S-130 Fire Suppression 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When water is limited at a wildland fire, what is the most efficient method of applying water to burning material?
- Apply water in a continuous stream directly to flames
- Use short bursts and stir the material to maximize penetration (Correct answer)
- Saturate the entire area regardless of active burning
- Use a fog pattern sprayed into the smoke column
Correct answer: Use short bursts and stir the material to maximize penetration
Using short bursts while stirring the material ensures water penetrates deep into fuels, maximizing efficiency when supplies are limited.
Question 2: A crew is constructing fireline on a steep slope. Which tool is most effective for cutting through heavy brush roots?
- Pulaski (Correct answer)
- McLeod
- Shovel
- Combi tool
Correct answer: Pulaski
The Pulaski's axe head is ideal for cutting through heavy brush, roots, and small trees during fireline construction.
Question 3: In wildland fire suppression, what is the primary purpose of establishing a 'Division' during a fire operation?
- To separate air and ground resources logistically
- To divide the fire into geographic segments for operational management (Correct answer)
- To distinguish between suppression and mop-up crews
- To create administrative boundaries for cost accounting
Correct answer: To divide the fire into geographic segments for operational management
Divisions are geographic segments of a fire used to organize and manage resources effectively within the Incident Command System.
Question 4: Which LCES component is directly responsible for ensuring firefighters can move out of danger before a fire reaches them?
- Lookouts
- Communications
- Escape Routes (Correct answer)
- Safety Zones
Correct answer: Escape Routes
Escape routes are the predetermined paths firefighters use to travel quickly from their work area to a safety zone.
Question 5: A spot fire has ignited 200 yards ahead of the main fire front. The crew's best immediate action is to:
- Continue working on the main fire perimeter and ignore small spot fires
- Attack the spot fire immediately before it grows and links up with the main fire (Correct answer)
- Request aerial water drops on the spot fire only
- Retreat to the safety zone and wait for the spot fire to burn out
Correct answer: Attack the spot fire immediately before it grows and links up with the main fire
Spot fires should be attacked immediately when safe to do so, before they grow large enough to merge with or outpace the main fire.
Question 6: What is the function of a 'swamper' in a saw team during fireline construction?
- Operating the chainsaw to cut through timber
- Clearing and removing debris behind the saw operator and keeping the area safe (Correct answer)
- Directing the team leader on where to cut
- Operating the water pump during mop-up
Correct answer: Clearing and removing debris behind the saw operator and keeping the area safe
The swamper works alongside the saw operator, clearing and throwing debris out of the fireline and watching for hazards.
Question 7: Which condition describes the fire behavior situation known as 'crowning'?
- Fire burning exclusively in ground fuels beneath the surface
- Fire moving through the tops of trees, often spreading rapidly and independently (Correct answer)
- Fire slowly backing into the wind along a hillside
- Fire that has been successfully contained along all perimeters
Correct answer: Fire moving through the tops of trees, often spreading rapidly and independently
Crowning occurs when fire moves through the tree canopy, often independently of the surface fire, and can spread very rapidly.
S-130 Fire Suppression 3
When water is limited at a wildland fire, what is the most efficient method of applying water to burning material?