S-130 Wildland Firefighter Training

What is the purpose of a cup trench?

A cup trench is used to catch any burning debris rolling downhill.

List some examples of a natural control line

Bodies of water, Natural clearings, Ridge tops, and Riparian vegetation

Perimeter

Boundary of the fire or fire edge. May not have active fire on some portions.

Spot Fire

Burning area outside the main fire perimeter, often caused by wind blown embers or rolling debris.

Head

Shows the direction in which the fire is burning. This is the hottest and most active part of the fire

List 3 hand tools

Pulaski. Combi. Flapper.

List 3 types of hose lays

Simple hose lay. Progressive hose lay. Parallel hose lay.

List 3 factors that reduce judgement, alertness, and decision-making in firefighters

Sleep.

Spotting

Sparks or embers produced by the main fire that are carried by winds or convection columns.

What is the best method for searching for hot spots?

Gridding

What are the four main types of crews commonly used in initial attack and extended attack?

Hand Crew, Engine Crew, Helitack Crew, Dozers/Tractor Plow Crew

List 5 PPE items

Hard Hat. Gloves. Nomex shirt. Fire boots. Nomex trousers.

Name five other useful firefighting terms

(1) Control Line, (2) Fireline, (3) Anchor Point, (4) Mopup, (5) Class of fire

Identify nine parts of a fire

(1) Origin, (2) Head, (3) Flank, (4) Rear/Heel, (5) Perimeter, (6) Finger, (7) Pocket, (8) Island, (9) Spot Fire

Name nine fire behavior terms

(1) Smoldering, (2) Creeping, (3) Running, (4) Backing, (5) Spotting, (6) Torching, (7) Crowning, (8) Blowup

Control Line

A comprehensive term used for all the constructed or natural fire barriers and treated fire edges used to contain the fire.

Island

Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter.

Safety zones must be pre-located to avoid:

- Locations that are downhill from the fire - Locations that are in chimneys, saddles, or narrow canyons - Locations that require a steep uphill escape route (greater than 50% slope) - Exposure to heavy fuel concentration on the windward sides of the ridges, rocks, and other solid objects

Name 4 common denominators of fire behavior on fatal and near-fatal fires

- Relatively small fires or isolated areas of large fires. - In deceptively light fuels, such as grass, herbs, and light brush. - Responds to topographic conditions and runs uphill. - Shift in wind direction or in wind speed.

What are the five methods of attack?

1. Direct attack 2. Indirect attack 3. Cold trailing 4. Hot spotting 5. Burnout

List the 18 watch outs

1. Fire not scouted and sized up 2. In country not seen in daylight 3. safety zones and escape routes not identified 4. Unfamiliar with weather and local factors influencing fire behavior 5. Uninformed on strategy, tactics, and hazards 6. Instructions and assignments not clear 7. No communication link with crew members and supervisors 8. Constructing line without a safe anchor point 9. Building fireline downhill with fire below 10. Attempting frontal assault on fire 11. Unburned fuel between you and the fire 12. Cannot see main fire; not in contact with someone who can 13. On a hillside where rolling material can ignite fuel below 14. Weather becoming hotter and drier 15. Wind increases and/or changes direction 16. Getting frequent spot fires across line 17. Terrain and fuels make escape to safety zones difficult 18. Taking a nap near fireline

List 6 methods of communication

1. Hand signals 2. Written messages 3. Use of runners 4. Signal mirrors 5. Whistles 6. Two-way radios

List 10 Standard Firefighting Orders

1. Keep informed on weather conditions and forecast 2. Know what your fire is doing at all times 3. Base all actions on current and expected behavior or the fire 4. Identify escape routes and safety zones and make them known 5. Post lookouts when there is possible danger 6. Be alert, keep calm, think clearly, and act decisively 7. Maintain prompt communications with your forces, your supervisor, and adjoining forces 8. Give clear instructions and be sure they are understood 9. Maintain control of you forces at all times 10. Fight fire aggressively, having provided for safety first

What are the three sides of the fire triangle?

1. Oxygen 2. Heat 3. Fuel

List the 5 steps of the risk management process

1. Situational awareness 2. Hazard assessment 3. Hazard control 4. Decision point 5. Evaluate

How much space is necessary for constructing line and why?

10 feet is required for constructing line for the safety of the crew members.

How many feet are in a chain?

66 ft.

What is the purpose of a fire shelter?

