Backfiring is raw fuel entering the hot muffler.
BEcause engines run way too hot now days the mufflers run red hot inside, an some even have after burners in there.
Because the pin is snipped off the solenoid in those last 1/2 dozen revolutions before the engine comes to rest fuel is sucked in & blown out unburned into the muffler.
And because the engine is running slower, some fresh air will also get sucked into the muffler from the outside.
If the air fuel mix from the engine +the fresh air get to the flashover ratio inside the muffler and the muffler still has some red hot parts inside then the mixture will ignite.
Usually this is from 10 seconds to a minute after the engine has stopped so is termed "after fire" .
Now the after fire was a Godsend for the EPA because they could pretend the very expensive solenoid was there to do some good for the owner and not from pollution regulations.
Thus Rodney Redneck is not on line 24/7 trying to convince every one to "strike a blow for your freedom " and cut them off