Fire crews use many terms for wildland fires that may be unfamiliar to the public. The USDA Forest Service lists wildfire terms used in reports from media and crews fighting the fires. Here are some of the most common wildfire terms to better understand what they mean when reading wildland fire updates.
- Initial Attack: actions taken when arrived at the fire to protect property and lives
- prevent the fire from spreading
- Control Line: natural or built fire barriers treated at the fire’s edge
- Mop-up: making the fire safe by reducing smoke when the fire is controlled
- Extinguish or remove burning material along the control line
- i.e., Fallen trees, logs, vegetation
- Fuel: Flammable materials such as grass, shrubs, trees, litter, etc.
- Blow-up: an abrupt increase in fire activity
- Activity strong enough to disrupt direct control of fire
- Smoldering Fire: fire burning without a flame and barely spreads
- Hose lays: connected fire hose lengths on the ground
- From the first pumping unit
- Ending at the water delivery point
- Air tanker: specialized aircraft that drops fire retardants and suppressants
- Direct Attack: Treatment of burning fuel
- Wetting, smothering
- Separating burning and unburned fuel
- Brush Fire: fire burning through vegetation
- Typically shrubs, brush, and scrubs
- Bucket Drops: dropping of fire retardants in special buckets from helicopters
- Spot Fire: a fire starting outside the perimeter of the main fire
- From flying sparks and embers
- Hot spot: a specific active area of a fire
- Snag: Standing dead trees where smaller branches have fallen
- Red Flag Warning: an ongoing or critical fire weather pattern
- Used by fire weather forecasters
Click here for a complete list of wildland fire terminology. Check yourbigsky for the latest wildfire updates happening in Montana.