A fire shelter is designed to reflect radiant heat and to provide cooler, breathable air to protect your lungs and airway. It is not designed to protect against conduction.

Cold Trailing

A method of controlling a partly dead fire edge by carefully inspecting and feeling with the hand for heat to detect any fire, digging out every live spot, and trenching any live edge.

Safety zones vs Deployment site?

A safety zone is a place safe from the danger of the fire whereas a deployment site is a place where the danger of the fire is still eminent.

Anchor Point

An advantageous location, generally a fire barrier, from which to start constructing a fireline. Used to minimize the chance of being outflanked by the fire while the line is being constructed.

Finger

An area, usually a narrow strip, that burns away from the main part of the fire. Could be dangerous if personnel working the fire are flanked by a finger.

Fireline

Any clear strip or portion of a control line from which flammable material has been removed by scraping or digging down to mineral soil.

Indirect Attack

Any method of attack that is done away from the actual fire itself, such as digging line.

Direct Attack

Any treatment of burning fuel, such as by wetting, smothering, or chemically quenching the fire or by physically separating burning from unburned fuel.

List 2 firing devices used in wildland fire

Drip torch. Fusee.

What type of fuel does a drip torch use?

Drip torches use a combination of gas and diesel. Gas burns too quickly, while diesel does not burn efficiently enough.

Mop-up

Final extinguishing of a fire after it is lined

Torching

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. Although sometimes confused with crowning this behavior is not as serious as a crown fire.

Creeping

Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly

Smoldering

Fire burning without flame and barely spreading

Backing

Fire moving away from the head downhill, or against the wind

How often should fire shelters be inspected?

Fire shelters should be evaluated when the fire shelter is given, at the beginning of the fire season, and every 2 weeks throughout the fire season.

Running

Fire spreading rapidly with a well-defined head.

Crowning

Fire that advances across tops of trees or shrubs more or less independent of surface fire. High fire intensity and high forward rate of spread. Use crown fire or crowning with care because it describes a very serious fire situation.

What items should be taken into a deployed fire shelter?

Gloves. Radio. Water. Hard hat.

What is a tanker?

Fixed wing aircraft used to drop water or retardant

What factors influence fire line construction?

Fuel type, fuel moisture, temperature, wind, and continuity and arrangement of fuel all influence fire line construction.

Who is in charge of a fire?

Incident Commander

When is it okay for fireline personnel not to carry a fire shelter?

It is never okay to not carry a fire shelter.

LCES

Look outs. Communications. Escape routes. Safety zones.

Rear/Heel

Opposite the head of the fire and burning less vigorously, if at all. Often near the fire origin.

Blowup

Sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread of a fire sufficient to preclude direct control or to upset existing suppression plans.

Where should the fuel be placed when digging line?

The fuel should be placed on the outside on the line.

Where is the fire most intense?

The head of the fire

Orgin

The location where the fire started

What 3 things must be present for effective communication to take place?

There must be a sender, receiver, and an exchange of information.

List 2 hazards when using fusee in the field

They burn very bright. They drip hot material.

Describe the classes of fire

This classifies the size of the fire with class "A" being the smallest and class "G" being the largest.

Pocket

Unburned area between the main fire and any fingers.

What is the purpose of taking water into a deployed fire shelter?

Water should be consumed.

List 3 weather factors that influence firefighters ability to fight fire

Wind. Temperature. Relative Humidity.

List the Wildland Urban Interface watch outs

Wooden construction and wood shake roofs. Poor access and narrow, congested one-way roads. Inadequate water supply. Natural fuels 30 feet or closer to structures. Extreme fire behavior. Strong winds. Need to evacuate the public. Structures located in chimneys, box canyons, saddles, or on steep slopes in flashy fuels. Bridge load limits. Working around power lines. Petroleum or propane tanks present.

Should PPE be changed if it comes on contact with retardant?

Yes

Hot Spotting

Reducing or stopping the spread of fire at points of particularly rapid rate of spread or special threat.

List some examples of a man-made control line

Roads, Hand line, Constructed clearings and Burnout areas

What are the characteristics of a good fire shelter deployment area?

Seek the lowest point, greatest distance from the nearest fuels, smooth surface textures for shelter seal, utilize heat barriers, remove ground fuel (4' x 8'), and deploy shelters as closely as possible to crew members.

Burnout

Setting a fire inside a control line to widen it or consume fuel between the edge of the fire and the control line.

Flank

Sides of the fire, parallel to the main direction of spread. May have active fire, but not as hot as the head of the fire.