S-290 PRACTICE EXAMINATION 2026
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ What is the role of atmospheric stability in fire behavior?.
Answer: Unstable atmospheres allow for more vertical movement of air
particles, potentially leading to dangerous thunderstorms.
◍ What is the role of the sun in the earth's heat balance?.
Answer: The sun provides energy that drives the earth's radiation budget and
influences weather patterns.
◍ What are the seven characteristics of fuels affecting wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Fuel characteristics, fuel moisture, fuel temperature, kind, amount,
size, shape, position, and arrangement.
◍ What is the effect of snow melt dates on fire behavior?.
Answer: They influence the availability of fuels and the timing of the fire
season.
◍ What does the term 'fire whirls' refer to?.
Answer: Spinning columns of air that can occur in the vicinity of a fire.
◍ How do burned patches influence future fire behavior?.
Answer: They break up the fuel continuity leading to smaller less intense
wildfires.
◍ What are the common features identified on a topographic map?.
Answer: Contour lines, aspects, elevation points, ridges, and canyons.
◍ Which of the following are true about LANDFIRE? (Select 2).
Answer: Maps of vegetation and fire information d. 30 X 30 Meter
resolution map
,◍ What is the difference between continuous and patchy fuels?.
Answer: Continuous fuels provide available fuels at one or more levels,
while patchy fuels have barren areas that hinder fire travel.
◍ What is the fire triangle?.
Answer: The fire triangle consists of heat, oxygen, and fuel.
◍ What is the ignition temperature for wildland fuels?.
Answer: 600°F.
◍ What percentage of fuels in a cured grass stand might be consumed by fire?.
Answer: Nearly 100 percent.
◍ How is the rate of spread (ROS) expressed?.
Answer: As the rate of increase of the total perimeter of the fire, rate of
forward spread of the fire front, or rate of increase in area.
◍ What role does wind play in wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Wind can increase fire intensity by adding oxygen and can
transport firebrands over distances.
◍ What role do ridges play in fire behavior?.
Answer: They can slow fire spread and limit spotting problems due to
opposing airflow.
◍ What does a fuel model simulate?.
Answer: A fuel model simulates a fuel complex for which all fuel
descriptors required for the solution of a mathematical rate of spread model
have been specified.
◍ What are the five types of clouds that could indicate the potential for critical
fire weather?.
Answer: Cumulonimbus LenticularAltocumulous FloccusAltocumulous
CastelaenusCirrostratus
◍ When do the highest daily temperatures typically occur during summer?.
Answer: Roughly 2 to 4 hours after solar noon.
, ◍ What is the typical fire behavior in closed canopy stands?.
Answer: They offer the best opportunity for a running crown fire.
◍ What should you ALWAYS do when collecting weather observations?
(Select all that apply).
Answer: Acclimate your weather instruments in the shade.Take weather
observations in a safe location.
◍ How does humidity affect fire behavior?.
Answer: Higher humidity can reduce fire intensity and spread, while lower
humidity can increase fire risk.
◍ What are the five weather factors affecting wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric stability, wind speed
and direction, and precipitation.
◍ What is the effect of humidity on nighttime temperatures?.
Answer: Higher humidity generally leads to warmer nighttime temperatures.
◍ What is the significance of terrain and vegetation properties?.
Answer: They influence the heat energy absorbed and reflected, affecting
surface air temperature.
◍ What is the focus of the S-390 course?.
Answer: It introduces wildland fire behavior calculations by manual
methods and discusses inputs to the prediction process.
◍ What is the role of deep duff in ground fuels?.
Answer: Deep duff can hold fire through winter snows and is important for
line construction.
◍ What is radiation in heat transfer?.
Answer: Radiation is the transmission of heat energy by electromagnetic
waves from a heat source to an absorbing material.
◍ What is the importance of relative humidity in wildland fires?.
Answer: Relative humidity influences the moisture content of fuels,
affecting ignition and fire spread.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS GRADED
A+
◍ What is the role of atmospheric stability in fire behavior?.
