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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
company IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived

Any piece of (fire) equipment having a full complement of personnel.

compare and contrast (fire damage) WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

The practice of comparing and contrasting the fire damage on different surfaces of an object that has been subjected to the oncoming fire.

compare and contrast (investigation) WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

An investigative technique that involves comparing same sized indicators within an indicator category at separate locations; looking for either differences or similarities in appearance.

compass Approved

An instrument used for showing direction, consisting of a magnetic needle swinging freelyon a pivot and pointing to magnetic north.

compass rose IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived

A circle, graduated in degrees, printed on some charts or marked on the ground at an airport or heliport. It is used as a reference to either true or magnetic direction.

Compensation-for-Injury Manager IBC Incident Business Committee Archived

Person responsible to the Compensation/Claims Unit Leader for administrative matters arising from serious injuries and fatalities occurring on the incident.

Compensation/Claims Unit IBC Incident Business Committee, NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee Approved

Compensation and Claims Unit staff are responsible for financial concerns resulting from property damage, injuries, or fatalities at the incident. The specific activities vary depending on the incident. Staff handling injury compensation ensure that all forms needed by workers’ compensation programs and local agencies are completed. These staff also typically maintain files on injuries and illnesses associated with the incident and obtain written witness statements. Since Medical Unit staff may also perform some of these tasks, the Medical and the Compensation and Claims Units should coordinate closely. The Compensation and Claims Unit staff may assist with civil tort claims investigations involving incident property, and the staff maintain logs on the claims, obtain witness statements, and document investigations and agency follow-up activities.

competency IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee Approved

A broad description that groups core behaviors necessary to perform a specific function.

competent ignition source WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee Approved

Any item which can produce sufficient heat over a sufficient duration of time capable of bringing forest fuels to their ignition temperature and sustain open flame combustion.

Completion Date

Day/Month/Year local program intends to complete the treatment or activity

Completion Fiscal Quarter

Fiscal Quarter local program intends to complete the treatment or activity

Completion Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year local program intends to complete the treatment or activity

complex identifier FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Approved

The Globally Unique Identifier (GUID) of the complex.

complex name FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee Approved

The name of the complex that the fire is assigned.

Compressed Air Foam Systems ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A generic term used to describe foam systems consisting of an air compressor (or air source), a water pump, and foam solution.

computed gross weight NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee Approved

Term used in calculating from performance charts the permissible helicopter payload at which a helicopter is capable of hovering in ground effect or hovering out of ground effect, based on pressure altitude and air temperature.

concentrate ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

A substance that has been concentrated; specifically, a liquid that has been made denser, as by the removal of some of its water.

conceptual model FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

A model that is a diagram or description of a set of relationships between factors that describe how a system works, such as an ecological model.

condensation FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

The process by which a gas becomes a liquid.

condition class FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Depiction of the degree of departure from historical fire regimes, possibly resulting in alterations of key ecosystem components. These classes categorize and describe vegetation composition and structure conditions that currently exist inside the Fire Regime Groups. Based on the coarse-scale national data, they serve as generalized wildfire rankings. The risk of loss of key ecosystem components from wildfires increases from Condition Class 1 (lowest risk) to Condition Class 3 (highest risk).

condition of vegetation FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Stage of growth or degree of flammability of vegetation that forms part of a fuel complex. Herbaceous stage is at times used when referring to herbaceous vegetation alone. In grass areas minimum qualitative distinctions for stages of annual growth are usually green, curing, and dry or cured. 

conduction FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Heat transfer through a material from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature.

confine IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

A wildfire response strategy of restricting a wildfire to a defined area, primarily using natural barriers that are expected to restrict the spread of the wildfire under the prevailing and forecasted weather conditions.

confinement FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The strategy employed in appropriate management responses where a fire perimeter is managed by a combination of direct and indirect actions and use of natural topographic features, fuel, and weather factors.

conflagration FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

A raging, destructive fire. Often used to connote such a fire with a moving front as distinguished from a fire storm.

conflagration threat FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Likelihood that a wildfire capable of causing considerable damage will occur.

Congressional District

Area representing electoral divisions for the purpose of electing members of the United States House of Representatives.

consistency (foam) ETC Equipment Technology Committee Approved

Uniformity and size of bubbles.

constant danger FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee Approved

Resultant of all fire danger factors that are relatively unchanging in a specific area (e.g., resource values at risk, topography, fuel type, exposure to prevailing wind).

