Wildfire Knowledge Graph · Operations
Working definition
The documented percentage of a fire perimeter where control measures are expected to stop further spread under current conditions.
In plain language
Containment describes progress around the edge of a fire. A fire reported as 100% contained can still contain heat, smoke and active work inside the perimeter.
Why it matters
Readers often interpret containment as the percentage of fire extinguished. That mistake can distort incident comparisons and public risk perception.
contained control-line length ÷ assessed fire perimeter × 100This conceptual ratio is useful for interpretation; agencies determine operational containment using incident-specific judgement and mapped line status.