Wildland Firefighting Book

Which of the following is true of light fuels?

Fire intensity can change more quickly in light fuels than in heavy fuels.

How will fuel that is considered very compact behave?

Fire will have slower rate of spread.

What factor will accurately determine the probability of spotting?

Firebrands must land on receptive fuels, such as litter, duff, and rotten wood, in order for them to ignite.

In what type of areas is thermal lifting most prevalent?

Flat terrain

What part of the fire is sometimes referred to as the "heel" of the fire?

Rear of the fire

What does it mean if trees are beginning to torch either one at a time or in groups?

Relative humidity is dropping.

What terrain indicator causes a channeling effect that can contribute to rapid rates of spread?

Saddles

Why should you not bury burning fuels while constructing a fireline?

Soil can insulate heat in the fuel for days, which could lead to a flareup.

When does area ignition occur?

Spot fires begin to draw each other closer, connecting their convective actions, which may result in the area exploding in fire.

What weather phenomenon is associated with the cumulus stage of a developing thunderstorm?

Strong indrafts

What can hinder and limit available common fireline construction methods?

The area has been designated wilderness or a historically sensitive area

How do smaller and larger pieces of fuel affect fire behavior?

The burning period for smaller fuels is shorter than larger fuels.

What factor affects the ignition of wildland fuels?

The drier the fuel, the easier it is to ignite.

What is a characteristic of independent crown fires?

The surface fire spread is the result of the crown fire.

What is a Situation that Shouts "Watch Out!"?

There is no communications link with crew members or supervisor.

What makes fuels such as chamise, jack pine, and palmetto/gallberry more susceptible to crown fires?

They contain volatile oils.

How do foehn or gravity winds affect fire behavior?

They push heated and dry air over mountain ranges.

What is a characteristic of good safety zones?

They should not be downwind from the fire.

What is the purpose of an after action review?

To learn from the experience of this particular fire

What term means "fire burning on the surface, but periodically igniting the crown of a single or small group of trees or shrubs before returning to the surface?"

Torching

What layer of atmosphere is lowest to the ground and contains all of the earth's weather phenomena?

Troposphere

What is the prime factor in controlling fatigue during wildland fires?

Try to average one hour of sleep for every two hours worked.

What type of fireline is constructed on a hillside when there is the possibility of burning materials rolling down and crossing the fireline?

Undercut line

What are valley winds?

Upper elevations are warmed first, pulling cooler air from below.

What is a general guideline you can use to determine how fuel temperature will affect fire behavior?

When exposed to direct sunlight, ground fuels will usually have a higher temperature than those above the ground.

What weather factor has the greatest impact on fire behavior?

Wind

What generally will occur as a cold front approaches?

Winds will shift and increase in speed

What is a signal that downdrafts may be developing in plume-driven fires?

You begin to see virga and/or rain.

What is a guideline for constructing a fireline?

You should avoid creating sharp turns in your line.

What is a characteristic of wind-driven fires?

You usually have an idea what direction it will burn in.

A "cold line" refers to:

a fireline that has been controlled and checked to ensure no heat remains on the fireline.

A barometer is used to measure:

atmospheric pressure.

Preconceived opinions, distractions, and filtering information are considered:

barriers to good listening.

"Creeping" is understood to mean fire that is:

burning with low flame and spreading slowly.

Wind changes can be dramatic as a cold front passes and may adversely affect fire behavior, especially if the:

cold air mass is dry.

Winds shift rapidly to the west and then northwest as the:

cold front passes.

You should be concerned if:

dew point temperature steadily decreases.

As a living fuel, evergreen plants:

do not annually shed all their leaves but they do shed some.

Whenever you have a plume-driven fire:

downdrafts should be a major concern.

Compactness, horizontal continuity, and chemical content are aspects of ______________ components that affect fire behavior.

fuel

Chimneys and canyons can be deadly to firefighters mostly because they:

funnel wind that preheats fuel and feeds the fire.

Too much exposure to carbon monoxide will cause:

headaches, fatigue, and drowsiness.

Foehn or gravity winds are winds produced by:

high pressure systems that push warm dry wind down elevations such as mountain ranges.

Unstable air can intensify fire behavior by:

increasing the chance of spot fires.

A subsidence inversion layer is a slow process that only occurs when the high-pressure system:

is stationary for several days, usually during summer and fall months.

Constructing a fireline downhill:

must be done with extreme caution.

One of the situations that shout "Watch Out!" is when safety zones and escape routes are:

not identified.

The slope on which a fire is burning is a major factor in the fire's:

rate of spread.

Wind speed is determined by pressure gradients, while wind direction is determined by:

relationships of high and low pressure.

The basic principle of fire suppression is to___ of the elements of the fire triangle in the quickest and most effective manner possible

remove one or more

Firelines built with ___should not be considered a fireline unless they have been checked or supported with a line to mineral soil.

retardant

If you do not know what the fire is doing and you can't determine this information by personal observation:

send someone to scout out to get it.

