Mop-up is the exhausting, methodical process of extinguishing or removing burning material near control lines after a fire has been contained. Crews dig out smoking roots, cut down hazardous snags, and mix water with dirt to cool hot ash pits. The goal is to ensure no residual heat can blow across the line and restart the fire.
Heard on the job
We need a heavy mop-up on this flank, at least 100 feet in from the blackline.
Insider tip
A thorough mop-up requires bare hands hovering over the dirt to feel for hidden heat, a technique known as cold trailing.
Do not mix it up with
- Overhaul: Mop-up is used in wildland firefighting, while overhaul is the structural firefighting equivalent.