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PMS 205

NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire

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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Overview

The NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire provides an extensive listing of approved terms and definitions used by the NWCG community. It contains terms commonly used by NWCG in the areas of wildland fire and incident management and is not intended to list all terms used by NWCG groups and member agencies. The NWCG has directed that all committee and subgroup product glossaries be contained within the NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire to maintain definition consistency and clarity among documents.

Comments, questions, and recommendations shall be submitted to the appropriate agency program manager assigned to the Data Standards and Terminology Board (DSTB). 

NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205  (Quick View)

EDG Explorer is a database platform used for managing NWCG Glossary terms.  The following table is a quick view of the terms found in EDG. More detailed information such as rules, documentation, and term relationships may be viewed in EDG Explorer.  

Note: If the NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire is not displaying below please report it to NWCG Webmaster. 

Title Steward Status Definition
friction loss ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Pressure loss caused by the movement of water or solution against the interior surface of fire hose, pipe, or fittings; normally measured in pressure loss per length of hose or pipe.
friction loss (hose) MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

The result of turbulence within the water (fluids) and the resistance along the inside wall of fire hose or pipe.
Friction Reducing Agent (FRA) ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Water soluble substance that reduces frictional drag of solutions and dampens turbulent flow while being pumped through pipe or hose.
front FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

In meteorology, the boundary between two air masses of differing atmospheric properties.
frost FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Crystals of ice formed and deposited like dew, but at a temperature below freezing.
frozen FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

In the 1978 version of NFDRS, the herbaceous stage when cold temperatures kill herbaceous plants and force woody fuels into dormancy.
fuel FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Any combustible material, especially petroleum-based products and wildland fuels.
fuel arrangement FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A general term referring to the spatial distribution and orientation of fuel particles or pieces.
fuel bed FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

An array of fuels usually constructed with specific loading, depth, and particle size to meet experimental requirements; also, commonly used to describe the fuel composition.
fuel bed depth FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Average height of surface fuels contained in the combustion zone of a spreading fire front.
fuel break FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A natural or manmade change in fuel characteristics which affects fire behavior so that fires burning into them can be more readily controlled.
fuel break system FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

A series of modified strips or blocks tied together to form continuous strategically located fuel breaks around land units.
fuel characteristics FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Factors that make up fuels such as compactness, loading, horizontal continuity, vertical arrangement, chemical content, size and shape, and moisture content.
fuel class FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Group of fuels possessing common characteristics. Dead fuels are grouped according to 1-, 10-, 100-, and 1000-hour timelag, and living fuels are grouped as herbaceous (annual or perennial) or woody.
fuel condition FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Relative flammability of fuel as determined by fuel type and environmental conditions.
fuel continuity FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The degree or extent of continuous or uninterrupted distribution of fuel particles in a fuel bed thus affecting a fire's ability to sustain combustion and spread. This applies to aerial fuels as well as surface fuels.
fuel depth FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The average distance from the bottom of the litter layer to the top of the layer of fuel, usually the surface fuel.
Fuel Dryness Level (DL) FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

A quantitative measure of fuel moisture and receptability to ignition as determined by an accepted Fire Danger Rating System index that influences fire growth, intensity, or activity.
fuel group FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

An identifiable association of fuel elements of distinctive species, form, size, arrangement, or other characteristics. General fuel groups are grass, brush, timber, and slash.
fuel loading FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee, FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

The amount of fuel present expressed quantitatively in terms of weight of fuel per unit area. This may be available fuel (consumable fuel) or total fuel and is usually dry weight.
fuel management FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Act or practice of controlling flammability and reducing resistance to control of wildland fuels through mechanical, chemical, biological, or manual means, or by fire, in support of land management objectives.
fuel model FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Simulated fuel complex for which all fuel descriptors required for the solution of a mathematical rate of spread model have been specified.
fuel modification FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Manipulation or removal of fuels to reduce the likelihood of ignition and/or to lessen potential damage and resistance to control (e.g., lopping, chipping, crushing, piling and burning).
fuel moisture analog FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

Device that emulates the moisture response of specific classes of dead fuels, constructed from organic or inorganic materials (e.g., half-inch ponderosa pine dowels representing ten-hour timelag fuels).
fuel moisture content FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

The quantity of moisture in fuel expressed as a percentage of the weight when thoroughly dried at 212 degrees F.
fuel moisture indicator stick FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

A specially prepared stick or set of sticks of known dry weight continuously exposed to the weather and periodically weighed to determine changes in moisture content as an indication of moisture changes in wildland fuels.
fuel reduction FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Manipulation, including combustion, or removal of fuels to reduce the likelihood of ignition and/or to lessen potential damage and resistance to control.
fuel size class FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee Approved

A category used to describe the diameter of down dead woody fuels. Fuels within the same size class are assumed to have similar wetting and drying properties, and to preheat and ignite at similar rates during the combustion process.
fuel temperature FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

