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Terms and Definitions
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Campfire
As used to classify the cause of a wildland fire, a fire that was started for cooking or warming that spreads sufficiently from its source to require action by a fire control agency.
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Candle or Candling
A single tree or a very small clump of trees which is burning from the bottom up.
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Carrier Fuel
Fuels that allow a fire to spread and "carry" through the forest. These are generally lighter fuels such as conifer needles, leaves, cured grass and small twigs.
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Catface
General term used to describe the triangular wound found at the base of a tree and often caused by fire. From one to many fire scar lesions caused by individual fire events can be found within the catface.
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Chain
A unit of linear measurement equal to 66 feet or approximately 20 meters.
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Closure
Legal restriction, but not necessarily elimination of specified activities such as smoking, camping or entry that might cause fires in a given area.
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Cold Front
The leading edge of a relatively cold air mass that displaces warmer air. The heavier cold air may cause some of the warm air to be lifted. If the lifted air contains enough moisture, the result may be cloudiness, precipitation, and thunderstorms. If both air masses are dry, no clouds may form. Following the passage of a cold front in the Northern Hemisphere, westerly or northwesterly winds of 15 to 30 or more miles per hour often continue for 12 to 24 hours.
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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.
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Command Staff
The command staff consists of the information officer, safety officer and liaison officer. They report directly to the incident commander and may have assistants.
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Complex
Two or more individual incidents located in the same general area which are assigned to a single incident commander or unified command.
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Conduction
The movement of heat from one molecule to another.
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Contain a fire
A fuel break around the fire has been completed. This break may include natural barriers or manually and/or mechanically constructed line.
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Control a fire
The complete extinguishment of a fire, including spot fires. Fireline has been strengthened so that flare-ups from within the perimeter of the fire will not break through this line.
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Control Line
All built or natural fire barriers and treated fire edge used to control a fire.
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Cooperating Agency
An agency supplying assistance other than direct suppression, rescue, support or service functions to the incident control effort; e.g., Red Cross, law enforcement agency, telephone company, etc.
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Coyote Tactics
A progressive line construction duty involving self-sufficient crews that build fire line until the end of the operational period, remain at or near the point while off duty, and begin building fire line again the next operational period where they left off.
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Creeping Fire
Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly.
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Crew Boss
A person in supervisory charge of usually 16 to 21 firefighters and responsible for their performance, safety and welfare.
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Crown Fire (Crowning)
The movement of fire through the crowns of trees or shrubs more or less independently of the surface fire.
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Curing
Drying and browning of herbaceous vegetation or slash.
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