Fire Planning & Preparation Flashcards

Under the NWCG Interagency Prescribed Fire Planning and Implementation Procedures Guide (PMS 484), how many elements must a prescribed fire plan contain?

Answer: 21

PMS 484 requires 21 elements in every prescribed fire plan, from signature page through maps.

The Prescribed Fire Complexity Rating System Guide (PMS 424) evaluates how many complexity elements?

Answer: 14

PMS 424 rates 14 elements, such as fuels, fire behavior, and smoke management, to determine overall complexity.

A burn unit has a spot weather forecast predicting RH dropping below the prescription minimum at 1500. What is the best planning response?

Answer: Schedule ignition so it ends with enough margin before conditions leave prescription, or postpone

Ignition timing must keep fire behavior within prescription with a safety margin, and the plan cannot be changed in the field without an amendment.

Which fuel size class represents the 10-hour timelag category?

Answer: 1/4 to 1 inch diameter

10-hour fuels are dead woody fuels from 1/4 to 1 inch in diameter.

What is the primary purpose of contingency resources identified in the burn plan?

Answer: To respond when holding forces cannot keep the fire within the unit

Contingency resources respond to escapes or slopovers beyond the capability of on-site holding forces.

How is the ventilation index typically calculated for smoke management planning?

Answer: Mixing height multiplied by transport wind speed

Ventilation index equals mixing height times transport wind speed, indicating the atmosphere's capacity to disperse smoke.

Who is responsible for completing and signing the Prescribed Fire Go/No-Go Checklist on the day of the burn?

Answer: The burn boss

The burn boss completes the Go/No-Go checklist; the agency administrator separately grants ignition authorization.