Chapter 13 ISO at Wildland and I-Zone Fires

Question 1

Define Blowup

Answer 1

A wildland fire term used to describe the sudden advancement and increase in fire intensity due to wind, prewarmed fuels, or a topographical feature such as a narrow canyon or “chimney”

Question 2

Define Control line

Answer 2

All constructed or natural barriers and treated fire edges used to control a wildland fire

Question 3

Define fire line

Answer 3

The part of a control line that is scraped or dug to mineral soil

Question 4

Define fire storm

Answer 4

A violent convection caused by a large continuous area of intense fire. They are characterized by violent surface in-drafts near the fire perimeter and occasional tornado-like whirls

Question 5

Define flare up

Answer 5

A sudden, but short-lived, rise in wildland fire intensity that is usually attributed to wind, fuel, or topographical changes

Question 6

Define Scratch line

Answer 6

A preliminary control line hastily constructed as an emergency measure to check fire spread

Question 7

Define Torching

Answer 7

The burning of the foliage of a single tree, or small bunch o trees, from the bottom up (sometimes called candling)

Question 8

Define wet line

Answer 8

Water or water agent sprayed on the ground as a temporary control line for a low-intensity fire or to ignite a burn-out

Question 9

Define Wildland-urban interface (WUI)

Answer 9

Also referred to as the I-zone; areas where homes and businesses have minimal separation from, or are interspersed with, natural growing wildland areas.

Question 10

As a wildland fire grows so does its……

Answer 10

Resource demand

Question 11

What type of wildland fire incidents are handled by the initial ISO

Answer 11

Type 4 and 5

Question 12

How is “Line” defined in wildland?

Answer 12

a barrier to fire spread

Question 13

How are threatened buildings classified in the I-zone

Answer 13

Defensible or indefensible

Question 14

What make the determination between defensible and indefensible?

Answer 14

distance between building and flame lengths of burning vegetation, and combustible exterior materials

Question 15

What are the 2 attack classifications for wildland fires

Answer 15

direct and indirect

Question 16

3 factors that affect wildland fire spread are?

Answer 16

Weather, Topography, Fuels

Question 17

Fire weather factors

Answer 17

Temp, humidity, barometric pressure, wind, pressure fronts

Question 18

Topography factors

Answer 18

slope, aspect, and physical features like chimneys, saddles, barriers

Question 19

Fuel factors

Answer 19

moisture content, type, continuity of fuel (sparse, fractured, dense)

Question 20

Wildland flame length less than 4 feet

Answer 20

can generally be attacked directly using hand lines and tools

Question 21

Wildland flame length 4 to 8 feet

Answer 21

Fire too intense for a direct attack on the head. Flanking attack with increased gallons per minute may be effective. indirect with wet lines are advisable

Question 22

Wildland flame length 8 to 11 feet

Answer 22

The fire presents serious control problems, direct fire attacks are dangerous

Question 23

Wildland flame length 11+ feet

Answer 23

Major fire runs are likely. Defensive measures are required

Question 24

3 considerations the ISO uses to form a judgement of wildland potential and risks

Answer 24

potential for blowup, signs of flaring, and flame length

Question 25

What are the purposes of recon in wildland firefighting?

Answer 25

Define the principle hazard, judge the potential for environmental change, define the impact of the physical surrounding, and equate the exposure of crews to help define risk-taking

Question 26

What is the formula for finding risk taking?

Answer 26

Principle hazard +/- Integrity + other hazards +/- Resource effectiveness = Risk-taking

Question 27

Four factors of principle hazard (imminent threat)

Answer 27

Rapid fire spread, physical exertion, traffic issues, hazardous energy

Question 28

Four ways ISO can define environmental integrity

Answer 28

Stable and not likely to change ( subtracts from risk-taking)
Stable but changing slowly (may or may not add to risk-taking)
Unstable and changing slowly (adds to risk taking)
Unstable and changing quickly (exponentially adds to risk-taking)

Question 29

What are the minimum staffing levels for wildland fires for vehicle based, boots on the ground, hike in, structural protection, water shuttle

Answer 29

2, 3 to 4, 5, 4, 5 plus drivers

Question 30

What is the acronym for rapid withdrawl options in wildland firefighting?

Answer 30

LCES lookouts, communication methods, escape routes, and safety zones.

Question 31

How should an apparatus be positioned in wildland structural protection assignment?

Answer 31

Backed in to position

Question 32

When should an ISO request an ASO at wildland fires?

Answer 32

Large geographical area, when plans section has been established, fire has been or expected to last more than 4 hours, base camp has been established, IC asks the ISO to establish safety plans, fire response requires air resources

Question 33

What should the ISO wildland safety brief address at minimum?

Answer 33

overview of IAP, Active fire and anticipated weather, known safety hazards, specific cautions, established safe zones and escape routes, established rehab/ems standby locations, LCES reminders