Wildland Firefighting Practice Exam

What outcome does backfiring typically aim to create against a rapidly spreading fire?

1. To extinguish the fire immediately

2. To create a larger fire

3. To alter wind direction

4. To draw attention away from the main fire

The correct answer is: To draw attention away from the main fire

Backfiring is a tactical technique used in wildland firefighting primarily to create a controlled fire that can burn back towards the main fire. This method helps to consume the fuel in the path of the advancing fire and reduces the intensity of the fire, thereby slowing its spread. By igniting a fire in the opposite direction, it effectively establishes a barrier that the main fire cannot cross if conditions permit, as there will be little to no fuel left in that area. While backfiring may draw resources or attention toward the area where the backfire is set, its main purpose is not to distract from the primary fire, but rather to mitigate its spread by creating a gap devoid of fuel. This approach is essential in managing rapidly spreading fires and often integrates into a broader fire suppression strategy. Other choices imply actions that deviate from the primary purpose of backfiring. Extinguishing the fire immediately is unrealistic, as backfiring is about control rather than outright extinction. Creating a larger fire contradicts the intention behind backfiring, which is to contain or slow the existing fire. Altering wind direction is not something backfiring can directly achieve; it may have secondary effects, but it is not a tactical aim of the method.