Answer: Unstable atmospheres allow for more vertical movement of air
particles, potentially leading to dangerous thunderstorms.
◍ What is the role of the sun in the earth's heat balance?.
Answer: The sun provides energy that drives the earth's radiation budget and
influences weather patterns.
◍ What are the seven characteristics of fuels affecting wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Fuel characteristics, fuel moisture, fuel temperature, kind, amount,
size, shape, position, and arrangement.
◍ What is the effect of snow melt dates on fire behavior?.
Answer: They influence the availability of fuels and the timing of the fire
season.
◍ What does the term 'fire whirls' refer to?.
Answer: Spinning columns of air that can occur in the vicinity of a fire.
◍ How do burned patches influence future fire behavior?.
Answer: They break up the fuel continuity leading to smaller less intense
wildfires.
◍ What are the common features identified on a topographic map?.
Answer: Contour lines, aspects, elevation points, ridges, and canyons.
◍ Which of the following are true about LANDFIRE? (Select 2).
Answer: Maps of vegetation and fire information d. 30 X 30 Meter
resolution map
,◍ What is the difference between continuous and patchy fuels?.
Answer: Continuous fuels provide available fuels at one or more levels,
while patchy fuels have barren areas that hinder fire travel.
◍ What is the fire triangle?.
Answer: The fire triangle consists of heat, oxygen, and fuel.
◍ What is the ignition temperature for wildland fuels?.
Answer: 600°F.
◍ What percentage of fuels in a cured grass stand might be consumed by fire?.
Answer: Nearly 100 percent.
◍ How is the rate of spread (ROS) expressed?.
Answer: As the rate of increase of the total perimeter of the fire, rate of
forward spread of the fire front, or rate of increase in area.
◍ What role does wind play in wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Wind can increase fire intensity by adding oxygen and can
transport firebrands over distances.
◍ What role do ridges play in fire behavior?.
Answer: They can slow fire spread and limit spotting problems due to
opposing airflow.
◍ What does a fuel model simulate?.
Answer: A fuel model simulates a fuel complex for which all fuel
descriptors required for the solution of a mathematical rate of spread model
have been specified.
◍ What are the five types of clouds that could indicate the potential for critical
fire weather?.
Answer: Cumulonimbus LenticularAltocumulous FloccusAltocumulous
CastelaenusCirrostratus
◍ When do the highest daily temperatures typically occur during summer?.
Answer: Roughly 2 to 4 hours after solar noon.
, ◍ What is the typical fire behavior in closed canopy stands?.
Answer: They offer the best opportunity for a running crown fire.
◍ What should you ALWAYS do when collecting weather observations?
(Select all that apply).
Answer: Acclimate your weather instruments in the shade.Take weather
observations in a safe location.
◍ How does humidity affect fire behavior?.
Answer: Higher humidity can reduce fire intensity and spread, while lower
humidity can increase fire risk.
◍ What are the five weather factors affecting wildland fire behavior?.
Answer: Temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric stability, wind speed
and direction, and precipitation.
◍ What is the effect of humidity on nighttime temperatures?.
Answer: Higher humidity generally leads to warmer nighttime temperatures.
◍ What is the significance of terrain and vegetation properties?.
Answer: They influence the heat energy absorbed and reflected, affecting
surface air temperature.
◍ What is the focus of the S-390 course?.
Answer: It introduces wildland fire behavior calculations by manual
methods and discusses inputs to the prediction process.
◍ What is the role of deep duff in ground fuels?.
Answer: Deep duff can hold fire through winter snows and is important for
line construction.
◍ What is radiation in heat transfer?.
Answer: Radiation is the transmission of heat energy by electromagnetic
waves from a heat source to an absorbing material.
◍ What is the importance of relative humidity in wildland fires?.
Answer: Relative humidity influences the moisture content of fuels,
affecting ignition and fire spread.
