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.

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Term	Steward	Status	Definition
personnel accountability	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	The ability to account for the location and welfare of personnel, accomplished when supervisors ensure that the ICS principles and processes are functional and personnel are working within these guidelines.
personnel pool	NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee	Archived	Personnel who have reported to the incident without an assignment (i.e., they are not assigned to an increment, strike team, or organizational unit).
pest control/deterrent/smoke out	CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee	In Development	Fire ignited to clear vegetation as a form of pest control or as deterrent. Also used to smoke small game from burrows.
photo point	WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee	Approved	The documented location where a photograph was taken.
photophobia	EMC Emergency Medical Committee	Approved	Intolerance to light; especially: painful sensitiveness to strong light.
pick	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	Circular yarn woven between longitudinal warp ends that form a pick on one turn of the finished jacket.
piling and burning	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	Piling slash resulting from logging or fuel management activities and subsequently burning the individual piles.
Pilot Balloon Operation (PIBAL)	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	A method of determining winds aloft by periodically reading the elevation and azimuth angles of a theodolite, usually at one-minute intervals, while tracking the ascent of a small free-lift balloon. A PIBAL is commonly used for constructing a wind profile.&nbsp;
pilot-in-command	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	Pilot responsible for the operation and safety of an aircraft during flight time.
pilotage	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	Navigation of aircraft by visual reference to landmarks.
pin flags	WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee	Approved	Colored flags attached to metal or plastic pins to designate the location of fire pattern indicators, evidence, and other items of interest.
pin lug coupling	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	A hose coupling with one or more cylindrical studs on its outside rim. The studs allow the use of a spanner wrench to tighten the coupling.
pincer action	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	Direct attack around a fire in opposite directions by two or more attack units. Usually conducted from the fire's tail to head.
ping-pong ball system	ETC Equipment Technology Committee, NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	Mechanized method of dispensing DAIDs (Delayed Aerial Ignition Devices) at a selected rate. The DAIDs are polystyrene balls, 1.25 inches in diameter, containing potassium permanganate. The balls are fed into a dispenser, generally mounted in a helicopter, where they are injected with a water-glycol solution and then drop through a chute leading out of the helicopter. The chemicals react thermally and ignite in 25-30 seconds. The space between ignition points on the ground is primarily a function of helicopter speed, gear ratio of the dispenser, and the number of chutes used (up to four).&nbsp;
pithy stalk	WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee	Approved	A vascular plant that has a usually continuous central internal stand of spongy tissue in the stem.
plan of attack	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	The selected course of action and organization of personnel and equipment in fire suppression, as applied to a particular fire or to all fires of a specific type.
planetary boundary layer	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	That part of the earth's lower atmosphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the earth's surface and responds to surface forcings such as fronts, friction, evapotranspiration and convective mixing.
planimetric map	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	A map that shows the positions of features without showing the elevations of all hills and valleys of the land. It can include rivers, lakes, roads, boundaries, or other human-made symbolic features.
planning interval	NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee	Archived	Period of time between scheduled planning meetings.
planning meeting	NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee	Approved	The meeting which serves as a final review and approval, by the Command and General Staff, of operational plans and resources requirements. This meeting is an element of the Planning Cycle.
Planning Section	NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee	Approved	The ICS Section that collects, evaluates, and disseminates operational information related to the incident and for the development of the IAP. This section also maintains information on the current/forecasted situation and on the status of resources assigned to the incident.
Plastic Sphere Dispenser (PSD)	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	Device installed, but jettisonable, in a helicopter, which injects glycol into a plastic sphere containing potassium permanganate, which is then expelled from the machine and aircraft. This produces an exothermic reaction resulting in ignition of fuels on the ground for prescribed or wildland fire applications.&nbsp;
plow line	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Fireline constructed by a tractor plow.
plume	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A convection column generated by combustion (of wildland fuel).
plume rise	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	How high above the level of release an emission plume rises.
plume-dominated wildland fire	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A wildland fire whose activity is determined by the convection column.
