S-190 Intro to Wildland Fire Behavior Exam Questions and Answers Already Passed
Point of origin - Answers The precise location where a competent ignition source came into contact with
the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.
Head of a fire - Answers The side of the fire having the fastest rate of spread
Flank of a fire - Answers The part of a fire's perimeter that is roughly parallel to the main direction of
spread.
Rear of a fire - Answers 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 - Answers Anchor, Flank, Pinch
Fire perimeter - Answers Entire outer edge of a fire
Fingers of a fire - Answers Long narrow extensions of a fire projecting from the main body
Pockets of a fire - Answers Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers or slow burning
areas
Island - Answers Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot fire - Answers Fire ignited outside the perimeter of the main fire by a fireband
Smoldering - Answers Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping fire - Answers Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running fire - Answers Behavior of a fire spreading rapidly with a well defined head
Spotting - Answers 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 - Answers The burning of foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees from the bottom up
Crown fire - Answers 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 - Answers Any sudden acceleration in the rate of spread or intensification. Relatively short-
duration. Junipers cause a lot of these.
Firewhirl - Answers 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 - Answers That portion of the fire with slower rates of spread. Also called the heel
, Flaming front - Answers 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 - Answers 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 - Answers An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges
used to contain a fire
Fireline - Answers The part of a containment or control line that is scraped or dug to mineral soil
Mop-up - Answers 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 - Answers 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 - Answers 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
Chain - Answers Unit of measure in land survey. 1 chain=66 feet. 80 chains=1 mile. 10 square chains=1
acre.
3 elements of the fire triangle - Answers Fuel to burn
Air to supply oxygen for the flame
Heat to start and continue the combustion process
3 methods of heat transfer - Answers Radiation, convection, conduction
Radiation - Answers Radiant heat can dry surrounding fuels and sometimes ignite them. Like standing
close to a camp fire warms you up.
Convection - Answers Think of this as a smoke column above the fire. Occurs when lighter warm air
moves upward. The hot gases and embers which compose the smoke column can dry and ignite other
fuels
Conduction - Answers Heat is conducted from one fuel particle to another by direct contact.
When is a fire controlled? - Answers When its expected to hold under any foreseeable conditions
Point of origin - Answers The precise location where a competent ignition source came into contact with
the material first ignited and sustained combustion occurred.
Head of a fire - Answers The side of the fire having the fastest rate of spread
Flank of a fire - Answers The part of a fire's perimeter that is roughly parallel to the main direction of
spread.
Rear of a fire - Answers 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 - Answers Anchor, Flank, Pinch
Fire perimeter - Answers Entire outer edge of a fire
Fingers of a fire - Answers Long narrow extensions of a fire projecting from the main body
Pockets of a fire - Answers Unburned indentations in the fire edge formed by fingers or slow burning
areas
Island - Answers Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot fire - Answers Fire ignited outside the perimeter of the main fire by a fireband
Smoldering - Answers Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping fire - Answers Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running fire - Answers Behavior of a fire spreading rapidly with a well defined head
Spotting - Answers 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 - Answers The burning of foliage of a single tree or a small group of trees from the bottom up
Crown fire - Answers 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 - Answers Any sudden acceleration in the rate of spread or intensification. Relatively short-
duration. Junipers cause a lot of these.
Firewhirl - Answers 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 - Answers That portion of the fire with slower rates of spread. Also called the heel
, Flaming front - Answers 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 - Answers 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 - Answers An inclusive term for all constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges
used to contain a fire
Fireline - Answers The part of a containment or control line that is scraped or dug to mineral soil
Mop-up - Answers 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 - Answers 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 - Answers 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
Chain - Answers Unit of measure in land survey. 1 chain=66 feet. 80 chains=1 mile. 10 square chains=1
acre.
3 elements of the fire triangle - Answers Fuel to burn
Air to supply oxygen for the flame
Heat to start and continue the combustion process
3 methods of heat transfer - Answers Radiation, convection, conduction
Radiation - Answers Radiant heat can dry surrounding fuels and sometimes ignite them. Like standing
close to a camp fire warms you up.
Convection - Answers Think of this as a smoke column above the fire. Occurs when lighter warm air
moves upward. The hot gases and embers which compose the smoke column can dry and ignite other
fuels
Conduction - Answers Heat is conducted from one fuel particle to another by direct contact.
When is a fire controlled? - Answers When its expected to hold under any foreseeable conditions
