Wildfires ['wīld-'fīr]

A large, destructive fire that spreads quickly over woodland or brush.

A wildfire is one that is out of control and generally viewed as undesirable by land managers. It needs to be put out or suppressed if it is threatening homes or the habitat of an endangered animal. Some forests benefit from an occasional ground fire to help clear the forest floor of competing grasses and young trees. A wildfire's behavior is influenced by weather, humidity, the type and amount of fuel available and topography of the land.

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