PM10	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 10 micrometers.
PM2.5	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	Particulate matter of mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers.
pocket weather meter	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	A handheld electronic device that measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, and possibly other atmospheric variables, depending on brand and model.
pockets of a fire	FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee	Approved	Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers or slow burning areas.
point date time		Approved	The date and time that the fire point was collected in the field.
point name		Approved	An additional field to assist with identifying the feature.
point of attack	IOSC Incident Operations Subcommittee	Approved	That part of the fire on which work is started when suppression crews arrive.
point of origin	WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee	Approved	The exact physical location within the Ignition Area where a heat source and the local fuel interact, resulting in a fire.
point of origin on unprotected land	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	Point of Origin of an incident for which no fire agency has been assigned as the protecting unit.
point source	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A permanent source of air pollution that can be distinctly identified such as a smokestack.
point source fire predictions	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	Predictions that apply to an initiating fire burning during a time when conditions have been relatively constant, or where it can be assumed that the fire will maintain a basically elliptical shape.
point type		Approved	Description of the type of point.
point/zone protection	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	A wildfire response strategy which protects specific assets or highly valued resources from the wildfire without directly halting the continued spread of the wildfire.
poise	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Unit of fluid viscosity in fire retardant, defined as tangential force per unit area (dynes/square centimeter) required to maintain unit difference in velocity (1 centimeter/second) between two parallel planes separated by 1 cm of fluid (1 poise=1 dyne-second/cubic centimeter).&nbsp;
polyester	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	A synthetic material either spun or filament. Can be used in both the warp and filler yarn in fire hose.
polyethylene	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	Any of various partially crystalline lightweight thermoplastics that are resistant to chemicals and moisture, have good insulating properties, and are used especially in packaging, insulation and sometimes for wildland engine water tanks.
polygon date time		Approved	The date and time that the polygon was collected in the field
polypropylene	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	A copolymer plastic, usually black, that is strong, ultraviolet resistant, not effected by chemicals and a good choice for wildland engine water tanks.
polyurethane	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	This type plastic normally is used for round molded tanks, is not ultraviolet resistant, a poor choice for fire apparatus.
portable pump	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Small gasoline-driven pump that can be carried to a water source by one or two firefighters or other conveyance over difficult terrain.
portatank	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Container, either with rigid frame or self supporting, which can be filled with water or fire chemical mixture from which fire suppression resources can be filled. It can also be a source for charging hose lays from portable pumps or stationary engines.
position code	PNB Position Naming Board	Approved	A code (mnemonic) for designating a position used in incident management response
position currency requirement	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	The requirement to perform satisfactorily in a specified position within the last five years (three years for aviation and expanded dispatch positions) in order to maintain qualification for the position.
position performance assignment	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	An assignment in which an individual is being evaluated for tasks found in the position task book.
position qualification requirement	NWCG-EB NWCG Executive Board	Approved	A component of&nbsp;NWCG standards. They enable consistent and uniform performance by personnel mobilized by position under NIMS-ICS principles. Position qualification requirements include training, experience, physical fitness, position currency and incident position descriptions (duties and responsibilities).
position qualifications	NIMSIC National Incident Management System Integration Committee	Approved	The minimum criteria necessary for individuals to fill a specific position.
position specific standard	NWCG-EB NWCG Executive Board	Approved	Derived from the&nbsp;incident&nbsp;position descriptions and are a component of NWCG standards. Position&nbsp;specific standards&nbsp;specify the tasks and behaviors that&nbsp;make up the incident position&rsquo;s duties and responsibilities.
