Wildfires: Glossary

A

arson

The crime of deliberately setting a fire with the intent to cause damage

atmosphere

The air and other gases surrounding the earth

B

backfire

Controlled burn set by firefighters to consume fuel in the path of a wildfire

C

channels

The bed of a stream or river

chemical reaction

An event which causes a substance to change into a new substance

converted

Changed

D

debris

Garbage

deposits

Materials left - almost as if cast off

dike

Earth used for controlling water

E

ecosystems

A collection of living organisms and their environment

elements

Parts

embers

Hot remains of a fire

endangered

Threatened or in danger of becoming extinct

F

fire retardant

A chemical that suppresses fire

firebreak

A strip of ground in the path of the fire, cleared of all vegetation to deprive the fire of fuel

flammable

Quick to catch on fire

G

gullies

Ditches caused by moving water

H

habitat

A place where a living thing exists

horizontally

Level with the ground

hotshots

Crews of highly trained wildland firefighters who work on dangerous, difficult fires

humidity

Moist air

I

ignited

To set on fire

M

management objective

Long range plan

P

Paleozoic Era

Between 251 million to 542 million years ago

petrified

Changed to stone

phenomena

Events

prescribed

Planned

R

rangeland

Grassland or land where animals graze

rehabilitating

To repair or return to original

S

Smokejumpers

Firefighters who parachute out of planes into remote fire areas

stabilize

To make firm or steady

steppe

Prairie or grassland

suppress

To stop or slow down

sustain

Support

T

tilled

Plowed

topography

Features of the land, hills, mountains, valleys - highs and lows

trench

Ditch

V

velocity

Speed or change in direction