Anchor Point - The point from which a fire line is begun. Usually a natural or man made barrier that will prevent fire spread and the possibility of the crew being "Flanked" while constructing the fire line. Examples: lakes, ponds, streams, roads, Etc.

Aspect - The direction a slope is facing, its exposure in relation to the sun.

Back Fire - A fire that backs into the wind. It is set between the wildfire and the control line to create a barrier.

Barrier - Any obstruction, natural or man-made, to prevent the spread of fire. Typically, an area or strip devoid of the flammable fuel.

Burnout - A fire set between the main fire and control line or barrier to burnout any unburned fuels between the wildfire and the control line.

Cold Trailing - A method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hand to detect any fire.

Conduction - The transfer of heat through an object.

Continuity - The horizontal and/or vertical distribution of fuel particles.

Counter Fire --Any fire used to establish control of a wildfire; usually a fire set between the main fire and a fire line or barrier to create a wide control line.

Convection Column - The thermally produced ascending column of gasses, smoke, and debris produced by a fire.

Direct Attack -A method of suppression that treats the fire as a whole, or all action on its burning edge by wetting, smothering, or by mechanically separating the fire from unburned fuel. All control action is carried on against the fire edge.

Diurnal - Pertaining to daily cycles of temperature, relative humidity, and wind.

Fine Fuels - Fuels such as grass, leaves, pine needles, moss, and some kinds of slash, which ignite readily and are consumed rapidly when dry. Also called flash, light, or small fuels.

Fire Behavior - The manner in which fuels ignites, flames develop, fire spreads and exhibits other phenomena. The combined effects of the fire’s environment on how the fire acts or behaves.

Fire Season - The period or periods of the year during which fires are more likely to occur spread, and do significant damage to warrant organized fire control.

Flare-Up -Any sudden acceleration of fire spread or intensification of the fire. A flare-up is of relatively short duration and does not radically change existing control plans.

Fuel - The substance upon which the fire feeds.

Fuel Moisture - The quantity of moisture in fuel expressed as a percentage of the weight when thoroughly dried at 212⁰F.

G.P.M. - Gallons per minute; relative to pump capacity or nozzle flow.

Ignition Temperature - Temperature of a fuel at which it will ignite and continue to burn without any heat from an outside source.

Incendiary Fire - A fire set deliberately by someone to burn property not owned by him or her and without the consent of the owner or agent.

Incident Commander - Person responsible for all activities on a fire.

Indirect Attack - Control action conducted a variable distance from and usually parallel to the edge of a wild land fire in such a manner as to deprive the advancing fire or fuel and thereby halt its further progress. TLVFD WILL NOT USE THE INDIRECT ATTACK METHOD!

Mop Up - The process of making a controlled fire safe by extinguishing all remnants of fire within a specified strip adjacent to the control line. The entire burned area should be gone over. On larger fires, a definite strip, usually 100 feet wide and adjacent to the control line, should be made safe.

Mutual Aid - Two-way assistance given under pre-arranged agreements by two or more agencies or departments.

P.S.I. - Pounds per square inch; relative to pump or nozzle pressures.

Radiation - Types of heat transfer; heat is transferred through the air from one object to another.

Rate-of-Spread - The relative activity of fire extending its horizontal dimensions.

Relative Humidity - The ratio of the actual amount of water vapor in the air to the possible amount the air could hold at that temperature.

Size Up - The preliminary and continuing appraisal of the overall fire situation for purposes of determining appropriate control actions.

Slope - The natural incline of the ground, usually measured in percent of rise.

Snag - A standing dead tree.

Suppression - All the work of extinguishing or confining a fire beginning with its discovery.

Terrain - Land features or obstructions such as ridges, trees, rocks, etc. which may alter and control wind flow in a relatively large area. May cause wind turbulence or eddies.

Topography - The physical features of the land surface. The configuration of the earth’s surface including its relief and the position of its natural and man-made features.

Types of Fires - Three Basic Types:

Crown - A fire that advances from top-to-top of trees or shrubs independently of the surface fire.

Surface - Fire that burns surface litter and other ground cover of the forest floor.

Ground - Fire that consumes the organic material beneath the surface litter of the forest floor; e.g., peat or mulch fire.