Position Steward	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	The committee or subgroup that is assigned to manage an incident position
Position Task Book (PTB)	IPSC Incident and Position Standards Committee	Approved	A document listing the performance requirements (competencies and behaviors) for a position in a format that allows for the evaluation of individual (trainee) performance to determine if an individual is qualified in the position. Successful performance of PTB tasks, as observed and recorded by a qualified evaluator, will result in a recommendation to the trainee's home unit that the individual be certified in the position.&nbsp;
position title	PNB Position Naming Board	Approved	A title for a position used for incident management response.
positive displacement pump	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	A pump which moves a specified quantity of water through the pump chamber with each stroke or cycle; it is capable of pumping air, and therefore is self-priming, but must have pressure relief provisions if plumbing or hoses have shut-off nozzles or valves . Gear pumps and piston pumps are common examples of this type.&nbsp;
possible	WFISC Wildland Fire Investigation Subcommittee	Approved	A level of certainty that is feasible but does not rise to the level of probable.
potato roll	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Quick method of rolling hose for pick up; hose is rolled as a ball of string.
Potential Operational Delineation line		In Development	Depicts linear potential control features that may form wildland fire potential operational delineation polygon boundaries.
Potential Operational Delineation polygon		In Development	A polygon depicting control features that form wildland fire potential operation delineation boundaries.
Pounds per Square Inch (PSI)	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Measurement of pressure (e.g., pump pressure, nozzle pressure, friction loss in hose, pressure loss or gain due to elevation).
power generation/transmission/distribution	CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee	In Development	Systems designed to produce, transport and distribute energy. (summary of information found in PMS 412 and FI-210)
power take-off	MFES Mobile Fire Equipment Subcommittee	Approved	An output shaft on an engine, transmission, or transfer case of a motorized vehicle that delivers engine power to auxiliary equipment.
powertrain	CEPC Communication, Education, and Prevention Committee	In Development
pre-course work	TDC Training Delivery Committee	Approved	Work that is assigned before a training session begins. The purpose is to prepare learners for an upcoming training with the knowledge and skills required to participate in training activities. Pre-course work typically consists of readings, videos, online resources, or gathering of information that will be pertinent to the course.
pre-green	FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	Approved	In the 1978 version of NFDRS, the herbaceous stage approximately 30 days prior to green-up.
pre-selection assessment	TDC Training Delivery Committee	Approved	An assessment that must be passed before admittance into the course.
preattack	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee, IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	A planned, systematic procedure for collecting, recording, and evaluating prefire and fire management intelligence data for a given planning unit or preattack block. The planning phase is usually followed by a construction and development program integrated with other resources and activities.&nbsp;
preattack block	DMC Data Management Committee	Approved	Unit of wildland delineated by logical and strategic topographic features for preattack planning.
preattack planning	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee, IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	Within designated blocks of land, planning the locations of firelines, fire camps, water sources, and helispots; planning transportation systems, probable rates of travel, and constraints of travel on various types of attack units; and determining what types of attack units likely would be needed to construct particular firelines, their probable rate of fireline construction, and topographic constraints on fireline construction.&nbsp;
precautionary landing	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	A landing necessitated by apparent impending failure of engines, systems, or components which makes continued flight unadvisable.
precipitation	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	Any or all forms of water particles, liquid or solid, that fall from the atmosphere and reach the ground.
precipitation amount	FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	Approved	The total amount of precipitation that occurred within the preceding 24-hour period.
precipitation duration	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	Time, in hours and fraction of hours, that a precipitation event lasts. More precisely, for fire danger rating purposes, the length of time that fuels are subjected to liquid water.
precipitation gauge	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	Device commonly used to collect and permit measurement of any form of rain and snow sufficiently heavy to have fallen to the earth's surface.
precision approach procedure	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	A standard instrument approach procedure for fixed-wing aircraft in which an electronic glide slope is provided, such as ILS and PAR.
Precision Approach Radar (PAR)	NIAC National Interagency Aviation Committee	Approved	Blind landing in which the aircraft is observed from the ground by means of radar and directed along a suitable glide path by instructions radioed to the pilot.
preconnected	ETC Equipment Technology Committee	Approved	Hard suction hose or discharge hose carried connected to pump, eliminating delay occasioned when hose and nozzles must be connected and attached at fire.
predictive services	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	Those Geographic Area and National-level fire weather or fire danger services and products produced by wildland fire agency meteorologists and intelligence staffs in support of resource allocation and prioritization.
