Slope Ratio for Wildland Fire Pumps
The never taught "tool" that provides distance info & elevation info
In general, the slope of a hill or incline is often determined to be the ratio between the vertical distance, to that of the horizontal distance. Any number of terms can be used by the individual to reference this but the most commonly used term is Rise over Run.
The image below shows a generalized version of a simulated slope of a hose lay that is to be run up a slope of a hill.
We can see we have identifiers for our horizontal, vertical, and slope or diagonal distances. These are: Vertical = Y, (TRUE) Horizontal = X1, Slope Distance = X2. In standard math, we would determine our slope percent by taking the Y and dividing by the X1. This initial result would be the number we would use for the slope ratio.
If you were to measure out a triangle with a ruler and make the triangle as that shown above with the following dimensions you would obtain the following slope ratio.
X2 = 29.3cm, X1 = 25.3cm, and Y = 14.7cm
Here is the image again:
In the forest when setting up a hose lay, we do not see the X1 component, because we are laying out the hose on the X2 portion. By dividing the  vertical by X2 would give us a ratio that would be for the wrong side. There is a way to figure this out though.
Download the PDF to find out how!
