2022 - IRPG Flashcards
What are the 3 components of the fire triangle?
Oxygen, heat, and fuel
What is the difference between direct and indirect attack?
Direct attack is applied directly to the burning edge of the fire. Indirect attack is applied to unburned fuels in the fire’s path.
What is a fire shelter?
A personal protective device designed to reflect radiant heat and trap breathable air.
What is the Incident Command System (ICS)?
A standardized approach to incident management that provides a common hierarchy and structure.
What are the 10 Standard Firefighting Orders?
- Keep informed on fire weather conditions and forecasts.
- Know what your fire is doing at all times.
- Base all actions on current and expected behavior of the fire.
- Identify escape routes and safety zones, and make them known.
- Post lookouts when there is possible danger.
- Be alert. Keep calm. Think clearly. Act decisively.
- Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor, and adjoining forces.
- Give clear instructions and be sure they are understood.
- Maintain control of your forces at all times.
- Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first.
What are the 18 Watch Out Situations?
- Fire not scouted and sized up.
- In country not seen in daylight.
- Safety zones and escape routes not identified.
- Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior.
- Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards.
- Instructions and assignments not clear.
- No communication link with crewmembers or supervisor.
- Constructing line without safe anchor point.
- Building fireline downhill with fire below.
- Attempting frontal assault on fire.
- Unburned fuel between you and fire.
- Cannot see main fire, not in contact with someone who can.
- On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below.
- Weather becoming hotter and drier.
- Wind increases and/or changes direction.
- Getting frequent spot fires across line.
- Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult.
- Taking a nap near fireline.
What is the difference between flaming and smoldering combustion?
Flaming combustion involves rapid oxidation and flames, while smoldering combustion is slower and flameless
How does fuel moisture affect fire behavior?
Drier fuels ignite and burn more easily
What are the three methods of heat transfer?
Conduction, convection, and radiation.
How does wind influence fire spread?
Wind increases oxygen supply and carries embers, accelerating fire spread.
What is the difference between a head fire and a backing fire?
A head fire moves with the wind, while a backing fire moves against the wind.
What are the three stages of fire development?
Preignition, combustion, and extinction.
What is a firebrand?
A piece of burning material carried by the wind or convection
How does topography affect fire behavior?
Fires spread faster uphill and can create updrafts
What is the difference between fuel continuity and fuel loading?
Fuel continuity refers to the distribution of fuels, while fuel loading refers to the amount of fuel present.
What is the primary objective of fire suppression?
To extinguish the fire safely and efficiently.
What is the difference between direct and indirect attack?
Direct attack involves fighting the fire directly at its edge, while indirect attack involves creating a fireline ahead of the fire.
What is a fireline?
A cleared area intended to stop fire spread.
What is cold trailing?
Feeling for heat along a fireline to ensure it is extinguished.
What is a safety zone?
An area where firefighters can survive without a fire shelter.
What is the purpose of a fire shelter?
To provide a last-resort refuge from intense heat
What is LCES?
Lookout, Communication, Escape Routes, Safety Zones
What is the difference between a burnout and a backfire?
A burnout removes fuel between the fireline and the fire, while a backfire creates a controlled fire to burn towards the main fire.
What is a fire whirl?
A spinning column of fire
What is the difference between a Type I and a Type II fire engine?
Type I engines have higher pumping capacity and water tank volume than Type II engines.
What are the three critical fire environment factors?
Fuels, weather, and topography.
What is the difference between a heat stroke and heat exhaustion?
Heat stroke is a life-threatening condition with a high body temperature, while heat exhaustion is less severe with symptoms like sweating and fatigue.
What are the signs of dehydration?
Thirst, headache, fatigue, dark urine.
What is the importance of fireline communication?
Clear communication ensures coordination and safety
What are the different types of fireline signals?
Hand signals, whistles, radios.
What is the purpose of a fire briefing?
To inform firefighters about the situation, objectives, and safety considerations.
What is the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE)?
PPE protects firefighters from heat, flames, and other hazards.
What is the role of a lookout?
To observe fire behavior and warn firefighters of danger.
What is the Incident Command System (ICS)?
A standardized approach to incident management.
What are the five major ICS functional areas?
Command, Operations, Planning, Logistics, Finance/Administration.
What is the role of the Incident Commander (IC)?
To oversee the entire incident response.
What is a span of control?
The number of subordinates a supervisor can effectively manage.
What is the purpose of an Incident Action Plan (IAP)?
To document incident objectives, strategies, and tactics.
What is a size-up?
An initial assessment of the incident situation.
What is the difference between strategy and tactics?
Strategy is the overall plan, while tactics are the specific actions to achieve the strategy.
What is the importance of accountability on the fireline?
To track personnel and ensure everyone’s safety.
What is a medical emergency on the fireline?
Any injury or illness requiring medical attention.
What is the role of air resources in wildland firefighting?
Air resources can provide reconnaissance, water drops, and transport
What is a Pulaski?
A hand tool with an axe blade on one side and a mattock blade on the other.
What is a McLeod?
A hand tool with a rake on one side and a hoe on the other.
What is a fire swatter?
