WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING S-190
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Origin - ANSWERSWhere the fire started and or where it's going.
Head - ANSWERSGreatest rate of spread. Moves intensely. May have more than one
head.
Fingers - ANSWERSLong narrow strips of fire that break off of the main fire. Caused by
mixed fuels, natural features dividing the fire.
Pocket - ANSWERSUnaffected area between the main fire and finger.
Perimeter - ANSWERSOuter boundary of burning or burnt area.
Rear/ heel - ANSWERSOpposite to the head of the fire. Close to the point of origin.
Flanks - ANSWERSSides of a wildland fire. May change to the head or fingers might
form because of fuel.
Islands - ANSWERSUnburned areas inside the perimeter.
Wildland fires - ANSWERSUnplanned or unwanted fires.
Fireline - ANSWERSPart of the control line. Dug to mineral soil. Where firefighting
activities take place.
Spot fires - ANSWERSSmalls fires burning beyond main fire boundary.
Convection column - ANSWERSRising hot air/ gas above the fire source.
Slopover/ Breakover - ANSWERSWhen fire crosses a control line
The green - ANSWERSUnburned area close to the fire where live or dead fuels are.
NOT SAFE
Live fuels - ANSWERSLiving plants, high moisture vegetation, low moisture content
Dead fuels - ANSWERSWhere moisture is only governed by only atmospheric moisture.
Ie: relative humidity and precipitation.
, The Black - ANSWERSArea where fire has already moved through.
Surface/ Ground Fuel - ANSWERSFuel that contacts the ground. Ex: leafs, dead
branches, bark, tree cones.
Aerial fuels - ANSWERSFuel suspended from the ground. Ex: branches, twigs, bark
and vines.
Black unsafe - ANSWERSSteep terrain, hot spots, falling snags, exposure from
adjacent Unburned fuels.
Reburns - ANSWERSWind shift or a fire moves fast and doesn't burn everything.
Fire behavior - ANSWERSManner in which the fire reacts to various fuels, weather and
topography.
Fire spread - ANSWERSMovement of the fire.
Rate of Spread ROS - ANSWERSHow fast the fire is moving. Measured in chains or
acres per hour.
Chain - ANSWERSHow the fire is measured. 60ft in a chain. Ex: 1ft/min= 1 chain per
hour 10ft/min= 10 chains per hour
Flaming front/ Fire front - ANSWERSWhere continuous combustion is taking place
within a fire. Leading edge of fire perimeter. Surfaces fires= smoldering combustion.
Combustion - ANSWERSSelf sustaining process of a fuel that produces heat and light.
Smoldering - ANSWERSBurning without flame. Moves slowly.
Light fuels - ANSWERSFast drying. Usually in a shallow flame front. High surface area
to volume ratio. Less than 1/4 in diameter easily ignite and burn rapidly
Heavy fuels - ANSWERSLogs, large limbs, not easy to ignite. Burn hot, long and slow
Creeping fires - ANSWERSLow flame. Burns slowly
Running fire - ANSWERSSpreads rapidly. Well defined head.
Fire crowning - ANSWERSWhen the fire spreads across the tree tops faster than the
surface
Fire.
Torching fire - ANSWERSNot as serious as a crown fire. Ignites tree tops for a bit then
goes back to surface fire
EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
Origin - ANSWERSWhere the fire started and or where it's going.
Head - ANSWERSGreatest rate of spread. Moves intensely. May have more than one
head.
Fingers - ANSWERSLong narrow strips of fire that break off of the main fire. Caused by
mixed fuels, natural features dividing the fire.
Pocket - ANSWERSUnaffected area between the main fire and finger.
Perimeter - ANSWERSOuter boundary of burning or burnt area.
Rear/ heel - ANSWERSOpposite to the head of the fire. Close to the point of origin.
Flanks - ANSWERSSides of a wildland fire. May change to the head or fingers might
form because of fuel.
Islands - ANSWERSUnburned areas inside the perimeter.
Wildland fires - ANSWERSUnplanned or unwanted fires.
Fireline - ANSWERSPart of the control line. Dug to mineral soil. Where firefighting
activities take place.
Spot fires - ANSWERSSmalls fires burning beyond main fire boundary.
Convection column - ANSWERSRising hot air/ gas above the fire source.
Slopover/ Breakover - ANSWERSWhen fire crosses a control line
The green - ANSWERSUnburned area close to the fire where live or dead fuels are.
NOT SAFE
Live fuels - ANSWERSLiving plants, high moisture vegetation, low moisture content
Dead fuels - ANSWERSWhere moisture is only governed by only atmospheric moisture.
Ie: relative humidity and precipitation.
, The Black - ANSWERSArea where fire has already moved through.
Surface/ Ground Fuel - ANSWERSFuel that contacts the ground. Ex: leafs, dead
branches, bark, tree cones.
Aerial fuels - ANSWERSFuel suspended from the ground. Ex: branches, twigs, bark
and vines.
Black unsafe - ANSWERSSteep terrain, hot spots, falling snags, exposure from
adjacent Unburned fuels.
Reburns - ANSWERSWind shift or a fire moves fast and doesn't burn everything.
Fire behavior - ANSWERSManner in which the fire reacts to various fuels, weather and
topography.
Fire spread - ANSWERSMovement of the fire.
Rate of Spread ROS - ANSWERSHow fast the fire is moving. Measured in chains or
acres per hour.
Chain - ANSWERSHow the fire is measured. 60ft in a chain. Ex: 1ft/min= 1 chain per
hour 10ft/min= 10 chains per hour
Flaming front/ Fire front - ANSWERSWhere continuous combustion is taking place
within a fire. Leading edge of fire perimeter. Surfaces fires= smoldering combustion.
Combustion - ANSWERSSelf sustaining process of a fuel that produces heat and light.
Smoldering - ANSWERSBurning without flame. Moves slowly.
Light fuels - ANSWERSFast drying. Usually in a shallow flame front. High surface area
to volume ratio. Less than 1/4 in diameter easily ignite and burn rapidly
Heavy fuels - ANSWERSLogs, large limbs, not easy to ignite. Burn hot, long and slow
Creeping fires - ANSWERSLow flame. Burns slowly
Running fire - ANSWERSSpreads rapidly. Well defined head.
Fire crowning - ANSWERSWhen the fire spreads across the tree tops faster than the
surface
Fire.
Torching fire - ANSWERSNot as serious as a crown fire. Ignites tree tops for a bit then
goes back to surface fire
