S-190 Wildland Firefighting Task Sheet
Identify how many feet are in a chain. - answerOne Chain = 66 feet
80 Chains = 1 mile
Name the three sides of the fire triangle. - answerHeat, Oxygen, Fuel (HOF)
Remove one and then there's no fire.
Summarize how each of the three methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection,
radiation) supplies heat to a fuel to start a fire. - answerConduction: the transfer of heat
through direct contact.
Convection: the transfer of heat by the movement of a liquid or gas.
Radiation: the transfer of heat through space (a vacuum).
Explain the reason for establishing an anchor point. - answerAnchor point: An
advantageous location, usually a barrier (obstruction to the spread of fire, typically an
area or strip devoid of combustible fuel. natural: lakes and rivers; constructed: roads) to
fire spread, from which to start constructing a fire line.
The anchor point is used to minimize the chance of being flanked by the fire while the
line is being constructed.
Differentiate the characteristics of the fuels found on a North Aspect from those found
on a South Aspect. - answerNorth aspects tend to be cooler and have a higher relative
humidity (RH).
South aspects tend to be warmer and have lower RH because they are in more direct
contact with the sun all day.
This results in a more abundant fuel loading on the North than on the South aspects of
mountains.
Describe how slope can affect a fire's rate of spread. - answerThe greater the slope, the
more pre-heating occurs above the fire, the faster
it accelerates due to the wind draft and the faster it grows up slope.
The flatter the slope, the more the fire direction is dependent on the wind direction.
Explain the difference between dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures. - answerDry Bulb
Temp: The temperature of the air measured in the shade, 4-8 ft above the ground. Dry
Identify how many feet are in a chain. - answerOne Chain = 66 feet
80 Chains = 1 mile
Name the three sides of the fire triangle. - answerHeat, Oxygen, Fuel (HOF)
Remove one and then there's no fire.
Summarize how each of the three methods of heat transfer (conduction, convection,
radiation) supplies heat to a fuel to start a fire. - answerConduction: the transfer of heat
through direct contact.
Convection: the transfer of heat by the movement of a liquid or gas.
Radiation: the transfer of heat through space (a vacuum).
Explain the reason for establishing an anchor point. - answerAnchor point: An
advantageous location, usually a barrier (obstruction to the spread of fire, typically an
area or strip devoid of combustible fuel. natural: lakes and rivers; constructed: roads) to
fire spread, from which to start constructing a fire line.
The anchor point is used to minimize the chance of being flanked by the fire while the
line is being constructed.
Differentiate the characteristics of the fuels found on a North Aspect from those found
on a South Aspect. - answerNorth aspects tend to be cooler and have a higher relative
humidity (RH).
South aspects tend to be warmer and have lower RH because they are in more direct
contact with the sun all day.
This results in a more abundant fuel loading on the North than on the South aspects of
mountains.
Describe how slope can affect a fire's rate of spread. - answerThe greater the slope, the
more pre-heating occurs above the fire, the faster
it accelerates due to the wind draft and the faster it grows up slope.
The flatter the slope, the more the fire direction is dependent on the wind direction.
Explain the difference between dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures. - answerDry Bulb
Temp: The temperature of the air measured in the shade, 4-8 ft above the ground. Dry
