S-190 Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior
Exam 2025 Questions and Answers
Point of origin - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The precise location where a competent ignition source
came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.
Head of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The side of the fire having the fastest rate of spread
Flank of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The part of a fire's perimeter that is roughly parallel to the
main direction of spread.
Rear of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Portion of a fire spreading directly into the wind or down
slope. Opposite the head. Slowest spreading portion of a fire edge. Also called the heel
3 main objectives to fight a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Anchor, Flank, Pinch
Fire perimeter - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Entire outer edge of a fire
Fingers of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Long narrow extensions of a fire projecting from the main
body
Pockets of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers
or slow burning areas
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,Island - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire ignited outside the perimeter of the main fire by a fireband
Smoldering - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Behavior of a fire spreading rapidly with a well defined head
Spotting - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Behavior of a fire producing sparks or embers that are carried by
the wind and which start new fires beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire
Torching - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The burning of foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees
from the bottom up
Crown fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire that advances from top to top of trees or shrubs more or
less independent of surface fire. Sometimes classes as running or dependent to distinguish the
degree of independence from the surface fire.
Flare up - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Any sudden acceleration in the rate of spread or intensification.
Relatively short-duration. Junipers cause a lot of these.
Firewhirl - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising
from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flame. Can move all over and are unpredictable.
Backing fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-That portion of the fire with slower rates of spread. Also
called the heel
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Flaming front - Correct Answer✔️✔️-That zone of a moving fire where the combustion is
primarily flaming. Light fuels typically have a shallow flaming front. Heavy fuels have a deeper front.
Anchor point - Correct Answer✔️✔️-An advantageous location, usually a barrier to fire spread,
from which to start constructing a fireline. Used to minimize the chance of being flanked while line
is being constructed.
Control line - Correct Answer✔️✔️-An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and
treated fire edges used to contain a fire
Fireline - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The part of a containment or control line that is scraped or dug to
mineral soil
Mop-up - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Extinguishing or removing burning material near control lines,
felling snags, and trenching logs to prevent rolling after an area has burned, to make a fire safe, or to
reduce residual smoke
Contained - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a
control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably
be expected to stop the fire's spread.
Controlled - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The completion of control line around a fire, any spot fires, and
any interior islands to be saved. Burn out any unburned area adjacent to the fire side of the control
lines. Cool down all hot spots that are immediate threats to the control line, until the lines can
reasonably be expected to hold under the foreseeable conditions
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
Exam 2025 Questions and Answers
Point of origin - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The precise location where a competent ignition source
came into contact with the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.
Head of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The side of the fire having the fastest rate of spread
Flank of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The part of a fire's perimeter that is roughly parallel to the
main direction of spread.
Rear of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Portion of a fire spreading directly into the wind or down
slope. Opposite the head. Slowest spreading portion of a fire edge. Also called the heel
3 main objectives to fight a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Anchor, Flank, Pinch
Fire perimeter - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Entire outer edge of a fire
Fingers of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Long narrow extensions of a fire projecting from the main
body
Pockets of a fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers
or slow burning areas
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,Island - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire ignited outside the perimeter of the main fire by a fireband
Smoldering - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Behavior of a fire spreading rapidly with a well defined head
Spotting - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Behavior of a fire producing sparks or embers that are carried by
the wind and which start new fires beyond the zone of direct ignition by the main fire
Torching - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The burning of foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees
from the bottom up
Crown fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Fire that advances from top to top of trees or shrubs more or
less independent of surface fire. Sometimes classes as running or dependent to distinguish the
degree of independence from the surface fire.
Flare up - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Any sudden acceleration in the rate of spread or intensification.
Relatively short-duration. Junipers cause a lot of these.
Firewhirl - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising
from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flame. Can move all over and are unpredictable.
Backing fire - Correct Answer✔️✔️-That portion of the fire with slower rates of spread. Also
called the heel
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
, Flaming front - Correct Answer✔️✔️-That zone of a moving fire where the combustion is
primarily flaming. Light fuels typically have a shallow flaming front. Heavy fuels have a deeper front.
Anchor point - Correct Answer✔️✔️-An advantageous location, usually a barrier to fire spread,
from which to start constructing a fireline. Used to minimize the chance of being flanked while line
is being constructed.
Control line - Correct Answer✔️✔️-An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and
treated fire edges used to contain a fire
Fireline - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The part of a containment or control line that is scraped or dug to
mineral soil
Mop-up - Correct Answer✔️✔️-Extinguishing or removing burning material near control lines,
felling snags, and trenching logs to prevent rolling after an area has burned, to make a fire safe, or to
reduce residual smoke
Contained - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The status of a wildfire suppression action signifying that a
control line has been completed around the fire, and any associated spot fires, which can reasonably
be expected to stop the fire's spread.
Controlled - Correct Answer✔️✔️-The completion of control line around a fire, any spot fires, and
any interior islands to be saved. Burn out any unburned area adjacent to the fire side of the control
lines. Cool down all hot spots that are immediate threats to the control line, until the lines can
reasonably be expected to hold under the foreseeable conditions
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
