1. Unit 1 - Basic Concepts of Wildland Fire

2. Unit Objectives 1. Define basic terminology used in wildland fire.
2. Identify the elements of the fire triangle.
3. Describe three methods of heat transfer.

3. Parts of a Fire

4. Origin

5. Head

6. Flank (Flanks)

7. Rear or Heel

8. Perimeter

9. Finger

10. Pocket

11. Island

12. Spot Fire
Spotting occurs when small burning embers land outside the fire perimeter and start small fires.

13. Head
Left Flank
Right Flank
Rear or Heel
Origin
Which flank is more active?
Where would you start to fight this fire?

14. What are these two fire parts called?
Pocket on right, finger on left

15. Fire Behavior Terms

16. Fire burning without flame and barely spreading.
Smoldering
Fire burning without flame and barely spreading.

17. Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly.
Creeping
Fire burning with a low flame and spreading slowly.

18. Fire spread rapidly with a well defined head.
Running
Fire spread rapidly with a well defined head.
*Click on image to play video

19. Spotting
Fire producing sparks or embers that are carried by the wind or convection that start new fires beyond the main fire
Spotting occurs when small burning embers land outside the fire perimeter and start small fires.
*Click on image to play video

20. Torching
orching is characterized when trees occasionally burn from bottom to top. Torching can happen with individuals trees or small clusters of trees. Torching is frequently isolated and intermittent. This may be an indicator that fire behavior is increasing

21. Crowning
Fire advances from top-to-top of trees or shrubs more or less independently of the surface fire.
Fix so that the movie picture is visible while in non playing form
Crowning occurs when a surface fire moves into and burns in the canopy of trees, independent from the surface. This is a very hazardous situation and tactics usually will involve air support and indirect attack
*Click on image to play video

22. Flare up
Sudden acceleration of fire spread or intensity, but of relatively short duration.

23. Firewhirl
A spinning, moving column of ascending air rising within a vortex and carrying aloft smoke, debris, and flames.
*Click on image to play video

24. What type of fire behavior is this?
Fix so that the movie picture is visible while in non playing form
*Click on image to play video

25. What type of fire behavior is this?
*Click on image to play video

26. Other useful firefighting terms
Anchor point
Control line
Fireline
Mop-up
Contained
Controlled
Chain

27. The Fire Triangle
In order for a fire to occur, the three things must be present:
Enough oxygen to sustain combustion.
Enough heat to raise the material to its ignition temperature.
Some sort of fuel or combustible material.
All three elements must be present at the same time to have a fire. Fire will burn until one or more of the elements is removed.
The interaction of the three equal sides of the fire triangle: heat, fuel and oxygen, are required for the creation and maintenance of any fire. When there is not enough heat generated to sustain the process, when the fuel is exhausted, removed, or isolated, or when oxygen supply is limited, then a side of the triangle is broken and the fire is suppressed.

28. What is the missing part of the fire triangle?
Lightning, campfire, matches, train emissions, volcanos,etc.
What are some sources of heat?

29. Heat Transfer
Radiation
Convection
Conduction

30. Radiation
Radiant heat can dry surrounding fuels and sometimes ignite the surrounding fuels

31. Convection
The hot gases and embers which compose the smoke column can dry and ignite other fuels.
*Click on image to play video

32. Conduction
Heat is conducted from one fuel particle to another through direct contact.

33. What type of heat transfer do the arrows indicate?
Convection
Conduction
Radiation

34. Exercise (open book) 1. What are the three methods of heat transfer?
2. The fire triangle consists of oxygen, heat, and ____________?
3. When is a fire controlled?
4. Should you fight fire without an anchor point? Why?

35. Review Unit Objectives
1. Define basic terminology used in wildland fire.
2. Identify the elements of the fire triangle.
3. Describe three methods of heat transfer.