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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire (PMS 205)

Term Steward Status Definition
prescribed fire FMB Fire Management Board Approved A wildland fire originating from a planned ignition in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations to meet specific objectives.​
prescribed fire burn plan FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A plan required for each fire application ignited by management. Plans are documents prepared by qualified personnel, approved by the agency administrator, and include criteria for the conditions under which the fire will be conducted (a prescription). Plan content varies among the agencies.
prescribed fire escape indicator IRSC Incident Reporting Subcommittee Approved Indicates whether the wildfire resulted from an escaped prescribed fire. Y or N.
prescribed fire module FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A team of skilled and mobile personnel dedicated primarily to prescribed fire management that can ignite, hold and monitor prescribed fires.
prescribed fire plan FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A plan required for each fire application ignited by management. Plans are documents prepared by qualified personnel, approved by the agency administrator, and include criteria for the conditions under which the fire will be conducted (a prescription).
prescription FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved In the context of wildland fire, a prescription is measurable criteria that define conditions under which a prescribed fire may be ignited. Prescriptions may also be used to guide selection of management responses to wildfire to define conditions under which management actions are most likely to achieve incident management objectives. Prescription criteria typically describe environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and fuel moisture, but may also include safety, economic, public health, geographic, administrative, social, or legal considerations. 
pressure gradient IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved The difference in atmospheric pressure between two points on a weather map. That is, the magnitude of pressure difference between two points at sea level, or at constant elevation above sea level. Wind speed is directly related to pressure gradient. If distance between constant pressure lines is reduced by one-half, wind speed will be doubled. Conversely, if distance between lines is doubled, wind speed will be reduced by one-half. 
pressure loss ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved 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.
pressure pattern IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved The distribution of surface atmospheric pressure features over an area of the earth as shown on a weather map. Surface pressure features include lines of constant pressure (isobars), highs, lows, and pressure gradient. The pressure pattern is directly related to wind speeds and directions at specific locations. 
presuppression IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee Approved Activities in advance of fire occurrence to ensure effective suppression action. Includes planning the organization, recruiting and training, procuring equipment and supplies, maintaining fire equipment and fire control improvements, and negotiating cooperative and/or mutual aid agreements. 
pretreat ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved The use of water, foam or retardant along a control line in advance of the fire. Often used where ground cover or terrain is considered best for control action.
prevention PIC Public Information Management Committee, EPSC Education & Prevention Subcommittee Approved Activities directed at reducing the incidence of human-caused wildfires, including public education, law enforcement, personal contact, and other actions taken to reduce ignitions.
Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) FMSC Fuels Management Subcommittee Approved A program identified by the Clean Air Act to prevent air quality and visibility degradation and to remedy existing visibility problems. Areas of the country are grouped into 3 classes which are allowed certain degrees of pollution depending on their uses. National Parks and Wilderness Areas meeting certain criteria are 'Class I' or 'clean area' in that they have the smallest allowable increment of degradation. 
prevention team FBC Finance/Business Management Committee Approved Provides support to fire prevention and wildland fire educational needs preceding and during periods of high wildland fire danger or prescribed fire activity. The teams provide assistance to wildland fire managers with coordination of fire loss mitigation efforts with public, state or local agencies.
primary email IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Individual’s primary email
primary lookout IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived A lookout point that must be staffed to meet planned minimum seen area coverage in a given locality. For that reason, continuous service is necessary during the normal fire season and the lookout (person) is not sent to fires.
primary phone IMC Integration Management Committee, DISC Data Integration Subcommittee Approved Individual’s primary phone.
primary weather station identifier PSOG National Predictive Services Oversight Group Approved The six-digit National Weather Station ID for the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) weather station that best represents the predominate weather and climate conditions for the incident site at the time of initial response.
priming ETSC Equipment/Technology Subcommittee Approved Filling pump with water when pump is taking water not under a pressure head. Necessary for centrifugal pumps.
principal meridian PMC Fire Planning Management Committee, QMC Qualifications Management Committee, QSSC Qualifications Systems Subcommittee, LMC Logistic and Equipment Management Committee Approved An imaginary line on the ground running north-south which is accurately laid out to serve as the reference meridian in land surveys.
Pro Project Template GISC Geospatial Information Subcommittee Approved The ArcGIS Pro project (.aprx) file included in the GeoOps Folder structure under projects. ‘Save As’ should be used on this template to create the Edit Project and all Master Projects. Implementation instructions can be found in the tools folder in the Prepare and Configure the Event GDB document.
probability IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved A number representing the chance that a given event will occur. The range is from 0% for an impossible event, to 100% for an inevitable event.
probability forecast IWSC Incident Weather Subcommittee Approved A forecast of the probability of occurrence of one or more of a mutually exclusive set of weather contingencies as distinguished from a series of categorical statements.
probability of ignition FASC Fire Analysis Subcommittee Approved The chance that a firebrand will cause an ignition when it lands on receptive fuels.
probable FISC Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved A level of certainty corresponding to being more likely true than not.
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