What is the primary goal of an indirect fire attack?

The primary goal of an indirect fire attack is to create control lines away from the fire edge. This tactic focuses on shaping the fire's behavior in a way that allows firefighters to manage the situation better and limit its spread. By establishing control lines in advance, firefighters can utilize natural barriers or other previously cleared areas to contain the fire, mitigate its intensity, and ultimately protect valuable resources and structures.

This method is particularly advantageous when the fire is too intense to engage directly. Instead of attempting to extinguish the flames where they are most dangerous, which can be hazardous and less effective, an indirect attack allows for a more strategic approach. Firefighters can use backburning or burnout operations within these control lines to remove fuels that the fire could use to spread further, thereby securing a perimeter before directly addressing the flames.

Creating control lines is a proactive measure integral to wildland firefighting strategies, enabling incident commanders to better maintain safety and efficiency even as they work to suppress the fire over the longer term.