What term describes a fire that periodically ignites the tops of trees but primarily burns at the surface?

The term that describes a fire that periodically ignites the tops of trees but primarily burns at the surface is "torching." This phenomenon occurs when individual trees or sections of a canopy ignite due to heat generated by an underlying surface fire. Although the fire touches the upper parts of the trees, the main combustion typically occurs at the ground level, where the forest floor fuel is located.

Torched trees can release embers into the air, potentially leading to spotting or the occurrence of new ignitions in nearby locations. This behavior illustrates the dynamics of fire spread in forest ecosystems, where surface fires may transition to more intense crown fires depending on environmental conditions and fuel characteristics. Understanding this aspect of fire behavior is critical for wildland firefighters to assess fire behavior and implement effective suppression strategies.