The temperature reading measured from a fuel stick fully exposed to sunlight, above a representative fuel bed, using one of two methods (within a 3/4-inch or across a 1/2-inch pine dowel).
fuel tender NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee, ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Any vehicle capable of supplying engine fuel to ground or airborne equipment.
fuel treatment FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Manipulation or removal of fuels to reduce the likelihood of ignition and/or to lessen potential damage and resistance to control (e.g., lopping, chipping, crushing, piling and burning).
fuel type FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

An identifiable association of fuel elements of distinctive species, form, size, arrangement, or other characteristics that will cause a predictable rate of spread or resistance to control under specified weather conditions.
fuel/lubricant/fluids CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee In Development
fuels FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Non-decomposed material, living or dead, derived from herbaceous plants.
fuels treatment polygon In Development

A polygon representing the area(s) of unique fuels treatments during a single timeframe.
fuels wet flag FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

A one-character code indicating whether or not fine fuels are wet or dry.
fugitive color IAB Interagency Airtanker Board, SEATB Single Engine Airtanker Board Approved

A coloring agent used in fire retardants that is designed to fade rapidly following retardant application in order to minimize the visual impacts of the retardant.
fulfillment comment IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

Communication about the request and fulfilling that request
fulfillment status IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

Indicates the state of the request.
full-thickness burn RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

A burn involving all the layer of the skin. Muscle layers below the skin and bones may also be damaged. Areas of the skin may be charred black or areas that are dry and white.
fully backed MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee Approved

The process by which the tube is bonded 360 degrees around within the jacket.
fume FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee, RMC Risk Management Committee Approved

An airborne irritating, noxious, or toxic smoke, vapor, or any combination of these produced by a volatile substance or a chemical reaction.
function NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

In ICS, function refers to the five major activities: command, operations, planning, logistics and finance/administration.
Funding Agency

agency providing funding for treatment or activity. May or may not be the same as location Agency.
Funding Department

Department providing funding for treatment or activity. May or may not be the same as location Department.
Funding Region

Region providing funding for treatment or activity. May or may not be the same as location Region.
Funding Source

For Fuels:List of available funding sources: Fuels Management Regular (FMReg), Fuels BIL Admin (FMBILAdmin), Fuels BIL Control Locations (FMBilControlLocations), Fuels BIL Laborers (FMBilLaborers), Fuels BIL Prescribed Fire (FMBilPrescribedFire), FuelsBIL Thinning (FMBilThinning), Fuels BIL Regular (FMBilReg), Fules Disaster Relief (FMDisasterRelief)
For Post Fire:Fuels (all), Post-fire (ES), BAR (all), BIL (?), Fules Disaster Relief (FMDisasterRelief)?
Funding Sub Unit

SubUnit only displayed for BLM
Funding Tribe

Tribe displayed only for BIA
Funding Unit

Unit providing funding for treatment or activity. May or may not be the same as location unit.
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NWCG Latest Announcements

Equipment Bulletin 23-01: Discontinuation of Shelf Stable Food Boxes (NFES 7478) in NISC

Date: March 7, 2023
Contact: Sam Wu, 909-731-9072

The shelf stable food box pilot program has concluded. While the item received positive field feedback, it is both labor-intensive and cost-prohibitive to continue offering. It will be discontinued and not available from the National Interagency Support Cache (NISC) system.
A Cache Memo will be distributed to the National Interagency Cache System for direction to remove the Shelf Stable Food Boxes from the National Interagency Cache System.

References:

2023 Transition Plan for Complex Incident Management

Date: January 25, 2023
Contact: Shane McDonald and Jesse Bender

This memorandum provides NWCG direction for the continued transition to Complex Incident Management (CIM).
The NWCG Standards for Wildland Fire Position Qualifications, PMS 310-1, includes the position qualification requirements for the seven Complex Command and General Staff (C&GS) positions. The NWCG Field Evaluation Form will be an option for Complex certification until January 1, 2025. The NWCG Wildland Fire Risk and Complexity Assessment (RCA), PMS 236, has been updated to include Part D:  Functional Complexity and Complex Incident Complexity Indicators.

References:

 

2023 NWCG Executive Board Annual Letter

Date: January 24, 2023
Contact: NWCG Executive Board

As NWCG continues to implement our role in modernizing the wildland fire workforce, looking forward to 2023 it is clear the portfolio of critical work within NWCG extends beyond highlighted accomplishments or identified priorities. Nevertheless, we expect the continuation of the high tempo operational pace so acknowledging there will be important matters competing for limited time and staff, the EB identifies the following as priorities for the upcoming year:

  • Incident Performance and Training Modernization (IPTM)
  • Complex Incident Management (CIM)
  • Standardized Business Practices 

Thank you for the critically important work you will do in the coming year.

References:

NWCG Burn Protocols

Date: January 19, 2023
Contact: Emergency Medical Committee (EMC)

The NWCG Burn Protocols provide a Burn Injury Flow Chart, Emergency Department Burn Evaluation Flow Chart and Burn Injury Care Guidelines. These documents were developed for firefighters and fire managers in the field to better assess burn injuries and expediate the injured firefighter to the appropriate level of care.

References: