A wildland firefighting tactic where crews ignite a controlled fire ahead of an advancing main fire. The goal is to burn up the available vegetation so that when the main fire reaches the area, it runs out of fuel and loses intensity or stops completely. This requires careful consideration of wind, weather, and terrain to prevent the new fire from escaping.
Heard on the job
We need to set a counterfire off this ridge road before the main front pushes up the canyon.
Also heard as
- backfire
- burnout
Do not mix it up with
- Backfire: A backfire is a specific, aggressive indirect attack tactic used against a rapidly spreading fire, while a counterfire is a broader term for any fire set to consume fuel ahead of the main front.