Chapter 21 Wildland and Ground Cover Fires Flashcards
Fuels located more than 6 ft (2 m) off the ground, usually part of or attached to trees.
Aerial fuels
A direct method of suppressing a wildland or ground cover fire that involves two teams of fire fighters establishing anchor points on each side of the fire and working toward the head of the fire until the fire gets “pinched” between them; also known as the pincer attack.
Anchor, flank, and pinch attack
A strategic and safe point from which to start constructing a fire control line. An ______ _____ is used to reduce the chance of fire fighters being flanked by fire.
Anchor point
A structure, part of a structure, or general geographic location within a fire scene, in which the “point of origin” of a fire or explosion is reasonably believed to be located.
Area of origin
A fire set along the inner edge of a fire control line to consume the fuel in the path of a wildland fire or change the direction of force of the fire’s convection column.
Backfire
A portable fire extinguisher usually consisting of a 5-gal (19-L) water tank that is worn on the user’s back and features a hand-powered piston pump for discharging the water.
Backpack fire extinguisher
An area that has already been burned.
Black
A foam system that combines air under pressure with foam solution to create foam.
Compressed air foam system (CAFS)
A long-handled rake constructed with hardened triangular-shaped steel teeth that is used for raking a fire control line down to soil with no subsurface fuel, for digging, for rolling burning logs, and for cutting grass and small brush.
Council rake
An area, as defined by the authority having jurisdiction [typically a width of 30 ft (9 m) or more], between an improved property and a potential wildland fire where combustible materials and vegetation have been removed or modified to reduce the potential for fire on improved property spreading to wildland fuels or to provide a safe working area for fire fighters protecting life and improved property from wildland fire.
Defensible space
A method of wildland fire attack in which fire fighters focus on containing and extinguishing the fire at its burning edge.
Direct attack
A list of situations published by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group (NWCG) and used to assess whether or not a wildland firefighting assignment is safe to conduct.
Eighteen watch out situations
A method of wildland fire attack in which the control line is located along natural fuel breaks, at favorable breaks in the topography, or at considerable distance from the fire, and the intervening fuel is burned out.
Indirect attack
An unburned area surrounded by fire.
Island
Fuels that provide vertical continuity between the ground and the tops of trees or shrubs, thereby allowing fire to move with relative ease.
Ladder fuels
A mnemonic that stands for Lookouts, Communications, Escape routes, and Safety zones. Fire fighters should ensure that the components of ____ are in place before attacking a wildland fire to reduce the risk associated with fighting these types of fires.
LCES
A hand tool used for constructing fire control lines and overhauling wildland fires. One side of the head consists of a five-toothed to seven-toothed fire rake; the other side is a hoe.
McLeod
A method of attack in which the control line is located parallel to the fire edge, at a distance of about 5 to 50 ft (1.5 to 15 m) form the fire. The intervening fuel usually burns out as the fire control line moves alongside the fire but ca also burn out with the main fire.
Parallel attack
A deep indentation of unburned fuel along the fire’s perimeter, often found between a finger and the heat of the fire.
A supplemental mechanism that enables a fire engine to operate a pump while the engine is still moving.
Power take-off shaft
A hand tool that combines an adze and an axe for brush removal.
Pulaski axe
The side opposite the head of the fire. Also called the heel of the fire.
Rear of the fire
A hand tool used for constructing fire control lines and overhauling wildland fires. The tool is similar to an oversized garden hose.
Reinhart
The ratio between the amount of water vapor in the gas at the time of measurement and the amount of water vapor that could be in the gas when condensation begins, at a given temperature.
Relative humidity
Debris resulting from natural events such as wind, fire, snow, or ice breakage; or from human activities such as building or road construction, logging, pruning, thinning, or brush cutting.
Slash
A new fire that starts outside areas of the main fire, usually caused by flying embers and sparks.
Spot fire
Partially decomposed matter that lies beneath the ground, such as roots, moss, duff, and decomposed stumps.
Subsurface fuel
Fuels that are close to the surface of the ground, such as grass, leaves, twigs, needles, small trees, logging slash, and low brush. Also called ground fuels.
Surface fuels
