Contained, extinguished and mopping up: Here’s what some common wildfire terms mean

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With destructive wildfires burning on both coasts, fire officials might use jargon unfamiliar to residents of states where such big blazes are relatively rare. Authorities will give daily updates about the percentage of containment that firefighters have reached. For example, when a blaze is 25% contained, it means crews have constructed a fire line around a quarter of its perimeter. A fire line is often a dirt trail built by firefighters using bulldozers or hand shovels that separates the blaze from the grass, brush and trees that feed the flames. When a fire is 100% contained, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is extinguished, but that it’s controlled.