.

The total number of structures, other than residences, threatened by the fire.

Courses defined as containing supplemental knowledge and skills not required for safe and tactical operations success on a wildfire.

Entities repsonsible for providing essential services like water, sanitation, telecommunications, renewable energy, transporation or waste management.

Inflammation of the ear.

All observable combustion has ceased and there is no risk of the fire again becoming active and requiring additional control or management actions.

An event where resources are mobilized to a Wildfire (WF) Event within their corresponding dispatch center's response area (boundary). When resources arrive on scene, it is determined the ignition is not within their area of response, but in fact plots within an adjacent dispatch center's response area (boundary).

Resources assigned to an incident but unable to respond for mechanical, rest, or personal reasons.

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. 

External diameter of a cylinder or tube, conductor, or coupling as distinguished from the internal diameter.

Drugs that can be purchased without a prescription.

An aircraft is considered “overdue” when it fails to arrive within 30 minutes past the estimated time of arrival (ETA) and cannot be located.

Fire department procedure of inspecting premises after extinguishment of fire, to insure that fire is completely out and unable to rekindle before returning control to owner or occupants.

Personnel assigned to supervisory positions, including incident commander, command staff, general staff, branch directors, supervisors, unit leaders, managers and staff.

A situation that taxes an operational system to the limit of its functional capabilities. Such as too many fires for an individual unit to handle (fire overload), or too many orders for an individual dispatch center to process (dispatch overload).

Gross vehicle weight (GVW) in excess of the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) specified by the chassis manufacturer. Also an excess of weight over the gross vehicle axle weight rating (GAWR) specified by the chassis manufacture.

A fire that persists through the winter months until the beginning of fire season.

A party that provides a contract resource for an incident.

Process during which oxygen combines with another substance.