Unit 1 - Basic Concepts
of Wildland Fire
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Unit Objective
Define basic terminology
used in wildland fire.
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Parts of a Fire
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Origin
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Head
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Flank (Flanks)
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Rear or Heel
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Perimeter
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Finger
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Pocket
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Island
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Spot Fire
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Head
•Left Flank
•Right Flank
Rear or Heel
•Origin
Which flank is more active?
Where would you start to fight
this fire?
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What are these two fire parts called?
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Fire Behavior Terms
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Smoldering
Fire burning without flame and barely
spreading.
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Creeping
Fire burning with a low flame and
spreading slowly.
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Running
Fire spread rapidly with a well defined head.
*Click on image to play video
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Spotting
Fire producing sparks or embers that are carried
by the wind or convection that start new fires
beyond the main fire
*Click on image to play video
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Torching
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Crowning
Fire advances from top-to-top of trees or shrubs
more or less independently of the surface fire.
*Click on image to play video
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Flare up
Sudden acceleration of fire spread or intensity,
but of relatively short duration.
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Firewhirl
A spinning, moving column of ascending air rising within
a vortex and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flames.
*Click on image to play video
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What type of fire behavior is this?
*Click on image to play video
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What type of fire behavior is this?
*Click on image to play video
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Other useful firefighting terms
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Anchor point
Control line
Fireline
Mop-up
Contained
Controlled
L.C.E.S.
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