A tool used to extinguish flames by smothering them.
What is a drip torch?
A device used to ignite backfires and burnouts.
What is a fire hose?
A flexible tube used to transport water to extinguish fires.
What is a nozzle?
A device attached to the end of a hose to control water flow.
What is a pump?
A device used to increase water pressure.
What is a tanker truck?
A vehicle used to transport large quantities of water.
What is a dozer?
A heavy machine used to create firelines.
What are the 13 fuel models described in the IRPG?
Grass:
1: Short grass (1 foot)
2: Timber (grass and understory)
3: Tall grass (2.5 feet)
Shrub:
4: Chaparral (6 feet)
5: Brush (2 feet)
6: Dormant brush, hardwood slash
7: Southern rough
Timber Litter:
8: Closed timber litter
9: Hardwood litter
Logging Slash:
10: Timber (litter and understory)
11: Light logging slash
12: Medium logging slash
13: Heavy logging slash
What is the difference between ground fuels, surface fuels, and aerial fuels?
Ground fuels: Located beneath the surface, including roots, peat, and duff.
Surface fuels: Found at ground level, such as grasses, shrubs, downed logs, and litter.
Aerial fuels: Elevated above the ground, including tree canopies, hanging branches, and vines.
How does fuel size and shape affect fire behavior?
Fine fuels (small diameter) ignite easier and burn more rapidly due to their larger surface area to volume ratio. Larger fuels ignite and burn more slowly.
What is the difference between a ladder fuel and a crown fire?
Ladder fuels are vegetation layers that allow fire to climb from the surface (grasses, shrubs) into the crowns of trees. A crown fire is where the fire spreads through the tops of trees, independent of the surface fire.
What is a fire regime?
The historical pattern of fire frequency, severity, and extent in a given area. It describes how fire naturally occurs in an ecosystem over time.
What are the key weather factors influencing fire behavior?
Temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, and atmospheric stability.
What is the effect of relative humidity on fire behavior?
Lower relative humidity leads to drier fuels, which increases the likelihood of ignition and contributes to more active fire behavior.
How does atmospheric stability affect fire behavior?
Unstable atmospheric conditions increase fire activity. This leads to more rapid fire spread, increased spotting, and the potential for fire whirls and plume-dominated fires.
What is an inversion layer and how does it influence fire behavior?
An inversion layer is a layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases with height, trapping smoke and heat below. This can suppress fire activity until the inversion breaks, potentially leading to a sudden increase in fire behavior.
What are the signs of an approaching cold front?
An approaching cold front is often indicated by a shift in wind direction, an increase in wind speed, a drop in temperature, and potentially thunderstorms.
What is the difference between flanking and pincer tactics?
Flanking: Attacking the fire’s edge by working along the sides parallel to the fire’s spread.
Pincer: Attacking both flanks of the fire simultaneously, working towards the head.
What is a mobile attack?
A direct attack method using engines or other vehicles to move along the fire’s edge while applying water or retardant.
What is the purpose of a scratch line?
A quickly constructed, shallow fireline used as a temporary control line to check the fire’s forward progress.
What is the role of a firing boss in wildland fire operations?
The Firing Boss is responsible for supervising and implementing all planned ignitions, such as burnouts and backfires.
What are the considerations when constructing a fireline?
Factors to consider include fuel type, topography, weather conditions, fire behavior, available resources, escape routes, and the establishment of safety zones.
What are the basic elements of a topographic map?
Contour lines (represent elevation), scale (ratio of map distance to real-world distance), legend (explains map symbols), and a north arrow.
How do you determine elevation on a topographic map?
By reading the contour lines. Each contour line represents a specific elevation, and the closer the lines are together, the steeper the terrain.
What is magnetic declination?
The angular difference between true north and magnetic north. It varies depending on location.
What is a UTM grid?
Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) is a grid system that divides the Earth into zones and provides a way to pinpoint locations using coordinates.
How do you use a compass to navigate in the field?
- Orient the map to align with the terrain.
- Place the compass on the map to determine the bearing (direction of travel).
- Follow the bearing while adjusting for declination.
What are the ecological roles of fire in wildland ecosystems?
Fire plays a vital role in:
Nutrient cycling: releasing nutrients from dead plant matter back into the soil
Seed germination: some seeds require fire to germinate
Habitat creation: creating a mosaic of different vegetation types that support diverse wildlife
Reducing fuel loads: preventing the buildup of excessive fuels that can lead to larger, more destructive fires
What is the difference between a prescribed fire and a wildfire?
Prescribed fires: Intentionally set and controlled fires used for resource management objectives.
Wildfires: Unplanned and uncontrolled fires.
What are some of the negative impacts of wildfire?
Loss of human life and property
Air pollution and respiratory problems
Soil erosion and water quality degradation
Damage to wildlife habitat and ecosystems
What is defensible space?
The area around a structure where vegetation has been modified to reduce fire hazard. This includes clearing flammable materials and creating fuel breaks.
What is the role of fire management in protecting wildland-urban interface (WUI) areas?
Fire management in the WUI focuses on reducing fire risk through fuel management, community education, fire-resistant building materials, and land-use planning.
