Ozernoe: Firestorm is a solo-only Overtime Raid on a burning version of Ozernoe, back in Active Matter for a limited time since 23 October. Bring a fire extinguisher: Gaijin says it puts out flames and neutralises the raid's Scorches and burning Devourers.
It's an Open Raid, so every other operative in there is a rival and nobody can carry you. Gaijin hasn't given an end date, only that deployments are "temporarily" open. Checked against Gaijin's 23 October Firestorm post, the original January launch post and the 0.4.0.201 and 0.4.0.205 patch notes.
What Firestorm is
Firestorm sends you into an alternate Ozernoe that Gaijin describes as fully engulfed in flames. It first appeared on 28 January as a new Overtime Raid, and Gaijin has reopened it after detecting what it calls a surge of anomalous activity.
- Solo only: no squads. You queue alone and so does everyone else.
- PvPvE: it's listed as an Open Raid with hostile rival operatives on top of the monsters.
- A raid-specific job: track the anomalous signals, locate the sources of ignition, then get out alive.
- Temporary: Gaijin calls it a temporary opening and hasn't said when it closes.
Overtime Raids come and go on Gaijin's schedule. For how they fit alongside the regular raid list, see our Active Matter raid guide.
The fire extinguisher is the key item
Gaijin's own advice for Firestorm comes down to one item. Both the January and October posts tell you to find a fire extinguisher and equip it.
- Weapon slot only: equip it in a weapon slot to use it. In a February Q&A Gaijin said a pocket-slot option isn't planned.
- Puts out flames: Gaijin recommends it for safer traversal through the burning map.
- Neutralises Scorches and burning Devourers: the January post says it does this "in seconds".
- Car fires too: since the April "Gigastructure" update, extinguishers can put out burning vehicles.
- It reacts when shot: the August "250 Shades of Liberty" update made extinguishers react to gunfire, so remember what you're carrying in a firefight.
What's waiting in the flames
Gaijin names four threats. This table pairs each with the counter that comes from Gaijin's own posts.
| Threat | What it is | Gaijin's counter |
|---|---|---|
| Burning Devourers | Listed by Gaijin as a Firestorm threat | Fire extinguisher neutralises them |
| Scorches | Monster added in December's "Fire Walk" update | Fire extinguisher neutralises them |
| Fire anomalies | Flames and fire traps across the map | Extinguisher puts out flames |
| Rival operatives | Other solo players | None named; nobody has a squad to back them up |
Our monsters guide covers how regular Devourers behave outside Firestorm.
A Firestorm run, step by step
- Pack the extinguisher in a weapon slot before you deploy. It's the only Firestorm-specific tool Gaijin recommends.
- Use the new map markers. Since 0.4.0.205 (22 October), markers show distance on the map and compass, plus an arrow for targets above or below you.
- Read the loot zones. The same patch colours each loot zone's border by the rarest loot inside it.
- Track the signals. Follow the anomalous signals to the ignition sources, which is the raid's objective.
- Watch for lairs. Monster lairs now only appear on your map within 30 metres, and stay marked once found.
- Fit a flash hider for PvP. Update 0.4.0.201 (21 October) fixed muzzle flash hiders, so they hide your shots again.
- Extract alive. It's the last line of Gaijin's brief for the raid.
Why Active Matter is busy right now
Gaijin announced on 25 October that Active Matter has sold more than 500,000 copies across Steam, the Gaijin.Net Store, Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. It says it's already working on the first major update since launch, with new maps, weapons, monsters and bosses.
- Steady sales: co-founder Anton Yudintsev says sales have stayed "remarkably steady" since launch.
- Frequent patches: 0.4.0.201 and 0.4.0.205 landed on consecutive days, both changing how raids play.
New to solo raiding? Our solo guide covers loadouts and extraction habits.
Outside Firestorm
Firestorm is solo only, so no operator can join you in it. For the regular map, our Ozernoe raid clears it with you: Team up with our operator in your squad, or go piloted on PC. Account Level Boost is piloted on PC, and everything earned stays yours.