Construction
consumption FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The amount of a specified fuel type or strata that is removed through the fire process, often expressed as a percentage of the preburn weight.

contact email (data creation) DMC Data Management Committee Approved

Email of the incident-based contact responsible for data creation.

contact name (data creation) DMC Data Management Committee Approved

Name of the incident-based contact responsible for data creation.

contact phone (data creation) DMC Data Management Committee Approved

Phone number for the incident-based contact responsible for data creation.

contained IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Approved

The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread.

containment (hazardous materials) FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The act of controlling hazardous spilled or leaking materials.

containment (wildfire) FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably be expected to stop the fire's spread.

Containment Date
Containment Fiscal Year
Containment Year
Context
continental climate FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee Approved

Climate that is characteristic of the interior of a land mass of continental size, marked by large annual diurnal and day-to-day ranges of temperature, low relative humidity and irregular precipitation.

contingency actions IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee, ICSC Incident Command Subcommittee Approved

A back-up plan of action when actions described in the primary plan are no longer appropriate. Contingency actions are required to be taken when the result exceeds its intent. Actions are taken to return the project to its intended design.

contingency plan FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

The portion of a prescribed fire plan, incident action plan, or implementation plan that identifies possible but unlikely events and the contingency resources needed to mitigate those events.

contingency resources FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee Approved

Planned and identified fire suppression personnel and equipment that mitigate possible but unlikely events that exceed or are expected to exceed holding resource capabilities.

contour line Approved

A line on a map or chart indicating elevation in feet, and connects all points of the same height above sea level.

contour map IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee Archived

A map having lines of equal elevation that represent the land surface (Topographic).

contract IBC Incident Business Committee Approved

Any written agreement giving one party a right, a service, or a commodity in exchange for a right, a service, or a commodity. Contracts include land use permits, purchase orders, equipment rental agreements, leases, etc.

contracted resource vendor NCSC National Coordination System Committee Approved

The name of the company who, through a contract, provides resources to support incident management activities.

Contracting Officer IBC Incident Business Committee Approved

Agency personnel with specific delegation of procurement authority.

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How to Print or Download Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Modified / Reviewed:

NWCG Latest Announcements

Updated NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902

Date: June 5, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 2024 revision of the NWCG Standards for Interagency Incident Business Management, PMS 902 is now available. The uniform application of interagency incident business management standards is critical to interagency fire operations. PMS 902 assists NWCG agencies in constructively working together to provide effective execution of each agency's incident business management program.

References:

PMS 902

ETC Bulletin 24-001: Discontinued Use of Hot/Cold Beverage Kits - 2024 Field Season

Date: June 4, 2024
Contact: NWCG Equipment Technology Committee 

The purpose of this bulletin is to provide NWCG direction on the discontinued use of hot/cold beverage kits for the 2024 field season due to spout failures and risk of burn injury. As an alternative, coffee heating kits are available for ordering through the cache system to support spike camps and remote resources.

If personnel see hot/cold beverage kits at an incident, these should not be used. Equipment specialists with the National Technology and Development Program are evaluating available alternative options to replace the faulty spouts and continue to coordinate with industry experts.

References:

Equipment Bulletin 24-001: Discontinued Use of Hot/Cold Beverage Kits – 2024 Field Season

NWCG Alerts

Updated Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297

Date: June 4, 2024
Contact: NWCG Incident Business Committee 

The 1990 version of the Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297, has been replaced by the updated May 2024 version. The new version of the OF 297 has been modified and improved to meet current incident management needs. The form now has areas to document the staffing of equipment and special rates. IBC has created a one-page help document and 3 completed sample OF-297 forms to assist in this transition, available on the IBC webpage.

References:

Incident Business Committee

Emergency Equipment Shift Ticket, OF 297

2023 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

Date: May 24, 2024
Contact: NWCG Emergency Medical Committee 

The NWCG Emergency Medical Committee (EMC) announces the recipients of the 2023 Wildland Fire EMS Awards. EMC annually recognizes individuals and groups who have demonstrated outstanding actions or accomplishments that are above and beyond the expectation of one’s normal mission or job duties.

Congratulations to all the awardees and nominees. Through leadership and initiative, they have made significant contributions to the safety of the wildland fire community. These awards are well deserved.

References:

2023 Wildland Fire EMS Awards

NWCG Emergency Medical Committee