If a fire burns up a slope and hits the top of a ridge, it usually:

slows as it begins to back down the other side.

If the temperature decrease is less than 5.5 degrees per 1,000 feet, the air is considered:

stable and there will be little vertical movement of air.

A slopover occurs when:

the fire crosses over a fireline.

When a fireline is to be built below a fire burning on a slope, the width of the line is not dictated by the slope, but rather by:

the need for trenching.

Live fuel moisture is a factor affecting the possibility of crown fires and is controlled by:

the stage of growth, which is related to the time of year.

The different times of year indirectly influence fuel moisture in that:

the sun is at different angles in relation to the earth's surface.

The greatest amount of heat is lost at night when:

there is no cloud cover and air is relatively dry.

How does the tightness of an aerial fuel canopy play a role in how fires burn?

A tight canopy of aerial fuel keeps the intensity of the fire lower on the surface.

What federal act is specific to archaeological resources such as pottery, weapons, and tools, and covers federal and/or tribal lands?

Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979

Where are you likely to find the highest atmospheric pressure?

At sea level

Which of the following actions breaks the fire triangle by removing fuel?

Backfire or burning operations

What is a general guideline for creating a fireline?

Be sure to look up and cut fuels that are near or overhanging your fireline.

What is true of SCBA and respirators used in wildland firefighting?

Both SCBAs and respirators may be used during wildland operations.

What is one of the ways in which wind affects wildland fire spread?

By bending the flames closer to unburned fuels, preheating, drying, and igniting them

What is indicated by smoldering fires that begin to pick up?

Changing weather factors

Why should charred fuels be moved inside the fireline?

Charred fuels may still be hot.

What provides the conditions for the chimney effect to occur?

Chutes, saddles, and box canyons

How should a fireline be constructed in an area saturated with spot fires or fingers?

Construct your line around them and burn-out.

Which type of heat transfer spreads fire as superheated smoke and gases preheat fuels, cause spot fires, and move fire into the crowns of trees?

Convection

What is a guideline for constructing a fireline downhill?

Don't attempt to construct a downhill line if the fire is below the starting point.

What is the best way to avoid hyperthermia while fighting wildland fires?

Ensure you are properly hydrated

What are the four groupings within the Ten Standard Firefighting Orders?

Fire Behavior, Safety, Operational Control, Firefighting

What is an example of reburn?

A layer of fuel that did not burn earlier later ignites

What is an inversion layer?

A layer of very stable air where the temperature rises as the altitude increases

How much fuel load can be found in an average acre of grassy fuels?

1 to 5 tons

What level of fuel moisture is considered to be extreme burning conditions?

1,000 hour fuels at 13 percent or below

As a general rule, the fireline should be at least _______ as wide as the predominant fuel is tall.

1.5 times

What are heat cramps?

A condition that should be remedied with hydration and getting out of the sun

What is a good indicator that 1,000 hour fuels will burn?

Fuel moisture is 20% or less.

What will necessitate a wider control line?

Fuel with a high oil content

What are ladder fuels?

Fuels that allow a surface fire to climb or move into the crowns of trees

Which of the following accurately describes how easily grass will burn?

Generally, more than one third of the grass has to be dead and dry before grass will carry fire.

Which of the following represents Operational Control within the Ten Standard Firefighting Orders?

Give clear instructions and be sure they are understood.

What increases the rate of moisture exchange between dead fuel and the drier air around it?

Greater difference in moisture content between the air and fuel

Which part of the fire usually spreads with the greatest speed?

Head of the fire

When should a fire shelter be deployed?

If there is doubt that you can escape the encroaching fire

What is an accurate description of ways in which fire can cross the fireline?

In rare occasions, a fire may pass under a fireline by burning out a root of a dead tree, or through forest litter.

How is tactical weather information used in wildland fire operations?

Information is recorded at regular intervals to enable you to detect changes in fire behavior.

How does elevation have an effect upon fire behavior?

It can affect the position of warm/cool air masses in thermal belts.

How can thunderstorms have a particularly dangerous impact on fire behavior?

It can create downdrafts that push fire in all directions.

What is a characteristic of a passive crown fire?

It is entirely at the mercy of a surface fire and the availability of ladder fuels.

What is a characteristic of fire retardant dropped from aircraft?

It is slippery.

What is a characteristic of short-range spotting?

It is spotting that is quickly overrun by the main front of a fire.

To make construction, line holding, and mop-up easier, what type of fuels should you build your fireline in?

Lighter fuels

How should a lookout be chosen?

Lookouts need to be able to recognize and anticipate dangerous situations.

Studies have shown that wildland firefighters have been exposed to the most toxic smoke during which activities?

Mop-up operations

What is a characteristic required of an on-site lookout?

Must be knowledgeable in fire behavior to know what to look

What is a visible indicator of stable air?

Poor visibility in lower levels due to accumulation of haze and smoke