The difference between direct and indirect fire line

In the wrong situation, namely fast moving and intense fires, direct attack can be both dangerous and futile. Sending firefighters out day after day to employ the wrong tactics can expose them to undo risk and waste precious time if at the end of the day no real progress has been made. Deciding when to shift from direct attack to indirect attack is one of the more critical decisions firefighters must make.

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To save Lake Tahoe, they spared no expense. The fire came over the ridge anyway.

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Wildfire, drought and chainsaws: California’s iconic trees are casualties in the war on fire