The disclosure is directed to a system and method of fueling and mitigating debris for an illumination source. An illumination system may include a plasma-based illumination source. The illumination system may provide illumination along an illumination path emanating from an illumination origin of the illumination source. A gas jet nozzle may be disposed at a selected distance from the illumination origin or proximate to the illumination origin. The gas jet nozzle may be configured to provide fuel gas to fuel the plasma-based illumination source. The gas jet nozzle may be further configured to provide fuel gas in a selected direction substantially opposite to a direction of illumination emanating from the illumination origin to remove at least a portion of debris from the illumination path.