S-130 Wildland Fire Exam
Questions with Complete
Answers
Origin - Correct Answers: the location where the fire started
Head - Correct Answers: Shows the direction in which the fire is burning. Hottest and most active part of
the fire.
Flank - Correct Answers: 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.
Rear/Heel - Correct Answers: Opposite the head of the fire and burning less vigorously, if at all. Often
near the fire origin
Perimeter - Correct Answers: Boundary line of the fire or fire edge. May not have active fire on some
portions.
Finger - Correct Answers: 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.
Pocket - Correct Answers: Unburned area between the main fire and any fingers.
Island - Correct Answers: Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot Fire - Correct Answers: Burning area outside the main fire perimeter, often caused by wind blown
embers or rolling debris.
Spread - Correct Answers: Movement of the fire.
, ROS (relates to the spread of the fire) - Correct Answers: Rate of Speed and given in chains per hour.
A Chain - Correct Answers: equals 66 feet. ( Good rule of thumb is to watch the fire spread for a minute
as there are 60 minutes in an hour and close to 60 feet in a chain. This will give you a measurement of a
fires forward progress.
Smoldering - Correct Answers: Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping - Correct Answers: Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running - Correct Answers: Fire spreading rapidly with a well-defined head.
Backing - Correct Answers: Fire moving away from the head, downhill, or against the wind
Spotting - Correct Answers: Sparks or embers produced by the main fire are carried by winds or
convection column.
Torching - Correct Answers: 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. (Can be confused with crowning but not
as serious as a crown fire.)
Crowning - Correct Answers: 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. Very serious situation.
Blowup - Correct Answers: A sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread sufficient to preclude
direct control or to upset existing control plans
Control line - Correct Answers: A comprehensive term used for all the constructed or natural fire
barriers and treated fire edges used to contain the fire.
Fireline - Correct Answers: Any cleared strip or portion of a control line from which flammable material
has been removed by scraping or digging down to mineral soil.
Questions with Complete
Answers
Origin - Correct Answers: the location where the fire started
Head - Correct Answers: Shows the direction in which the fire is burning. Hottest and most active part of
the fire.
Flank - Correct Answers: 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.
Rear/Heel - Correct Answers: Opposite the head of the fire and burning less vigorously, if at all. Often
near the fire origin
Perimeter - Correct Answers: Boundary line of the fire or fire edge. May not have active fire on some
portions.
Finger - Correct Answers: 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.
Pocket - Correct Answers: Unburned area between the main fire and any fingers.
Island - Correct Answers: Area of unburned fuel inside the fire perimeter
Spot Fire - Correct Answers: Burning area outside the main fire perimeter, often caused by wind blown
embers or rolling debris.
Spread - Correct Answers: Movement of the fire.
, ROS (relates to the spread of the fire) - Correct Answers: Rate of Speed and given in chains per hour.
A Chain - Correct Answers: equals 66 feet. ( Good rule of thumb is to watch the fire spread for a minute
as there are 60 minutes in an hour and close to 60 feet in a chain. This will give you a measurement of a
fires forward progress.
Smoldering - Correct Answers: Fire burning without flame and barely spreading
Creeping - Correct Answers: Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly
Running - Correct Answers: Fire spreading rapidly with a well-defined head.
Backing - Correct Answers: Fire moving away from the head, downhill, or against the wind
Spotting - Correct Answers: Sparks or embers produced by the main fire are carried by winds or
convection column.
Torching - Correct Answers: 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. (Can be confused with crowning but not
as serious as a crown fire.)
Crowning - Correct Answers: 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. Very serious situation.
Blowup - Correct Answers: A sudden increase in fire intensity or rate of spread sufficient to preclude
direct control or to upset existing control plans
Control line - Correct Answers: A comprehensive term used for all the constructed or natural fire
barriers and treated fire edges used to contain the fire.
Fireline - Correct Answers: Any cleared strip or portion of a control line from which flammable material
has been removed by scraping or digging down to mineral soil.
