What type of questions would you expect on the S-390 practice exam?

• A. Questions focusing only on glossary terms.
• B. Questions on ROS, flame length, fireline intensity, H, ERC, WAF, SF, FMC, and fuel models, including calculation problems.
• C. Questions about administrative procedures.
• D. Questions about historical fire events.

Answer: (B)

This item tests your ability to apply fire behavior science to practical calculations and interpretations of key measures such as rate of spread, flame length, and fireline intensity, using inputs from fuel models, moisture, wind, and slope. The correct option is the best because it reflects the real mix of topics you’ll work with on the S-390 practice exam: calculating how fast a fire will move, how tall the flames can get, and how much energy is released per unit length of fire front, all while using fuel properties like heat content (H), the energy release component (ERC), wind adjustment factors (WAF), surface fire classifications (SF), and fuel moisture content (FMC) across various fuel models. These calculation problems are central to predicting fire behavior and require applying formulas and interpreting results, not just recalling definitions. The other choices focus on glossary terms, administrative procedures, or historical events, which don’t align with the calculation-centered, applied nature of S-390 practice questions.