S-130 Flashcards
Origin
Where the fire started and the point from which the fire will spread.
Head
Part of wild land fire with the greatest forward rate of spread. The head is usually on the opposite side from where the wind is blowing, or on the uphill side of a slope. Some fires will have multiple heads, and controlling them is how you stop a wild land fire.
Finger
Long narrow strips of fire that extend from the main body of fire.
When are fingers formed?
-When fire burns into mixed fuels. It burns quickly through light fuel, but slowly through heavy fuel.
-Due to variation in terrain and wind direction
-When the head is split by natural features like water, fields, or rock outcroppings.
Uncontrolled fingers can form new heads.
Unburned area between the main fire and any fingers
Perimeter
Outer boundary, or distance around the outside edge.
Also called fire edge
Rear/heal
The opposite end of the fire from the head
Flanks
Part of the fire the parallel the direction the fire is traveling.
Island
Unburned areas inside the fire perimeter.
Consider burning these out to prevent spot fires.
Convection Column
Rising column of head or gas above a source of continued heat or fire.
Slopover
When the fire crosses a control line or natural barrier. This accrues immediately adjacent to and across the control line.
Spot fires
These can occur some distance from the control line.
The green
Any are that isn’t burnt, but it adjacent to an involved area.
Aerial Fuels
Any burnable fuel not in direct contact with the ground.
Reburn
When a fire moves quickly through an area leaving either aerial or ground fuels unburned that can be burned later when conditions become more favorable.
Chain
66 feet
ROS
Rate of spread
Feet traveled per minute is equal to
Chains per hour
Smoldering fire
Fire that burns without a flame and is barely spreading
Creeping fire
Burns with low flame and spreads slowly
Running fire
One that spreads rapidly with a well defined head
Spotting fire
Fire that has large convection columns or wind that spread spot fires in advance of the fire head
Crowning fire
Burns at the tops of trees or shrubs, independent of the ground fire.
Torching fire
One that periodically ignites the crown of a single or small group of trees or shrubs before returning to the surface. Torching fires are not as serious as crown fires.
Anchor point
Any good place where you can start building a fire line. Using an anchor point helps prevent us from being outflanked by the fire.