Predictive Services Area boundary polygon		In Development	A polygon depicting the extent of the Predictive Services Area boundary.
Predictive Services Area Name		Approved	Unique name of the Predictive Services Area defined by Predictive Services.
Predictive Services Area national code		Approved	Unique code for every PSA associated to a single unit.
preignition combustion phase	FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee	Approved	Thermal or chemical decomposition of fuel at an elevated temperature. This is the pre-combustion stage of burning during which distillation and pyrolysis predominate. Heat energy is absorbed by the fuel which, in turn, gives off water vapor and flammable tars, pitches, and gases. These ignite when mixed with oxygen to initiate the flaming combustion phase.&nbsp;
preignition phase	FBSC Fire Behavior Subcommittee	Approved	Preliminary phase of combustion in which fuel elements ahead of the fire are heated, causing fuels to dry. Heat induces decomposition of some components of the wood, causing release of combustible organic gases and vapors.
preparedness (activity)	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee, FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	Approved	Activities that lead to a safe, efficient, and cost-effective fire management program in support of land and resource management objectives through appropriate planning and coordination.
preparedness (capability)	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee, FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	Approved	The range of deliberate, critical tasks, and activities necessary to build, sustain, and improve the capability to protect against, respond to, and recover from domestic incidents.
preparedness (mental)	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee, FDSC Fire Danger Subcommittee	Approved	Mental readiness to recognize changes in fire danger and act promptly when action is appropriate.
preparedness level	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	Increments of planning and organizational readiness dictated by burning conditions, fire activity, and resource availability.
preparedness plan	IFPC Interagency Fire Planning Committee	Approved	A written plan providing for timely recognition of approaching critical fire situations, priority setting, the deployment of forces, and other actions to respond to those situations.
preparedness/preposition (event)	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	An event dealing with effective and efficient response by the wildland fire community to planned, anticipated or event activity. This category includes activities such as move-up and cover, fire menace standby, and severity activities.
prescribed burning	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	Application of prescribed fire.
prescribed fire	FMB Fire Management Board	Approved	A wildland fire originating from a planned ignition in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations to meet specific objectives.
prescribed fire (event)	NCSC National Coordination System Committee	Approved	An event, where a wildland fire originating from a planned ignition in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations to meet specific objectives.
prescribed fire burn plan	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A plan required for each fire application ignited by management. Plans are documents prepared by qualified personnel, approved by the agency administrator, and include criteria for the conditions under which the fire will be conducted (a prescription). Plan content varies among the agencies.
prescribed fire escape indicator	FRSC Fire Reporting Subcommittee	Approved	Indicates whether the wildfire resulted from an escaped prescribed fire. Y or N.
prescribed fire module	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A team of skilled and mobile personnel dedicated primarily to prescribed fire management that can ignite, hold and monitor prescribed fires.
prescribed fire plan	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	A plan required for each fire application ignited by management. Plans are documents prepared by qualified personnel, approved by the agency administrator, and include criteria for the conditions under which the fire will be conducted (a prescription).
prescription	FUSC Fire Use Subcommittee	Approved	In the context of wildland fire, a prescription is measurable criteria that define conditions under which a prescribed fire may be ignited. Prescriptions may also be used to guide selection of management responses to wildfire to define conditions under which management actions are most likely to achieve incident management objectives. Prescription criteria typically describe environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity and fuel moisture, but may also include safety, economic, public health, geographic, administrative, social, or legal considerations.&nbsp;
pressure gradient	FWS Fire Weather Subcommittee	Approved	The difference in atmospheric pressure between two points on a weather map. That is, the magnitude of pressure difference between two points at sea level, or at constant elevation above sea level. Wind speed is directly related to pressure gradient. If distance between constant pressure lines is reduced by one-half, wind speed will be doubled. Conversely, if distance between lines is doubled, wind speed will be reduced by one-half.&nbsp;

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NWCG Glossary of Wildland Fire, PMS 205

Overview